How many watts does a mini fridge use?
A mini fridge draws 50–100 W while its compressor runs, but because it cycles on and off it averages about 45 watts over a day. That is about 1.08 kWh a day and 32.4 kWh a month, which costs about $5.88 a month at the U.S. average price of 18.16 ¢/kWh.
Watts, amps, and kWh for a mini fridge
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Running wattage (compressor on) | 50–100 W |
| Averaged draw over 24 hours | 45 W |
| Amps at 120 V | 0.4–0.8 A running, 0.4 A averaged |
| kWh per hour | 0.04 kWh |
| kWh per day at 24 hours/day | 1.08 kWh |
| kWh per month | 32.4 kWh |
| Cost per month at the U.S. average (18.16 ¢/kWh) | $5.88 |
The math is kWh = watts × hours ÷ 1000 and amps = watts ÷ volts. A standard 120 V household circuit on a 15 A breaker carries about 1,800 W. Because the compressor cycles on and off, the running wattage is several times the 24-hour average, and the average is what drives the monthly kWh and cost. For the dollars in your state, open cost to run a mini fridge in Texas and switch states from there.
Cost to run a mini fridge in every state
Same 45 W draw and 24 hours/day, priced at each state's average residential rate (EIA data for August 2026, updated Oct 28, 2026). Open a state for its full cost page.
| State | Price per kWh | Cost per day | Cost per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.33 ¢/kWh | $0.18 | $5.29 |
| Alaska | 29.41 ¢/kWh | $0.32 | $9.53 |
| Arizona | 15.05 ¢/kWh | $0.16 | $4.88 |
| Arkansas | 14.37 ¢/kWh | $0.16 | $4.66 |
| California | 29.75 ¢/kWh | $0.32 | $9.64 |
| Colorado | 17.17 ¢/kWh | $0.19 | $5.56 |
| Connecticut | 24.51 ¢/kWh | $0.26 | $7.94 |
| Delaware | 18.70 ¢/kWh | $0.20 | $6.06 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98 ¢/kWh | $0.28 | $8.42 |
| Florida | 14.99 ¢/kWh | $0.16 | $4.86 |
| Georgia | 15.90 ¢/kWh | $0.17 | $5.15 |
| Hawaii | 47.18 ¢/kWh | $0.51 | $15.29 |
| Idaho | 13.37 ¢/kWh | $0.14 | $4.33 |
| Illinois | 19.32 ¢/kWh | $0.21 | $6.26 |
| Indiana | 17.02 ¢/kWh | $0.18 | $5.51 |
| Iowa | 17.06 ¢/kWh | $0.18 | $5.53 |
| Kansas | 15.47 ¢/kWh | $0.17 | $5.01 |
| Kentucky | 13.80 ¢/kWh | $0.15 | $4.47 |
| Louisiana | 12.87 ¢/kWh | $0.14 | $4.17 |
| Maine | 32.11 ¢/kWh | $0.35 | $10.40 |
| Maryland | 21.40 ¢/kWh | $0.23 | $6.93 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48 ¢/kWh | $0.33 | $9.88 |
| Michigan | 22.99 ¢/kWh | $0.25 | $7.45 |
| Minnesota | 17.20 ¢/kWh | $0.19 | $5.57 |
| Mississippi | 14.43 ¢/kWh | $0.16 | $4.68 |
| Missouri | 16.02 ¢/kWh | $0.17 | $5.19 |
| Montana | 15.57 ¢/kWh | $0.17 | $5.04 |
| Nebraska | 13.54 ¢/kWh | $0.15 | $4.39 |
| Nevada | 12.72 ¢/kWh | $0.14 | $4.12 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64 ¢/kWh | $0.30 | $8.96 |
| New Jersey | 24.61 ¢/kWh | $0.27 | $7.97 |
| New Mexico | 16.51 ¢/kWh | $0.18 | $5.35 |
| New York | 28.65 ¢/kWh | $0.31 | $9.28 |
| North Carolina | 14.95 ¢/kWh | $0.16 | $4.84 |
| North Dakota | 13.31 ¢/kWh | $0.14 | $4.31 |
| Ohio | 19.38 ¢/kWh | $0.21 | $6.28 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82 ¢/kWh | $0.16 | $4.80 |
| Oregon | 15.92 ¢/kWh | $0.17 | $5.16 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77 ¢/kWh | $0.24 | $7.05 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18 ¢/kWh | $0.30 | $9.13 |
| South Carolina | 15.76 ¢/kWh | $0.17 | $5.11 |
| South Dakota | 15.15 ¢/kWh | $0.16 | $4.91 |
| Tennessee | 13.42 ¢/kWh | $0.14 | $4.35 |
| Texas | 15.91 ¢/kWh | $0.17 | $5.15 |
| Utah | 13.31 ¢/kWh | $0.14 | $4.31 |
| Vermont | 23.84 ¢/kWh | $0.26 | $7.72 |
| Virginia | 17.64 ¢/kWh | $0.19 | $5.72 |
| Washington | 14.63 ¢/kWh | $0.16 | $4.74 |
| West Virginia | 16.31 ¢/kWh | $0.18 | $5.28 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41 ¢/kWh | $0.21 | $6.29 |
| Wyoming | 14.43 ¢/kWh | $0.16 | $4.68 |
Mini Fridge electricity usage profile
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| kWh per hour | 0.04 kWh |
| kWh per day (typical) | 1.08 kWh |
| kWh per month (typical) | 32.4 kWh |
| kWh per year (typical) | 394.2 kWh |
| Low runtime scenario | 24 hours/day |
| High runtime scenario | 24 hours/day |
Connect usage to cost tools
Related appliance usage pages
Source & Method
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Retail Sales of Electricity. EIA data for August 2026, updated Oct 28, 2026. Usage calculations use fixed appliance wattage and runtime assumptions so results stay comparable across pages.
Frequently asked questions
How many watts does a mini fridge use?
A mini fridge uses 50–100 W while the compressor runs, but averages about 45 W around the clock because the compressor cycles on and off. Our usage and cost math uses 45 watts running 24 hours/day.
How many amps does a mini fridge draw?
On a 120 V circuit, 50–100 W works out to about 0.4–0.8 A while the compressor runs, and about 0.4 A averaged over the day because it cycles on and off. Compressors also draw more for a moment at startup.
How much electricity does a mini fridge use per month?
About 32.4 kWh a month. It runs around the clock, so month-to-month differences come from how hard the compressor works — room temperature, how often the door opens, and the unit's age — rather than hours of use.
How much does it cost to run a mini fridge?
About $5.88 a month at the U.S. average rate of 18.16 ¢/kWh — from roughly $4.12 in Nevada to $15.29 in Hawaii at the same usage. The state cost-to-run pages price it at every state's rate.