Freezer Wattage Results [Most Efficient Revealed 2023]

Last updated: January 17, 2023.

How many watts does a freezer use? Find out below, by type and brand, based on 354 models. Get a shortlist of energy efficient freezers and see which freezer is the most efficient on the market.

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From freezer wattage to actual power consumption by freezer type, this article provides a comprehensive analysis, based on 354 models, of how modern freezers perform in terms of energy efficiency.

Spoilers:

• Freezer wattage generally ranges from 80W to 900W, but modern freezer wattage ranges from approx. 80W to 310W. 
• Freezer wattage does not accurately reflect actual freezer power consumption.
• Modern freezers consume 41.69 watts, on average throughout a day. Different cooling stages (e.g. active cooling, idle) impact how many watts freezers consume.
• Different freezer types (e.g. upright freezer, chest freezer) consume different amounts of electricity.
• The freezer that uses the least amount of electricity per cubic foot (ft3) is a chest freezer, the GE FCM22DLWW – check it out and see the latest prices on Best Buy, here, Home Depot, here, or Lowe’s, here.
• The most energy efficient upright freezer is the Beko BUFR2715WH – check it out on Amazon, here.
• The smallest freezer (with the lowest power consumption within that size range) that suits your needs will, in general, be the most efficient model for you.

Continue reading to see how much electricity freezers use over longer periods of time. And see the most energy efficient deep freezer, chest freezer, upright freezer and compact freezer.

Freezer wattage 

Freezer wattage typically ranges from 80W to 900W. Modern freezers generally have a wattage that’s less than 310W. 

The freezers that fall within this wattage range are standard sized upright freezers and chest freezers, including deep freezers. There are outliers to this wattage range, but these are a lot less common.

To get a better sense of freezer wattage, let’s look at the wattage for some of the most popular freezers on the market.

Freezer wattage examples:

• The best selling upright freezer on Amazon has a power rating of 100W – check it out here.
• Amazon’s best selling chest freezer is 120W – get details here.
• Best Buy’s best selling upright freezer comes in at approx. 220W – check it out here.
• Best Buy’s best selling chest freezer has a 130W power rating – get details here.

Freezer wattage refers to a freezer’s power rating, which is also known as the manufacturers’ listed wattage. 

Freezer wattage is the maximum wattage that the device will use while running under normal operating conditions.

However, freezers don’t operate at their maximum wattage all of the time. The amount of watts a freezer consumes varies throughout the day.

Freezers can consume more than double the listed wattage during startup.

Related: Will a solar generator power a freezer? Find out here: Solar Generator For Freezer [What You Need To Know].

During active cooling, when a freezer’s cooling system has already started up and is now actively reducing the internal temperature, freezers can consume close to their listed wattage.

But this operation isn’t constant.

When a set temperature is reached the power hungry freezer components (such as the compressor, condenser motor and evaporator fan motor) essentially enter idle mode. At this point, the amount of watts drawn by the freezer drops significantly.

Similarly, freezer temperature setting, room temperature, level of use / access, among other factors, impacts the amount of watts that freezers use.

As a result, freezer wattage is not an accurate reflection on how much power a freezer consumes.

So how many watts does a freezer actually consume? Let’s take a look.

How many watts does a freezer use 

Modern freezers use 41.69 watts, on average.

Based on the actual power consumption of 354 freezers, this is the average amount of watts that a freezer draws during its operation, which includes various modes such as startup cooling, active cooling, and idle.

Modern freezers use from 15.64W to 74.09W (44.98W is most common) on average throughout the day.

These figures are deduced from actual power consumption test figures used by freezer manufacturers to gain ENERGY STAR certification.

The table below summarizes how many watts 354 freezers use at a single point throughout the day, on average.

Freezer power consumption category	Watts (average)
Average	41.69W
Most common	44.98W
Highest	74.09W
Lowest	15.64W

Again, the amount of watts freezers use varies throughout the day. Freezers will consume a lot more or less depending on its mode (e.g. active cooling, idle). The table above shows the averages.

The freezer type also impacts the amount of watts consumed.

Related: Cost To Run A Freezer [Based On 354 Models | $$ Saving Tips].

