Appliance Energy Cost Index Model-level energy use and running cost, from ENERGY STAR certified product data

Refrigerators ranked by annual energy cost

Across 80 sampled refrigerators, the median estimated running cost is $52.70/yr, ranging from $16.15/yr (AWC15PG1A2A) to $132.94/yr (MRF29D2B**) - a spread of 723% from lowest to highest. The middle half falls between $39.10/yr and $62.22/yr.

Most recently certified 80 models (lowest annual cost first)

Sorted by estimated annual running cost, lowest first.
#ModelCertification Est. energy cost
1 AWC15PG1A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$16.15/yr
2 AWC15PS1A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$16.15/yr
3 AWC15SG1A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$16.15/yr
4 AWC24PG1A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$17.00/yr
5 AWC24PS1A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$17.00/yr
6 AWC24SG1A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$17.00/yr
7 AWC15PG2A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$17.85/yr
8 AWC15PS2A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$17.85/yr
9 AWC15SG2A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$17.85/yr
10 AWC24PG2A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$18.70/yr
11 AWC24PS2A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$18.70/yr
12 AWC24SG2A2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$18.70/yr
13 H34WCB Honeywell ENERGY STAR Certified$24.31/yr
14 MRM16B3ASL Midea ENERGY STAR Certified$35.19/yr
15 ACFR325-ID-BLACK-6COM ARCTIC CHEF ENERGY STAR Certified$36.55/yr
16 CERM33B1A** Comfee ENERGY STAR Certified$37.40/yr
17 ACFR325-C-BLACK-6COM ARCTIC CHEF ENERGY STAR Certified$37.40/yr
18 ABR15PGA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$39.10/yr
19 ABR15PSA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$39.10/yr
20 ABR15SGA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$39.10/yr
21 AWBC15PGA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$39.10/yr
22 AWBC15PSA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$39.10/yr
23 AWBC15SGA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$39.10/yr
24 HVUF700BE Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$41.48/yr
25 HVUF700STE Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$41.48/yr
26 HVUF700WE Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$41.48/yr
27 VS17HSCPB Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$41.48/yr
28 VS17HSCPS Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$41.48/yr
29 VS17HSCPW Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$41.48/yr
30 ABR24PGA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$42.50/yr
31 ABR24PSA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$42.50/yr
32 ABR24SGA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$42.50/yr
33 AWBC24PGA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$42.50/yr
34 AWBC24PSA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$42.50/yr
35 AWBC24SGA2A AVALLON ENERGY STAR Certified$42.50/yr
36 ARM31T5A** Arctic King ENERGY STAR Certified$45.90/yr
37 HBFRF1798-C-WHITE-3BCOM Hamilton Beach ENERGY STAR Certified$49.64/yr
38 EFR0133-BLKSS-6COM Frigidaire ENERGY STAR Most Efficient$50.49/yr
39 EFR0133-WHITE-6COM Frigidaire ENERGY STAR Most Efficient$50.49/yr
40 DFF116B2SLCDBR Danby ENERGY STAR Certified$52.70/yr
41 DFF116B2SSCDBR Danby ENERGY STAR Certified$52.70/yr
42 DFF116B2WCDBR Danby ENERGY STAR Certified$52.70/yr
43 DUF212B1SLCDB Danby ENERGY STAR Certified$53.38/yr
44 VS31HSCPB Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$54.40/yr
45 VS31HSCPS Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$54.40/yr
46 VS31HSCPW Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$54.40/yr
47 MDCM45**5 Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$55.93/yr
48 MERM45S3A** Midea ENERGY STAR Certified$55.93/yr
49 HVDR730BE Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$58.48/yr
50 HVDR730STE Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$58.48/yr
51 HVDR730WE Vissani ENERGY STAR Certified$58.48/yr
52 EFR780-E-6COM Frigidaire ENERGY STAR Certified$58.48/yr
53 FGFR727-C Frigidaire Gallery ENERGY STAR Certified$58.48/yr
54 FGFR727-C-6COM Frigidaire Gallery ENERGY STAR Certified$58.48/yr
55 MDTF16**R6 Vissani ENERGY STAR Most Efficient$58.99/yr
56 DFF180B1SLCDBR Danby ENERGY STAR Certified$62.22/yr
57 DFF180B1SLDBR Danby ENERGY STAR Certified$62.22/yr
58 DFF180B1WCDBR Danby ENERGY STAR Certified$62.22/yr
59 DFF180B1WDBR Danby ENERGY STAR Certified$62.22/yr
60 DFF180BT1SLDBR Danby ENERGY STAR Certified$62.22/yr
61 DFF180BT1WDBR Danby ENERGY STAR Certified$62.22/yr
62 HBF1839-B-SS-6COM Hamilton Beach ENERGY STAR Most Efficient$62.22/yr
63 51F-IK5-BCD512** Toscana ENERGY STAR Most Efficient$62.73/yr
64 51F-IK5-BCD512SS Toscana ENERGY STAR Most Efficient$62.73/yr
65 RB110N3A*EM Mora ENERGY STAR Certified$66.47/yr
66 CFDMH1834A* Crosley ENERGY STAR Certified$79.05/yr
67 NS-RBM18**0-C Insignia ENERGY STAR Certified$79.22/yr
68 COS-RFFL234RSS COSMO ENERGY STAR Certified$102.51/yr
69 COS-RFQL234RSS COSMO ENERGY STAR Certified$102.51/yr
70 LM23BZH5** LG ENERGY STAR Certified$106.76/yr
71 UM23BZH98* LG SIGNATURE ENERGY STAR Certified$106.76/yr
72 FRFN2911B* Frigidaire ENERGY STAR Certified$111.18/yr
73 FRFN2913B* Frigidaire ENERGY STAR Certified$111.18/yr
74 MDRF996FGF04PRR Midea ENERGY STAR Certified$112.54/yr
75 LM22WZH64* LG ENERGY STAR Certified$119.68/yr
76 MDRF1178FGF04PRR Midea ENERGY STAR Certified$121.38/yr
77 FRFS2811B* Frigidaire ENERGY STAR Certified$123.59/yr
78 FRFS2813B* Frigidaire ENERGY STAR Certified$123.59/yr
79 MDRF1100FGF04PRG Midea ENERGY STAR Certified$126.31/yr
80 MRF29D2B** Midea ENERGY STAR Certified$132.94/yr

