Model
Magic Chef MCDR1000BF
Rank #368 means 367 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 51st efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 51% of those models.
What does the Magic Chef MCDR1000BF cost to run per year?
The Magic Chef MCDR1000BF is a relatively cheap runner for its class: about $55 a year, rank #368 of 1,000. It uses 11% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $62/yr to run, a saving of roughly $7 a year. Once capacity is factored in, its efficiency percentile of 51 is fairly typical for the class, neither a standout nor a laggard. At 10.1 cu ft, it is a mid-size 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 Magic Chef MCAR1000BE at $55/yr runs a little cheaper and the Magic Chef MCDR1000WF 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 Magic Chef MCDR1000BF's $55/yr adds up to roughly $660 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Danby DFF101B2WDB.
By the numbers
The Magic Chef MCDR1000BF 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 Magic Chef MCDR1000BF adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Magic Chef MCDR1000BF costs about $550. That is roughly $70 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $620 over the same ten years.
How the Magic Chef MCDR1000BF 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 $62/yr, the Magic Chef MCDR1000BF uses 11% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 10.1 cu ft, the Magic Chef MCDR1000BF 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.
- 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 Magic Chef MCDR1000BF cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $55 a year it ranks #368 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Magic Chef MCDR1000BF cost per month?
Roughly $4.59/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 297 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 Magic Chef MCDR1000BF for its size?
51st percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 371 | Magic Chef MCAR1000BE10.1 cu ft | $55 |
| 370 | Magic Chef HMDR1000BE10.1 cu ft | $55 |
| 369 | Frestec FR 1002 WHB10 cu ft | $55 |
| 368 | Danby DFF101B2WDB10.1 cu ft | $55 |
| 367 | Black Decker BR1000HS10 cu ft | $55 |
Source
ES_1107227_MCDR1000BF_09092024143732_80220931View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Magic Chef and MCDR1000BF 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.