So, let’s break the 354 freezers down into the different types and see how many watts each consumes, on average.

But before we do this, let’s make sure we’re on the same page by defining each freezer type.

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Freezer definitions

What is an upright freezer

Upright freezers, also known as stand up freezers, are freezers that are taller than they are wide.

They are similar in style to a standard refrigerator.

Upright freezers have several layers of shelves inside and access is gained via a front-mounted door.

Upright freezers allow for better organization and easier access to goods compared to deep and chest freezers.

Typical capacity of upright freezers ranges from 7.8 ft3 to 21.4 ft3.

What is a chest freezer

Chest freezers, often referred to as deep freezers, are freezers that are accessed via a top-mounted door. 

They’re usually wider than they are tall.

Chest freezers are commonly used for longer term storage as organization and access is more difficult.

Chest freezers tend to have more storage capacity, commonly ranging from 9 ft3 to 21.7 ft3.

Smaller chest freezers are also available, and these are referred to as compact chest freezers – more on compact freezers in a moment.

Chest freezers are deep freezers. However, not all compact chest freezers are deep freezers.

So what is a deep freezer?

What is a deep freezer

Deep freezers are chest, upright or any style of freezer that is large in terms of depth. 

Deep freezer refers to freezer size, more specifically depth, rather than temperature. 

If you need to reach deep into a freezer to remove or store goods then that freezer is considered a deep freezer.

The term deep freezer is used interchangeably with chest freezer.

People mainly use the term deep freezer when referring to a chest freezer. It’s less commonly used to refer to large upright freezers.

Note: for this article, we’ll need to make some assumptions due to the subjectivity of the term.

Let’s agree that all upright freezers, including compact upright freezers, and compact chest freezers that have a capacity of less than 5 ft3, are not deep freezers.

Usually, even the largest upright freezers found in homes don’t require you to reach deep inside to store and access goods. As a result, these will be excluded. Upright deep freezers are more commonly found in commercial premises, but commercial freezers are out of scope for this article.

So, for this article (in order to remove subjectivity), deep freezers are all chest freezers, including compact chest freezers, that have a capacity of 5 ft3 or more.

While not ideal this should give us a good sense of how many watts deep freezers consume.

Getting back to the freezer types, let’s get on the same page regarding compact freezers.

What is a compact freezer

Compact freezers are chest, upright or any style of freezer that is smaller, to a point, than their standard sized counterparts.

Compact freezers have capacities that range from 1.1 ft3 to 7.2 ft3.

This is based on ENERGY STAR certified compact freezer sizes.

OK, now that we’re on the same page, let’s get back to the power consumption data and look at how many watts the different types of freezers consume.

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How many watts does an upright freezer use 

Upright freezers use 50.86 watts, on average.

The most common amount of watts that upright freezers use is 44.98W.

Modern upright freezers use between 28.2W and 74.09W, on average throughout the day.

The table below summarizes how many watts upright freezers use.

Freezer power consumption category	Watts (average)
Average	50.86W
Most common	44.98W
Highest	74.09W
Lowest	28.20W

The average amount of watts that an upright freezer uses is more than the average when all freezer types are combined.

Next, let’s see how chest freezers compare.

How many watts does a chest freezer use 

Chest freezers use 27.85W on average.

This is slightly higher than the most common amount of watts that chest freezers use, which comes in at 22.95W.

Chest freezers consume between 22.95W and 39.5W, on average throughout the day.

The table below summarizes how many watts chest freezers use.

Freezer power consumption category	Watts (average)
Average	27.85W
Most common	22.95W
Highest	39.5W
Lowest	22.95W

As you can see, based on this study of 354 freezers, chest freezers consume less watts than upright freezers.

But what about deep freezers?

To ensure we’re on the same page, see above for what is considered a deep freezer.

How many watts does a deep freezer use

Deep freezers use 24.91W, on average.

Deep freezers consume from 19.63W to 39.5W, with 22.37W being the most common.

The table below lists how many watts deep freezers use, on average throughout the day.

