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What a mini fridge costs to run

A typical certified mini fridge uses 246 kWh a year, about $44.75 at the U.S. average rate.

Compact refrigerators, the kind used in dorms, offices and garages. Based on 1,724 models on the ENERGY STAR certified list.

Typical model246 kWhper year
Efficient model206 kWhbest 10% of models
High-use model335 kWhtop 10% in energy use
U.S. average cost$44.75per year, typical model

Cost by state

Typical mini fridge, 246 kWh a year. Rank 1 is the most expensive state.
RankStateCents per kWhPer yearPer month
1Hawaii46.41$114.17$9.51
2California32.58$80.15$6.68
3Maine30.23$74.37$6.20
4Massachusetts30.19$74.27$6.19
5New York29.26$71.98$6.00
6Rhode Island29.05$71.46$5.96
7Connecticut27.47$67.58$5.63
8Alaska27.32$67.21$5.60
9New Hampshire26.91$66.20$5.52
10District of Columbia24.86$61.16$5.10
11New Jersey24.09$59.26$4.94
12Vermont23.93$58.87$4.91
13Michigan21.73$53.46$4.45
14Maryland21.31$52.42$4.37
15Pennsylvania21.13$51.98$4.33
16Illinois19.23$47.31$3.94
17Wisconsin19.05$46.86$3.91
18Ohio18.81$46.27$3.86
19Delaware17.98$44.23$3.69
20Indiana17.04$41.92$3.49
21Virginia16.95$41.70$3.47
22Colorado16.80$41.33$3.44
23Alabama16.51$40.61$3.38
24Minnesota16.44$40.44$3.37
25Texas16.03$39.43$3.29
26South Carolina15.90$39.11$3.26
27West Virginia15.58$38.33$3.19
28Georgia15.48$38.08$3.17
29Oregon15.46$38.03$3.17
30Arizona15.36$37.79$3.15
31New Mexico15.34$37.74$3.14
32Florida15.32$37.69$3.14
33Kansas15.26$37.54$3.13
34Mississippi15.06$37.05$3.09
35North Carolina14.94$36.75$3.06
36South Dakota14.58$35.87$2.99
37Iowa14.55$35.79$2.98
38Washington14.42$35.47$2.96
39Missouri14.28$35.13$2.93
40Kentucky14.20$34.93$2.91
41Montana14.13$34.76$2.90
42Wyoming14.01$34.46$2.87
43Oklahoma13.81$33.97$2.83
44Tennessee13.80$33.95$2.83
45Arkansas13.74$33.80$2.82
46Nevada13.36$32.87$2.74
47Louisiana13.27$32.64$2.72
48Utah13.19$32.45$2.70
49Idaho13.02$32.03$2.67
50Nebraska12.92$31.78$2.65
51North Dakota12.46$30.65$2.55

Models that use the least electricity

Lower energy use often comes with a smaller size. Compare models of the size you need.
ModelDetailskWh per yearCost per year, U.S. average
DOMETIC C40S1Compact Refrigerator, 1.1106$19.28
DOMETIC C40S2Compact Refrigerator, 1.1106$19.28
Fisher & Paykel RS2435SB*Compact Refrigerator, 4.6106$19.28
Liebherr UR3750Compact Refrigerator, 4.7115$20.92
DOMETIC C60SFS CARECompact Refrigerator, 1.7124$22.56
Liebherr UR3650Compact Refrigerator, 4.4125$22.74
Liebherr URP3653Compact Refrigerator, 4.1125$22.74
DOMETIC C60SBI CARECompact Refrigerator, 1.7126$22.92
Fisher & Paykel RS2435SB*T*Compact Refrigerator, 4.6137$24.92
DOMETIC C60S1Compact Refrigerator, 1.7145$26.38
DOMETIC C60S2Compact Refrigerator, 1.7145$26.38
Fisher & Paykel RB36SCompact Refrigerator, 3.7150$27.29
Frigidaire EFR107-B-WHITECompact Refrigerator, 1.6158$28.74
Frigidaire EFR107-WHITECompact Refrigerator, 1.6158$28.74
Frigidaire EFR115-B-BLACKCompact Refrigerator, 1.6158$28.74

Brands with the most certified models

BrandModelsTypical kWh per year
Frigidaire127208
Magic Chef102245
upstreman95218
Galanz92322
Marvel76219
Vissani73260
Midea69255
BANGSON53218
Avanti51250
Insignia49255

Frequently asked questions

How much electricity does a mini fridge use?

A typical ENERGY STAR certified mini fridge uses about 246 kWh a year. The most efficient 10% use 206 kWh or less. The 10% that use the most need 335 kWh or more.

How much does it cost to run a mini fridge for a year?

About $44.75 at the U.S. average rate of 18.19 cents per kWh. It ranges from $30.65 in North Dakota to $114.17 in Hawaii.

How we get these numbers: yearly electricity use comes from the ENERGY STAR certified product lists, measured with the federal test procedure. The rate is the average residential price the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports for each state, January to August 2026. Your own bill depends on your utility, your plan and how you use the appliance. See sources.