Model
Midea MRT21D3***
Rank #611 means 610 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 94th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 94% of those models.
What does the Midea MRT21D3*** cost to run per year?
Ranking #611 of 1,000, the Midea MRT21D3*** sits in the pricier half of its class to run, at about $72 a year. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $81/yr to run, a saving of roughly $9 a year. Normalized for capacity, it ranks ahead of 94% of refrigerator models we track on efficiency, a genuinely strong showing. At 20.5 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 Insignia NS-RTM20**3 at $72/yr runs a little cheaper and the Samsung RB10FSR4E** at $72/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 Midea MRT21D3***'s $72/yr adds up to roughly $864 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Element ERT21CS**.
By the numbers
The Midea MRT21D3*** 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 $72/yr, here is what the Midea MRT21D3*** adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Midea MRT21D3*** costs about $720. That is roughly $90 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $810 over the same ten years.
How the Midea MRT21D3*** compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $72/yr, it runs about $8 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $64 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $81/yr, the Midea MRT21D3*** uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 20.5 cu ft, the Midea MRT21D3*** is a large refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, among refrigerator models, bigger capacity is the most common reason a running-cost figure lands on the high side, all else being equal.
- 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 Midea MRT21D3*** cheap to run?
Not especially. At $72 a year it ranks #611 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 Midea MRT21D3*** cost per month?
Roughly $6.03/mo, spreading the $72/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 390 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $72 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Midea MRT21D3*** for its size?
94th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 612 | Insignia NS-RTM20**320.5 cu ft | $72 |
| 611 | Element ERT21CS**20.5 cu ft | $72 |
| 610 | Moffat MBE11DSVSS10.9 cu ft | $72 |
| 609 | Black Decker BR2010JS20.1 cu ft | $72 |
| 608 | Smeg CB300U8.4 cu ft | $72 |
Source
ES_1030337_MRT21D3***_02262026054172_7998058View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Midea and MRT21D3*** 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.