Model
Frigidaire FRTI1936AB
Rank #700 means 699 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 77th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 77% of those models.
What does the Frigidaire FRTI1936AB cost to run per year?
At $85 a year to run, the Frigidaire FRTI1936AB runs more expensively than most models in its class, ranking #700 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $93/yr to run, a saving of roughly $8 a year. Once capacity is factored in, its 77th efficiency percentile puts it ahead of most peers in its class. At 18.7 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 Vitara VQFR1720ESE at $85/yr runs a little cheaper and the Sub-Zero ID-30CI at $85/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 FRTI1936AB's $85/yr adds up to roughly $1020 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Frigidaire FRTI1936AB 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 $85/yr, here is what the Frigidaire FRTI1936AB 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 FRTI1936AB costs about $850. That is roughly $80 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $930 over the same ten years.
How the Frigidaire FRTI1936AB compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $85/yr, it runs about $21 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $77 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $93/yr, the Frigidaire FRTI1936AB uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 18.7 cu ft, the Frigidaire FRTI1936AB 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 Frigidaire FRTI1936AB cheap to run?
Not especially. At $85 a year it ranks #700 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 Frigidaire FRTI1936AB cost per month?
Roughly $7.08/mo, spreading the $85/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 458 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $85 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Frigidaire FRTI1936AB for its size?
77th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 699 | Vitara VQFR1720ESE17.3 cu ft | $85 |
| 698 | Unique UNQ-FR17LTP AC LG17.3 cu ft | $85 |
| 697 | Summit LRF4D18PL17.3 cu ft | $85 |
| 696 | Summit FDRD17PL17.3 cu ft | $85 |
| 695 | Farberware FW-MRF179US-TU-I6A17.3 cu ft | $85 |
Source
ES_1021080_FRTI1936AB_101720251628447_4184845View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Frigidaire and FRTI1936AB 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.