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

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

The short answer

A typical 80W chest freezer uses about 0.77 kWh a day, which costs $0.13 a day in Minnesota — about $4.08 a month or $48.92 a year.

The estimate uses Minnesota’s average residential electricity price of 17.5¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 5% below the national average.

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

Chest Freezer cost by size and efficiency in Minnesota

Cost at 17.5¢/kWh, the Minnesota average (EIA, Jul 2026)
ModelkWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
Efficient (50W) 14.6 $0.08 $2.55 $30.57
Typical (80W) 23.4 $0.13 $4.08 $48.92
Older / large (150W) 43.8 $0.25 $7.64 $91.72

Minnesota vs other states

At typical use, a chest freezer costs $48.92 a year in Minnesota — $85.64 less than in Hawaii and $13.26 more than in Louisiana.

Minnesota has the 21st-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. electricity prices in Minnesota · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Minnesota

17.5¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▲ +3.1% 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 Minnesota?

A typical 80W chest freezer uses about 280 kWh a year, which costs about $48.92 at Minnesota’s average rate of 17.5¢/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 Minnesota that costs $4.08.

Is it expensive to run a chest freezer in Minnesota?

Minnesota has the 21st-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 17.5¢/kWh — close to the middle of the pack. Running a chest freezer here costs about $48.92 a year at typical use, compared with $51.33 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Minnesota right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Minnesota was 17.5¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — up 3.1% 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