Freezer power consumption category	Watts (average)
Average	24.91W
Most common	22.37W
Highest	39.5W
Lowest	19.63W

As you can see, deep freezers use less watts than chest freezers. This is because we’ve introduced large compact chest freezers into the mix as these also fall into the deep freezer category.

Before we take a look at how many watts compact freezers use, I’d encourage you to check out the freezer definitions above so we’re on the same page with the terms.

How many watts does a compact freezer use 

Compact freezers use 26.74W, on average.

The most common amount of watts that a compact freezer uses is 27.4W.

Compact freezers use between 15.64W and 45.55W, on average throughout the day.

The table below summarizes how many watts compact freezers consume.

Freezer power consumption category	Watts (average)
Average	26.74W
Most common	27.4W
Highest	45.55W
Lowest	15.64W

Both compact upright and compact chest freezers are included above.

The average amount of watts that a compact chest freezer uses, which is 22.43W, is less than the compact upright freezer average of 29.9W.

Next, let’s take a look at how much electricity, in kilowatt-hours (kWh), freezers use over longer periods of time.

How much electricity does a freezer use (kWh)

Freezers use 365.2 kWh of electricity per year, 30.43 kWh per month, 1 kWh per day and 0.042 kWh per hour, on average.

This is based on the actual power consumption of 354 freezers.

The most common amount of electricity used by freezers is 394 kWh per year, 32.83 kWh per month, 1.08 kWh per day and 0.045 kWh per hour.

Overall, freezers consume between 137 and 649 kWh of electricity annually, 11.42 kWh to 54.08 kWh monthly, 0.38 kWh to 1.78 kWh daily, and 0.016 kWh to 0.074 kWh hourly.

The table below summarizes how much electricity freezers use.

Freezer power consumption category	Annual electricity usage	Monthly electricity usage	Daily electricity usage	Hourly electricity usage
Average	365.2 kWh	30.43 kWh	1 kWh	0.042 kWh
Most common	394 kWh	32.83 kWh	1.08 kWh	0.045 kWh
Highest	649 kWh	54.08 kWh	1.78 kWh	0.074 kWh
Lowest	137 kWh	11.42 kWh	0.38 kWh	0.016 kWh

Upright, chest and compact freezers (and therefore deep freezers) are all captured in the table above.

Let’s split out how much electricity each freezer type consumes.

How much electricity an upright freezer uses

Upright freezers use 445.5 kWh of electricity per year, 37.12 kWh per month, 1.22 kWh per day and 0.051 kWh per hour, on average.

The most common amount of electricity that upright freezers use is 394 kWh per year, 32.83 kWh per month and 1.08 kWh per day.

Overall, upright freezers consume between 247 kWh and 649 kWh of electricity annually, between 20.58 kWh and 54.08 kWh monthly and 0.68 kWh to 1.78 kWh daily.

The table below shows how much electricity upright freezers use per year, month, day and hour.

Freezer power consumption category	Annual electricity usage	Monthly electricity usage	Daily electricity usage	Hourly electricity usage
Average	445.5 kWh	37.12 kWh	1.22 kWh	0.051 kWh
Most common	394 kWh	32.83 kWh	1.08 kWh	0.045 kWh
Highest	649 kWh	54.08 kWh	1.78 kWh	0.074 kWh
Lowest	247 kWh	20.58 kWh	0.68 kWh	0.028 kWh

We already saw that upright freezers use more watts than chest freezers. Next, let’s see how much the difference is in kWh over various durations.

How much electricity a chest freezer uses

Chest freezers use 244 kWh of electricity per year on average, 20.33 kWh monthly, 0.67 kWh daily and 0.028 kWh hourly.

The most common amount of electricity that chest freezers consume per year, month, day and hour is 201 kWh, 16.75 kWh, 0.55 kWh and 0.023 kWh, respectively.

The table below summarizes how much electricity chest freezers consume over various durations.

Freezer power consumption category	Annual electricity usage	Monthly electricity usage	Daily electricity usage	Hourly electricity usage
Average	244 kWh	20.33 kWh	0.67 kWh	0.028 kWh
Most common	201 kWh	16.75 kWh	0.55 kWh	0.023 kWh
Highest	346 kWh	28.83 kWh	0.95 kWh	0.039 kWh
Lowest	201 kWh	16.75 kWh	0.55 kWh	0.023 kWh

The power consumption of compact chest freezers is separate from this standard size chest freezer category – more on compact freezers below. If you’d like to know more about how the freezers are categorized, see above for the freezer definitions.

