How many watts does a refrigerator use?
A refrigerator uses 100–250 W while the compressor runs, but averages about 60 W around the clock because the compressor cycles on and off. Running 24 hours/day, that is about 1.44 kWh a day and 43.2 kWh a month — roughly $7.91 a month at the U.S. average rate of 18.31 ¢/kWh.
This is the refrigerator electricity usage reference: watts, amps on a 120 V circuit, the kWh math, and links to what that usage costs in each state.
Watts, amps, and kWh for a refrigerator
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Running wattage (compressor on) | 100–250 W |
| Averaged draw over 24 hours | 60 W |
| Amps at 120 V | 0.8–2.1 A running, 0.5 A averaged |
| kWh per hour | 0.06 kWh |
| kWh per day at 24 hours/day | 1.44 kWh |
| kWh per month | 43.2 kWh |
| Cost per month at the U.S. average (18.31 ¢/kWh) | $7.91 |
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 refrigerator in Texas and switch states from there.
Refrigerator electricity usage profile
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| kWh per hour | 0.06 kWh |
| kWh per day (typical) | 1.44 kWh |
| kWh per month (typical) | 43.2 kWh |
| kWh per year (typical) | 525.6 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. Last dataset period: July 2026. Usage calculations use fixed appliance wattage and runtime assumptions so results stay comparable across pages.
Frequently asked questions
How many watts does a refrigerator use?
A refrigerator uses 100–250 W while the compressor runs, but averages about 60 W around the clock because the compressor cycles on and off. Our usage and cost math uses 60 watts running 24 hours/day.
How many amps does a refrigerator draw?
On a 120 V circuit, 100–250 W works out to about 0.8–2.1 A while the compressor runs, and about 0.5 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 refrigerator use per month?
About 43.2 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 refrigerator?
About $7.91 a month at the U.S. average rate of 18.31 ¢/kWh — from roughly $5.50 in Louisiana to $20.74 in Hawaii at the same usage. The state cost-to-run pages price it at every state's rate.