Model
Whirlpool WRB329DMB*
Rank #800 means 799 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 49th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 49% of those models.
What does the Whirlpool WRB329DMB* cost to run per year?
At about $103 a year, the Whirlpool WRB329DMB* costs more to run than most refrigerator models we track, rank #800 of 1,000. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $112/yr to run, a saving of roughly $9 a year. Capacity-normalized, it ranks ahead of 49% of refrigerator models we track, right in the class's middle band. This class has no published efficiency-factor figure beyond annual kWh itself, so at 18.6 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 Maytag MBF1953DE* at $103/yr runs a little cheaper and the Miele KFNF 9955 iDE at $103/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 Whirlpool WRB329DMB*'s $103/yr adds up to roughly $1236 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Maytag MBF1953DE*.
By the numbers
The Whirlpool WRB329DMB* 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 $103/yr, here is what the Whirlpool WRB329DMB* adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Whirlpool WRB329DMB* costs about $1030. That is roughly $90 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $1120 over the same ten years.
How the Whirlpool WRB329DMB* compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $103/yr, it runs about $39 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $95 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $112/yr, the Whirlpool WRB329DMB* uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 18.6 cu ft, the Whirlpool WRB329DMB* 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. 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 Whirlpool WRB329DMB* cheap to run?
Its $103/yr running cost, rank #800 of 1,000, is above what most refrigerator models we track cost to run, so this is not one of the cheaper picks on electricity alone.
How much does the Whirlpool WRB329DMB* cost per month?
About $8.55 a month, which is the $103 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: 553 kWh from ENERGY STAR times the US average of $0.1856/kWh comes to about $103 a year. It covers electricity only, not the purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Whirlpool WRB329DMB* for its size?
49th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 800 | Maytag MBF1953DE*18.6 cu ft | $103 |
| 799 | Beko BFFD3634ESS21.8 cu ft | $103 |
| 798 | Bertazzoni REF35FDBZPN2V15.5 cu ft | $102 |
| 797 | Elica ER30SRB161PR-R16 cu ft | $102 |
| 796 | Seasons MSBF18****18.7 cu ft | $102 |
Source
ES_0022856_WRF535SWB*_03282014113818_2714961View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Whirlpool and WRB329DMB* 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.