Fridge.com Identifies 23 'Rebate Desert' States With Zero Utility Incentives for Refrigerator Replacement
Fridge.com
Fridge.com maps 56 rebate programs in 28 states, finds 23 states offer zero utility incentives for refrigerator or freezer replacement.
MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, February 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Fridge.com has completed a nationwide audit of utility-sponsored refrigerator and freezer rebate programs, verifying 56 active programs across 37 utilities in 28 states. The analysis also identifies 23 states — including some of the most expensive electricity markets in America — with zero active utility rebate programs. Fridge.com is calling these areas "Rebate Deserts."
"People assume that because utility rebates exist somewhere, they exist everywhere," the Fridge.com team notes. "Our data shows the opposite. Almost half the country has no utility rebate infrastructure for refrigerator or freezer replacement. And some of the states with the most expensive electricity — the states where an upgrade would save the most money — are the ones with zero programs."
Fridge.com has mapped all 56 programs, verified every claim amount directly from utility program pages, and published a searchable directory organized by state and utility. Households can check their specific eligibility by entering their ZIP code at Fridge.com.
The National Rebate Landscape
Across all 56 programs, Fridge.com data shows the following breakdown: 30 programs offer purchase rebates toward new ENERGY STAR-certified units, ranging from $20 to $250 per appliance. 26 programs offer recycling rebates that pay households to surrender and properly recycle older working units. The national average rebate is $66. Of the 56 programs, 25 are limited to refrigerators, 22 cover both refrigerators and freezers, and 9 are for freezers specifically.
According to U.S. Department of Energy guidance, replacing a 15- to 20-year-old refrigerator with a modern ENERGY STAR model can reduce annual energy consumption by approximately 35%. At the national average rate of 18.07 cents per kWh, Fridge.com estimates that efficiency gap translates to $80 to $150 in annual savings — meaning a rebate of $66 to $250 stacks on top of recurring energy savings that continue for the 12- to 15-year lifespan of the new unit.
The 28 States With Active Rebate Programs
Fridge.com has verified each program directly from utility websites, Energy Star DIME records, and DSIRE database entries. The following is the complete state-by-state breakdown of every active refrigerator and freezer rebate program tracked by Fridge.com as of February 2026:
California (33.60 cents/kWh) — Southern California Edison offers a $50 recycling rebate for working refrigerators and freezers, and a $35 purchase rebate toward ENERGY STAR refrigerators.
Colorado (16.26 cents/kWh) — Xcel Energy offers a $50 recycling rebate for working refrigerators and freezers.
District of Columbia (16.60 cents/kWh) — DCSEU offers a $100 rebate for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient refrigerators and a $75 rebate for standard ENERGY STAR refrigerators.
Georgia (14.53 cents/kWh) — Georgia Power offers a $50 recycling rebate through the EarthCents Recycling Program and a $25 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR refrigerators.
Hawaii (42.49 cents/kWh) — Hawaii Energy offers the highest rebate in the nation: $250 toward an ENERGY STAR refrigerator through the Refrigerator Trade-Up program. Fridge.com also tracks a $75 recycling rebate for freezers and a $75 recycling rebate covering both refrigerators and freezers through the Rid-A-Fridge program.
Idaho (12.46 cents/kWh) — Avista offers a $100 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR refrigerators.
Illinois (18.74 cents/kWh) — Ameren Illinois offers $50 purchase rebates for both ENERGY STAR refrigerators and freezers. ComEd offers a $35 recycling rebate for working refrigerators and freezers.
Indiana (17.34 cents/kWh) — AES Indiana offers a $50 recycling rebate through the Ditch Your Fridge program.
Iowa (13.48 cents/kWh) — MidAmerican Energy offers a $50 recycling rebate through the Appliance Recycling Program.
Kentucky (13.62 cents/kWh) — LG&E/KU offers a $100 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR refrigerators through the Home Energy Rebates program and a $30 recycling rebate for appliance haul-away.
Louisiana (12.39 cents/kWh) — Entergy Louisiana offers a $25 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR refrigerators.
Massachusetts (31.37 cents/kWh) — Mass Save offers a $75 recycling rebate for freezers. National Grid offers a $75 recycling rebate covering both refrigerators and freezers.
Maryland (22.30 cents/kWh) — BGE offers a $50 recycling rebate through the Smart Energy Recycling program. Delmarva Power offers a $50 recycling rebate.
