Model
Frigidaire FRTE1026AB
Rank #379 means 378 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 50th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 50% of those models.
What does the Frigidaire FRTE1026AB cost to run per year?
The Frigidaire FRTE1026AB is a relatively cheap runner for its class: about $55 a year, rank #379 of 1,000. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $61/yr to run, a saving of roughly $6 a year. Its 50th size-adjusted efficiency percentile is unremarkable, close to what a typical model in the class scores. Counter-depth construction, which this model has, generally means a shallower cabinet and less interior volume than a standard-depth model the same width, a tradeoff worth knowing if you are comparing it on cubic feet.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Vitara VTFR1001ESE at $55/yr runs a little cheaper and the Lg LB12C2000* at $55/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 Frigidaire FRTE1026AB's $55/yr adds up to roughly $660 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Frigidaire FRTE1026AB 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 $55/yr, here is what the Frigidaire FRTE1026AB adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Frigidaire FRTE1026AB costs about $550. That is roughly $60 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $610 over the same ten years.
How the Frigidaire FRTE1026AB compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $55/yr, it runs about $9 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $47 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $61/yr, the Frigidaire FRTE1026AB uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 10.1 cu ft, the Frigidaire FRTE1026AB is a mid-size refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, neither the size advantage of a small unit nor the size penalty of a large one applies here, so its running cost is a fairer test of efficiency alone.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Frigidaire FRTE1026AB cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $55 a year it ranks #379 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Frigidaire FRTE1026AB cost per month?
Roughly $4.61/mo, spreading the $55/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 298 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $55 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Frigidaire FRTE1026AB for its size?
50th percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 378 | Vitara VTFR1001ESE10.1 cu ft | $55 |
| 377 | Upstreman TM100-SS10.1 cu ft | $55 |
| 376 | Tcl TRT10T4**10.1 cu ft | $55 |
| 375 | Summit FF1089**10.1 cu ft | $55 |
| 374 | Professional Series PS-RF262-I6A10.1 cu ft | $55 |
Source
ES_1021080_FRTE1026AB_01292026125642_80278094View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Frigidaire and FRTE1026AB 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.