The short answer
A full-size household refrigerator uses roughly 100 to 200 watts on average, which works out to somewhere between 1 and 2 kilowatt-hours per day. But the plate on the back might say 700W, and both figures are correct. Understanding why is the whole point of this page.
Why the label is misleading
The wattage printed on a fridge is what the compressor draws while it is running. A fridge does not run constantly. It cools until it hits temperature, shuts off, drifts warm, and kicks on again. Over a day the compressor is typically active only 30 to 50% of the time.
So a fridge that pulls 700W while running and cycles 40% of the time averages around 280W — and a more efficient modern unit lands well below that.
Two numbers, two jobs. The running watts figure tells you whether a battery can start the fridge at all. The daily watt-hours figure tells you how long it will keep it going. You need both, and they answer different questions.
The startup surge
There is a third number nobody prints. When a compressor kicks in it briefly draws far more than its running wattage — often two to three times more, for a fraction of a second. A power station with a 1,000W inverter may handle a 200W fridge comfortably and still trip on the surge.
This is why inverter output matters more than people expect. Look for surge headroom, not just continuous rating.
Typical figures
| Fridge type | Running watts | Daily use |
|---|---|---|
| Modern full-size, efficient | 100–200W | 1.0–1.5kWh |
| Older full-size | 300–700W | 2.0–3.0kWh |
| Compact / dorm | 50–100W | 0.3–0.6kWh |
| 12V compressor (RV/van) | 40–60W | 0.3–0.6kWh |
| Chest freezer | 100–200W | 1.0–2.0kWh |
How long each battery holds a fridge
Assuming a modern full-size fridge averaging around 150W, and roughly 85% usable capacity after inverter losses:
| Power station | Capacity | Runtime |
|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow Delta 2 | 1,024Wh | ~6 hours |
| Bluetti AC200L | 2,048Wh | ~11 hours |
| Bluetti Apex 300 | 2,764Wh | ~15 hours |
Three ways to stretch it
- Stop opening it. A closed fridge holds temperature for hours. Every opening dumps cold air and forces a cycle.
- Fill the empty space. Water bottles hold cold far better than air, so the compressor runs less.
- Recharge during daylight. With solar, the battery only has to cover the night, which roughly halves what you need.
Practical rule. To carry a full-size fridge through a full 24-hour outage you want at least 2,000Wh, and more if the fridge is old. Anything around 1,000Wh gets you through an evening, not a day.