Top-Freezer vs. Bottom-Freezer vs. Side-by-Side: Which Refrigerator Costs Least to Run

Certified side-by-side refrigerators average 638 kWh a year; certified freezerless models average 286 — more than double, before you even compare individual brands.

The four configurations, by the numbers

Across every certified model in WattCost's refrigerator dataset: freezerless refrigerators average 286 kWh a year (124–370 range); top-freezer models average 367 kWh (263–506); bottom-freezer models average 560 kWh (200–799); and side-by-side models average 638 kWh (420–805).

Why side-by-side and bottom-freezer configurations use more

Part of the gap is design: side-by-side units have more door seals and more total surface area exposed to room-temperature air relative to their volume than a single-door top-freezer. Part of it is what each configuration is typically built for — side-by-side and bottom-freezer (often french-door-style) models are usually a household's main full-capacity kitchen refrigerator, while top-freezer and freezerless models skew toward smaller, secondary, or single-purpose units. The averages above reflect both effects together, which is why comparing within a configuration — not just picking the "most efficient design" — matters more than the category label alone.

Why "Most Efficient" treats top-freezers differently

ENERGY STAR's own 2025 Most Efficient recognition criteria for refrigerators require most standard-size configurations to be at least 27% more efficient than the federal minimum, measured against DOE-calculated adjusted volume — but top-freezer models are exempt from that volume-adjusted test and only need an Annual Energy Consumption of 637 kWh or less to qualify. That's part of why the most-efficient facet includes 823 refrigerators averaging 349 kWh — close to the category-wide median of 345 kWh, not dramatically below it, because the badge is a relative-to-size bar, not a simple "uses the least electricity" ranking.

Any of these four configurations can also come in a counter-depth cabinet, which trades interior capacity for a flush fit against surrounding cabinetry — a kitchen-design choice that's independent of the type facets above, so a counter-depth side-by-side and a full-depth side-by-side sit in roughly the same energy-use range for their configuration.

Your state still moves the number more than most model choices

At the US average rate, the median refrigerator costs $64.96 a year. In North Dakota that's $42.61; in Hawaii it's $160.84 — a bigger swing than switching from a top-freezer to a side-by-side.

What actually moves the number

• Configuration. Freezerless models use the least energy in absolute terms; side-by-side units use the most.
• Capacity, not just configuration. A large side-by-side and a large bottom-freezer model are closer in energy use to each other than either is to a compact top-freezer unit.
• Certification tier. See the most-efficient and 20%+ more efficient facets for examples within each configuration.

FAQ

Which refrigerator configuration is cheapest to run? Freezerless models, averaging 286 kWh a year in WattCost's dataset, followed by top-freezer models at 367 kWh.

Is a side-by-side always the most expensive to run? It has the highest average (638 kWh a year), but the ranges overlap — compare specific side-by-side and bottom-freezer models directly rather than assuming by category alone.

Why does ENERGY STAR treat top-freezers differently for Most Efficient recognition? Top-freezer models only need an Annual Energy Consumption of 637 kWh or less; other standard-size configurations must also be at least 27% more efficient than the federal minimum on a volume-adjusted basis.

Does "Most Efficient" mean the lowest kWh? Not necessarily — see why some certified refrigerators cost 19x more to run than others for the full range even among certified models.

How much does a refrigerator cost to run by state? $42.61 a year in North Dakota versus $160.84 in Hawaii for the same median certified model.