kitchen · 100W typical

Running a chest freezer costs about $3.56/month.

That's the typical chest freezer at 100W, run 24 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.

Estimated cost

$3.56/month

$0.12 per day$43.36 per year21.6 kWh monthly

Wattage

Hours / day

Your rate

A chest freezer draws full power only while the thermostat/compressor is running — about 7.2 effective hours at 100W across your 24-hour window.

How you use it

Cost shifts with how long it's on.

The same chest freezer can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.

basement bulk storage

$3.56

per month

meat, game, garden overflow

24 hrs/day·$43.36/yr

garage small chest

$3.56

per month

ice and overflow during gatherings

24 hrs/day·$43.36/yr

Where you live

$6.46 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.

Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.

State	Rate	Monthly	Yearly
Hawaii	41.2¢	$8.90	$108.27
California	31.4¢	$6.78	$82.52
Massachusetts	30.8¢	$6.65	$80.94
Connecticut	28.7¢	$6.20	$75.42
Rhode Island	27.9¢	$6.03	$73.32
New Hampshire	24.6¢	$5.31	$64.65
Alaska	24.3¢	$5.25	$63.86
New York	22.3¢	$4.82	$58.60
Maine	22.1¢	$4.77	$58.08
Vermont	21.5¢	$4.64	$56.50
Michigan	19.3¢	$4.17	$50.72
New Jersey	19.1¢	$4.13	$50.19
Maryland	18.4¢	$3.97	$48.36
Pennsylvania	18.1¢	$3.91	$47.57
District of Columbia	17.8¢	$3.84	$46.78
Wisconsin	17.4¢	$3.76	$45.73
Delaware	17.2¢	$3.72	$45.20
Illinois	16.9¢	$3.65	$44.41
Ohio	16.6¢	$3.59	$43.62
Nevada	16.3¢	$3.52	$42.84
Indiana	15.8¢	$3.41	$41.52
Virginia	15.7¢	$3.39	$41.26
Minnesota	15.6¢	$3.37	$41.00
Colorado	15.4¢	$3.33	$40.47
Alabama	15.2¢	$3.28	$39.95
West Virginia	15.2¢	$3.28	$39.95
Florida	15.1¢	$3.26	$39.68
New Mexico	14.8¢	$3.20	$38.89
Texas	14.8¢	$3.20	$38.89
Arizona	14.7¢	$3.18	$38.63
South Carolina	14.7¢	$3.18	$38.63
Kansas	14.6¢	$3.15	$38.37
Georgia	14.2¢	$3.07	$37.32
Iowa	14.1¢	$3.05	$37.05
North Carolina	13.9¢	$3.00	$36.53
Missouri	13.6¢	$2.94	$35.74
Oregon	13.4¢	$2.89	$35.22
Tennessee	13.3¢	$2.87	$34.95
Kentucky	13.2¢	$2.85	$34.69
Mississippi	13.1¢	$2.83	$34.43
Oklahoma	13.1¢	$2.83	$34.43
South Dakota	12.7¢	$2.74	$33.38
Montana	12.4¢	$2.68	$32.59
Nebraska	12.2¢	$2.64	$32.06
Arkansas	12.1¢	$2.61	$31.80
Washington	12.1¢	$2.61	$31.80
Louisiana	11.9¢	$2.57	$31.27
Wyoming	11.6¢	$2.51	$30.48
North Dakota	11.5¢	$2.48	$30.22
Utah	11.4¢	$2.46	$29.96
Idaho	11.3¢	$2.44	$29.70

Efficient vs. inefficient

A -$65.04/year difference across the wattage range.

Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.

Most efficient

350W

$12.47 per month

$151.77 per year

Typical

100W

$3.56 per month

$43.36 per year

High draw

200W

$7.13 per month

$86.72 per year

When it hits hardest

year-round peak

Slight summer spike in unconditioned garages.

Ways to cut the cost

1
Keep at 0°F, not colder — each degree below wastes 3-5%
Saves 5-15% annually
2
Chest freezers leak 80% less cold air than uprights when opened
Already 15-20% more efficient than upright at same size
3
Defrost manually when frost exceeds 1/4 inch
Frost buildup cuts heat transfer, adds 10% to kWh

Real-world wattages

Pulled from actual spec sheets.

Brand	Model	Watts
GE	FCM16SLWW (15.7 cu ft)	95W
Whirlpool	WZC3122DW (22 cu ft)	120W
Midea	WHS-185C1 (5 cu ft)	75W

Picks that actually move the needle

Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.

Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.

Kill A Watt P3 P4460 Meter

Verify actual draw before deciding to replace

$28-35

Freezer Thermometer Pack

Ensure setpoint isn't colder than -10°F

$10-15

Silicone Freezer Gasket Kit

Worn gaskets are the #1 cause of excess runtime

$20-40