Model
Alpha RDVC138WE
Rank #237 means 236 of the 622 freezer models we track cost less to run each year; the 63rd efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 63% of those models.
What does the Alpha RDVC138WE cost to run per year?
The Alpha RDVC138WE is a relatively cheap runner for its class: about $73 a year, rank #237 of 622. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $81/yr to run, a saving of roughly $8 a year. Its 63th size-adjusted efficiency percentile is a step ahead of the class median, though not among the very top results. At 13.8 cu ft, it is a mid-size freezer for the class, which runs 1.1 to 23 cu ft; size and efficiency are the two levers behind the figure above, and this dataset does not carry a separate efficiency-factor column for this class.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Upstreman UF14-# at $73/yr runs a little cheaper and the Criterion CUF14M2* at $73/yr runs a little more, a sense of how tightly models are packed at this point in the ranking. A freezer typically stays in service for somewhere around 14 years; over that span, the Alpha RDVC138WE's $73/yr adds up to roughly $1022 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Criterion CUF14M2*, Danby DUF140E1*, Danby Designer DUF140E1*, Danby Designer DUF140E1WDD, Element EUF14CDB*, Element EUF14CE**, Elisii DECVC138*2, Elisii DECVC138S2, Elisii DECVC138W2, Ellipse EFVC14W, Ellipse ECVC138W, Forno FFFFD1933-28LS, Forno FFFFD1933-28RS, Insignia NS-UZ14SS0*, Insignia NS-UZ14WH0*, Insignia NS-UZ14SS0-C*, Insignia NS-UZ14WH0-C*, Kenmore KKUF14-*, Kenmore KKUF14-W, Koolatron KKUF14-*, Koolatron KKUF14-W, L2 LRU14F4A**, L2 LRU14F3ASTC, L2 LRU14F3AWWC, Midea 3730-937, Midea HS-507FWEN, Midea MRU14B2***, Midea MRU14B3ASL, Midea MRU14F5***, Midea MRU14F5A**, Midea WHS-507FWEB1, Midea WHS-507FWEW1, Midea MU138SWAR1RC1, Midea WHS-507FWESS1, Midea MDRU507FGF01PRR, Newair NFS140**00, Omnimax 3730-937, Smad DSD-507WMU.
By the numbers
The Alpha RDVC138WE normalized against its whole class, so each figure means something.
What it costs you over time
Running cost is an every-year number, so it compounds. At $73/yr, here is what the Alpha RDVC138WE adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Alpha RDVC138WE costs about $730. That is roughly $80 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $810 over the same ten years.
How the Alpha RDVC138WE compares
The freezer class we track runs from $25 to $120 a year. At $73/yr, it runs about $2 a year cheaper than the class median of $75, and it is about $48 a year more than the cheapest freezer to run at $25. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $81/yr, the Alpha RDVC138WE uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 13.8 cu ft, the Alpha RDVC138WE is a mid-size freezer for its class, which spans 1.1 to 23 cu ft with a median of 13.8 cu ft, right in the middle of the capacity range, so capacity is roughly a wash compared with the rest of the class.
- Interior volume. Cubic feet of frozen storage is the first lever behind a freezer's running cost, ahead of insulation or defrost type.
- Insulation and defrost type. Two freezers of the same size can differ meaningfully on running cost based on insulation quality and whether they run an automatic-defrost heater.
- Chest vs upright design. Chest freezers open from the top, so cold air, which sinks, stays inside when the lid opens; upright freezers lose more cold air per door opening for a similar capacity.
Common questions
Is the Alpha RDVC138WE cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $73 a year it ranks #237 of 622 freezer models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Alpha RDVC138WE cost per month?
Roughly $6.09/mo, spreading the $73/yr estimate evenly across twelve months at $0.1856/kWh. Actual monthly bills swing with your rate and usage pattern.
How is this running-cost figure calculated?
We take the model's published annual energy use of 394 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $73 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Alpha RDVC138WE for its size?
63rd percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 236 | Upstreman UF14-#14 cu ft | $73 |
| 235 | Upstreman BD-39614 cu ft | $73 |
| 234 | Hamilton Beach BD-39614 cu ft | $73 |
| 233 | Farberware FW-UFR399US-IN-I6A14 cu ft | $73 |
| 232 | Farberware FW-UFR392US-IN-I6A14 cu ft | $73 |
Source
ES_1107227_RDVC138WE_09012020113049_80047654View certified freezer listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Alpha and RDVC138WE are used here for identification only and are not endorsements. Figures are computed by WattWise Labs from public ENERGY STAR data, not measured in our own lab.