Model
Magic Chef MCR16CHW
Rank #89 means 88 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 2nd efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 2% of those models.
What does the Magic Chef MCR16CHW cost to run per year?
Few refrigerator models we track cost less to run than the Magic Chef MCR16CHW: about $39 a year, rank #89 of 1,000. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $43/yr to run, a saving of roughly $4 a year. Adjusted for size, it is only more efficient than 2% of refrigerator models we track, among the lowest size-adjusted results we track for the class. At 1.6 cu ft, it is a small 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 Koolatron 059586611100 at $39/yr runs a little cheaper and the Miele K31222UI at $39/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 MCR16CHW's $39/yr adds up to roughly $468 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Igloo FR115I-B-GREEN.
By the numbers
The Magic Chef MCR16CHW 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 $39/yr, here is what the Magic Chef MCR16CHW 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 MCR16CHW costs about $390. That is roughly $40 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $430 over the same ten years.
How the Magic Chef MCR16CHW compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $39/yr, it runs about $25 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $31 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $43/yr, the Magic Chef MCR16CHW uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 1.6 cu ft, the Magic Chef MCR16CHW 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. 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 MCR16CHW cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $39 a year it ranks #89 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Magic Chef MCR16CHW cost per month?
Roughly $3.22/mo, spreading the $39/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 208 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $39 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Magic Chef MCR16CHW for its size?
2nd percentile once size is factored in. That means its size-adjusted efficiency is not the main reason for the running-cost figure above; its capacity plays a large role too.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 91 | Koolatron 0595866111001.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 90 | Kenmore 9961*61*1.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 89 | Igloo FR115I-B-GREEN1.6 cu ft | $39 |
| 88 | Icebox IBCR17SUN1.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 87 | Hotpoint HME02GGM****1.7 cu ft | $39 |
Source
ES_1107227_MCR16CHW_010320230619869_7275283View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Magic Chef and MCR16CHW 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.