🍳 Kitchen
How Much Does a Wine Cooler Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.8¢/kWh (April 2026), a wine cooler costs about $13.72 per month at typical usage — 24 hours/day (always on).
Per hour
1.9¢
at 60–150 W
Per day
$0.45
24 hours/day (always on)
Per month
$13.72
73 kWh
Per year
$165
876 kWh
Thermoelectric wine coolers run continuously and can use more electricity than a full-size refrigerator despite holding a fraction of the volume. Compressor-based models are meaningfully cheaper to operate.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
1.9¢
Per day
$0.45
Per month
$13.72
Per year
$165
Uses 73 kWh/month at 18.8¢ per kWh.
Cheapest and most expensive states
Monthly cost at typical usage, using each state's current average residential rate.
Cost in every state
| State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.4 | 1.2¢ | $9.05 | $109 |
| Idaho | 12.7 | 1.3¢ | $9.27 | $111 |
| Nebraska | 13.3 | 1.3¢ | $9.70 | $117 |
| Oklahoma | 13.3 | 1.3¢ | $9.70 | $117 |
| Utah | 13.3 | 1.3¢ | $9.70 | $117 |
| Iowa | 13.9 | 1.4¢ | $10.14 | $122 |
| Montana | 13.9 | 1.4¢ | $10.14 | $122 |
| Missouri | 14.0 | 1.4¢ | $10.21 | $123 |
| Arkansas | 14.2 | 1.4¢ | $10.36 | $124 |
| Nevada | 14.3 | 1.4¢ | $10.43 | $125 |
| Louisiana | 14.4 | 1.4¢ | $10.51 | $126 |
| Washington | 14.4 | 1.4¢ | $10.51 | $126 |
| South Dakota | 14.5 | 1.4¢ | $10.58 | $127 |
| Wyoming | 14.7 | 1.5¢ | $10.73 | $129 |
| Tennessee | 14.9 | 1.5¢ | $10.87 | $131 |
| Kentucky | 15.0 | 1.5¢ | $10.94 | $131 |
| New Mexico | 15.2 | 1.5¢ | $11.09 | $133 |
| Florida | 15.4 | 1.5¢ | $11.24 | $135 |
| Georgia | 15.4 | 1.5¢ | $11.24 | $135 |
| Arizona | 15.5 | 1.6¢ | $11.31 | $136 |
| Kansas | 15.8 | 1.6¢ | $11.53 | $138 |
| Oregon | 15.8 | 1.6¢ | $11.53 | $138 |
| West Virginia | 16.1 | 1.6¢ | $11.75 | $141 |
| North Carolina | 16.3 | 1.6¢ | $11.89 | $143 |
| Minnesota | 16.4 | 1.6¢ | $11.97 | $144 |
| Colorado | 16.5 | 1.7¢ | $12.04 | $145 |
| Mississippi | 16.8 | 1.7¢ | $12.26 | $147 |
| Texas | 17.0 | 1.7¢ | $12.40 | $149 |
| South Carolina | 17.1 | 1.7¢ | $12.48 | $150 |
| Alabama | 17.4 | 1.7¢ | $12.70 | $152 |
| Virginia | 17.4 | 1.7¢ | $12.70 | $152 |
| Indiana | 17.9 | 1.8¢ | $13.06 | $157 |
| Delaware | 18.8 | 1.9¢ | $13.72 | $165 |
| Wisconsin | 19.2 | 1.9¢ | $14.01 | $168 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 2.0¢ | $14.23 | $171 |
| Illinois | 20.5 | 2.1¢ | $14.96 | $180 |
| Michigan | 21.4 | 2.1¢ | $15.61 | $187 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.5 | 2.2¢ | $15.69 | $188 |
| Maryland | 22.1 | 2.2¢ | $16.12 | $194 |
| New Jersey | 23.5 | 2.4¢ | $17.15 | $206 |
| Vermont | 24.6 | 2.5¢ | $17.95 | $215 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.4 | 2.5¢ | $18.53 | $223 |
| New Hampshire | 27.2 | 2.7¢ | $19.85 | $238 |
| Alaska | 27.4 | 2.7¢ | $19.99 | $240 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | 2.8¢ | $20.65 | $248 |
| Maine | 28.4 | 2.8¢ | $20.72 | $249 |
| Massachusetts | 29.5 | 2.9¢ | $21.52 | $258 |
| New York | 29.5 | 2.9¢ | $21.52 | $258 |
| Connecticut | 32.2 | 3.2¢ | $23.49 | $282 |
| California | 35.3 | 3.5¢ | $25.75 | $309 |
| Hawaii | 46.6 | 4.7¢ | $34.00 | $408 |
How to lower the cost
- Match the appliance to the portion: microwave and air fryer beat the big oven for anything small.
- Keep refrigerator coils clean and gaskets tight — it runs 24/7, so small inefficiencies compound.
- Run the dishwasher full and skip heated dry.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a wine cooler use?
A typical wine cooler draws about 100 watts in use. At 24 hours/day (always on), that works out to roughly 2.4 kWh per day, or 73 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a wine cooler for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.8¢/kWh, one hour costs about 1.9¢. In North Dakota (12.4¢/kWh) it's 1.2¢, while in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) it's 4.7¢.
How much does a wine cooler cost to run per month?
With typical usage (24 hours/day (always on)), expect about $13.72 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $9.05 in North Dakota up to $34.00 in Hawaii. Rates are as of April 2026.
Does a wine cooler use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: roughly 8% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption at typical usage. Noticeable, but not a bill-driver on its own.