As you can see, chest freezers use considerably less electricity, on average, compared to upright freezers. And the difference becomes more substantial over time.

Next, let’s look at how much electricity deep freezers consume.

How much electricity a deep freezer uses

Deep freezers use 218.19 kWh of electricity per year, 18.18 kWh per month, 0.6 kWh per day and 0.025 kWh per hour, on average.

Overall, modern deep freezers use between 172 kWh and 346 kWh of electricity annually, between 14.33 kWh and 28.83 kWh monthly, and between 0.47 kWh and 0.95 kWh daily. 

The most common amount of electricity that deep freezers consume is 196 kWh per year, 16.33 kWh per month, 0.54 kWh per day, and 0.022 kWh per hour.

The table below summarizes how much electricity deep freezers use per year, month, day and hour.

Freezer power consumption category	Annual electricity usage	Monthly electricity usage	Daily electricity usage	Hourly electricity usage
Average	218.19 kWh	18.18 kWh	0.6 kWh	0.025 kWh
Most common	196 kWh	16.33 kWh	0.54 kWh	0.022 kWh
Highest	346 kWh	28.83 kWh	0.95 kWh	0.039 kWh
Lowest	172 kWh	14.33 kWh	0.47 kWh	0.02 kWh

Again, deep freezers use less electricity than standard sized chest freezers because compact chest freezers fall within the deep freezer category.

Speaking of compact chest freezers, let’s look at the power consumption of compact chest freezers, and compact freezers in general, next.

How much electricity a compact freezer uses

On average, compact freezers consume 234.22 kWh of electricity annually. This works out to 19.52 kWh monthly, 0.64 kWh daily and 0.027 kWh hourly.

The most common amount of electricity that compact freezers use is 240 kWh per year, 20 kWh per month, and 0.66 kWh per day.

The table below shows how much electricity compact freezers use across various durations.

Freezer power consumption category	Annual electricity usage	Monthly electricity usage	Daily electricity usage	Hourly electricity usage
Average	234.22 kWh	19.52 kWh	0.64 kWh	0.027 kWh
Most common	240 kWh	20 kWh	0.66 kWh	0.027 kWh
Highest	399 kWh	33.25 kWh	1.09 kWh	0.046 kWh
Lowest	137 kWh	11.42 kWh	0.38 kWh	0.016 kWh

The higher power consumption of upright compact freezers pushes the average compact freezer electricity usage up. As a result, compact freezers use more electricity than chest and deep freezers.

Separating compact chest from compact upright, we can see the difference in power consumption is quite substantial over a year.

On average, compact chest freezers consume 196.49 kWh p/y, 16.37 kWh p/m, 0.54 kWh p/d, and 0.022 kWh p/hr.

While, on average, compact upright freezers consume 261.99 kWh p/y, 21.83 kWh p/m, 0.72 kWh p/d, and 0.03 kWh p/hr.

Per year, compact upright freezers consume over 65 kWh of electricity more than compact chest freezers, on average.

Compact chest freezers use the least amount of electricity, on average, based on this study of 354 different freezers.

But before we look at what specific freezers use the least amount of electricity, let’s put freezer power consumption into perspective.

Do freezers use a lot of electricity? Let’s take a look.

Do freezers use a lot of electricity 

Yes. Freezers use a lot of electricity.

While not as much as electricity guzzlers such as showers, dryers and heaters, freezers do use a considerable amount of electricity.

For perspective, let’s compare the average freezer power consumption with the average consumption of other common household appliances.

Freezers use 30.43 kWh of electricity per month, on average. That’s equivalent to:

• How much electricity a TV uses after running continuously in On mode for 3.4 months.
• How much power a ceiling fan uses (medium sized) after running for 2.4 months straight.
• How much electricity a dryer uses after nearly 16 loads.
• How much energy a refrigerator uses (more specifically, an average top freezer refrigerator) after running for nearly ¾ of a month.