Running cost by certification status

Sampled models grouped by certification status. Figures above are computed at build time from the sampled source records - no external estimates are used.
StatusModelsMedian LowestHighest
ENERGY STAR Most Efficient6$62.22/yr $50.49/yr$62.73/yr
ENERGY STAR Certified74$52.70/yr $16.15/yr$132.94/yr

Frequently asked questions

Which refrigerator is cheapest to run?

Among the 80 refrigerators compared here, the AWC15PG1A2A (AVALLON) is lowest at $16.15/yr and the MRF29D2B** (Midea) is highest at $132.94/yr - a difference of $116.79 per year, meaning the highest costs 723% more than the lowest.

What is a typical yearly running cost for refrigerators?

The median across 80 sampled refrigerators is $52.70/yr, with the middle half between $39.10/yr and $62.22/yr. These figures apply the site-wide rate assumption of $0.17/kWh to the certified annual kWh reported by each manufacturer.

Do ENERGY STAR Most Efficient refrigerators cost less to run?

Not in this sample. Median running cost by certification status is ENERGY STAR Most Efficient: $62.22 across 6 models, ENERGY STAR Certified: $52.70 across 74 models, so the label order does not match the absolute cost order. Certification measures efficiency relative to product class, which means a large Most Efficient unit can still use more electricity than a small certified one.

How are the running costs for these refrigerators calculated?

Each of the 80 refrigerators listed here uses the annual kWh reported for that exact model in the EPA ENERGY STAR certified dataset, multiplied by a flat $0.17/kWh. For this category that produces a range of $16.15/yr to $132.94/yr around a $52.70/yr median. Nothing here is measured or estimated by this site and no external benchmark is mixed in, so if your local rate differs you can scale every figure by the same factor - the ranking between models does not change.