How many watts does a refrigerator use?
Every number here comes from a named source. Generator charts give a generous figure for sizing a generator or power station. Test data and manufacturer specs show what the appliance draws.
- Running
- 700 to 1,000 W
- Extra at startup
- 1,000 to 2,200 W
- Average over a day
- 52 W
- Per day
- 1.2 kWh
- Voltage
- 120 V
How long it runs on a battery
| Battery | Runtime |
|---|---|
| 1 kWh | 16 h |
| 2 kWh | 33 h |
| 3 kWh | 2 days |
| 5 kWh | 3 days |
At the average draw of 52 W, with 85% of the battery usable after inverter losses.
What each source says
| Figure | Value | Source and basis |
|---|---|---|
| Average over a day | 52 (34 to 78) W | ENERGY STAR certified residential refrigerators datasetFull-size ENERGY STAR models, yearly kWh divided by 8,760 hours. Median of 2,987 models; range is the 10th to 90th percentile. |
| Per year | 457 (297 to 685) kWh | ENERGY STAR certified residential refrigerators datasetFull-size ENERGY STAR models, federal test procedure. Median of 2,987 models; range is the 10th to 90th percentile. |
| Running | 700 W | EWEB, Generator Sizing ConsiderationsGenerator sizing chart, refrigerator/freezer. |
| Running | 700 W | Generac, Generator Wattage WorksheetGenerator sizing chart, refrigerator/freezer. |
| Running | 1,000 W | Amana Product Help, Generator Usage with AppliancesManufacturer's rough generator guide, refrigerator/freezer. |
| Extra at startup | 2,200 W | EWEB, Generator Sizing ConsiderationsGenerator sizing chart, refrigerator/freezer. |
| Extra at startup | 1,000 W | Amana Product Help, Generator Usage with AppliancesAmana says to double the running watts for refrigeration start-up. Doubling its 1,000 W figure adds 1,000 W. |
By size
| Size | Average over a day |
|---|---|
| Fridge-freezer, under 15 cu ft | 38 (34 to 49) W |
| Fridge-freezer, 15 to 20 cu ft | 52 (41 to 63) W |
| Fridge-freezer, 20 to 25 cu ft | 67 (45 to 76) W |
| Fridge-freezer, 25 cu ft and up | 81 (72 to 88) W |
ENERGY STAR top-freezer, bottom-freezer and side-by-side models. Each row is the median of the certified models in that group, with the 10th to 90th percentile in brackets.
Good to know
- Chart figures of 700 to 1,000 W are for sizing a generator. Averaged over a day, a full-size ENERGY STAR fridge draws far less, because the compressor cycles on and off.
- Federal rules cap how much a new fridge may use. For the same full-size models the cap has a median of 512 kWh a year, so a non-ENERGY STAR fridge can use somewhat more than the ENERGY STAR figures.
- Older fridges aren't in the ENERGY STAR data.
- The label inside the fridge lists amps or watts for that model.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR certified residential refrigerators dataset
- EWEB, Generator Sizing Considerations
- Generac, Generator Wattage Worksheet
- Amana Product Help, Generator Usage with Appliances
ENERGY STAR data downloaded on 2026-10-25. We publish the median of the certified models and the range from the 10th to the 90th percentile.