ELLIPSE ERT085W Running Cost (Refrigerator)
What the ELLIPSE ERT085W costs to run
ENERGY STAR certifies the ELLIPSE ERT085W at 235 kWh/yr, one of the cheaper models in its category to run for its category.
That $44 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 39.1% less, ranking 965 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 $28/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 ELLIPSE ERT085W: DOMETIC EA15F ($44/yr, 235 kWh/yr), then EuroDesign EDR085S ($44/yr, 235 kWh/yr).
Same brand, different models
Ranked 2 of ELLIPSE's 12 certified refrigerators, this sits between the EFVC14W ($40/yr, the brand's cheapest) and the ERBM221SE ($110/yr, its priciest).
Cost over its typical lifespan
NAHB's Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components puts a typical refrigerator's service life at 13 years; run the ELLIPSE ERT085W that long and it costs about $574 in electricity, on top of whatever it cost to buy.
Weighing a replacement
Efficient as certified refrigerators go, $44/year is a reasonable baseline if you're comparing what else is on the market.
Worth comparing a few current certified models before deciding.
If you're keeping it
A refrigerator like the ELLIPSE ERT085W 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 235 kWh/yr is ENERGY STAR's own certified figure for this model. Ranked 965 of 4,704, the ELLIPSE ERT085W sits in the middle of the refrigerator category, see the guide to why your state changes this number for the other half of the math.