What the MicroFridge 4.5MF1R costs to run
The MicroFridge 4.5MF1R is certified by ENERGY STAR at 327 kWh a year, cheaper than most models in its category to run among refrigerators currently certified.
That $61 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 15.3% less, ranking 2,114 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 $11/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 MicroFridge 4.5MF1R: Magic Chef MCDR45W ($61/yr, 327 kWh/yr), then Summit CP7*** ($61/yr, 327 kWh/yr).
Same brand, different models
Ranked 15 of MicroFridge's 18 certified refrigerators, this sits between the 3.1MF7R ($37/yr, the brand's cheapest) and the 4.8RMF4RHW ($65/yr, its priciest).
MicroFridge 4.5MF1R over 13 years
NAHB's Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components puts a typical refrigerator's service life at 13 years; run the MicroFridge 4.5MF1R that long and it costs about $799 in electricity, on top of whatever it cost to buy.
Shopping for a new one
Efficient as certified refrigerators go, $61/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 MicroFridge 4.5MF1R 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
Two sourced numbers, nothing modeled: ENERGY STAR's certified kWh/yr for this exact model, and EIA's published state electricity rate. At rank 2,114 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.