Model
Thomson TFR441
Rank #141 means 140 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 32nd efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 32% of those models.
What does the Thomson TFR441 cost to run per year?
The Thomson TFR441 costs about $40 a year to run and sits near the top of the cheapest-to-run leaderboard, rank #141 of 1,000. It uses 14% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $47/yr to run, a saving of roughly $7 a year. Its 32th size-adjusted efficiency percentile is a step behind the class median, though not among the weakest results. At 4.5 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 Kenmore KMR33MWER at $40/yr runs a little cheaper and the Upstreman BR321C at $40/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 Thomson TFR441's $40/yr adds up to roughly $480 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Thomson TFR441 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 $40/yr, here is what the Thomson TFR441 adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Thomson TFR441 costs about $400. That is roughly $70 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $470 over the same ten years.
How the Thomson TFR441 compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $40/yr, it runs about $24 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $32 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $47/yr, the Thomson TFR441 uses 14% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 4.5 cu ft, the Thomson TFR441 is a small refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, at the small end of the class, capacity itself is doing a lot of the work to keep that figure down, separate from how efficient the unit actually is.
- 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 Thomson TFR441 cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $40 a year it ranks #141 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Thomson TFR441 cost per month?
Roughly $3.37/mo, spreading the $40/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 218 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $40 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Thomson TFR441 for its size?
32nd 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 140 | Kenmore KMR33MWER3.2 cu ft | $40 |
| 139 | Hamilton Beach HBR33MWEE023.2 cu ft | $40 |
| 138 | Galanz SGR33M**R103.2 cu ft | $40 |
| 137 | Galanz GLR33M**R103.2 cu ft | $40 |
| 136 | Frigidaire Gallery FGFR3343.2 cu ft | $40 |
Source
ES_1120898_TFR441_01092021213800_3313986View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Thomson and TFR441 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.