What the Arctic King ARM44S5ABB costs to run
ENERGY STAR certifies the Arctic King ARM44S5ABB at 226 kWh/yr, one of the cheaper models in its category to run for its category.
That $42 is priced at 18.8¢/kWh, the average of all 51 state rates this site tracks. Your own state's rate is one click away.
Efficient, or not, for a refrigerator
Against the category average of 386 kWh/yr, this model uses 41.5% less, ranking 806 of 4,704 refrigerators tracked here for running cost. That average is drawn from all 4,704 refrigerators ENERGY STAR currently certifies, not an outside number, a $30/year gap from this model at the national rate. Full sourcing is in the sourcing notes.
Right next to it on the list
A rank or two either side of the Arctic King ARM44S5ABB: Arctic King ARM044S1ARSV ($42/yr, 226 kWh/yr), then BLACK DECKER BCRK43B ($42/yr, 226 kWh/yr).
Within the Arctic King lineup
Ranked 10 of Arctic King's 24 certified refrigerators, this sits between the AU83ETWBR1RCM ($31/yr, the brand's cheapest) and the ARB47B5*** ($63/yr, its priciest).
Arctic King ARM44S5ABB over 13 years
NAHB's Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components puts a typical refrigerator's service life at 13 years; run the Arctic King ARM44S5ABB that long and it costs about $552 in electricity, on top of whatever it cost to buy.
Weighing a replacement
Efficient as certified refrigerators go, $42/year is a reasonable baseline if you're comparing what else is on the market.
Compare current ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators before buying.
If you're keeping it
A refrigerator like the Arctic King ARM44S5ABB is a real household expense whether or not it needs replacing yet; a protection plan is one way to budget for a repair rather than a full replacement.
Where this number comes from
Nothing here is estimated from a nameplate wattage; the 226 kWh/yr is ENERGY STAR's own certified figure for this model. At rank 806 of 4,704 for running cost, see the refrigerator category page for the rest of the field, or the guide to how much your state matters.