Let’s go one step further and take a look at how freezers impact monthly electricity usage.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, the average US household consumes 877 kWh of electricity per month.

Therefore…

On average, freezers account for 3.5% of the average US household’s monthly electricity usage.

Being responsible for 3.5% of monthly electricity usage may not seem like a lot, but it’s a lot more than most household appliances.

Relative to other common household appliances, freezers use a considerable amount of electricity.

As a result, in order to keep electricity bills and carbon footprints low, it’s important to consider using an energy efficient freezer.

So let’s jump into freezer energy efficiency.

Most energy efficient freezer type

Based on the actual power consumption of 354 freezers, the most efficient freezer type is compact chest freezer, followed by deep freezer.

Standard sized chest freezer takes the third spot.

The compact upright freezer type comes in second last, with standard sized upright freezer bringing up the rear.

The table below lists freezer types by their average annual power consumption, arranged from low to high.

Position	Freezer type	Average annual power consumption
1	Compact chest freezer	196.49 kWh
2	Deep freezer (i.e. combination of chest freezer & large compact chest freezer types)	218.19 kWh
3	Chest freezer	244 kWh
4	Compact upright freezer	261.99 kWh
5	Upright freezer	445.5 kWh

So, if you’re looking for a freezer that consumes the least amount of electricity, it’s a good rule of thumb to steer clear of upright freezers.

But let’s get more specific and take a look at the most energy efficient freezer models.

Energy efficient freezers 

Energy efficient freezers build on the latest innovations and cutting edge technology to deliver energy savings.

These freezers offer high-efficiency compressors and evaporators, enhanced insulation and design, along with other cooling mechanisms in order to save energy.

ENERGY STAR certified freezers are considered the most energy efficient on the market.

However, some ENERGY STAR certified freezers stand out more than others in terms of efficiency.

The most energy efficient freezer is generally the smallest freezer, of the appropriate type, that meets your needs. When you know the freezer type needed and smallest size needed, it’s simply a matter of choosing the freezer that consumes the least amount of electricity.

For convenience, to help you identify the most efficient freezer for your needs, below is a list of the most energy efficient freezers by type and, in many cases, size.

Energy efficient chest freezer 

Energy efficient chest freezers keep your goods frozen more efficiently than upright freezers.

Chest freezer capacity impacts their power consumption.

Here are two standout energy efficient chest freezers that fall into the standard sized category (i.e. not “compact”) – one being on the smaller side and the other being large.

The chest freezer that uses the least amount of electricity is the Whirlpool WZC3209LW, consuming just 201 kWh of electricity per year.

Get details on Best Buy, here.

With a capacity of 9 ft3, this chest freezer is quite small compared to other standard sized chest freezers. But if it is big enough (and not unecessarily large) for your needs then it’ll be the most efficient chest freezer for you.

However, the title of most energy efficient standard sized chest freezer is the largest freezer in this category.

Most energy efficient chest freezer 

The most energy efficient chest freezer is the GE FCM22DLWW. With a capacity of 21.7 ft3, this large chest freezer consumes 346 kWh per year.

Check it out (and see the latest prices) on Best Buy, here, Home Depot, here, or Lowe’s, here.

This freezer took the most energy efficient chest freezer spot despite using more electricity than its smaller sized counterpart noted above.

This is because it uses the least amount of electricity per cubic foot of storage.

This freezer’s wattage is reportedly, by GE customer support, approx. 230W. It draws 2 amps when running and, like all freezers, there are power surges. These surges can be more than twice the running power, but this doesn’t affect most users.

User’s planning to run freezers on generators need to account for power surges from freezers. 3,000W – 4,500W is reportedly the recommended generator size for this, the most energy efficient chest freezer. But do double check this with your generator’s manufacturer.

Disclaimer: the information provided is for informational purposes only, please check with your generator and appliance manufacturer before usage.

GE has some useful information on running their appliances on a generator, here.

Related: How Many Amps Does A Freezer Use? [Surge, Running & Low Amp Freezers].

So size plays a significant role in the amount of power freezers consume. Next, let’s take a look at the most energy efficient compact chest freezers.

