How much does it cost to run a chest freezer? (2026 price cap)

Typical rating and how we worked this out

This page uses a typical rating of 28W for a chest freezer; published figures for this appliance range from 20W to 45W. A chest freezer's rating-plate wattage (often 100–400W) is its peak compressor draw; because a chest design loses far less cold air when opened than an upright, its time-averaged consumption is usually lower for a similar capacity. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as runs continuously, cycling its compressor on and off, which is how the per-day, per-week and per-year figures above were calculated — see the cost-to-run calculator to change the wattage, hours or region yourself.

Rate used: Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, GB average electricity — 26.32p/kWh (excl. VAT, removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027).

Cost by region

Same appliance, same use — ranked most to least expensive by region under the price cap:

East Midlands is cheapest at £62.20 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £68.34 a year — a gap of £6.13 for identical use.

How a chest freezer compares with similar appliances

Ranked by typical annual cost in kitchen, GB average:

• chest freezer — £64.56 a year (this page)
• dishwasher — £64.05 a year
• air fryer — £68.05 a year
• kettle — £72.05 a year
• bread maker — £54.75 a year
• slow cooker — £49.27 a year

Three practical ways to cut the cost

1. Keep it as full as practical — frozen contents hold cold better than empty air space
2. Defrost once ice builds up over about 5mm — ice insulates the plates and forces the compressor to work harder
3. Site it somewhere cool, like a garage

FAQs

How much does it cost to run a chest freezer for an hour?

0.7p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 28W). One typical use — runs continuously, cycling its compressor on and off — costs closer to 18p.

How much does a chest freezer cost to run per year?

Around £64.56 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming runs continuously, cycling its compressor on and off — about £1.24 a week.

Which UK region is cheapest to run a chest freezer in?

East Midlands, at £62.20 a year, against £68.34 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £6.13 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.

Does the exact wattage of my chest freezer change the cost much?

Yes — ratings range 20W–45W, so the top of that range costs about 2.3x the bottom. This page uses 28W; check your own rating plate.

Does the October 2026 price cap affect this figure?

Yes — figures use the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Electricity excludes VAT (removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027); gas includes 5%. See the price cap page for the full breakdown.

Sources

• Fridge.com — chest freezer wattage — wattage and usage figures for this appliance.
• Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (regional tables, read 12 September 2026).

Related

• Cost-to-run calculator and full A–Z — check any appliance or enter a custom wattage.
• Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 — every region, every payment method.
• Back-billing calculator — if a bill for this or any appliance looks like it covers too many months.
• Free bill audit — if your overall energy costs look high regardless of any one appliance.