United Kingdom Kitchen
How much does it cost to run a chest freezer?
A chest freezer is the most efficient cold box in the house. Cold air sinks, so little escapes when the lid opens, and a 7 cubic foot chest freezer averages only 25 to 50 watts, around 220 to 400 kWh a year.
A 40 watt chest freezer costs about 1.1p an hour to run in Great Britain at 26.32 pence per kWh. Running it 24 hours a day comes to about 25p a day, £7.69 a month and £92.29 a year.
- Price: Ofgem cap, Oct to Dec 2026
- Wattage range with its source
- Checked 26 October 2026
Uses 0.96 kWh a day, 29 kWh a month, at 26.32 pence per kWh (Great Britain (price cap average)).
The dial places the daily cost between a 50 watt fan and a 4.5 kW water heater on 2.5 hours a day.
A 40 watt chest freezer costs about 1.1p an hour to run in Great Britain at 26.32 pence per kWh. Running it 24 hours a day comes to about 25p a day, £7.69 a month and £92.29 a year.
What this assumes
The default is a 40 watt chest freezer running 24 hours a day. Published typical ratings run from 25 to 80 watts (average draw over the day, not the nameplate). Your label or manual gives the exact figure, and the calculator takes it.
The price is the Ofgem price cap unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026, average for England, Scotland and Wales, paying by Direct Debit. The cap for 1 January to 31 March 2027 is announced in late November 2026. A fixed tariff, a time-of-use plan or a different payment method changes the rate, which is why the rate field is editable.
Cost by wattage and hours at the price cap rate
At 26.32p per kWh, running flat out. Multiply by the share of the time your thermostat keeps the element on.
| Power | 1 hour | 8 hours | 24 hours | A week at 24 hours a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 watt | 0.7p | 5.3p | 16p | £1.11 |
| 40 watt | 1.1p | 8.4p | 25p | £1.77 |
| 80 watt | 2.1p | 17p | 51p | £3.54 |
How a chest freezer uses electricity
Upright freezers of the same size use 10 to 25% more because they lose cold air every time the door opens and most are frost-free with a defrost heater.
A freezer in a garage that hits 95 degrees in summer runs its compressor far more than one in a cool basement.
Ways to cut the cost
- Keep it full. Fill empty space with bottles of water.
- Defrost manual models when the frost is a quarter inch thick.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run a chest freezer per month?
At 40 watts average, about 29 kWh a month. At 18 cents that is about 5.20 dollars, at 26p about 7.50 pounds.
Is a chest freezer cheaper to run than an upright?
Yes, typically by 10 to 25% for the same capacity, because the lid design keeps the cold air in.
Other kitchen costs
More in the UK
Sources
The electricity price on this page is read from the data file that also lists the release it came from. The wattage range is a published typical range, not a measurement of your appliance.