how much electricity does a mini fridge use

How Much Electricity Does a Mini Fridge Use?

Last Updated on January 10, 2023

Does a mini-fridge consume a lot of electricity? It’s a reasonable question to ask if you’re thinking of installing your own mini fridge at home. These handy electrical devices are popular in a range of households because they’re compact, ideal for a range of rooms, and usually don’t consume too much energy.

However, the exact power consumption of your mini fridge can depend on a range of factors. Whether you’re thinking of installing one of these devices in student accommodation or a single-occupant household, or you’re planning on using these appliances to spruce up your games room, it’s important to be informed.

Today we will address the question “How much electricity does a mini fridge use?” to help you decide if one of these compact refrigerators is right for you. We will look at the facts relating to the energy consumption of the average mini-fridge, and teach you how to calculate how many watts it uses.

How Much Electricity Does a Mini Fridge Use?

The energy consumption of your mini fridge will depend on various factors, which we’ll cover in more depth below. However, most of the time, your mini refrigerator’s energy consumption will vary somewhere between 55 and 85 watts. To figure out how much energy you’re paying, you’ll need to calculate the price of energy per kilowatt in your region.

The important thing to remember is energy consumption, and electricity usage varies from one mini fridge to the next, the same as with full-size refrigerators or even fridge freezers. Taking the time to look for a compact refrigerator that consumes less energy overall can save you some serious cash in the long term.

Imagine your fridge consumes around 55 to 85 watts per hour; you’d need to multiply that amount by 24 hours a day and 365 days to get the total cost for a year. For instance, A 55-watt fridge would consume around 481 kWh per year in total.

You can then calculate that energy usage by the average kWh cost for electricity to get your price. For instance, if the per kWh was £0.12, the yearly cost would be around £57. Depending on the nature of your small fridge, you might find it costs less to run than a full-size refrigerator.

If you rarely fill your entire refrigerator with food, you’d be using a lot of energy to keep the entire space cold for no particular reason.

Does a Mini Fridge Increase Electricity Bills?

Using a mini fridge may increase your electricity bills, depending on how you’re going to leverage your new technology. If you’re using it to replace other full-size refrigerators in your home, you can actually save money. When it comes to understanding refrigerator energy consumption, it’s worth remembering you’ll use less energy to cool a smaller space.

Depending on your mini fridge power consumption, you can significantly reduce your annual electricity consumption by moving to a smaller fridge. However, if you’re using the fridge as a supplement to your standard fridge use, you’re going to be using more energy.

If you want to add a mini fridge alongside a full-sized refrigerator in your home, perhaps as a way to keep drinks cool in a game or entertainment room, you can add anywhere from £20 to £100 more to your electric bill. The exact price you pay will depend on exactly how much electricity your appliance consumes.

Does a Mini Fridge Cost a Lot to Run?

utility bills

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. In terms of energy per cubic foot, a mini fridge can consume less energy than a larger full-sized kitchen fridge. However, each mini fridge runs on a different amount of power.

The change in your energy bill will depend on how much power your device consumes.

A quiet refrigerator with a range of advanced features, like the ability to create ice cubes for cold drinks, may cost more than a simple mini fridge.

Smaller fridge models can also consume more energy per volume, depending on how much work it takes to keep the products inside it cold.

Factors Influencing a Mini Fridge’s Monthly Cost

If you’re wondering “How much electricity does a mini-fridge use per month?” there are many factors which should influence your calculations, such as:

  • Model design: Everything from the cooling capacity to the design of your mini fridge will depend on how much it costs to run. Some models with an Energy Star rating of A++ will be more energy-efficient and consume less power than those with an Energy start rating of B or less. Check for the Energy Star score when making your choice.
  • Size: Though mini fridges are typically smaller than a standard refrigerator, they can come in various sizes. The exact cubic foot mini fridge measurement you choose will influence the energy cost of running your new appliance.
  • Location: The position of your mini fridge makes a difference. If it is placed next to heat sources, it needs to work harder to produce cool air. Keeping your fridge in a cool and shady area should mean you use less power.
  • Season: All fridges will generally have a higher energy consumption rate in summer than in winter. This is because the ambient temperature in the home is higher, so the fridge needs to work harder to keep your next cold drink cold.
  • Usage: If a fridge door is held open regularly, there will be a lot less cold air in the fridge at any given time, which means the device needs to work harder to keep food and drink cold. Keeping the door closed is important for efficiency.
  • Age: Older models are generally less energy-efficient than new mini fridges with higher energy star ratings. If your power usage seems quite high, it might be because you need to upgrade your fridge.
  • Settings: The factory settings of your mini fridge can influence energy consumption, causing your device to use more electricity than necessary in some cases.

