Model
Criterion CUF21M2*
Rank #490 means 489 of the 622 freezer models we track cost less to run each year; the 91st efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 91% of those models.
What does the Criterion CUF21M2* cost to run per year?
Ranking #490 of 622, the Criterion CUF21M2* sits in the pricier half of its class to run, at about $92 a year. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $102/yr to run, a saving of roughly $10 a year. Normalized for capacity, it ranks ahead of 91% of freezer models we track on efficiency, a genuinely strong showing. At 21.1 cu ft, it is a large 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 Criterion CUF21C1W at $92/yr runs a little cheaper and the Crosley CFUMH21A* at $92/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 Criterion CUF21M2*'s $92/yr adds up to roughly $1288 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Crosley CFUMH21A*, Elisii DECVC210*3, Frigidaire FFUV2126AN, Frigidaire FFUV2126AV, Frigidaire FFUV2126AW, Frigidaire FFUV2136AV, Frigidaire FFUV2136AW, Midea MRU21B6***, Midea MRU21B6A**, Midea MRU21F5***, Midea MRU21F5B**, Midea MRU21F6A**.
By the numbers
The Criterion CUF21M2* 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 $92/yr, here is what the Criterion CUF21M2* adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Criterion CUF21M2* costs about $920. That is roughly $100 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $1020 over the same ten years.
How the Criterion CUF21M2* compares
The freezer class we track runs from $25 to $120 a year. At $92/yr, it runs about $17 a year above the class median of $75, and it is about $67 a year more than the cheapest freezer to run at $25. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $102/yr, the Criterion CUF21M2* uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 21.1 cu ft, the Criterion CUF21M2* is a large freezer for its class, which spans 1.1 to 23 cu ft with a median of 13.8 cu ft, and larger freezer models generally cost more to run than smaller ones in the same class, simply because there is more to keep cold, spin, heat, or light.
- 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 Criterion CUF21M2* cheap to run?
Not especially. At $92 a year it ranks #490 of 622 freezer models we track, in the pricier part of its class to run, though its size and features may still justify that for your needs.
How much does the Criterion CUF21M2* cost per month?
Roughly $7.63/mo, spreading the $92/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 493 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $92 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Criterion CUF21M2* for its size?
91st percentile once size is factored in. That means its size-adjusted efficiency is a real factor in the running-cost figure above; its capacity plays a large role too.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 489 | Criterion CUF21C1W21.2 cu ft | $92 |
| 488 | Black+Decker BUC2120M*21.2 cu ft | $92 |
| 487 | Black Decker BUC2100JW21 cu ft | $92 |
| 486 | Black Decker BUC2100JS21 cu ft | $92 |
| 485 | Black Decker BUC2100JB21 cu ft | $92 |
Source
ES_106259_CUF21M2*_082520250130288_4189847View certified freezer listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Criterion and CUF21M2* 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.