How many watts does a French-door refrigerator use — and what can run it?

The representative model is the Frigidaire Gallery GRFN2853AF (28.8 cu ft). Its specification sheet lists 3.3 amps at 120 volts — the 396 W running figure — and the ENERGY STAR record for the model gives 652 kWh a year, the source of the 74 W average. The amp figure is the appliance's electrical rating rather than the compressor's actual running draw, so the running-draw column below is the cautious one. Frigidaire publishes no starting figure; the 1,200 W is the top of the refrigerator row (800–1,200 W) on the Champion generator wattage chart.

What changes the draw

A larger cabinet and the built-in ice maker both add to the work the compressor does, which is why this model's yearly average is higher than the top-freezer example. Day to day, room temperature, door openings, the thermostat setting and restocking with warm food decide how long each compressor cycle lasts.

Why the starting draw matters

The compressor motor pulls a short burst well above its running draw each time it starts. A station must cover that burst plus everything else already running; one that cannot will trip its overload protection even though 396 W is well inside its continuous rating. The rule is on the methodology page.

Reading the tables

"Runtime at 396 W" is the floor — compressor on all the time. "At average draw" uses 74 W and reflects normal cycling. Example: the Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 record carries no maker factor, so the default 0.85 applies: 2,042 Wh × 0.85 ÷ 74 W = 23.5 hours.