Model
Danby DAR016A1*
Rank #218 means 217 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 0th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 0% of those models.
What does the Danby DAR016A1* cost to run per year?
At about $45 a year, the Danby DAR016A1* undercuts most refrigerator models we track on running cost, rank #218 of 1,000. It uses 11% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $51/yr to run, a saving of roughly $6 a year. Efficiency-wise, once size is accounted for, almost the entire class outperforms it, at just the 0th percentile. This class has no published efficiency-factor figure beyond annual kWh itself, so at 1.6 cu ft (the class spans 1.2 to 31.7), size is the clearest lever we can point to for this model's running cost.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Midea WHS-625FWEW1 at $45/yr runs a little cheaper and the Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet UKS24A*1-5-**** at $45/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 Danby DAR016A1*'s $45/yr adds up to roughly $540 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Pepsi FR101PEP.
By the numbers
The Danby DAR016A1* 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 $45/yr, here is what the Danby DAR016A1* 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 DAR016A1* costs about $450. That is roughly $60 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $510 over the same ten years.
How the Danby DAR016A1* compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $45/yr, it runs about $19 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $37 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $51/yr, the Danby DAR016A1* uses 11% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 1.6 cu ft, the Danby DAR016A1* is a small refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, less capacity to service is usually the first reason a running-cost figure lands on the low side, before efficiency even enters the picture.
- Interior volume. More cubic feet of cold air to maintain generally means a bigger compressor and a higher running-cost figure, even among efficient models.
- Counter depth vs standard depth. Standard-depth models generally offer more interior volume per unit of width than counter-depth models, a tradeoff between built-in looks and cubic feet.
- Compressor technology. How a compressor cycles, full on/off versus a variable-speed inverter design, is one of the biggest hidden differences behind two fridges with similar cubic feet but different running costs.
- Placement and ventilation. Ventilation clearance around the back and top matters more than most owners expect; a fridge starved of airflow runs its compressor longer to hold the same temperature.
Common questions
Is the Danby DAR016A1* cheap to run?
Yes. Its $45/yr running cost puts it at rank #218 of 1,000, below what most refrigerator models we track cost to run.
How much does the Danby DAR016A1* cost per month?
About $3.79 a month, which is the $45 annual estimate spread across twelve months at the US average rate of $0.1856/kWh. Your own bill scales with your local electricity rate and how heavily you use it.
How is this running-cost figure calculated?
The formula is annual kWh times price per kWh: 245 kWh from ENERGY STAR times the US average of $0.1856/kWh comes to about $45 a year. It covers electricity only, not the purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Danby DAR016A1* for its size?
0th percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 217 | Midea WHS-625FWEW117 cu ft | $45 |
| 216 | L2 LRU17B6***17 cu ft | $45 |
| 215 | Hisense FV10C7HSE9.7 cu ft | $45 |
| 214 | Zephyr PRW24F02CG14.5 cu ft | $45 |
| 213 | U-Line 2224RB4.8 cu ft | $45 |
Source
ES_0031682_DAR016A1*_09222016051638_70099320View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Danby and DAR016A1* 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.