kitchen · 85W typical

Running a mini fridge costs about $3.53/month.

That's the typical mini fridge at 85W, 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

$3.53/month

$0.12 per day$43.00 per year21.4 kWh monthly

Wattage

Hours / day

Your rate

A mini fridge draws full power only while the thermostat/compressor is running — about 8.4 effective hours at 85W across your 24-hour window.

How you use it

Cost shifts with how long it's on.

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

dorm room

$3.53

per month

drinks and snacks for a single student

24 hrs/day·$43.00/yr

office beverage fridge

$3.53

per month

break-room drinks and lunches

24 hrs/day·$43.00/yr

basement wet bar

$3.53

per month

secondary beverage storage

24 hrs/day·$43.00/yr

Where you live

$6.40 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¢	$8.83	$107.37
California	31.4¢	$6.73	$81.83
Massachusetts	30.8¢	$6.60	$80.27
Connecticut	28.7¢	$6.15	$74.80
Rhode Island	27.9¢	$5.98	$72.71
New Hampshire	24.6¢	$5.27	$64.11
Alaska	24.3¢	$5.21	$63.33
New York	22.3¢	$4.78	$58.12
Maine	22.1¢	$4.73	$57.59
Vermont	21.5¢	$4.61	$56.03
Michigan	19.3¢	$4.13	$50.30
New Jersey	19.1¢	$4.09	$49.78
Maryland	18.4¢	$3.94	$47.95
Pennsylvania	18.1¢	$3.88	$47.17
District of Columbia	17.8¢	$3.81	$46.39
Wisconsin	17.4¢	$3.73	$45.35
Delaware	17.2¢	$3.68	$44.82
Illinois	16.9¢	$3.62	$44.04
Ohio	16.6¢	$3.56	$43.26
Nevada	16.3¢	$3.49	$42.48
Indiana	15.8¢	$3.38	$41.18
Virginia	15.7¢	$3.36	$40.92
Minnesota	15.6¢	$3.34	$40.66
Colorado	15.4¢	$3.30	$40.13
Alabama	15.2¢	$3.26	$39.61
West Virginia	15.2¢	$3.26	$39.61
Florida	15.1¢	$3.23	$39.35
New Mexico	14.8¢	$3.17	$38.57
Texas	14.8¢	$3.17	$38.57
Arizona	14.7¢	$3.15	$38.31
South Carolina	14.7¢	$3.15	$38.31
Kansas	14.6¢	$3.13	$38.05
Georgia	14.2¢	$3.04	$37.01
Iowa	14.1¢	$3.02	$36.75
North Carolina	13.9¢	$2.98	$36.22
Missouri	13.6¢	$2.91	$35.44
Oregon	13.4¢	$2.87	$34.92
Tennessee	13.3¢	$2.85	$34.66
Kentucky	13.2¢	$2.83	$34.40
Mississippi	13.1¢	$2.81	$34.14
Oklahoma	13.1¢	$2.81	$34.14
South Dakota	12.7¢	$2.72	$33.10
Montana	12.4¢	$2.66	$32.32
Nebraska	12.2¢	$2.61	$31.79
Arkansas	12.1¢	$2.59	$31.53
Washington	12.1¢	$2.59	$31.53
Louisiana	11.9¢	$2.55	$31.01
Wyoming	11.6¢	$2.48	$30.23
North Dakota	11.5¢	$2.46	$29.97
Utah	11.4¢	$2.44	$29.71
Idaho	11.3¢	$2.42	$29.45

Efficient vs. inefficient

A -$50.59/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

250W

$10.40 per month

$126.47 per year

Typical

85W

$3.53 per month

$43.00 per year

High draw

150W

$6.24 per month

$75.88 per year

When it hits hardest

year-round peak

Constant load regardless of season.

Ways to cut the cost

1
Retire any dorm mini-fridge older than 10 years
New ENERGY STAR models use 40-50% less
2
Keep at 38°F — not 34°F
Each degree colder adds 3-4% energy
3
Don't stuff the back — airflow around coils matters
Blocked airflow forces 10-15% more runtime

Real-world wattages

Pulled from actual spec sheets.

Brand	Model	Watts
Frigidaire	EFR331 (3.2 cu ft)	80W
Danby	DCR044A2BDD (4.4 cu ft)	90W
Midea	WHS-65LB1 (1.6 cu ft)	60W

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.

Midea WHS-65LB1 1.6 cu ft Mini Fridge

Lowest-watt option tested by Consumer Reports

$120-160ENERGY STAR

Kill A Watt P3 P4460 Meter

Verify a secondary fridge is worth keeping

$28-35

Fridge Thermometer Pack

Dorm fridges often run colder than needed

$10-15