Model
Roomwell REFNFR1700
Rank #171 means 170 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 Roomwell REFNFR1700 cost to run per year?
The Roomwell REFNFR1700 runs for about $41 a year, landing it near the bottom of the cost table at rank #171 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track. It uses 20% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $51/yr to run, a saving of roughly $10 a year. Size-adjusted, this model ranks at the very bottom of its class on efficiency, ahead of just 2% of refrigerator models we track. This class has no published efficiency-factor figure beyond annual kWh itself, so at 1.7 cu ft (the class spans 1.2 to 31.7), size is the clearest lever we can point to for this model's running cost.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Whirlpool WH35**E at $41/yr runs a little cheaper and the Microfridge 2.3MF4RW 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 Roomwell REFNFR1700's $41/yr adds up to roughly $492 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Roomwell REFNFR1700 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 Roomwell REFNFR1700 adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Roomwell REFNFR1700 costs about $410. That is roughly $100 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $510 over the same ten years.
How the Roomwell REFNFR1700 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 $51/yr, the Roomwell REFNFR1700 uses 20% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 1.7 cu ft, the Roomwell REFNFR1700 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. More cubic feet of cold air to maintain generally means a bigger compressor and a higher running-cost figure, even among efficient models.
- Counter depth vs standard depth. Standard-depth models generally offer more interior volume per unit of width than counter-depth models, a tradeoff between built-in looks and cubic feet.
- Compressor technology. How a compressor cycles, full on/off versus a variable-speed inverter design, is one of the biggest hidden differences behind two fridges with similar cubic feet but different running costs.
- Placement and ventilation. Ventilation clearance around the back and top matters more than most owners expect; a fridge starved of airflow runs its compressor longer to hold the same temperature.
Common questions
Is the Roomwell REFNFR1700 cheap to run?
Yes. Its $41/yr running cost puts it at rank #171 of 1,000, below what most refrigerator models we track cost to run.
How much does the Roomwell REFNFR1700 cost per month?
About $3.42 a month, which is the $41 annual estimate spread across twelve months at the US average rate of $0.1856/kWh. Your own bill scales with your local electricity rate and how heavily you use it.
How is this running-cost figure calculated?
The formula is annual kWh times price per kWh: 221 kWh from ENERGY STAR times the US average of $0.1856/kWh comes to about $41 a year. It covers electricity only, not the purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Roomwell REFNFR1700 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 170 | Whirlpool WH35**E3.4 cu ft | $41 |
| 169 | Newair NRF033BK003.3 cu ft | $41 |
| 168 | Midea WHS-121L**13.3 cu ft | $41 |
| 167 | Midea MRM33S8A**3.3 cu ft | $41 |
| 166 | Midea MRM33B4ABB3.3 cu ft | $41 |
Source
ES_1151073_REFNFR1700_07302024114246_80162201View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Roomwell and REFNFR1700 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.