Model
Zline RFM-36
Rank #841 means 840 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 68th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 68% of those models.
What does the Zline RFM-36 cost to run per year?
The Zline RFM-36 costs about $109 a year to run, sitting well up the cheapest-to-run leaderboard, rank #841 of 1,000. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $120/yr to run, a saving of roughly $11 a year. Its 68th size-adjusted efficiency percentile is a step ahead of the class median, though not among the very top results. At 22.5 cu ft, it is a large 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 Smeg FQ55UFX at $109/yr runs a little cheaper and the Frigidaire FGHG2368T* at $109/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 Zline RFM-36's $109/yr adds up to roughly $1308 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Bertazzoni REF36FDFIXNB/26.
By the numbers
The Zline RFM-36 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 $109/yr, here is what the Zline RFM-36 adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Zline RFM-36 costs about $1090. That is roughly $110 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $1200 over the same ten years.
How the Zline RFM-36 compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $109/yr, it runs about $45 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $101 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $120/yr, the Zline RFM-36 uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 22.5 cu ft, the Zline RFM-36 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. 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 Zline RFM-36 cheap to run?
Not especially. At $109 a year it ranks #841 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 Zline RFM-36 cost per month?
Roughly $9.09/mo, spreading the $109/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 588 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $109 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Zline RFM-36 for its size?
68th 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
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 847 | Smeg FQ55UFX22.5 cu ft | $109 |
| 846 | Midea MRQ23P4AST22.5 cu ft | $109 |
| 845 | Midea MDRM848FGF04PRR22.5 cu ft | $109 |
| 844 | Koolmore RERFDSS-22C22.5 cu ft | $109 |
| 843 | Hisense HRF230P5BSE22.5 cu ft | $109 |
Source
ES_1141731_RFM-36_062020212047866_9168399View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Zline and RFM-36 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.