Model
Magic Chef MCTM18W
Rank #541 means 540 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 88th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 88% of those models.
What does the Magic Chef MCTM18W cost to run per year?
At $67 a year to run, the Magic Chef MCTM18W sits close to the middle of its class on cost, ranking #541 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 $75/yr to run, a saving of roughly $8 a year. Efficiency-wise, once capacity is accounted for, it beats 88% of the class, a solidly strong result rather than a size-driven fluke. At 17.6 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 Golden GRD18GHS at $67/yr runs a little cheaper and the Truarctic TARTM1828W at $67/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 MCTM18W's $67/yr adds up to roughly $804 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Danby DFF176B1WDB.
By the numbers
The Magic Chef MCTM18W 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 $67/yr, here is what the Magic Chef MCTM18W 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 MCTM18W costs about $670. That is roughly $80 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $750 over the same ten years.
How the Magic Chef MCTM18W compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $67/yr, it runs about $3 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $59 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $75/yr, the Magic Chef MCTM18W uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 17.6 cu ft, the Magic Chef MCTM18W 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, right in the middle of the capacity range, so capacity is roughly a wash compared with the rest of the class.
- 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 MCTM18W cheap to run?
It is about average. At $67 a year it ranks #541 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, close to the middle of its class on running cost.
How much does the Magic Chef MCTM18W cost per month?
Roughly $5.57/mo, spreading the $67/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 360 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $67 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Magic Chef MCTM18W for its size?
88th percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 543 | Golden GRD18GHS17.6 cu ft | $67 |
| 542 | Frigidaire FFHT1822UV17.6 cu ft | $67 |
| 541 | Danby DFF176B1WDB17.6 cu ft | $67 |
| 540 | Beko BFBF2414WHIM11.4 cu ft | $67 |
| 539 | Abl AREF18B17.6 cu ft | $67 |
Source
ES_1107227_MCTM18W_05212024084040_80211160View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Magic Chef and MCTM18W 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.