Cost to Run a Mini Fridge (+ Cost Saving Tips)

Mini-fridges are being used in a lot of places nowadays such as offices Dorm rooms, bar garages, etc. as everyone knows that the cost to run a mini fridge will be less than a big size fridge. But does anybody know that the cost to run a mini fridge does depend upon the wattage and the electricity price of that area so this article will guide you about the cost to run a Mini fridge according to the wattage used and will also help you with cost-saving tips to run a mini fridge? 

Cost to run a mini fridge

  • The cost to run a mini fridge is between 3 to 29 cents per day. 
  • On average, the cost to run a mini fridge is around 11 cents per day. 
  • The cost to run a mini fridge is from $3 to $4 per month. 
Cost to Run a Mini Fridge
Cost to Run a Mini Fridge

To calculate the cost to run a mini fridge we need to know about the electricity use and power consumed by the mini fridge which is being explained next. 

The electricity used by a mini fridge:

The electricity used by a mini fridge is from 7 kWh to 73 kWh per month and on average the electricity used by a mini fridge is 27 kWh per month. But the electricity consumed by a mini fridge depends upon many factors such as size, the efficiency of the fridge, climate, the energy cost of that location, and how many times the fridge is opened. 

Cost to Run a Mini Fridge
Cost to Run a Mini Fridge

The following table shows the cost to run a mini fridge with minimum to maximum amount:

Cost to runAverageMinimumMaximum
Hourly$0.004$0.001$0.012
Daily$0.11$0.03$0.29
Weekly$3.28$0.89$8.76
Monthly$39.36$10.69$105.12

Power consumption of the mini-fridge

On average, a mini fridge’s power consumption is from 50 to 65 watts. The wattage consumed by the mini fridge depends on the size, insulation of the device, age of the fridge, energy efficiency, freezer compartment, the model of the fridge, temperature setting, temperature of the room, opening of the door, etc. 

The following table shows the list of wattage consumed by the mini fridge and freezer:

Mini fridge and freezerRunning wattsStarting watts
Small mini fridge50 watts200 watts
Standard mini fridge75 watts300 watts
Big mini fridge100 watts400 watts
Small energy star fridge132 watts528 watts
Standard energy star fridge192 watts767 watts
Big energy star fridge250 watts1000 watts
Small fridge400 watts1200 watts
Standard fridge700 watts2900 watts
Big side-by-side fridge1000 watts4000 watts
Biggest fridge1500 watts6000 watts

Amps consumed by mini fridge:

On average a mini fridge runs on a 110V/120V wall outlet but there are many fridges that run on dedicated 220V. the mini fridge does use less power so they are good to use in dorms, apartments, etc. The amps of a mini fridge that run on a 110V which is not a dedicated circuit use 80 watts and will use 0.7 amps. And the amps of a residential refrigerator that runs on a 220V connection using 250 watts will use about 1.13 amps of power. 

Note:

The higher voltage required a dedicated circuit. 

Comparison between a mini fridge and a regular refrigerator:

In case of the cost comparison, the cost to run a mini fridge is from $60 to $80 or it is from $5 to $6.67 per month, And a full-sized regular refrigerator costs from $7.50 to $16.67 per month and $90 to $200 per year. 

Cost to Run a Mini Fridge
Cost to Run a Mini Fridge

A mini fridge is good to use if a person is living alone if you use a residential refrigerator the high cost of running the fridge will be a waste of money as on average a residential refrigerator of 19 cubic feet will require a lot of power to run. As the cost to run a fridge is measured in Kilowatt hours which shows that the power consumed is the only factor that affects the cost of paying an electricity bill. So the more watts the fridge or any other appliances will use the more kilowatt-hours you have to give for a month as an electricity bill.

Cost to Run a Mini Fridge
Cost to Run a Mini Fridge

In comparison, a mini fridge uses about 80 to 100 watts while running, which means that if you run a full-size refrigerator, you have to pay for it approximately 2.5x more.

Tips to reduce the cost to run a mini fridge:

The following are some tips to reduce the cost to run a fridge:

  • Please choose the right place to use it. 
  • Keep the seal maintained. 
  • Don’t open the door unnecessarily. 

The detailed explanation and more tips

Conclusion:

Using a mini fridge and paying the running cost to run a mini fridge depends on various factors and if a person wants to save the amount spent to pay the electricity bill of the Mini fridge then they should use the Mini fridge according to their expenditure, location, wattage, and size. 

FAQ’s

How much does using a mini fridge add to the bill per year? 

Approximately it costs closer to $20 to $30 per year.

Rick Costa

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