Enter your freezer's kWh/year Energy Guide rating (or estimate from wattage) and your rate for real annual cost.
Chest freezers are typically more efficient than upright models of the same size since cold air sinks and stays inside when the lid opens, rather than spilling out like a front-opening door.
A chest freezer's top-opening design naturally traps cold air inside even when opened, while an upright freezer's front door lets cold air spill out onto the floor every time it's opened — this is why chest freezers of similar size typically carry a lower kWh/year rating on their Energy Guide label. Check your model's actual rating for the most accurate figure, or feed the same math into the general electricity cost calculator.
Older freezers, especially pre-2000 models, can use 2-3× the energy of a modern ENERGY STAR unit — running an old one in a hot garage compounds that further since it works harder in high ambient heat.
Often yes if it's rarely full — an old, half-empty freezer wastes cooling capacity on empty air, and the energy savings from a smaller modern unit can offset a chunk of the replacement cost over several years.