Understanding the Power Consumption of Mini-Fridges

Calculating the power consumption of your mini fridges will help you to determine whether it costs a lot to run these devices for a home like yours. It’s worth noting the energy efficiency of a mini fridge can make a huge difference to your bill.

For instance, when you’re calculating the kilowatt-hours you’re going to need to pay for in terms of mini fridge power consumption, remember some efficient mini fridges will turn off and on in cycles to keep your home more energy-efficient. This means even if you have your appliance on all day, you might not pay for a full 24 kilowatt-hours.

The functionality of your appliance will have a significant impact on how many watts you use each day and the overall electricity cost of your new device. It’s also worth noting how various settings and tools might influence your mini refrigerators.

For instance, manual defrost versions of mini fridges aren’t too problematic for energy usage. However, if your mini-fridge has a built-in freezer section with an automatic defrost, the addition of extra features affects mini fridge power consumption.

Learning as much as you can about your appliance’s energy usage should help you calculate the average mini fridge costs for each model in your home. Ideally, you’ll want to consider the electricity costs of powering your unit for every hour of the day just in case. This should help you ensure you can afford the annual energy cost of your fridge.

Calculating the Energy Usage of Mini Fridges

Understanding the energy consumption of a mini fridge doesn’t have to be as complex as it seems. Many fridges will include plenty of information in their manual, from the cubic feet of the interior space (a larger cubic feet measurement will use more energy) to the average daily electricity usage. You can check the details provided by your manufacturer to support your calculations.

If you used an 80-watt mini fridge for around 8 hours per day, and a kWh of energy in your region is around £0.12, then the average cost of running a miniature fridge per year would be less than £30. To calculate how many watts your mini-fridge consumes, use the following formula:

Fridge wattage x hours per day = watt-hours per day

Watt-hours / 1000 = kWh per day

kWh per day x 365: kWh per year

kWh per year x price of energy per kWh: Price per year

For instance, mini fridges with an average daily usage of 0.680 kWh wouldn’t add up to a lot of extra expense to keep your home stocked with ice-cold beer and drinks. Using the information you have about your utility company or power meter prices, you can use watt-hours to calculate exactly how much this small refrigerator would cost.

0.680 multiplied by 365 would give us around 248 kWh per year, which adds up to around £32 per year if you’re paying £0.13 per kWh. Even with a good energy star rating, an average larger refrigerator could cost triple that to run. If you’re not using all the space or cubic feet in a standard fridge, mini refrigerators could give you a good way to save money.

Energy Efficiency Tips

 Aside from shopping for the right mini fridge with the right cubic feet of space, there are several factors you can consider to influence how many watts of energy you use each year. To improve your energy efficiency and the kilowatt-hour you pay for, you can follow these tips.

Check the Energy-Efficiency Rating

Check the residential power consumption of your compact refrigerator, and make sure you know you’re getting a good energy star rating.

Ensure You Have the Right Ventilation

The answer to the question “How much electricity does a mini fridge use?” will often differ depending on where you position your fridge. Ensure there’s plenty of ventilation around the fridge to keep it working at its best.

Turn It off When Not in Use

One of the easiest ways to save more power in your home is to turn appliances off when you’re not using them. If your mini fridge loses its usefulness when friends aren’t visiting and using your guest room, turn it off to reduce the annual cost of your electricity and keep the machine working well.

Change the Temperature

Consider changing the settings of your kitchen fridge or mini fridge to reduce energy consumption. Some standard settings consume more power than necessary.

Maintain your Fridge

Consider paying to have the condenser coils cleaned or cleaning them yourself. Over time your mini refrigerator loses its efficiency if you’re not looking after it properly.

Are Mini Fridges Worth It?

It’s up to you to determine whether a mini fridge is worth increasing your electricity consumption. All electrical devices consume energy, but exactly how much power appliances use will depend on a number of factors.

Thankfully, with the guide above, you can answer the question “How much electricity does a mini fridge use?’ and decide whether now is the time to purchase one for your home.

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