The Refrigerator That Was Costing Me 300 a Year An

I had a fridge in my basement for about six years. It was an old Kenmore, probably from the late 1990s. I used it for drinks and frozen pizzas. I never thought much about it. Then one day I was helping a neighbor buy a new refrigerator, and I learned that old fridges are energy hogs. I went down to my basement with a plug‑in power meter. The Kenmore was pulling 180 watts continuously. That’s 1,576 kilowatt‑hours per year. At my electric rate of $0.14 per kWh, that’s $221 a year. Just for the basement fridge. I was shocked.

I replaced it with a small Energy Star chest freezer and a mini fridge for drinks. The new combo cost $400 and uses about 300 kWh per year, or $42. That’s a saving of $179 a year. The payback was just over two years. I felt stupid for not doing it sooner. But I also felt relieved that I finally knew.

Old refrigerators are some of the worst energy offenders in a home. A fridge from 1990 uses about 1,500 kWh per year. A new Energy Star fridge uses about 400 kWh. The difference is huge. If you have a second fridge in the garage or basement, you might be spending $200‑$300 a year to keep a few six‑packs cold.

I had another client named Ellen who had a 1985 fridge in her garage. She used it for overflow during holidays. The rest of the year, it sat nearly empty. But it ran 24/7. I asked her if she knew how much it cost to run. She guessed maybe $50 a year. I measured it. It was using 1,800 kWh per year, which at her rate of $0.15 per kWh was $270. She unplugged it that afternoon. She said she would just buy a cooler for the holidays.

Here’s how to check your own fridge. First, find the yellow Energy Guide label. It will have an estimated yearly kilowatt‑hour use. If it’s more than 600 kWh, it’s costing you at least $80 a year at average rates. Second, if you don’t have the label, you can use a power meter. Third, you can look up the model number online. But the easiest way is to unplug it for a week and see if you miss it.

Another thing people overlook is the temperature setting. Your fridge should be 37‑40°F. Your freezer should be 0‑5°F. If they’re colder, you’re wasting energy. I had a client whose fridge was set to 32°F. Some of her food was freezing. She turned it up to 38°F. Her energy use dropped about 10%.

Also, check the door seals. Close the door on a dollar bill. If you can pull it out easily, the seal is leaky. Cold air escapes, the compressor runs more. A new seal costs about $50 and takes 30 minutes to install. It can save you $30‑$50 a year.

I tell people that the best way to save energy with a refrigerator is to not have a second one. If you really need extra storage, buy a small chest freezer. Chest freezers are better insulated than uprights, and they don’t lose cold air when you open the door. A 7‑cubic‑foot chest freezer uses about 200 kWh per year, or $28 at $0.14 per kWh. That’s much cheaper than an old fridge.

If you have to have a second fridge, at least make sure it’s full. A full fridge retains cold better than an empty one. Fill jugs with water to take up space. Keep the coils clean. Dusty coils make the compressor work harder. Vacuum the back or underneath every six months.

A guy I know, let’s call him Dave, had a fridge in his garage that was so old it didn’t even have a freezer compartment. Just a tiny ice cube tray. That fridge was costing him about $250 a year. He was keeping maybe $20 worth of condiments in it. I told him to unplug it. He did. His next electric bill dropped $30. He called me and said, “I can’t believe I was paying for that for so long.”

I have a tool that helps you estimate your fridge’s energy cost.