How much does a second fridge cost to run?
Updated 14 October 2026
A fridge runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year, so even a modest one adds up. Government energy advice is simple: if you have a second fridge, turn it off when you don't need it. Here's how to see what it's costing you.
If it has an energy rating label
The label shows the energy consumption in kWh per year. Multiply that by your price per kWh. The Australian Government's Energy Rating website gives this example: a fridge using 458 kWh a year at 30.7 cents per kWh costs about $140.61 a year.
The same site compares two fridges: a 2-star model using 542 kWh a year (about $166.39) and a 4-star model using 318 kWh (about $97.63). The 4-star fridge saves $68.76 a year.
If it's old and has no label
Many older fridges have lost their label. A plug-in energy meter, which sits between the plug and the power point, measures what it actually uses.
- Plug the fridge in through the meter and leave it for a full week, opening it as you normally would.
- Divide the kWh by 7 to get kWh per day, then multiply by 365.
- Multiply by your price per kWh.
Example: 8.4 kWh in 7 days is 1.2 kWh a day, or 438 kWh a year. At 30 cents per kWh, that's $131.40 a year.
Simple ways to cut the cost
- Switch the second fridge off between uses, such as after Christmas or a party, and leave the door ajar so it doesn't go mouldy.
- Keep fridges at 3 to 5°C (energy.gov.au suggests 3 to 4°C) and freezers at about −15 to −18°C. Colder than you need just uses more power.
- Keep it out of direct sun and away from the oven, with space behind it for air to move.
- Check the door seal: if a sheet of paper slides out easily when the door is closed, cold air is escaping.
Try it: Electricity running cost calculator: type the watts, hours and your price per kWh.
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- Energy Rating (Australian Government): the energy rating label
- Australian Government energy.gov.au: summer energy savings
- Victorian Government: summer energy saving tips
Last checked 14 October 2026. Prices in the examples are examples only: use the rate on your own bill. General information only, not financial advice.