Model
Midea WHS-121L**1
Rank #158 means 157 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 22nd efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 22% of those models.
What does the Midea WHS-121L**1 cost to run per year?
Few refrigerator models we track cost less to run than the Midea WHS-121L**1: about $41 a year, rank #158 of 1,000. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $45/yr to run, a saving of roughly $4 a year. Normalized for capacity, it beats only 22% of refrigerator models we track, a below-average efficiency result. At 3.3 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 Midea MRM33S8A** at $41/yr runs a little cheaper and the Newair NRF033BK00 at $41/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 WHS-121L**1's $41/yr adds up to roughly $492 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Arctic King ARU33B1ABB.
By the numbers
The Midea WHS-121L**1 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 $41/yr, here is what the Midea WHS-121L**1 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 WHS-121L**1 costs about $410. That is roughly $40 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $450 over the same ten years.
How the Midea WHS-121L**1 compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $41/yr, it runs about $23 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $33 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $45/yr, the Midea WHS-121L**1 uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 3.3 cu ft, the Midea WHS-121L**1 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 Midea WHS-121L**1 cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $41 a year it ranks #158 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Midea WHS-121L**1 cost per month?
Roughly $3.4/mo, spreading the $41/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 220 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $41 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Midea WHS-121L**1 for its size?
22nd 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 167 | Midea MRM33S8A**3.3 cu ft | $41 |
| 166 | Midea MRM33B4ABB3.3 cu ft | $41 |
| 165 | Koolatron KBC-88W3.3 cu ft | $41 |
| 164 | Kenmore 177473.4 cu ft | $41 |
| 163 | Insignia NS-CF33BK33.3 cu ft | $41 |
Source
ES_1030337_WHS-121L**1_042220250613919_1163272View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Midea and WHS-121L**1 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.