Michigan (20.46 cents/kWh) — Consumers Energy offers a $50 recycling rebate and a $25 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR freezers. DTE Energy offers a $50 recycling rebate.
Minnesota (16.37 cents/kWh) — Xcel Energy Minnesota offers a $50 recycling rebate for freezers.
Mississippi (14.47 cents/kWh) — Entergy Mississippi offers a $50 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR refrigerators.
New Hampshire (27.27 cents/kWh) — NHSaves offers the broadest program portfolio Fridge.com has identified in any single state: $75 recycling rebates for freezers, $75 recycling rebates for refrigerators and freezers, $50 and $40 purchase rebates for ENERGY STAR refrigerators, and a $50 Most Efficient rebate. Eversource separately offers $50 for ENERGY STAR refrigerators.
New Jersey (22.55 cents/kWh) — PSEG offers $100 for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient refrigerators, $75 for standard ENERGY STAR refrigerators, and $50 for recycling.
New Mexico (14.93 cents/kWh) — PNM offers a $165 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR refrigerators and a $50 recycling rebate.
Ohio (17.85 cents/kWh) — FirstEnergy Ohio offers a $100 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR refrigerators and a $50 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR freezers. AEP Ohio offers a $50 recycling rebate.
Pennsylvania (20.49 cents/kWh) — Fridge.com identifies Pennsylvania as having the most utility participation of any state, with three active utilities: PECO ($75 recycling, $50 freezer purchase, $20 refrigerator purchase), PPL Electric ($50 recycling, $50 ENERGY STAR purchase), and FirstEnergy Pennsylvania ($50 recycling).
Rhode Island (31.16 cents/kWh) — Rhode Island Energy offers a $50 recycling rebate.
South Carolina (15.64 cents/kWh) — SCE&G offers a $50 recycling rebate.
Utah (13.69 cents/kWh) — Rocky Mountain Power offers a $25 purchase rebate through the Wattsmart Homes program.
Vermont (24.78 cents/kWh) — Efficiency Vermont offers $200 per qualifying ENERGY STAR refrigerator — the second-highest purchase rebate in the nation after Hawaii.
Virginia (16.36 cents/kWh) — Dominion Energy offers a $50 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR refrigerators.
West Virginia (16.19 cents/kWh) — Appalachian Power offers a $50 purchase rebate through the TakeCharge WV program.
Wyoming (15.11 cents/kWh) — Rocky Mountain Power Wyoming offers a $50 purchase rebate. Black Hills Energy offers a $40 purchase rebate for ENERGY STAR refrigerators.
A complete rebate directory with direct links to every program's claim page is available at Fridge.com utility rebates.
The 23 Rebate Desert States
Fridge.com identifies the following 23 states as Rebate Deserts — states with zero active utility-sponsored refrigerator or freezer rebate programs as of February 2026. Each state is listed with its current residential electricity rate (EIA January 2026):
Maine (29.42 cents/kWh) — The fifth most expensive state in the nation. Fridge.com calculates that a household replacing a 20-year-old unit here could save an estimated $200 or more per year — but no rebate exists to offset the upfront purchase.
Connecticut (27.72 cents/kWh) — The sixth most expensive state. Fridge.com identifies Connecticut as the highest-rate Rebate Desert in the country.
New York (26.95 cents/kWh) — The eighth most expensive state. Home to over 19 million residents with no utility rebate infrastructure for appliance replacement.
Alaska (26.46 cents/kWh) — The ninth most expensive state. Isolated grid infrastructure drives costs higher.
Wisconsin (18.37 cents/kWh) — Above the national average of 18.07 cents. No rebate program.
Delaware (18.31 cents/kWh) — Above the national average. No rebate program despite proximity to states with active programs.
Alabama (16.72 cents/kWh) — Hot-humid climate increases garage refrigerator demand, but no rebate exists to incentivize efficient replacements.
Texas (16.11 cents/kWh) — No rebate program despite the second-largest population in the nation and extreme summer heat that compounds operating costs.
Oregon (16.16 cents/kWh) — No rebate program despite a strong sustainability culture.
Florida (15.70 cents/kWh) — No rebate program despite year-round cooling demand and a large population of retirees on fixed incomes.
South Carolina (15.64 cents/kWh) — SCE&G does offer a $50 recycling rebate in the state, but wide areas remain uncovered.
