Do Mini Fridges Use a Lot of Electricity?

Do mini fridges use a lot of electricity

Mini refrigerators have a compact design, reasonable price, so it is loved by students and singles. Today it is more commonly used in guest rooms, swimming pools, motels or resort rooms. Obviously, mini refrigerators must use electrical energy to operate. So do the mini fridges use a lot of electricity? How’s the electricity bill for it?

This article will answer your questions and reveal some tips to use the mini fridge more economically.

Typical electricity consumption of mini fridge

To know how much electricity will be spent using a mini fridge for 1 month, you need to know the capacity of your refrigerator (you can see the capacity in the user manual or see the sticker on the back of the refrigerator).

The specific calculation is:

Your refrigerator has a power consumption of 120W and operates continuously for 24 hours, then:

The cabinet consumes one energy = 120 x 24 = 2880 (Wh), with 1 kWh = 1000 Wh and 1 kWh = 1 electricity. So, 2880 (Wh) = 2.88 kWh = 2.88 electricity

Example: State electricity price is 12 cents/1kWh. Therefore, it is easy to see that using a mini fridge for 1 day will cost about 2.88 x 12 = 34,56 cents

Thus: Using a mini fridge for 1 month, about 34,56 x 30 = 1036,8 cents (10,37 USD) with a power consumption of 120W

Is it considered to consume a lot of electricity?

In fact, the amount you have to pay for the mini fridge will be a little more than the calculated amount. The reason for this difference is that the capacity of the mini fridge shown on the spreadsheets is the standard number given by the manufacturer, so there will be some difference in reality. This is obvious. However, the amount of electricity per month that the mini refrigerator consumes is quite small, not much.

Compared with the large refrigerator in the kitchen, the mini fridge can reduce your energy consumption.

Factors affecting electricity consumption

Although the mini refrigerator does not consume a lot of electricity, but suddenly the electricity cost of the refrigerator increases, there are many reasons for this situation, possibly from the following cases:

Improper use of the cabinet

Leaving too many items in the cabinet, the frequency of opening it continuously, putting hot items in the cabinet,… Improper use of the cabinet can reduce the lifespan of the cabinet, affecting the operation and refrigerator cooling system. When the cabinet is not operating normally, it will consume more power.

Poorly cold refrigerator

A refrigerator that is not cold will cause the refrigerator to operate continuously without stopping, causing more power consumption.

Fridge gasket is open

When the refrigerator gasket is open, cold air will gradually escape. At this time, the cabinet will have to work more, which means more power consumption.

There are 3 main factors that affect the electricity consumption of a mini fridge
There are 3 main factors that affect the electricity consumption of a mini fridge

 How to save energy consumption?

Limit the continuous opening and closing of the refrigerator

Further reading:  Is it Safe to Put the Microwave Beside the Refrigerator?

The actions will cause the cold air in the refrigerator to escape more. The refrigerator will have to use more electricity to cool from the beginning. Therefore, do not open the cabinet for too long, too continuously and remember to close the cabinet after opening. Do not open the refrigerator for more than 30 seconds.

Always adjust the cabinet temperature to the right level

If you always leave the temperature at 5, it will consume a lot of power and cause unnecessary waste. Please adjust the temperature to the appropriate level you want to store the food.

Do not put hot food in the refrigerator

Putting hot food in the refrigerator will cause the refrigerator to work for a longer time and use more capacity to cool it. Therefore, cool food before placing it in the refrigerator.

Avoid placing the refrigerator close to the wall

Keeping the refrigerator close to the wall will make it difficult for the heat dissipation process, the outdoor unit and indoor unit to operate inefficiently, affecting the cooling function, making the refrigerator more power-consuming and faster. degradation.

Do not keep the inside of the refrigerator too tight

 Keeping the food in the refrigerator will affect the circulation of the air flow in the refrigerator, especially if the food covers the cold vent or the fan, leading to refrigeration is less efficient and uses more electricity.

Regularly clean the refrigerator

After a period of operation, the refrigerator often gets dusty, even snow on the defrost part. This makes the refrigerator work less efficiently, the cooling capacity decreases. Regular cleaning and cleaning of the refrigerator at least once a month will help the refrigerator work better and more efficiently.

Things to note and how to choose an energy-saving mini refrigerator

To buy a mini refrigerator to serve your needs but also save energy, you need to pay attention to the following points.

  • Mini fridge structure: Mini fridge consists of 5 basic parts which are compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion valve and refrigerant.
  • Refrigerator brands: There are a number of popular brands of mini refrigerators on the market, with each refrigerator brand using different technologies, so the price of the product also has a lot of difference even though it is the same
  • Price of mini refrigerator: Currently, the price of mini refrigerators ranges from 150 USD to 500 USD depending on the capacity and brand of the product.
Pay attention to choose an energy-saving mini refrigerator for long-term use
Pay attention to choose an energy-saving mini refrigerator for long-term use

Summary

The article provides the power consumption and standard calculation of the mini refrigerator for you. However, the reality will be a little different, you can monitor with other specialized devices. We can assure you that mini fridges don’t use up too much electricity and won’t spike your electricity bill.

Reference:

  1. How Much Electricity Does a Mini Fridge Use?, thehomehacksdiy.com, Retrieved on Nov. 28, 2021
  2. Does a Mini-Fridge Use a Lot of Electricity?, newair.com, Retrieved on Nov. 26, 2021
Jenny Brown
Hi, I’m Jenny. On my blog, you will find helpful advice about using and organizing the kitchen appliances. You will also receive the recommendations on choosing a compact refrigerator or freezer that best fits your demands. Besides, frozen meals from the freezer bring many incredible benefits because they ensure freshness, deliciousness, and full nutrients. Many helpful tips from experts on frozen meals will also be found.