Model
Cafe CVE28DM*NH**
Rank #984 means 983 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 60th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 60% of those models.
What does the Cafe CVE28DM*NH** cost to run per year?
The Cafe CVE28DM*NH** costs about $140 a year to run, sitting in the very bottom slice of the cheapest-to-run leaderboard, rank #984 of 1,000. It uses 5% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $147/yr to run, a saving of roughly $7 a year. Once capacity is factored in, its 60th efficiency percentile puts it ahead of most peers in its class. At 27.8 cu ft, it is a large refrigerator for the class, which runs 1.2 to 31.7 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 Cafe CVE28DM*NC** at $140/yr runs a little cheaper and the Cafe CVE28DP3NH** at $140/yr runs a little more, a sense of how tightly models are packed at this point in the ranking. A refrigerator typically stays in service for somewhere around 12 years; over that span, the Cafe CVE28DM*NH**'s $140/yr adds up to roughly $1680 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Cafe CVE28DM*NC**.
By the numbers
The Cafe CVE28DM*NH** 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 $140/yr, here is what the Cafe CVE28DM*NH** adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Cafe CVE28DM*NH** costs about $1400. That is roughly $70 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $1470 over the same ten years.
How the Cafe CVE28DM*NH** compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $140/yr, it runs about $76 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $132 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $147/yr, the Cafe CVE28DM*NH** uses 5% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 27.8 cu ft, the Cafe CVE28DM*NH** is a large refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, and larger refrigerator 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 interior volume is the first thing that scales a fridge's running cost up or down, before compressor quality even enters the picture.
- Counter depth vs standard depth. Counter-depth models sit flush with cabinets but usually hold less interior volume than a standard-depth model of the same width, which can nudge the per-cubic-foot running cost either way.
- Compressor technology. Newer variable-speed (inverter) compressors modulate output instead of cycling fully on and off, which tends to use less energy for the same cooling job than an older fixed-speed compressor.
- Placement and ventilation. A fridge pushed tight against a wall or cabinet, or standing next to an oven or in direct sun, works harder to shed the heat its compressor produces, which can push real-world cost above the published figure.
Common questions
Is the Cafe CVE28DM*NH** cheap to run?
Not especially. At $140 a year it ranks #984 of 1,000 refrigerator 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 Cafe CVE28DM*NH** cost per month?
Roughly $11.71/mo, spreading the $140/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 757 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $140 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Cafe CVE28DM*NH** for its size?
60th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 984 | Cafe CVE28DM*NC**27.8 cu ft | $140 |
| 983 | Samsung RF28R7201**28 cu ft | $140 |
| 982 | Lg LF31WSH63*30.7 cu ft | $140 |
| 981 | Kitchenaid KBSD702M****25.1 cu ft | $140 |
| 980 | Kitchenaid KBSD612ESS**25 cu ft | $140 |
Source
ES_1123206_CVE28DM*NH**_09112025134431_80267006View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Cafe and CVE28DM*NH** 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.