Freezer electricity use: what it costs per year
A freezer runs day and night, all year. So it is the yearly consumption that counts, not a single hour.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
A new freezer uses about 250 kWh a year, while one that is ten years old uses about 400 to 500 kWh, according to the Swedish Energy Agency. Because a freezer runs around the clock, its yearly consumption decides the cost. In a flat in Linköping on Tekniska verken’s grid, at the Statistics Sweden average variable price for SE3, power costs 201.9 öre/kWh with tax and VAT. The new freezer then costs about SEK 505 a year and the ten-year-old one between SEK 808 and SEK 1,009. That is a couple of hundred kronor a year just because the freezer has some years behind it. A fridge-freezer or a chest freezer has different values; the yearly consumption is on the energy label. Enter your freezer’s figure in the calculator to get the cost per year and per month on your grid.
Freezer: cost per year
SEK 908
SEK 76 a month
| All-in price per kWh | 201.9 öre/kWh |
| Consumption per year | 450 kWh |
| Cost per month | SEK 76 |
| Cost per year | SEK 908 |
Assumptions
Yearly use from the Swedish Energy Agency (new about 250 kWh, ten years old 400–500 kWh). The price per kWh is worked out as in the main calculator: your spot price, mark-up, Ei’s transfer fee for Tekniska verken Linköping Nät AB, energy tax and VAT. Method and sources
Yearly cost by consumption
| Use per year | Cost per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| 250 kWh | SEK 505 | SEK 42 |
| 300 kWh | SEK 606 | SEK 50 |
| 400 kWh | SEK 808 | SEK 67 |
| 500 kWh | SEK 1,009 | SEK 84 |
The freezer is a small but steady item. It barely shows on a single monthly bill, but over ten years the gap between a frugal and a thirsty freezer runs to several thousand kronor. The Swedish Energy Agency also notes that about 5 % of a household’s electricity goes to standby; a freezer is not standby, but it belongs to the same group of appliances that draw power all the time.
What affects consumption
- Age and energy class: the gap the agency’s figures show, from about 250 to 400–500 kWh a year.
- Placement: a freezer in a warm space works harder than one in a cool space; the maker’s ambient-temperature guidance is in the manual.
- Ice and seals: a freezer with heavy ice or a poor door seal works harder. Defrost as the maker advises.
The freezer on the bill
Add the freezer, fridge and other always-on appliances together and you get a base load you pay for whatever the contract or time. It is useful to know when comparing mark-ups and fees between retailers, since the mark-up applies to every kWh. See the electricity bill for the whole month and electricity price in Linköping for the city’s grid.