RCA EFR331 Running Cost (Refrigerator)
What the RCA EFR331 costs to run
At 197 kWh/yr, the RCA EFR331's ENERGY STAR certification puts it one of the cheaper models in its category to run against every other certified refrigerator.
The $37 figure above uses the simple average of all 51 published state rates. Pick your state for the real number.
RCA EFR331 against the category
That's 49% below the refrigerator category average of 386 kWh/yr, and ranks 240 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 $36/year below that average at the national rate. See the methodology page.
What sits beside it in the ranking
RCA RFR320-B-BLACK ($37/yr, 197 kWh/yr) costs a little more to run than the RCA EFR331. Frigidaire EFR376-MOONBM-COM ($37/yr, 197 kWh/yr) costs a little less.
Within the RCA lineup
RCA makes 46 ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators; this one ranks 4 of 46 for running cost, between the brand's cheapest, the EFR180 at $30/yr, and its priciest, the RFR836-6COM at $60/yr.
Cost over its typical lifespan
13 years is NAHB's typical service life for this category; at $37/year, the RCA EFR331 adds up to about $481 in electricity over that span.
Is it worth replacing?
The RCA EFR331 is already efficient for its category at $37/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
At $37/year just to run, a refrigerator is worth protecting against an unplanned repair bill on top of that.
Sourcing
Two sourced numbers, nothing modeled: ENERGY STAR's certified kWh/yr for this exact model, and EIA's published state electricity rate. Ranked 240 of 4,704, the RCA EFR331 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.