Running cost for the Century RXTS-81A
The Century RXTS-81A is certified by ENERGY STAR at 400 kWh a year, one of the cheaper models in its category to run among room air conditioners currently certified.
That $75 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 room air conditioner
Against the category average of 603 kWh/yr, this model uses 33.7% less, ranking 62 of 447 room air conditioners tracked here for running cost. That average is drawn from all 447 room air conditioners ENERGY STAR currently certifies, not an outside number, a $38/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 Century RXTS-81A: BLACK+DECKER BD08NWES ($75/yr, 400 kWh/yr), then Comfort Aire RXTS-81A ($75/yr, 400 kWh/yr).
Same brand, different models
Of the 3 ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioners Century makes, the RXTS-81A is the cheapest to run, $38/year less than Century's priciest, the RXTS-121A.
Century RXTS-81A over 10 years
Over the 10-year service life NAHB reports for this category, running the Century RXTS-81A costs roughly $752 in electricity, separate from the purchase price.
Weighing a replacement
Efficient as certified room air conditioners go, $75/year is a reasonable baseline if you're comparing what else is on the market.
Compare current ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioners before buying.
If you're keeping it
At $75/year just to run, a room air conditioner is worth protecting against an unplanned repair bill on top of that.
Where this number comes from
Nothing here is estimated from a nameplate wattage; the 400 kWh/yr is ENERGY STAR's own certified figure for this model. The full Room Air Conditioner category page shows all 447 room air conditioners ranked by cost; the state-rate guide covers the half of this number that isn't the appliance.