Running a refrigerator
in Tennessee
$49.78 a year A typical ENERGY STAR certified refrigerator uses 344 kWh a year. At Tennessee's average residential price of 14.47¢ per kWh, that is $49.78 a year, or $4.15 a month.
Model choice matters more than most people expect: the most efficient certified refrigerator costs $6.08 a year to run, the least efficient $116.48.
The most efficient refrigerators to run in Tennessee
Every ENERGY STAR certified model, ranked by certified annual energy use and priced at Tennessee's rate.
| # | Model | kWh/yr | Cost/yr | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fisher & Paykel RS2435V2* · Compact Cooler | 42 | $6.08 | saves $43.70 |
| 2 | Fisher & Paykel RS2435V2*T* · Compact Cooler | 52 | $7.52 | saves $42.25 |
| 3 | SMEG Spa CVIU121 · Compact Cooler | 88 | $12.73 | saves $37.04 |
| 4 | Dacor DRW24G7500** · Compact Cooler | 95 | $13.75 | saves $36.03 |
| 5 | Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet UKS15W*1-5-**** · Compact Cooler | 99 | $14.33 | saves $35.45 |
| 6 | Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet UKS24W*1-5-**** · Compact Cooler | 99 | $14.33 | saves $35.45 |
| 7 | Perlick URA24W*1-5-**** · Compact Cooler | 99 | $14.33 | saves $35.45 |
| 8 | Perlick URC24W*1-5-**** · Compact Cooler | 99 | $14.33 | saves $35.45 |
| 9 | Perlick URD24W*1-5-**** · Compact Cooler | 99 | $14.33 | saves $35.45 |
| 10 | Perlick URS15W*1-5-**** · Compact Cooler | 99 | $14.33 | saves $35.45 |
| 11 | Perlick URS24W*1-5-**** · Compact Cooler | 99 | $14.33 | saves $35.45 |
| 12 | Gaggenau RW204770 · Compact Cooler | 100 | $14.47 | saves $35.31 |
| 13 | Liebherr UW3710 · Compact Cooler | 100 | $14.47 | saves $35.31 |
| 14 | Liebherr UW3720 · Compact Cooler | 100 | $14.47 | saves $35.31 |
| 15 | Miele KWTUS 7172 F · Compact Cooler | 100 | $14.47 | saves $35.31 |
| 16 | Signature Kitchen Suite SKSUW2401* · Compact Cooler | 100 | $14.47 | saves $35.31 |
| 17 | SKS SKSUW2401* · Compact Cooler | 100 | $14.47 | saves $35.31 |
| 18 | Smeg SBIWU320XE · Compact Cooler | 100 | $14.47 | saves $35.31 |
| 19 | Liebherr HWgb 1803 · Compact Cooler | 105 | $15.19 | saves $34.58 |
| 20 | DOMETIC C40S1 · Compact Refrigerator | 106 | $15.34 | saves $34.44 |
Running cost only. Purchase price, capacity and features are not considered here — a cheap-to-run model is not automatically the right buy.
