What Size Generator to Run a Refrigerator and Freezer?
What size generator keeps a refrigerator and freezer running in an outage? Both have a compressor surge, so this guide adds the running and starting watts and points you to the smallest safe generator.
Keeping a refrigerator and a freezer cold is the number-one reason people buy a generator for an outage. The good news: it takes surprisingly little power. Both appliances draw modest running watts, and although each has a starting surge when its compressor kicks in, they don’t start at the same instant — so a small generator handles both.
Refrigerator & freezer wattage
| Appliance | Running watts | Starting watts |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator / fridge-freezer | 700 | 2,200 |
| Standalone chest / upright freezer | 500 | 1,500 |
| Both together | ~1,200 | +2,200 (largest surge) |
What size generator you need
Add the running watts (about 1,200 W for both) plus the single largest surge (the fridge’s ~2,200 W), and the peak is roughly 2,700 watts. So:
- 2,000 W inverter — runs a single refrigerator, including its surge. Tight for both plus a freezer.
- 3,000–3,500 W generator — comfortably runs a refrigerator and a freezer together, with room for a few lights and phone charging.
A 3,000–3,500 watt unit is the sweet spot for protecting food during an outage. An inverter model is worth it for the quiet running and clean power.
Tips for outages
- Keep the doors closed — a full fridge holds cold for about 4 hours, a freezer up to 48 hours, so the generator only needs to run periodically.
- Plug into a dedicated cord; don’t backfeed a household circuit without a transfer switch or interlock.
- Run the generator outdoors, away from windows.
Backing up more than the fridge? Add your other appliances in the generator sizing calculator for the full number.
Planning estimate; your appliances may vary. Never run a portable generator indoors or in a garage — the exhaust contains carbon monoxide.
Frequently asked questions
What size generator do I need to run a refrigerator and freezer?
A refrigerator draws about 700 running watts (surging to ~2,200 W at start-up) and a standalone freezer about 500 running watts (surging to ~1,500 W). Because only one compressor starts at a time, the peak is roughly 1,200 running watts plus the single largest surge — about 2,700 watts. A 3,000–3,500 watt generator comfortably runs both, with room for a few lights. A 2,000-watt inverter can run one appliance but is tight for both plus their surge.
Will a 2000 watt generator run a refrigerator?
Yes — a 2,000-watt inverter generator runs a typical refrigerator, which needs about 700 running watts but surges to around 2,200 watts for a split second at start-up. A 2,000-watt inverter usually has enough short-term overload capacity to handle that surge for a single fridge. Adding a freezer or other loads on top, though, pushes you to a 3,000–3,500 watt unit.
How many watts does a refrigerator and freezer use?
Together, a refrigerator and a standalone freezer draw roughly 1,200 running watts once both compressors are going. Each briefly surges when its compressor starts — about 2,200 watts for the fridge and 1,500 for the freezer — but they don’t start at the same instant, so you size the generator to the combined running watts plus the single biggest surge, roughly 2,700 watts.