How Much Electricity Does a Mini-Fridge Use | An Updated Guide

You might have seen a compact refrigerator, often referred to as a mini-fridge, commonly used in bonus rooms for kids, extra cooling for home bars, home offices, and many more to lower the energy cost. You might also think that small refrigerators consume a small amount of energy, but this is not true. Most of the makeovers favor gleamed and updated kitchen that includes a stainless steel mini-fridge under the kitchen counters. A small size fridge conserves the energy cost, so it is better to opt for it. Keep reading to know how much electricity does a mini-fridge use, as it will help you choose the best mini-fridge for yourself.

An energy star estimates that a mini-fridge uses between 233 and 310 kWh. According to Reliability Ratings research, a most power 4.4 cubic feet tiny fridge costs US$27 per year. Although kitchen refrigerators come in a wide range of sizes, we’ll assume one that’s bigger at 18.2 cubic feet.

A home reflects your personality, and it feels better if you have the best electronics at your home. It does not only come in handy, but it is the need of the hour. Well, Science has made life more comfortable, and now you can opt for the most compact electronics. For example, the refrigerators; yes! They come in different sizes and designs, and you can choose the best that suits you well according to the space available in your kitchen. Also, as they come in different colors, you can choose your interior color combination. In this way, you can make sure which brand fits your lifestyle and home.

How Much Electricity Does a Mini-Fridge Use

Mini-fridges save electricity

• A mini-fridge can lower the cost of electricity if you are in the habit of taking out only one bottle of cold drink. 
• A small-sized fridge loses a much cool air when you open it than your full-sized fridge. 
• A mini-fridge can store 90 cans has a volume of2.2 cubic feet. A mini-fridge that is more than federal energy efficiency standards and has the label uses 10% fewer energy units. 

Compared to the compact fridges with the standard-sized kitchen fridge, the mini-fridge has an average height of 18 to 27 cubic feet, and the standard size fridge is 22 to 25 cubic feet. Therefore the mini-fridge electricity cost per month is less as compared to large size kitchen fridge. It is a fact that modern mini-fridges work efficiently, 30% to 50 % all the time. 

Energy-efficient mini-fridge

• It is more convenient for a compact fridge to reach for the can or bottle you need. The glass door fridge is good as it is easier to know where everything is kept. Generally, compact fridges can work up to 30 to 50 % of the time. 
• Moreover, you don’t have to use the ice cubes to make soda cool if you keep it 34 degrees F. The evaporators and condenser coils work together in every miniature refrigerator by providing immense cooling power in a small unit.  

Energy consumption of mini-fridge

• It is impossible to know the amount of energy that a mini-fridge uses because these home appliances don’t use power consumption regularly and depend on many factors.
• Like average-size refrigerators, consumption of power in mini-fridges differs according to size, features, and manufacturer brand. The amount and quality of isolation also play a vital role in running time.
• Most mini-fridges are available in markets with the build-in inverter technology, which can save energy costs.
• By considering all these factors, you can reasonably understand that it is difficult to understand their running costs.
• According to energy star research, a mini-fridge can work at a capacity of 233kwh to 310 kWh. 
• The compressors of a full-sized fridge can work at the level of 80 to 90 % at all times. When they are used frequently, or when hot things are kept inside them, if the door has been kept open or if the surrounding room’s temperature is hot.   
• The factor of insulation in it also plays a vital role in making it energy efficient. New Air’s mini-fridges contain triple-layer insulations and double paneled doors.
• This is important to protect the fridge interior from the surrounding environment and requires less energy to maintain 34 to 36 degrees. 
• However, some fridges offer more power consumption than others, and you can view the actual use of electricity if you know various numbers written on them. 

Watts and kilowatts

While running, most of the mini-fridges list the number of watts. New Air small fridges consume 85 to 100 watts, depending on their size, but the large-sized fridges can’t do this function. 