What ENERGY STAR saves you
| Certified models in this category | 4,469 |
|---|---|
| Lowest certified energy use | 42 kWh/yr — $6.08/yr |
| Median certified energy use | 344 kWh/yr — $49.78/yr |
| Highest certified energy use | 805 kWh/yr — $116.48/yr |
| Difference, best to worst | $110.41 a year |
| …over a 10-year life | $1104.06 |
The same refrigerator in every state
| State | Price per kWh | Cost per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 52.00¢ | $178.88 | $14.91 |
| California | 33.25¢ | $114.38 | $9.53 |
| New York | 29.93¢ | $102.96 | $8.58 |
| Rhode Island | 29.46¢ | $101.34 | $8.45 |
| Massachusetts | 28.82¢ | $99.14 | $8.26 |
| Maine | 28.63¢ | $98.49 | $8.21 |
| Alaska | 28.23¢ | $97.11 | $8.09 |
| Connecticut | 27.37¢ | $94.15 | $7.85 |
| New Hampshire | 27.33¢ | $94.02 | $7.83 |
| District of Columbia | 25.40¢ | $87.38 | $7.28 |
| Vermont | 24.89¢ | $85.62 | $7.14 |
| Illinois | 23.85¢ | $82.04 | $6.84 |
| New Jersey | 23.27¢ | $80.05 | $6.67 |
| Michigan | 22.01¢ | $75.71 | $6.31 |
| Maryland | 21.77¢ | $74.89 | $6.24 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.55¢ | $74.13 | $6.18 |
| Wisconsin | 19.74¢ | $67.91 | $5.66 |
| Ohio | 19.52¢ | $67.15 | $5.60 |
| Delaware | 19.38¢ | $66.67 | $5.56 |
| Indiana | 18.15¢ | $62.44 | $5.20 |
| Virginia | 17.61¢ | $60.58 | $5.05 |
| Minnesota | 16.95¢ | $58.31 | $4.86 |
| West Virginia | 16.80¢ | $57.79 | $4.82 |
| Alabama | 16.77¢ | $57.69 | $4.81 |
| Texas | 16.44¢ | $56.55 | $4.71 |
| Oregon | 16.27¢ | $55.97 | $4.66 |
| South Carolina | 16.18¢ | $55.66 | $4.64 |
| Colorado | 16.16¢ | $55.59 | $4.63 |
| Mississippi | 16.16¢ | $55.59 | $4.63 |
| Georgia | 15.84¢ | $54.49 | $4.54 |
| South Dakota | 15.73¢ | $54.11 | $4.51 |
| Arizona | 15.23¢ | $52.39 | $4.37 |
| Florida | 15.17¢ | $52.18 | $4.35 |
| Kansas | 15.13¢ | $52.05 | $4.34 |
| North Carolina | 15.09¢ | $51.91 | $4.33 |
| Kentucky | 14.98¢ | $51.53 | $4.29 |
| Washington | 14.95¢ | $51.43 | $4.29 |
| Wyoming | 14.80¢ | $50.91 | $4.24 |
| Montana | 14.67¢ | $50.46 | $4.21 |
| Tennessee | 14.47¢ | $49.78 | $4.15 |
| Arkansas | 14.36¢ | $49.40 | $4.12 |
| Louisiana | 14.15¢ | $48.68 | $4.06 |
| Iowa | 14.14¢ | $48.64 | $4.05 |
| New Mexico | 14.12¢ | $48.57 | $4.05 |
| Missouri | 13.68¢ | $47.06 | $3.92 |
| North Dakota | 13.61¢ | $46.82 | $3.90 |
| Nevada | 13.60¢ | $46.78 | $3.90 |
| Nebraska | 13.59¢ | $46.75 | $3.90 |
| Oklahoma | 13.38¢ | $46.03 | $3.84 |
| Utah | 12.96¢ | $44.58 | $3.72 |
| Idaho | 12.35¢ | $42.48 | $3.54 |
A typical ENERGY STAR certified refrigerator using 344 kWh a year, at each state's average residential electricity price.
Questions
How much does it cost to run a refrigerator in Tennessee?
About $49.78 a year — $4.15 a month — for a typical ENERGY STAR certified refrigerator using 344 kWh annually, at Tennessee's average residential rate of 14.47¢ per kWh.
How much electricity does a refrigerator use?
Certified models range from 42 to 805 kWh a year, with a median of 344 kWh. That spread means the model you choose changes the running cost by $110.41 a year in Tennessee.
Is that more or less than the rest of the country?
Tennessee has the 40th highest residential electricity price of the 51 states and DC, at 14.47¢ against a national average of 19.41¢. The same refrigerator costs $66.77 a year at the national average — $16.99 more than you pay.
Will my bill actually go up by this much?
Only roughly. This is the certified test figure at your state's average price. Your own tariff, how heavily you use the appliance, and its age all move the real number. Older non-certified appliances often use considerably more.
Energy use: US EPA ENERGY STAR certified product data. Electricity price: US EIA Electric Power Monthly, 2026-07-28. Estimates for comparison only. Your actual bill depends on your tariff, how often you run the appliance, and local conditions.