What the Whirlpool WRF540CWH* costs to run
At 563 kWh/yr, the Whirlpool WRF540CWH*'s ENERGY STAR certification puts it one of the more expensive models in its category to run against every other certified refrigerator.
The $106 figure above uses the simple average of all 51 published state rates. Pick your state for the real number.
Whirlpool WRF540CWH* against the category
That's 45.9% above the refrigerator category average of 386 kWh/yr, and ranks 3,841 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 $33/year above that average at the national rate. See the methodology page.
What sits beside it in the ranking
Whirlpool WRFC2036R* ($106/yr, 563 kWh/yr) costs a little more to run than the Whirlpool WRF540CWH*. Whirlpool WRF540CWB* ($106/yr, 563 kWh/yr) costs a little less.
Comparing Whirlpool's own models
Whirlpool makes 156 ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators; this one ranks 80 of 156 for running cost, between the brand's cheapest, the AMA27S1E at $40/yr, and its priciest, the WRF995FIF*** at $142/yr.
Whirlpool WRF540CWH* over 13 years
Over the 13-year service life NAHB reports for this category, running the Whirlpool WRF540CWH* costs roughly $1,376 in electricity, separate from the purchase price.
Weighing a replacement
Running above the category average, $106/year is exactly the kind of number that makes a newer, more efficient model pay for itself faster.
Worth comparing a few current certified models before deciding.
Protecting what you have
At $106/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 563 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.