How many watts does a fridge 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 fridge without a freezer compartment cycles on and off and averages only about 10W to 13W across a day: 0.25 to 0.32 kWh, or 7p to 8p a day (£23.95 to £30.53 a year) at 26.32p per kWh. While the compressor runs it draws more, roughly 90W to 120W on Bosch’s ratings.

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: 90W to 120W; Indicative: Bosch rates a small fridge with an ice box at 90W and a fridge-freezer at 120W. No plain-fridge spec sheet we read gave a figure.
Amps at 230V (most): 0.52A
Energy a day: 0.25 to 0.32 kWh; Energy label kWh a year ÷ 365: Bosch KTR15NWEAG under-counter, 91 kWh; Bosch KSV36VLEP tall larder, 116 kWh.
Cost a day: 7p to 8p
Cost a year, from the energy label: £23.95 to £30.53
Start-up surge, for planning: about 480W; No maker publishes one. This is BLUETTI’s 2–4× rule for compressors applied to 120W: a planning figure.
On a 1kWh power station: 33 to 38 hours
On a 2kWh power station: about 3 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

Bosch labels its 134-litre under-counter KTR15NWEAG at 91 kWh a year and its 346-litre tall larder fridge KSV36VLEP at 116 kWh. Divided by the 8,760 hours in a year, that is an average of about 10W to 13W. The rating plate figure is higher because it is what the compressor can draw while it runs, not what it averages.

Mini fridges: Russell Hobbs’ 43-litre table-top RHTTLF1 is labelled at 106 kWh a year, about 12W on average, so a small compressor fridge uses about as much as a full-size larder fridge. Small thermoelectric “cosmetic” coolers are different: Subcold rates its 4-litre Pro 4L at 20W on mains and says it cools to about 18°C below room temperature, so it is no substitute for a fridge for food.

The honest bit

Label figures are measured with the door shut in a steady room, so a fridge in a warm kitchen or one opened often will use more. Even so, a fridge is one of the cheapest things in the house to run per day; it just never stops.

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

A 1kWh power station: 33 to 38 hours. A 2kWh power station: about 3 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.

For food safety in a cut, the Food Standards Agency’s advice is in our power cut food safety guide. If a fridge holds medicines, see fridge medicines in a power cut.

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

Common questions

How many amps does a fridge draw?

In the UK, at 230 volts, a fridge rated at 90W to 120W draws about 0.4 to 0.5 amps while its compressor runs, and nothing between cycles. For a moment at start-up it can draw several times that. It is a small load for a 13A socket.

How much electricity does a mini fridge use?

A 43-litre compressor mini fridge such as Russell Hobbs’ RHTTLF1 is labelled at 106 kWh a year, about 0.29 kWh a day. A small thermoelectric cooler rated at 20W uses up to 0.48 kWh a day if it runs non-stop, more than the compressor fridge, while holding far less.

Why is my fridge warm after a power cut?

With no power the compressor stops, so the inside slowly warms, faster every time the door opens. Once power returns, give it time to cool back down before restocking. What to keep and what to bin is in our power cut food safety guide.

Fridge and freezer thermometers →Power stations compared, with a sizer →Home backup power sizer →Running a fridge-freezer on a power station →How to lower your electricity bill →Electric heater safety and running costs →Every appliance’s running cost →

Compare: Fridge-freezer · Chest freezer

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Sources (13)

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