How Many Amps Does a Mini Fridge Use?

A mini fridge uses about 0.8 running amps at 120 volts (roughly 90 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 mini fridge draws under 1 amp running (about 60-100 watts) with a small compressor surge at startup, so it happily shares a normal 15A or 20A circuit. Avoid a long, thin extension cord: the startup surge on undersized cord is what causes trouble, not the running load.

A mini fridge does not need its own breaker; at 0.8 amps it shares a standard 15A or 20A / 120V circuit (NEC 210.23(A)). Just avoid running it at the same moment as another heavy load on the same circuit. Keep the total continuous load under 80% of the breaker.

Divide the wattage on the nameplate by the voltage: amps = watts / volts. A mini fridge at about 90 watts on 120V works out to 90 / 120 = 0.8 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.

Same answer: compact refrigerator is another name for a mini fridge. It draws about 0.8 amps at 120V on a shared 15A or 20A circuit. A mini fridge draws under 1 amp running (about 60-100 watts) with a small compressor surge at startup, so it happily shares a normal 15A or 20A circuit. Avoid a long, thin extension cord: the startup surge on undersized cord is what causes trouble, not the running load.