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Is a New Fridge Freezer Worth It for the Electricity Saving?

An old fridge freezer averaging 114 W replaced by one averaging 40 W saves about 648 kWh and £170.62 a year at 26.32p per kWh. At £450 the saving alone pays for it in about 2.6 years.

Try your own numbers

W

On the label or the bulb. Example values: a 50 W halogen and a 7 W LED.

W
h
£

Your own price. The starting figure is only a placeholder.

p/kWh

Change the area above or type your own rate from your bill.

Saving per year£170.62
Payback2.6 years
Energy saved per year648 kWh
Net after 10 years£1,256.17

1 × (114 W − 40 W) × 24 h × 365 days ÷ 1,000 = 648.2 kWh a year. × 26.32p/kWh = £170.62 a year. £450.00 ÷ £170.62 = 2.6 years.

Ignores price changes, bulb or appliance life and the time value of money. Heat from the old item may have been useful in winter.

Fig. 1 One fridge freezer, 114 W to 40 W average draw, all day.

Every formula is tested against worked examples. How we check

Hours a daySaving per yearPayback
1 h£7.1163.3 years
2 h£14.2231.6 years
4 h£28.4415.8 years
8 h£56.877.9 years
24 h£170.622.6 years

Fig. 2 The same upgrade used for more or fewer hours.

Last checked 10/11/2026. Sources: Ofgem: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges.

How the saving is worked out

A fridge freezer cycles on and off, so use its average draw. 114 W is about 1,000 kWh a year and 40 W about 350 kWh. The difference is 74 W running 24 hours on 365 days: 74 × 24 × 365 ÷ 1,000 = 648 kWh. At 26.32p that is £170.62 a year. £450 ÷ £170.62 is 2.6 years, and the net after 10 years is £1,256.17.

What is assumed. The rate is the Ofgem price cap unit rate. The old unit is assumed to be a typical older model. Measure yours with a plug-in power meter for a day or two to find the real average. The wattages and the price of the new item are examples. Use the figures on your own bulbs, appliance label and receipt.

When the answer changes

If the old appliance is only slightly worse, the payback gets much longer. If you were replacing it anyway, enter only the extra cost of the efficient model.

Common questions

What about the energy label?

Newer labels give kWh a year. Divide by 8.76 to get average watts, then enter that.

Does it include disposal?

No. Only electricity is counted, so add any disposal cost to the cost you enter.

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