Energy efficient compact chest freezer

Compact chest freezers consume less electricity per year than standard sized chest freezers.

The most energy efficient compact chest freezers have capacities that range from 1.1 ft3 to 7.2 ft3.

The most energy efficient compact chest freezer is the Avanti CF24Q0W.

With a capacity of 2.5 ft3, this freezer consumes just 137 kWh of electricity per year and achieved the coveted “ENERGY STAR Most Efficient” label.

Check it out on Amazon, here, or Walmart, here.

This may be considered too small for some readers, so next, let’s take a look at deep freezers.

Energy efficient deep freezer 

Energy efficient deep freezers (i.e. freezers that require users to reach deep inside to store and access goods) are one of the most efficient freezer types. Coming in second to their smaller sized compact chest freezer counterparts.

Deep freezers, for the purpose of this study at least, are considered to be chest or compact chest freezers that have a capacity of 5 ft3 or more. See above for more details on the definition of a deep freezer.

The most energy efficient deep freezer is one of the smallest models in this category, as expected. Let’s take a look at it…

Most energy efficient deep freezer

The most energy efficient deep freezer is the RCA RFRF-450-AMZ.

With a capacity of 5.1 ft3, this efficient freezer consumes just 172 kWh of electricity annually.

This model also holds the coveted “ENERGY STAR Most Efficient” label.

Check it out on Amazon, here, or eBay, here.

Note: due to the subjectivity of term deep freezer, the most efficient chest and compact chest freezer options (highlighted above) may be a suitable option for some readers.

But what about upright freezers?

Energy efficient upright freezer 

Energy efficient upright freezers are not as efficient as high performing chest freezers. However, they do provide easier access and organization. 

As a result, they are a popular freezer type where energy efficiency is, at least arguably, an even more important consideration.

The upright freezer that uses the least amount of electricity is the Danby DUFM085A4WDD.

This upright freezer has a capacity of 8.5 ft3 and consumes 247 kWh per year.

Check it out on Amazon, here, or Home Depot, here.

While this freezer does use the least amount of electricity in this category and does stand out in terms of energy efficiency, it does not have the “ENERGY STAR Most Efficient” label and does not achieve the title of the most energy efficient upright freezer.

However, if it’s the smallest upright freezer that meets your needs then it is the most efficient for you.

So what is the most energy efficient upright freezer?

Most energy efficient upright freezer 

The most energy efficient upright freezer is the Beko BUFR2715WH.

This freezer is the model that uses the least amount of electricity that also has the “ENERGY STAR Most Efficient” label.

This upright freezer has a 14.3 ft3 capacity and consumes 305 kWh per year.

It’s also worth noting that this freezer uses refrigerant with lower global warming potential (R-600a).

Get details, including the price, on Amazon, here, or Sears, here.

If you don’t need an upright freezer as large as the ones noted above, then you could choose an even more energy efficient compact upright freezer.

Energy efficient compact upright freezer 

Energy efficient compact upright freezers are smaller and, as a result, use less electricity than upright freezers.

They also, however, use more electricity than chest, compact chest and deep freezers.

But they’re a suitable option for many given their style, ease of organization and access.

The compact upright freezer that uses the least amount of electricity is the BLACK+DECKER BUFK12W.

This freezer consumes 201 kWh of electricity annually and has a capacity of 1.2 ft3.

Check it out on Amazon, here, or Home Depot, here.

It does not, however, hold the “ENERGY STAR Most Efficient” label.

Most energy efficient compact upright freezer 

The most efficient compact upright freezer is the Danby DCF072A1WDB.

This freezer is the lowest power consuming compact upright freezer that has the coveted “ENERGY STAR Most Efficient” label.

This freezer does consume more electricity, specifically 2.25 kWh p/m, than the lowest power consuming freezer in this category. However, it has a capacity that is 6 times larger.

Get details on ENERGY STAR, here.

Unfortunately, this model doesn’t appear to be available in the US anymore (at least online).

The closest Danby freezer to this model that I can find, which may be the updated model, is the DCF072A3WDB-6 version.

Get details about this freezer on Amazon, here, or Home Depot, here.

