Running cost for the Summit LRF181WIM
ENERGY STAR certifies the Summit LRF181WIM at 363 kWh/yr, about average for its category to run for its category.
The $68 figure above uses the simple average of all 51 published state rates. Pick your state for the real number.
Summit LRF181WIM against the category
That's 6% below the refrigerator category average of 386 kWh/yr, and ranks 2,606 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 $4/year below that average at the national rate. See the methodology page.
What sits beside it in the ranking
Summit LRF182SS ($68/yr, 363 kWh/yr) costs a little more to run than the Summit LRF181WIM. Summit LRF181W ($68/yr, 363 kWh/yr) costs a little less.
Same brand, different models
Summit makes 148 ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators; this one ranks 68 of 148 for running cost, between the brand's cheapest, the ADRD15 at $48/yr, and its priciest, the S4D18WIM at $102/yr.
What this adds up to over time
NAHB's Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components puts a typical refrigerator's service life at 13 years; run the Summit LRF181WIM that long and it costs about $887 in electricity, on top of whatever it cost to buy.
Weighing a replacement
The Summit LRF181WIM is already efficient for its category at $68/year. If you're shopping and comparing options, this is roughly what a well-chosen new refrigerator costs to run.
Compare current ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators before buying.
Protecting what you have
At $68/year just to run, a refrigerator is worth protecting against an unplanned repair bill on top of that.
Sourcing
Nothing here is estimated from a nameplate wattage; the 363 kWh/yr is ENERGY STAR's own certified figure for this model. At rank 2,606 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.