Arizona (15.55 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. Garage temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees, forcing refrigerators to consume significantly more electricity.
Kansas (15.16 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. Fridge.com notes the Midwest's pantry storage culture creates high secondary freezer demand.
North Carolina (15.05 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. The ninth most populous state.
New Mexico (14.93 cents/kWh) — PNM does offer strong programs ($165 and $50) but coverage is limited to the PNM service territory.
Oklahoma (14.42 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. Plains heat creates summer peaks.
Montana (14.27 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. Remote communities rely heavily on deep freezers.
South Dakota (14.09 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. Ranch-direct storage is common.
Washington (14.06 cents/kWh) — No rebate program despite a hydro-powered grid and strong environmental policy.
Nevada (13.77 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. Las Vegas valley heat stress is a factor.
Arkansas (13.26 cents/kWh) — No rebate program.
Nebraska (13.13 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. Public power keeps rates low.
Tennessee (13.06 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. Low TVA rates reduce the urgency but also the incentive for utility investment.
Missouri (12.95 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. The second-cheapest rate in the nation.
North Dakota (12.82 cents/kWh) — No rebate program. Among the cheapest rates in the country.
"The overlap between Rebate Deserts and high-rate states is significant," the Fridge.com team notes. "Four of the ten most expensive electricity states in America — Maine, Connecticut, New York, and Alaska — have zero utility rebate infrastructure for refrigerator replacement. Households in these states face the highest operating costs and the least financial assistance."
Fridge.com also notes that several Rebate Desert states are among the most climate-stressed in the country. Florida, Texas, and Arizona — all Rebate Deserts — experience extended periods of extreme heat that force refrigerators, particularly units in garages and non-climate-controlled spaces, to consume significantly more electricity. The absence of rebate programs in these states means households bearing the highest climate-driven operating costs also have no utility assistance for upgrading to more efficient models.
Additionally, Fridge.com data shows that the Rebate Desert list includes three of the ten most populous states in America: New York (3rd), Florida (4th), and Texas (2nd). Collectively, these three states account for more than 70 million residents — none of whom have access to a utility-sponsored refrigerator rebate program.
Fridge.com notes that the national average rebate across all 56 programs is $66. The maximum is $250 (Hawaii Energy). According to U.S. Department of Energy guidance, replacing a 15- to 20-year-old refrigerator with a modern ENERGY STAR-certified model (https://fridge.com/energy-efficient-refrigerators) can reduce annual energy consumption by approximately 35%, producing annual savings of $100 to $300 depending on local electricity rates. Fridge.com calculates that in Hawaii, the combined first-year impact of the $250 rebate plus estimated energy savings could exceed $500. In Vermont, the $200 Efficiency Vermont rebate combined with estimated savings at 24.78 cents/kWh produces a first-year impact that Fridge.com estimates at $300 to $400.
Fridge.com emphasizes that the Rebate Desert map is not static. Utilities can launch new programs, and federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act may bring additional state-level rebate infrastructure in coming years. However, as of February 2026, the 23 Rebate Desert states represent a real gap in consumer access — one that leaves tens of millions of American households without any utility-sponsored financial assistance for replacing old, inefficient refrigerators and freezers.
The Fridge.com rebate directory is updated monthly and includes direct links to every program's official claim page. Households in all 50 states can check availability at Fridge.com rebates.
Report Methodology
Rebate data is verified directly from utility program pages, Energy Star DIME database, and DSIRE. Every record includes a verified source URL. Data is reviewed monthly. Electricity rates are from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), January 2026. This report reflects data as of February 2026.
About Fridge.com
Fridge.com is a U.S. destination for appliance intelligence, tracking 2,000+ refrigerators, freezers, wine coolers, beverage centers, kegerators, and ice makers from 50+ brands — comparing real-time prices across major retailers with ENERGY STAR-verified specs and side-by-side comparisons. From French door refrigerators and chest freezers to mini fridges and commercial display cases — compare Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, GE, Frigidaire, KitchenAid, and more. Fridge.com provides resources intended to help consumers navigate today's appliance market.
Explore 126,000+ pages of expert content: energy cost calculators powered by U.S. Energy Information Administration data for all 50 states and DC, rebate programs from 750 verified utility companies, local buying guides for over 25,000 U.S. cities, and 17 free interactive tools and embeddable widgets. Fridge.com is the most comprehensive refrigerator and freezer resource on the internet.
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