While it does consume slightly more electricity than its counterpart, it uses a refrigerant type (R-600a) that’s more environmentally friendly.

So, now that we know the standout energy efficient freezers in each freezer type category, which one is the most efficient overall?

Most energy efficient freezer

Out of 354 of the most energy efficient freezers, the freezer that uses the least amount of electricity per cubic foot of capacity is the GE FCM22DLWW.

This large freezer also took the title of the most energy efficient chest freezer.

This chest freezer consumes the least amount of electricity per 1 ft3 of capacity out of all ENERGY STAR certified freezers.

Check it out and see the latest prices on Best Buy, here, Home Depot, here, or Lowe’s, here.

As mentioned above, this freezer’s wattage is approx. 230W, according to GE customer support. There’s a 2 amp draw when running. Power surges need to be accounted for if you’re using this freezer on a generator. It’s being unofficially reported that a 3,000W – 4,500W generator is recommended for this appliance. However, I’d recommend that you check with your generator’s manufacturer to verify and also GE, this freezer’s manufacturer. GE provides some details on running their appliances on a generator, here.

Disclaimer: the information provided is for informational purposes only, please check with your generator and appliance manufacturer before usage.

It’s worth reiterating here that freezer energy efficiency is not a “one-size-fits-all” case.

The smallest freezer (with the lowest power consumption within that size range) that suits your needs will (if certified like the models above) be the most efficient for you.

Compact chest freezers, despite their lower average annual power consumption, don’t have as high a kWh per 1 ft3 ratio compared to standard sized chest freezers.

This goes to show how important choosing the right size freezer is when it comes to energy efficiency.

An honorable mention must go to the most energy efficient upright freezer, the Beko BUFR2715WH.

This freezer also has a standout energy consumption to capacity ratio – surprisingly good for an upright freezer.

Get details, including the price, on Amazon, here, or Sears, here.

Now that we know which freezer is the most efficient, let’s take a look at which brands have the most efficient freezers.

How much electricity freezers use by brand

The table below shows how much electricity ENERGY STAR certified freezers use by brand. The average and lowest annual power consumption is listed, and the table is arranged from lowest average annual energy usage to highest.

Freezer brand	Average annual energy usage	Lowest annual energy usage
Sylvania	162 kWh	152 kWh
EPIC	193 kWh	167 kWh
fridgemaster	196.67 kWh	172 kWh
BLACK DECKER	201 kWh	201 kWh
Commercial Cool	201 kWh	201 kWh
Master Chef	203.33 kWh	174 kWh
Cool-living	209.5 kWh	195 kWh
Danby or Danby Designer or Danby Diplomat	211 kWh	211 kWh
Marathon	211.06 kWh	167 kWh
RCA	212 kWh	172 kWh
Edgestar	215 kWh	215 kWh
Honeywell	215 kWh	215 kWh
SPT	221.6 kWh	215 kWh
IMPECCA	227.5 kWh	215 kWh
Arctic King	229.67 kWh	172 kWh
Criterion	240 kWh	240 kWh
Emerson	240 kWh	240 kWh
KOOLATRON	240 kWh	240 kWh
Vissani	240 kWh	240 kWh
Danby or Danby Designer or Danby Premiere or Simplicity	247 kWh	247 kWh
Danby Premiere	247 kWh	247 kWh
Hisense	262.2 kWh	172 kWh
Whynter	272.22 kWh	215 kWh
Galanz	274 kWh	196 kWh
UNIQUE	278 kWh	278 kWh
Magic Chef	281 kWh	281 kWh
Avanti	283.5 kWh	137 kWh
EuroDesign	289 kWh	289 kWh
Whirlpool	310 kWh	201 kWh
Danby Designer	315.4 kWh	196 kWh
PREMIUM	315.5 kWh	240 kWh
LG	321 kWh	321 kWh
Danby	322.14 kWh	228 kWh
Gorenje	323 kWh	323 kWh
Beko	353.3 kWh	305 kWh
Samsung	361 kWh	361 kWh
GE	362.33 kWh	218 kWh
Midea	362.72 kWh	172 kWh
Marvel	369 kWh	369 kWh
Amana	373.67 kWh	201 kWh
Smad	375.33 kWh	240 kWh
WINIA	377.5 kWh	266 kWh
ELEMENT	386 kWh	386 kWh
FORTE	386 kWh	386 kWh
CHiQ	386.75 kWh	386 kWh
ASCOLI	389 kWh	389 kWh
Conserv	389 kWh	389 kWh
VITARA	389 kWh	389 kWh
U-Line	390 kWh	390 kWh
ALPHA	394 kWh	394 kWh
Forno	394 kWh	394 kWh
Premium Levella	394 kWh	394 kWh
Kenmore	394.71 kWh	256 kWh
Bosch	411 kWh	404 kWh
Fisher & Paykel	411.5 kWh	300 kWh
Insignia	429.42 kWh	391 kWh
Crosley	441.67 kWh	346 kWh
Sub-Zero	449.5 kWh	356 kWh
Liebherr	450.67 kWh	302 kWh
ELLIPSE	454 kWh	394 kWh
Thermador	454.2 kWh	404 kWh
Arctic Wind	456.2 kWh	394 kWh
Miele	466.55 kWh	404 kWh
Gaggenau	475.67 kWh	404 kWh
Gallery	484 kWh	484 kWh
Frigidaire	488.71 kWh	478 kWh
INFIGO	489 kWh	489 kWh
Signature Kitchen Suite	510 kWh	480 kWh
Jenn-Air	510.4 kWh	459 kWh
Dacor	529 kWh	465 kWh
Electrolux	547 kWh	547 kWh
Monogram	547.25 kWh	448 kWh
	Average: 365.2 kWh	Lowest: 137 kWh

