Running cost for the Whirlpool WRMC5036R***
The Whirlpool WRMC5036R*** is certified by ENERGY STAR at 678 kWh a year, one of the more expensive models in its category to run among refrigerators currently certified.
That $127 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
The category average is 386 kWh/yr; this model runs 75.6% above it, ranking 4,392 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 $55/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 Whirlpool WRMC5036R***: LG LF20G6331* ($127/yr, 678 kWh/yr), then Whirlpool WRMC7036R*** ($127/yr, 678 kWh/yr).
Within the Whirlpool lineup
Ranked 126 of Whirlpool's 156 certified refrigerators, this sits between the AMA27S1E ($40/yr, the brand's cheapest) and the WRF995FIF*** ($142/yr, its priciest).
Whirlpool WRMC5036R*** over 13 years
13 years is NAHB's typical service life for this category; at $127/year, the Whirlpool WRMC5036R*** adds up to about $1,657 in electricity over that span.
Is it worth replacing?
Running above the category average, $127/year is exactly the kind of number that makes a newer, more efficient model pay for itself faster.
Compare current ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators before buying.
If you're keeping it
A refrigerator like the Whirlpool WRMC5036R*** 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
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. The 678 kWh/yr figure is ENERGY STAR's own certification, not a wattage estimate; exact dataset IDs are on the data sources page.