How Many Amps Does a Freezer Use?

A freezer uses about 4.2 running amps at 120 volts (roughly 500 watts). Because it is a motor load, it surges to several times that for a moment at startup. To get your unit's exact draw, divide the nameplate watts by 120: amps = watts / volts. A standalone chest or upright freezer draws about 3-5 running amps (roughly 350-600 watts) with a brief compressor surge, and is typically put on its own 120V circuit (15A compliant, 20A common). Freezers usually sit in a garage or basement where the 2023 NEC requires GFCI protection (210.8(A)); use a quality GFCI to avoid nuisance trips.

A freezer is typically put on a dedicated 20A / 120V circuit. The code sizes its circuit from the load: a circuit of its own may supply any load within its rating (NEC 210.22), so a 15A circuit covers these running amps, and a 20A one is the common choice. At 4.2 running amps it is within the 20A rating of that circuit (NEC 210.22), with headroom for the startup surge.

Divide the wattage on the nameplate by the voltage: amps = watts / volts. A freezer at about 500 watts on 120V works out to 500 / 120 = 4.2 amps. Add a startup surge of several times that for a fraction of a second on the motor. The nameplate always governs over a typical value.

Yes. A 7 cu ft chest draws about 2.9 amps, while a Deep / large chest draws about 5 amps. See the table above for the range. The rating on the nameplate is the number to size the circuit to.

Same answer: chest freezer is another name for a freezer. It draws about 4.2 amps at 120V, typically on a dedicated 20A / 120V circuit. A standalone chest or upright freezer draws about 3-5 running amps (roughly 350-600 watts) with a brief compressor surge, and is typically put on its own 120V circuit (15A compliant, 20A common). Freezers usually sit in a garage or basement where the 2023 NEC requires GFCI protection (210.8(A)); use a quality GFCI to avoid nuisance trips.