• For calculating the wattage of the refrigerator, consider the example of energy-efficient refrigerators, which work for 1/3 of the 24 hours per day, 8 hours in total, if it uses 85 watts for 8 hours, to calculate the watts hour, multiply these two numbers. Means 85 watts times 8 hours is equal to 680 watts per hour in 24 hours. 
• In the next step, you should convert watt-hours into kilowatt-hours. Your utility bills company charges you in terms of kilowatt-hours for energy consumption at residential levels.
• To change the watt-hours into kWh, you need to change the decimal point to three places to the left side; then, you will get 680 kWh. 

Calculation of Energy cost

• You can easily know about the electricity rates by seeing at the electricity bills or inquiring about it to the electrical company. 
• The unit is used all over the world for calculating electricity in kWh. The majority of electricity companies have adjusted the electricity rates, which means that it is cheaper to use it at a moderate or lower level.
• The electric company has set specific standard power of consumption level for residential use and charges the lowest level and price from you at kWh. If you use more than that level, your cost goes up. According to the research of consumer Reports tests, the most efficient 4-4 cubic feet mini-refrigerators operating costs is 27$ annually. Simultaneously, a large size fridge of 206 cubic feet has a price of 47$.
• But 4.4 cubic foot refrigerators cost up to 27$ years to operate. 

Shopping for a Mini-fridge

When looking for a fridge freezer for your dorm room or home office, you should consider the energy star ratings. The finest knowledge regarding which mini-fridges save energy effectively is available. The majority of people choose to purchase refrigerators at Amazon because of the lowest prices, but there are many more brands, such Haier and Galanz, that people are delighted with.

Get the right size

You might try to have a large-sized fridge, but mini-fridges are best to opt for if you have a small kitchen size. If you are remodeling your kitchen’s whole place, you can choose any fridge length, but if you want to replace the existing fridge measuring the space is a fundamental key to consider. 

Design of mini-fridge

Mini-fridges are available in various designs and configurations, and it is an important key to consider the size that can fit in your kitchen very easily. If your kitchen is small, your model should be an excellent fit for your kitchen. 

Contributing factors

The mini-fridges energy consumptions depend upon various factors, including the brand and the unit’s age, whether it has an automatic defrost or manual type, and how high or low you set the temperature. Room replacement is also a significant factor in contributing the energy costs. You should keep the mini-fridge away from heat sources and crowded areas to improve its efficiency and keep items cool. 

How Much Electricity Does a Mini-Fridge Use: FAQs 

Will a mini-fridge increase the electricity bill?

While running, most of the mini-fridges consume 80 to 100 watts per hour. If you multiply 0.640 to 365 to get your mini-fridges annual electricity consumption, the answer is 233.6. To get the yearly energy cost of a mini-fridge, you need to multiply it by electricity cost, which is 13 cents per kWh, and then the answer is US$30.

Does a mini-fridge cost a lot to run?

According to Consumer Reports testing, The most efficient 4.4 cubic foot mini-fridge’s annual operating costs can be as low as 27$, while a much larger 20.6 cubic foot fridge is just 47$ per year.

How many watts does a mini-fridge use?

Without a doubt, a mini-fridge uses a lot less power than a standard size fridge. You know that the wattage for a mini-fridge ranges between 50 watts to 100 watts. On the other hand, the standard refrigerator uses 100 w to 400 watts, which translates to around 1575 kWh per year.

Conclusion

To conclude the topic, how much electricity does a mini-fridge use, I recommend that even if you are not a good cook, having the right size of a refrigerator can make a big difference in your kitchen. It can be overwhelming to search for all the available options with all the features and styles. The tip for opting for the ideal fridge for your kitchen is to consider its layout. The style your family uses these types of appliances. Certainly, mini-refrigerators are best for offices and families, as they consume less energy and save efficiency. Therefore, the facts given above will significantly help you understand how much electricity does a mini-fridge use.