Model
Danby DCF100A5WDB
Rank #26 means 25 of the 622 freezer models we track cost less to run each year; the 99th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 99% of those models.
What does the Danby DCF100A5WDB cost to run per year?
At $39 a year to run, the Danby DCF100A5WDB is one of the very cheapest freezer models we track, ranking #26 of 622, in the bottom five percent on cost. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $44/yr to run, a saving of roughly $5 a year. Efficiency-wise, once its capacity is accounted for, it edges out 99% of the class, about as strong a result as this ranking produces. At 10 cu ft, it is a small 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 Whirlpool WZC3209LW at $37/yr runs a little cheaper and the Frigidaire EFRF1005-BLACK-ID-6COM at $40/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 Danby DCF100A5WDB's $39/yr adds up to roughly $546 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Danby DCF100A5WDB 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 $39/yr, here is what the Danby DCF100A5WDB adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Danby DCF100A5WDB costs about $390. That is roughly $50 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $440 over the same ten years.
How the Danby DCF100A5WDB compares
The freezer class we track runs from $25 to $120 a year. At $39/yr, it runs about $36 a year cheaper than the class median of $75, and it is about $14 a year more than the cheapest freezer to run at $25. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $44/yr, the Danby DCF100A5WDB uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 10 cu ft, the Danby DCF100A5WDB is a small freezer for its class, which spans 1.1 to 23 cu ft with a median of 13.8 cu ft, and smaller freezer models generally cost less to run for the same job, all else being equal.
- 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 Danby DCF100A5WDB cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $39 a year it ranks #26 of 622 freezer models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Danby DCF100A5WDB cost per month?
Roughly $3.26/mo, spreading the $39/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 211 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $39 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Danby DCF100A5WDB for its size?
99th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Whirlpool WZC3209LW9 cu ft | $37 |
| 24 | Master Chef 043-0293-05 cu ft | $36 |
| 23 | L2 LRC05M3A**5.1 cu ft | $36 |
| 22 | L2 LRC05M2AWWC5 cu ft | $36 |
| 21 | Galanz GLF50*E*5 cu ft | $36 |
Source
ES_0031682_DCF100A5WDB_12122022014220_80146810View certified freezer listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Danby and DCF100A5WDB 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.