Model
Ge GDE21DGK****
Rank #738 means 737 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 81st efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 81% of those models.
What does the Ge GDE21DGK**** cost to run per year?
Ranking #738 of 1,000, the Ge GDE21DGK**** sits in the pricier half of its class to run, at about $91 a year. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $101/yr to run, a saving of roughly $10 a year. Adjusted for its size, it is more efficient than 81% of refrigerator models we track, a strong result once size is taken into account. At 20.9 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 Ge GNE21DYR**** at $90/yr runs a little cheaper and the Liebherr FDBI36S at $91/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 Ge GDE21DGK****'s $91/yr adds up to roughly $1092 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Ge GDE21DGK**** 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 $91/yr, here is what the Ge GDE21DGK**** adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Ge GDE21DGK**** costs about $910. That is roughly $100 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $1010 over the same ten years.
How the Ge GDE21DGK**** compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $91/yr, it runs about $27 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $83 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $101/yr, the Ge GDE21DGK**** uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 20.9 cu ft, the Ge GDE21DGK**** is a large refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, size is usually the single biggest lever behind a running-cost figure, and at this end of the range there is more capacity to service, which tends to push the number up.
- 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 Ge GDE21DGK**** cheap to run?
Not especially. At $91 a year it ranks #738 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 Ge GDE21DGK**** cost per month?
Roughly $7.55/mo, spreading the $91/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 488 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $91 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Ge GDE21DGK**** for its size?
81st 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 737 | Ge GNE21DYR****20.8 cu ft | $90 |
| 736 | Verona VEFBF2411RISL11.5 cu ft | $89 |
| 735 | Equator RFI 1200 S11.5 cu ft | $89 |
| 734 | Mora RT210N3A*EM21.2 cu ft | $89 |
| 733 | Stovv F20HF01SW19.7 cu ft | $88 |
Source
ES_0092277_GDE21DGK****_03242022124724_80121408View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Ge and GDE21DGK**** 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.