Refrigerator Cost of Ownership Calculator

What does a fridge really cost over its life?

Sticker price is only the start. Add delivery, energy at your local rate, and maintenance over the service life — that's the honest cost of ownership.

⏱ ~45 sec•DOE EnergyGuide + EIA + AHAM•Energy & Cost

13 yr

Avg fridge service life

AHAM survey range

16.5¢

US avg electricity rate

EIA

$50

Typical annual maintenance

Filters + service

10 yr

ENERGY STAR replace cutoff

ENERGY STAR

STEP 01

Price + energy
+ maintenance.

Six inputs. Honest 10-year math, no marketing fluff.

Purchase price

Delivery + install

Annual energy use

kWh/yr

EnergyGuide label. ENERGY STAR: ~400–500 kWh/yr.

Electricity rate

¢/kWh

US avg per EIA: ~16.5¢

Years of ownership

AHAM survey avg ~13 yr

Annual maintenance

Updates live as you type

Total cost of ownership

Updated live

$2,843

That's roughly $284/year, or $24/month, across 10 years.

Purchase + delivery

$1,600

Energy (10 yr)

$743

Maintenance (10 yr)

$500

Cumulative cost — year by year

Year 1

$1,724

Year 2

$1,849

Year 3

$1,973

Year 4

$2,097

Year 5

$2,221

Year 6

$2,346

Year 7

$2,470

Year 8

$2,594

Year 9

$2,718

Year 10

$2,843

Under the hood

One purchase + N years of bills.

Reference numbers come from DOE EnergyGuide labels, EIA average residential rates, and AHAM survey data on appliance service life.

01
Initial cost
Purchase price + delivery and install. One-time, no financing math (use the Financing Calculator for that).
02
Energy cost
Annual kWh × your electricity rate × years of ownership. Energy frequently exceeds purchase price over a 10-year life on inefficient units.
03
Maintenance + total
Annual maintenance × years, added to the running total. Annual cost = total ÷ years; monthly cost = annual ÷ 12.

Questions

Frequently asked

Water filters (~$40–60/yr if equipped), a coil cleaning every 1–2 years, a gasket replacement every 8–10 years, and the occasional minor service visit. $50/year is a reasonable steady-state average.