Data source: energystar.gov.

Sylvania freezers have the lowest average annual power consumption, coming in at 162 kWh/yr. 

However, Avanti makes the freezer with the lowest average annual electricity usage, coming in at 137 kWh/yr – check out the “Energy efficient compact chest freezer” section above to get the freezer details.

But as mentioned above, the smallest freezer of the appropriate type, with the lowest power consumption, will likely be the most energy efficient option for you.

Check out the “Energy efficient freezer” section above to see the most efficient freezer by freezer type and, in many cases, size.

During the study of 354 of the most efficient freezers on the market, I came across a lot of frequently asked questions. Let’s jump into some of these now.

FAQs

Upright freezer vs chest freezer 

There are 5 key differences between upright freezers and chest freezers:

1. Power consumption: Chest freezers are more energy efficient than upright freezers, in general.
2. Organization: Upright freezers, due to their shelving, allow for better organization of stored goods compared to chest freezers.
3. Ease of access: Upright freezers allow for easier access to stored goods compared to chest freezers. This is due to where the door is located, not to mention better organizational capabilities. Upright freezers have front-facing doors, while chest freezers have top-mounted doors, which makes upright freezer access easier.
4. Capacity: Deep freezers generally have a larger capacity than upright freezers. As a result of this and their lower power consumption (in addition to limited organization capabilities and ease of access), chest freezers are more commonly used for longer term storage.
5. Shape and style: Upright freezers are taller than they are wide while chest freezers are longer than they are tall. There are outliers to this rule, but these are a lot less common. Due to their style, in addition to the factors mentioned above, chest freezers are more commonly located in garages and storage rooms. On the other hand, upright freezers can be commonly found in kitchens and under countertops.

Final thoughts

Freezers can use a considerable amount of electricity per year.

As a result, to keep your electricity bills and carbon footprint low, it’s important to choose the most efficient model for you.

I hope that, by listing freezer power consumption by type, size and brand, you can more easily choose the most efficient freezer that suits your needs.

If you’re interested, see how many amps freezers use and check out the market leading solar generator for powering a freezer.

If you’d like to see the financial impact that your freezer is having on your bills and how you can reduce the running costs, get 10 Tips To Reduce The Cost Of Running Your Freezer.

Interested in reducing your electricity bills and carbon footprint quickly and easily? Use this useful cheat sheet:

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Get the 6 Quick Wins Cheat Sheet. No appliance upgrades or investments are required, just follow these 6 tips to reduce your bills & carbon footprint.

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