Background/aim: The number of published papers that compare the incidence of sufentanil- and remifentanil-related postoperative shivering is insufficient. We investigated the incidence of postoperative shivering after total intravenous anesthesia with either sufentanil or remifentanil in patients who underwent elective surgery. Materials and methods: Eighty-three patients, with a physical status classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists I or II, were randomly allocated to either the remifentanil-propofol (RP group, n = 40) or sufentanil-propofol (SP group, n = 43) group. The primary endpoint was the incidence of postoperative shivering 1 h after entering the recovery room. The secondary endpoints were intraoperative core temperatures of the esophagus and tympanic membrane at 30 min after the induction of anesthesia and at the end of surgery. Results: The overall postoperative shivering incidence was not significantly different between the RP (15%) and SP (11.6%) groups (P = 0.651). The intraoperative temperatures and their changes (the temperature 30 min after induction minus that after surgery) as measured at the distal esophagus and tympanic membrane were not significantly different between the RP and SP groups. Conclusion: The incidence of postoperative shivering related to sufentanil was less than that related to remifentanil, with no significant differences in the intraoperative core temperatures.