U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated
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Kitchen · Illinois

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Chest Freezer in Illinois?

The short answer

A typical 80W chest freezer uses about 0.77 kWh a day, which costs $0.15 a day in Illinois — about $4.49 a month or $53.88 a year.

The estimate uses Illinois’s average residential electricity price of 19.2¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 5% above the national average.

Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated

Chest Freezer cost by size and efficiency in Illinois

Cost at 19.2¢/kWh, the Illinois average (EIA, Jul 2026)
ModelkWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
Efficient (50W) 14.6 $0.09 $2.81 $33.67
Typical (80W) 23.4 $0.15 $4.49 $53.88
Older / large (150W) 43.8 $0.28 $8.42 $101

Illinois vs other states

At typical use, a chest freezer costs $53.88 a year in Illinois — $80.68 less than in Hawaii and $18.22 more than in Louisiana.

Illinois has the 17th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. electricity prices in Illinois · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Illinois

19.2¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +11.6% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a chest freezer

Chest freezers are among the most efficient appliances per cubic foot because cold air sinks and stays inside when the lid opens. Like a refrigerator, the compressor cycles on and off — we assume about 40% of the time. Placement matters: a freezer in a hot garage runs much longer than one in a cool basement.

  • Keep it in a cool spot away from the water heater, furnace and direct sun.
  • A full freezer holds cold better — fill empty space with jugs of water.
  • Defrost when ice builds up beyond a quarter inch.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does a chest freezer cost to run per year in Illinois?

A typical 80W chest freezer uses about 280 kWh a year, which costs about $53.88 at Illinois’s average rate of 19.2¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a chest freezer use per month?

At running 24/7, a typical chest freezer uses about 23.4 kWh a month. In Illinois that costs $4.49.

Is it expensive to run a chest freezer in Illinois?

Illinois has the 17th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 19.2¢/kWh — pricier than most. Running a chest freezer here costs about $53.88 a year at typical use, compared with $51.33 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Illinois right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Illinois was 19.2¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 11.6% from a year earlier.

Is a chest freezer cheaper to run than an upright freezer?

Usually yes. Chest freezers lose less cold air when opened and typically use 10–25% less electricity than upright freezers of the same size.

Chest Freezer costs in nearby states

Cheapest and priciest states

Comparisons

Sources & method