Running cost for the Magic Chef MCAR32PSE
At 259 kWh/yr, the Magic Chef MCAR32PSE's ENERGY STAR certification puts it one of the cheaper models in its category to run against every other certified refrigerator.
The $49 figure above uses the simple average of all 51 published state rates. Pick your state for the real number.
Magic Chef MCAR32PSE against the category
That's 32.9% below the refrigerator category average of 386 kWh/yr, and ranks 1,261 of 4,704 certified refrigerators for annual running cost, 1 being cheapest. The category average comes from every refrigerator ENERGY STAR currently certifies (4,704 models), not an outside benchmark, about $24/year below that average at the national rate. See the methodology page.
What sits beside it in the ranking
Magic Chef MCAR32STE ($49/yr, 259 kWh/yr) costs a little more to run than the Magic Chef MCAR32PSE. Magic Chef MCAR32BE ($49/yr, 259 kWh/yr) costs a little less.
Comparing Magic Chef's own models
Magic Chef makes 121 ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators; this one ranks 61 of 121 for running cost, between the brand's cheapest, the MCR16CHB at $39/yr, and its priciest, the MCBM920W1 at $70/yr.
Magic Chef MCAR32PSE over 13 years
Over the 13-year service life NAHB reports for this category, running the Magic Chef MCAR32PSE costs roughly $633 in electricity, separate from the purchase price.
Weighing a replacement
The Magic Chef MCAR32PSE is already efficient for its category at $49/year. If you're shopping and comparing options, this is roughly what a well-chosen new refrigerator costs to run.
Worth comparing a few current certified models before deciding.
Protecting what you have
A refrigerator like the Magic Chef MCAR32PSE 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.
Sourcing
Nothing here is estimated from a nameplate wattage; the 259 kWh/yr is ENERGY STAR's own certified figure for this model. The full Refrigerator category page shows all 4,704 refrigerators ranked by cost; the state-rate guide covers the half of this number that isn't the appliance.