How Many Watts Does a Refrigerator Use?
Updated March 7, 2026
Just want the number? Use the energy cost calculator.
A typical home refrigerator draws somewhere around 100 to 250 watts while the compressor is running, and a much higher surge of roughly 700 to 1,200 watts for the second or two it takes the compressor to start. Because the compressor cycles on and off rather than running constantly, the average draw over a day is lower than the running figure suggests.
Running watts vs starting watts
This gap matters for two different reasons:
- For your power bill, what counts is the running watts and how many hours per day the compressor actually runs (usually about a third of the time).
- For sizing a generator or an inverter, what counts is the starting surge, because the device has to supply that spike or the fridge will not start.
If you are sizing backup power, the surge number is the one that bites. The generator size calculator handles that by adding the largest motor surge on top of your running total. For a worked example pairing a fridge with a gas furnace blower, what size generator for a refrigerator and furnace walks through the surge math step by step.
What it costs to run
Energy use is watts multiplied by hours, billed per kilowatt-hour. A modern refrigerator that effectively averages around 1 to 1.5 kWh per day costs, at the U.S. average rate near 17 cents per kWh, roughly 5 to 8 dollars a month. Older units can cost two to three times that, which is why a 15-year-old fridge in the garage is often the most expensive appliance in a home.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program rates models by annual energy use if you want to compare before you buy.
Find your own number
Two ways to get a number specific to your fridge:
- Check the nameplate (usually inside the door or on the back) for volts and amps. Volts times amps gives you watts.
- Or read the yellow EnergyGuide label for estimated annual kWh.
Once you have the watts, drop them into the energy cost calculator with your hours of use and your electricity rate to see the daily, monthly, and yearly cost. It is a quick way to decide whether that second fridge is worth keeping plugged in.