Energy Consumption of Freezers
Key facts
- Upright freezers grew in popularity from 1990 to 2015. Their average annual UEC improved the most during the period.
- Compact chest freezers remained popular in 2015 and consumed the least amount of energy, compared with full-size chest and upright freezers, because of their small size.
- To learn more about purchasing an energy-efficient freezer for your home, please visit our ENERGY STAR freezers page.
Average annual unit energy consumption
Over the past 24 years, the average annual unit energy consumption (UEC) of freezers has fluctuated between 350 and 400 kWh/yr, as consumers shifted from one type to another (i.e., chest vs. upright vs. compact). This fluctuation was observed especially over the last four years.
Check out our publication Choosing and Using Appliances With EnerGuide (PDF, 934 KB) for more information.
Average annual UEC of freezers, 1991–2015 (kWh/yr)
Text version
Average annual UEC of freezers, 1991–2015 (kWh/yr)
Model year | kWh/yr |
---|---|
1991 | 444.7 |
1992 | 449.3 |
1993 | 401.7 |
1994 | 389.2 |
1995 | 381.6 |
1996 | 376.7 |
1997 | 376.5 |
1998 | 381.5 |
1999 | 383.4 |
2000 | 390.9 |
2001 | 383.9 |
2002 | 367.7 |
2003 | 369.1 |
2004 | 372.7 |
2005 | 385.6 |
2006 | 379.6 |
2007 | 384.0 |
2008 | 374.8 |
2009 | 356.3 |
2010 | 365.5 |
2011 | 390.3 |
2012 | 362.3 |
2013 | 376.2 |
2014 | 355.5 |
2015 | 313.2 |
Freezer type
The type of freezer affects how much energy it consumes.
Upright freezers with automatic defrost (Type 9) and upright freezers with manual defrost (Type 8) consumed the most energy (they lose more cold air because it flows down and out of the freezer when the door is opened). However, the average annual UEC of upright freezers improved the most during the study period, following the introduction and amendments to the minimum energy performance standards (MEPS). These freezers accounted for a growing segment of the freezer market.
Chest freezers (Type 10) are generally more energy-efficient because only a small amount of cold air flows out when opened. Compact chest freezers (Type 18) consumed the least amount of energy, due to their small size.
Average annual UEC of freezers by type, 1991-2015 (kWh/yr)
Text version
Average annual UEC of freezers by type, 1991-2015 (kWh/yr)
Type 8 (upright with manual defrost) | Type 9 (upright with automatic defrost) | Type 10 (chest) | Type 18 (compact chest) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | 706.4 | 1068.0 | 412.4 | 339.8 |
1992 | 670.4 | 1078.0 | 421.1 | 337.8 |
1993 | 581.3 | 863.3 | 385.1 | 287.8 |
1994 | 535.9 | 846.1 | 379.1 | 292.4 |
1995 | 508.9 | 817.1 | 371.1 | 282.0 |
1996 | 502.9 | 820.7 | 368.1 | 279.4 |
1997 | 494.8 | 823.7 | 362.4 | 278.7 |
1998 | 496.0 | 829.6 | 360.2 | 278.2 |
1999 | 493.1 | 838.6 | 353.2 | 276.3 |
2000 | 494.8 | 839.4 | 354.0 | 277.1 |
2001 | 456.9 | 740.5 | 345.1 | 275.7 |
2002 | 412.7 | 674.2 | 316.7 | 267.7 |
2003 | 414.8 | 665.4 | 317.8 | 268.3 |
2004 | 412.0 | 595.9 | 344.1 | 271.1 |
2005 | 420.8 | 650.1 | 351.8 | 269.1 |
2006 | 431.8 | 664.2 | 335.8 | 265.0 |
2007 | 432.9 | 654.1 | 337.6 | 265.7 |
2008 | 449.8 | 644.5 | 334.1 | 263.3 |
2009 | 438.9 | 622.7 | 348.4 | 243.7 |
2010 | 432.8 | 621.7 | 294.6 | 256.6 |
2011 | 431.2 | 629.5 | 331.6 | 244.1 |
2012 | 420.6 | 636.2 | 316.6 | 234.7 |
2013 | 428.3 | 630.3 | 325.3 | 241.9 |
2014 | 400.3 | 586.2 | 306.3 | 229.3 |
2015 | 326.8 | 458.3 | 293.0 | 229.1 |
Annual energy consumption per volume
As of 2002, standard-size freezers relied on less energy per volume for cooling purposes. However, the increasing popularity of upright models over the last few years has caused a slight increase in shipments in the higher energy category.
Distribution of standard-size freezers by average annual UEC per cubic foot, 1991-2015 (%)
Text version
Distribution of standard-size freezers by average annual UEC per cubic foot, 1991-2015 (%)
20–29.9 kWh/cu. ft. per year | 30–39.9 kWh/cu. ft. per year | 40–49.9 kWh/cu. ft. per year | |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | 0.0 | 58.2 | 41.8 |
1992 | 3.9 | 23.5 | 72.6 |
1993 | 18.3 | 63.3 | 18.3 |
1994 | 17.2 | 43.7 | 39.1 |
1995 | 13.6 | 42.4 | 44.0 |
1996 | 13.8 | 45.0 | 41.2 |
1997 | 13.3 | 42.0 | 44.6 |
1998 | 12.4 | 39.1 | 48.5 |
1999 | 12.0 | 47.0 | 41.1 |
2000 | 11.2 | 42.3 | 46.5 |
2001 | 19.0 | 39.5 | 41.5 |
2002 | 27.0 | 47.9 | 25.0 |
2003 | 28.8 | 47.8 | 23.4 |
2004 | 28.9 | 48.8 | 22.3 |
2005 | 29.5 | 45.2 | 25.3 |
2006 | 34.8 | 40.4 | 24.7 |
2007 | 26.7 | 47.5 | 25.9 |
2008 | 28.9 | 47.5 | 23.6 |
2009 | 24.2 | 43.9 | 31.9 |
2010 | 25.5 | 42.5 | 32.0 |
2011 | 27.6 | 44.8 | 27.6 |
2012 | 26.1 | 42.4 | 31.5 |
2013 | 28.5 | 39.3 | 32.2 |
2014 | 34.3 | 40.2 | 25.5 |
2015 | 49.8 | 27.3 | 23.0 |