Running costs · price cap 1 July to 30 September 2026
How much does a fridge freezer cost to run?
A fridge freezer costs about £78.37 a year to run at the current price cap of 26.11p per kWh, which is £6.53 a month or 21p a day. That is based on Which? testing, with the fridge freezer running all the time.
Prices checked against Ofgem on .
Per day
21p
0.82 kWh
Per month
£6.53
average
per year
£78.37
300 kWh
Unit rate
26.11p
per kWh, price cap
Running cost by type of fridge freezer
Which? averages for the models it has tested, running all day, every day.
| Type | Per year | Per day | Per month | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freestanding | 300 kWh | 21p | £6.53 | £78.37 |
| Integrated | 296 kWh | 21p | £6.45 | £77.38 |
| American-style | 445 kWh | 32p | £9.67 | £116.07 |
Fridge freezer running cost by electricity price
Monthly and yearly cost at the same usage. Fixed deals vary, so check the unit rate on your bill.
| Tariff | Unit rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July to 30 September 2026 price cap | 26.11p | £6.53 | £78.37 |
| 1 October to 31 December 2026 price cap | 26.32p | £6.58 | £79.00 |
| A 20p per kWh fixed deal | 20p | £5.00 | £60.03 |
| A 24p per kWh fixed deal | 24p | £6.00 | £72.04 |
| A 30p per kWh fixed deal | 30p | £7.50 | £90.05 |
Do not switch it off
A fridge freezer only draws full power while the compressor runs, so the cost is spread across the day. Which? advises against turning it off to save money, because it needs to run all the time to keep food fresh and safe.
Where the savings are
Which? found American-style models average £116.07 a year against £78.37 for a freestanding fridge freezer. Keeping the seals clean and not packing it too tightly also helps.
From 1 October
The price cap changes to 26.32p per kWh from 1 October to 31 December 2026. At the usage above, a fridge freezer would cost £79.00 a year, 63p more than now.
Guides and definitions
- Energy price cap explained: rates from 1 October 2026 and your bill (Guide)
- Is Economy 7 worth it? Hours, price cap and the night-use break-even (Guide)
- Standing charge vs unit rate: which energy tariff is cheaper for you? (Guide)
- Economy 7 (Economy 7 is an electricity tariff with seven cheaper off-peak hours, usually overnight, and a dearer daytime rate; Ofgem assumes 42% of use falls off-peak.)
- Typical domestic consumption values (TDCVs) (Typical domestic consumption values are Ofgem's yearly usage figures for a typical home, 2,500 kWh electricity and 9,500 kWh gas from 1 July 2026.)
- Energy price cap (The energy price cap is Ofgem’s limit on unit rates and standing charges for default tariffs; typical bill £1,723 from 1 October 2026.)
- Standing charge (A standing charge is the fixed daily amount on an energy bill, paid whatever you use; the capped average is 54.83p a day for electricity.)
Other appliances
- Dishwasher (running costs)
- Tumble dryer (running costs)
- Electric oven (running costs)
- Air fryer (running costs)
- Kettle (running costs)
- TV (running costs)
- Electric shower (running costs)
- Immersion heater (running costs)
- Electric heater (running costs)
- Oil-filled radiator (running costs)
Appliance running cost calculator · Use your own wattage and unit rate
Common questions
How much does a fridge freezer cost to run per day?
About 21p a day at 26.11p per kWh.
How much does a fridge freezer cost to run a year?
About £78.37, based on Which? test data for an average model.
How many kWh does a fridge freezer use a year?
Around 300 kWh a year for an average model, or 0.82 kWh a day.
Sources and assumptions
- Prices use the Ofgem price cap for 1 July to 30 September 2026: 26.11p per kWh, the average for Direct Debit customers in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland is not covered by the cap.
- Energy use comes from Which? lab tests of typical models. Your own model may use more or less.
- The daily standing charge (57.19p a day) is paid whatever you use, so it is not included.
- Ofgem: energy price cap unit rates and standing charges
- Which?: how much your appliances cost to run (26 August 2026)
These are estimates. Your bill depends on your tariff, your region and how you use the appliance.