Checked against official sources on 15 October 2026
How much does a mini fridge cost to run?
About $3.75 a month
for a typical mini fridge in No match. Pick "Another country" to type your own price. , at 18.31 cents per kWh.
Type your electricity price to see the cost.
- Uses
- 0.67 kWh a day
- Uses per year
- 246 kWh
- Average draw
- about 28 W
Mini fridges end up in dorm rooms, offices, garages and bedrooms, and people often assume they cost next to nothing to run. They're cheaper than a full-size fridge but not free: the typical certified model uses about 246 kWh a year, roughly half a full-size fridge, in a fraction of the space.
Averaged over a whole day it draws about 28 W.
Work out your own mini fridge
Typical use: 246 kWh a year
You'll find it on the appliance's energy label.
Fridge or beverage cooler
Compact beverage coolers in the ENERGY STAR data typically use less than compact fridges. Costs below use the price you set above.
| Type of mini fridge | Typical size | Energy per year | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact fridge1,765 models | 3.3 cu ft (93 L) | $45 | |
| Compact beverage or wine cooler127 models | 4.9 cu ft (139 L) | $25 |
What it costs in other countries
For a typical mini fridge, at each country's official average electricity price.
| Country | Price per kWh | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 18.31 cents | $3.75 | $45 |
| United Kingdom | 26.32 pence | £5.40 | £65 |
| Germany | 36.18 cents | €7.42 | €89 |
| Ireland | 38.71 cents | €7.94 | €95 |
| France | 24.85 cents | €5.09 | €61 |
| Spain | 25.09 cents | €5.14 | €62 |
| Italy | 31.42 cents | €6.44 | €77 |
| Netherlands | 24.40 cents | €5.00 | €60 |
Prices from the U.S. EIA, Ofgem and Eurostat; see Sources below. To see another country, pick it at the top of the page; we cover 51.
How to cut the cost of running your mini fridge
-
Use a beverage cooler if you only need cold drinks
In the ENERGY STAR data, the typical compact beverage cooler uses 111 kWh a year less than the typical compact fridge.
Saves about $20 a year
-
Give it room to breathe
Leave space around the back and sides so heat can escape.
-
Keep it out of warm spots
A mini fridge in a hot room or garage works harder.
Savings use the electricity price you set above and figures from this page's sources.
What can power it
We haven't found a published start-up figure for this appliance yet, so we don't give generator advice for it. Check the label for its watts.
Common questions
How much electricity does a mini fridge use?
The typical ENERGY STAR compact fridge uses about 246 kWh a year, or 0.67 kWh a day. Most fall between 206 and 332 kWh a year.
How many watts does a mini fridge use?
Averaged over a day, a typical compact model draws about 28 W. We have not yet found a published figure for running and start-up watts, so we don't list one.
How much does it cost to run a mini fridge per day?
About $0.12 a day in the United States, at the average price of 18.31 cents per kWh, or about £0.18 a day in the UK at 26.32 pence, for a typical mini fridge. That adds up to about $45 or £65 a year.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Refrigerators data set (U.S. EPA), 4,876 models, fetched 15 October 2026
- Eurostat, Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204): consumption band 2,500–4,999 kWh, all taxes and levies included, January–June 2026 (updated 13 October 2026)
- Ofgem energy price cap: average Direct Debit electricity unit rate, England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electricity Monthly Update: average residential price, July 2026 (released 24 September 2026)
Last checked 15 October 2026. How we get our numbers.