ENERGY · RUNNING COSTS

What a fridge freezer costs to run

On the price cap from 1 October to 31 December 2026, a fridge freezer rated 203 kWh a year costs £53.43 a year, in Great Britain on average and paying by Direct Debit. Put in your own model and region below.

Your region
Today's cap
Real models

A year

£53.43

At 26.32p a kWh: the cap's Great Britain average on Direct Debit, 1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026.

A week: £1.02
A month: £4.45
A year: £53.43

The working

203 kWh × 26.32p a kWh (Great Britain average, Direct Debit, VAT included) = £53.43 a year.
÷ 12 = £4.45 a month; ÷ 52.14 weeks = £1.02 a week.

The standing charge (54.83p a day here) isn't in these figures: you pay it whatever you run. On Economy 7 or another time-of-use tariff, the cost depends on when it runs and your supplier's rates.

Real models

Ratings from each maker's or retailer's page. Great Britain average, Direct Debit.

Model	Rating	A year
Samsung Series 8 RB38C607AB1/EU 387L fridge freezer, class A	108 kWh a year	£28.43
Bosch Series 6 KGE49AICAG fridge freezer, class C	163 kWh a year	£42.91
Bosch Series 4 KGN392WDFG fridge freezer, class D	203 kWh a year	£53.43
Bosch Series 2 KGN27NBEAG fridge freezer, class E	229 kWh a year	£60.28
Samsung RB38C602ESA/EU 390L fridge freezer, class E	264 kWh a year	£69.49

Where you live

A fridge freezer rated 203 kWh a year, on Direct Debit. The Great Britain average is 27.80p a kWh paying on receipt of a bill, and 25.52p on prepayment.

Region	A kWh	A year
Great Britain average	26.32p	£53.43
Eastern England	26.61p	£54.02
East Midlands	25.36p	£51.47
London	26.60p	£53.99
Merseyside and North Wales	27.86p	£56.56
West Midlands	25.60p	£51.97
North East England	25.46p	£51.67
North West England	26.49p	£53.77
Southern England	26.47p	£53.73
South East England	26.88p	£54.57
South Wales	26.55p	£53.90
South West England	26.58p	£53.96
Yorkshire	25.60p	£51.97
South Scotland	26.11p	£53.00
North Scotland	26.35p	£53.48

What it uses

The energy label, under the A to G scale: kWh a year, printed as kWh/annum. It already covers a whole year.

Does it always use this much? It's on all day, every day, but you don't need to multiply a wattage by 24 hours: the label's kWh/annum is already the year's total under the test conditions.

Spending less

Let hot food cool before it goes in the fridge or freezer, don't hold the door open for long, and keep the fridge at 5°C or less. (Energy Saving Trust: How to save energy in the kitchen)
Defrost the freezer once or twice a year so it keeps working efficiently. (Energy Saving Trust: How to save energy in the kitchen)
When you replace it, choose the smallest model that meets your needs with the best rating you can: a smaller fridge freezer uses less than a larger one with the same rating, and may even use less than a higher-rated one. (Energy Saving Trust: Home appliances and energy efficiency ratings)

Questions

How much does a fridge freezer cost to run?

A fridge freezer rated 203 kWh a year costs £53.43 a year at the price cap's 26.32p a kWh (Great Britain average, Direct Debit, from 1 October to 31 December 2026). The calculator above takes your own model, use, region and how you pay.

How much electricity does a fridge freezer use a year?

It's printed on the energy label as kWh/annum. Among the models I checked, Samsung's 387 to 390 litre RB38 fridge freezers range from 108 kWh a year (class A) to 264 kWh (class E).

Does a bigger fridge freezer cost more to run?

Usually. Ratings are set by size, so a smaller fridge freezer uses less energy than a larger one with the same rating, and may even use less than a higher-rated one. Compare the kWh/annum figures rather than just the letters.

Is it worth buying an A-rated fridge freezer?

It uses a lot less electricity than a low-rated one of the same size. Samsung's class A RB38C607AB1 is labelled 108 kWh a year and its class E RB38C602ESA 264 kWh, for nearly the same capacity. A fridge freezer typically lasts 17 years, so the difference adds up.