U-Line 3036RRB: running cost
The U-Line 3036RRB is certified by ENERGY STAR at 270 kWh a year, one of the cheaper models in its category to run among refrigerators currently certified.
The $51 figure above uses the simple average of all 51 published state rates. Pick your state for the real number.
U-Line 3036RRB against the category
That's 30.1% below the refrigerator category average of 386 kWh/yr, and ranks 1,487 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 $22/year below that average at the national rate. See the methodology page.
What sits beside it in the ranking
U-Line U-2224RGLINT-00B ($51/yr, 270 kWh/yr) costs a little more to run than the U-Line 3036RRB. U-Line 3024RGLB ($51/yr, 270 kWh/yr) costs a little less.
Same brand, different models
U-Line makes 37 ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators; this one ranks 33 of 37 for running cost, between the brand's cheapest, the UR*D#24-*G#1A at $24/yr, and its priciest, the UHBV524-IS01A at $52/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 U-Line 3036RRB that long and it costs about $660 in electricity, on top of whatever it cost to buy.
Weighing a replacement
The U-Line 3036RRB is already efficient for its category at $51/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 U-Line 3036RRB 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 270 kWh/yr is ENERGY STAR's own certified figure for this model. Ranked 1,487 of 4,704, the U-Line 3036RRB 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.