Early Refrigerators Cost as Much as a Year's Salary

When General Electric unveiled its iconic "Monitor-Top" refrigerator in 1927, it carried a hefty price tag of $520. That might not sound like much, but adjusted for inflation, it's over $7,000 in today's money - about what you'd pay for a decent used car. And that wasn't even the most expensive model on the market.

The very first electric home refrigerator, the Domelre ("Domestic Electric Refrigerator"), hit the market in 1913 for a whopping $900. In 2025 dollars, that's roughly $25,000 to $28,000 - the cost of a luxury sedan. For context, the average American worker earned less than $2,000 per year. Buying a refrigerator meant spending half a year's salary.

A Luxury Only the Wealthy Could Afford

Throughout the 1920s, refrigerators remained a status symbol reserved for the rich. Most models ranged from $200 to $1,000 depending on size and features. Even the "affordable" $200 models translated to about $2,500-$3,800 today - and that's before you factored in installation costs, which often required rewiring your entire kitchen.

Only 56 companies competed in the domestic refrigeration business by 1923, including Kelvinator, Frigidaire (bought by General Motors in 1919), and General Electric. They weren't selling to average families - they were targeting the upper crust who could afford what most people considered an absurd extravagance.

What Did People Use Instead?

While the wealthy enjoyed electric refrigeration, everyone else relied on the icebox - a wooden or metal cabinet where a large block of ice kept food cold for a few days. The iceman would deliver fresh blocks several times a week, and you'd hope it didn't melt before you needed it.

• Iceboxes cost $25-$50 (around $350-$700 today)
• Ice delivery cost about $0.30 per week ($4-$5 in current money)
• No electricity required, but constant ice purchases added up
• Food spoilage was common, especially in summer

The icebox industry fought hard against electric refrigeration, arguing that mechanical refrigerators were dangerous, unreliable, and unnecessary. They were partially right about the danger - early models sometimes leaked toxic gases like sulfur dioxide and methyl chloride.

The Price Finally Dropped

It wasn't until the late 1930s and 1940s that refrigerator prices became accessible to middle-class families. Mass production, improved technology, and competition drove costs down. By 1944, over 85% of American households owned a refrigerator. The technology that once cost a year's salary had become an everyday necessity.

Today's refrigerators, despite being far more advanced with features like ice makers, water dispensers, and smart connectivity, cost a fraction of what our great-grandparents paid. A modern fridge typically runs $800-$2,500 - expensive, sure, but nowhere near half your annual income.