How many watts does a chest freezer use?

By Tom Calder · Figures checked 4 November 2026 · Costs at 26.32p per kWh (Ofgem cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026)

In short

A chest freezer is rated at about 75W to 120W while its compressor runs, and averages 21W to 34W across a day: 0.5 to 0.81 kWh, or 13p to 21p a day (£48.17 to £77.64 a year) at 26.32p per kWh.

A kettle coming to the boil beside a microwave and slow cooker in a warmly lit kitchen on a rainy evening

The numbers

Running watts: 75W to 120W; Connection ratings: Bosch GCM28VW20M 75W (a non-UK model), Gorenje FH25EAW 120W.
Amps at 230V (most): 0.52A
Energy a day: 0.5 to 0.81 kWh; Energy label kWh a year ÷ 365: 183 kWh (a 142-litre class E example in BLUETTI’s UK table) to 295 kWh (Liebherr CFE2500, 497 litres).
Cost a day: 13p to 21p
Cost a year, from the energy label: £48.17 to £77.64
Start-up surge, for planning: about 480W; No maker publishes one. BLUETTI’s 2–4× compressor rule applied to 120W: a planning figure.
On a 1kWh power station: 17 to 25 hours
On a 2kWh power station: 35 hours to 2 days

Costs use 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem price cap's average Direct Debit electricity unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Your own rate is on your bill; on a fixed or time-of-use tariff it will differ.

How it’s used, and what that costs

The energy label gives the yearly figure: 183 kWh for a 142-litre E-rated model, 215 kWh for Gorenje’s 248-litre FH25EAW and 295 kWh for Liebherr’s 497-litre CFE2500 (from a retailer listing). Older or very large chest freezers can use more.

The honest bit

A chest freezer’s strength in a power cut is that it holds its cold. Gorenje gives the FH25EAW a 39-hour “power cut safe time” and the Liebherr is listed with a 40-hour holding time, so for a short cut keeping the lid shut may be all it needs.

In a power cut: how long a power station would run it

A 1kWh power station: 17 to 25 hours. A 2kWh power station: 35 hours to 2 days. These use the same planning method as our power station pages: capacity × 90% usable depth × 85% inverter efficiency, divided by the load plus about 10W the unit uses itself (BLUETTI’s UK formula).

Output matters as much as capacity. The 7 units around 1kWh we list supply 1,500W to 2,000W continuously, and the 6 around 2kWh supply 2,200W to 3,000W, so check a unit’s rated output covers 120W and its surge rating covers the start-up before you rely on it.

If you do power one, turn off the power station’s ECO or auto-off mode so the cycling load doesn’t make it switch its output off. More in running a fridge-freezer on a power station.

To size one for everything you’d want to keep running, use the sizer on our power stations comparison.

Common questions

How long will a chest freezer stay frozen in a power cut?

Check your model’s manual for its “power cut safe time” or holding time: Gorenje gives 39 hours for its FH25EAW and Liebherr’s CFE2500 is listed at 40 hours, with the lid kept shut.