Model
Smeg FTU171X7
Rank #935 means 934 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 63rd efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 63% of those models.
What does the Smeg FTU171X7 cost to run per year?
Not many refrigerator models we track cost more to run than the Smeg FTU171X7: about $126 a year, rank #935 of 1,000. It uses 13% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $142/yr to run, a saving of roughly $16 a year. Normalized for capacity, it beats 63% of refrigerator models we track, a better-than-average efficiency result. Counter-depth construction, which this model has, generally means a shallower cabinet and less interior volume than a standard-depth model the same width, a tradeoff worth knowing if you are comparing it on cubic feet.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Cafe CGE29DM*T*** at $126/yr runs a little cheaper and the Lg LRFLS3216* at $127/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 Smeg FTU171X7's $126/yr adds up to roughly $1512 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Smeg FTU171X7 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 $126/yr, here is what the Smeg FTU171X7 adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Smeg FTU171X7 costs about $1260. That is roughly $160 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $1420 over the same ten years.
How the Smeg FTU171X7 compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $126/yr, it runs about $62 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $118 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $142/yr, the Smeg FTU171X7 uses 13% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 25.6 cu ft, the Smeg FTU171X7 is a large refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, and larger refrigerator models generally cost more to run than smaller ones in the same class, simply because there is more to keep cold, spin, heat, or light.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Smeg FTU171X7 cheap to run?
Not especially. At $126 a year it ranks #935 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 Smeg FTU171X7 cost per month?
Roughly $10.53/mo, spreading the $126/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 681 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $126 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Smeg FTU171X7 for its size?
63rd 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
Source
ES_92281_FTU171X7_07132016083351_8831814View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Smeg and FTU171X7 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.