The old fridge in your Indianapolis garage sits six feet from the only outlet, and there's an orange extension cord in the junk drawer. Can you plug a refrigerator into an extension cord? Not for good. Safety groups say a cord is for short-term use only, and a fridge runs all day, every day.
For a short stretch, it depends on the brand, so check your manual. Some makers, like Whirlpool, say never use one with a fridge.
Others allow a heavy, grounded cord in some cases. Here's what each big brand says, and where it says it.
What does each brand say?
Whirlpool's fridge manual and LG's dryer manual say no, while GE and Samsung allow a cord with a fridge, with conditions. Wording can change from model to model, so check the manual for yours.
| Brand | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Whirlpool | "Do not use an extension cord." | Use & Care Guide W11515962B, under-counter refrigerator WUR35X24HZ |
| LG | "Do not use an extension cord or adapter with this appliance." | Dryer owner's manual, model DLHC8402 |
| LG (fridge) | "Extension cords and power strips are not recommended." | LG support, How to Install Power Supply |
| GE | Strongly recommends against a cord for fridges and freezers. If you use one, it must be a UL-listed 3-wire grounding appliance cord rated at least 15 amps | GE Appliances support page for refrigerators and freezers |
| Samsung | If you must use one, use only a 3-wire cord rated 115 to 120 volts, 10 amps or more. Don't share a power strip with other appliances | Refrigerator user manual, RF25 models (RF25C5151SR) |
| GE (washer) | "DO NOT use an extension cord." | Owner's manual, top-load washer GTW585, Pub. 49-3000384 (a retailer's copy) |
How to check your own manual
Four steps settle it for your exact model.
- Find your model number. It's usually in your paperwork and on a label on the appliance.
- Search the manual for "extension cord." In Whirlpool's guide, the line sits under "Electrical Shock Hazard."
- Read the whole line. Some brands say never. Others name the exact cord they'll accept.
- Match the cord to the words. If the manual names amps or volts, the cord has to meet them.
Is it safe to have a refrigerator plugged into an extension cord?
Not for the long run. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says extension cords are only for short-term use.
A cord can get too hot when the appliance pulls more power than the cord can carry. And a fridge stays plugged in all the time, day and night, which means a cord for it isn't short-term at all.
Read the exact wording
"Overheating is usually caused by overloading or connecting appliances that consume more watts than the cord can handle. … Extension cords should only be used temporarily."
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFi), a safety group, agrees. It calls a cord a short-term fix, not a long-term part of your home's wiring.
Read the exact wording
"an extension cord is a temporary solution and is not meant to be used as a long-term extension of your household's electrical system."
What to do instead
Add an outlet, or move the appliance. That's the answer the CPSC's home safety checklist gives for any cord that's become permanent.
Read the exact wording
"Is any extension cord being used on a permanent basis? YES: Have new outlets installed where needed, or move appliance closer to an outlet. Extension cords are not as safe as permanent house wiring."
A new outlet is a job for an electrician.
The Marion County rule
In Marion County it's the housing code too. Section 10-506(f) of the county housing code says a cord can't stand in for wiring, and the code puts that on the owner. If you rent in Indianapolis and the fridge your landlord supplied only reaches the outlet on a cord, ask the landlord for an outlet.
Read the exact wording
"Extension cords or temporary wiring shall not be used as permanent wiring."
From Marion County Health and Hospital Code, Chapter 10, Sec. 10-506(f)
What kind of extension cord can I use for a refrigerator?
Only the kind your fridge's maker names, and only if it allows one at all. Two of the big brands do.
If you have a GE fridge
GE would rather you didn't. Its support page puts it plainly: "We strongly recommend that an extension cord not be used with any Refrigeration appliances." If you use one anyway, it has to be a UL-listed 3-wire grounding appliance cord, rated at least 15 amps.
If you have a Samsung fridge
Samsung allows one if you need it. The cord has to be 3-wire and rated 115 to 120 volts, 10 amps or more.
If you have a Whirlpool fridge
Don't use one. The warning in Whirlpool's Use & Care Guide is blunt. Plug the fridge into a grounded 3-prong outlet, it says, and don't use an adapter or an extension cord. It calls this a shock hazard, and warns that ignoring it can start a fire or even kill you.
Read the exact wording
"Electrical Shock Hazard. Plug into a grounded 3 prong outlet. Do not remove ground prong. Do not use an adapter. Do not use an extension cord. Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, fire, or electrical shock."
What "3-wire" means
A 3-wire cord has a plug with three prongs. The third prong is the ground, and Whirlpool's guide warns you never to remove it.
Is it okay to plug a refrigerator into a power strip?
No. Samsung's manual says not to plug the fridge and other appliances into the same power strip, and it says the fridge should have its own outlet.
Read the exact wording
"Do not plug several appliances and the refrigerator into the same multiple power strip."
LG's fridge setup page says much the same: "Extension cords and power strips are not recommended."
ESFi has the same idea for cords: "Do not use an extension cord for more than one appliance." One cord, one appliance.
What about a washer or dryer?
The same safety rule applies. A cord is for short-term use only. GE's manual for its GTW585 washer says "DO NOT use an extension cord," and so do Samsung's DVE45T6000 dryer manual and GE's install guide for its gas dryers. We haven't read every brand's washer manual, so check yours.
LG's dryer manual goes further. It says not to use an extension cord or adapter at all, and not to change or extend the power cord. If the dryer's plug doesn't fit the outlet, our guide on 3-prong and 4-prong dryer cords covers what the code says.
Read the exact wording
"Do not use an extension cord or adapter with this appliance. … Do not modify or extend the power cord."
Check the manual for your washer before you plug it into a cord.
A quick check before you plug in
If you're going to use a cord for a short time, run through this first:
- The manual allows it. You've read the line yourself.
- The cord meets the manual's rating. Amps and volts, if the manual names them.
- It has three prongs. None cut off, and no adapter.
- Nothing else shares it. One cord, one appliance.
- It's short-term. If it's turning permanent, plan for an outlet.
If the outlet is fine but the appliance isn't, here's how repair calls work on this site.