Model
Keystone KSTAW182WA
Rank #354 means 353 of the 404 room air conditioner models we track cost less to run each year; the 15th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 15% of those models.
What does the Keystone KSTAW182WA cost to run per year?
At $167 a year to run, the Keystone KSTAW182WA is among the more expensive room air conditioner models we track to run, ranking #354 of 404. It uses 40% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $278/yr to run, a saving of roughly $111 a year. Once capacity is factored in, its efficiency percentile of 15 is among the lowest in its class. Its CEER of 15 reflects combined energy efficiency ratio, one of the class's core efficiency levers.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Keplerx KBRC18RSVE2 at $167/yr runs a little cheaper and the Midea MAW18R2VWT at $167/yr runs a little more, a sense of how tightly models are packed at this point in the ranking. A room air conditioner typically stays in service for somewhere around 10 years; over that span, the Keystone KSTAW182WA's $167/yr adds up to roughly $1670 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Frigidaire FHWW185WE2.
By the numbers
The Keystone KSTAW182WA 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 $167/yr, here is what the Keystone KSTAW182WA adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Keystone KSTAW182WA costs about $1670. That is roughly $1110 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $2780 over the same ten years.
How the Keystone KSTAW182WA compares
The room air conditioner class we track runs from $51 to $389 a year. At $167/yr, it runs about $68 a year above the class median of $99, and it is about $116 a year more than the cheapest room air conditioner to run at $51. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $278/yr, the Keystone KSTAW182WA uses 40% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 18000 BTU/hr, the Keystone KSTAW182WA is a large room air conditioner for its class, which spans 5000 to 34100 BTU/hr with a median of 10100 BTU/hr, among room air conditioner models, bigger capacity is the most common reason a running-cost figure lands on the high side, all else being equal. The CEER of 15 on this model, above the class median of 15, measures combined energy efficiency ratio; it is the number to compare directly against another model's CEER if capacity is similar.
- Combined Energy Efficiency Ratio (CEER). CEER captures cooling output per watt, including standby power; a higher CEER means less electricity for the same BTU of cooling.
- BTU cooling capacity. A higher-BTU unit is sized for a bigger room and generally uses more electricity per hour of operation than a smaller unit, regardless of efficiency.
- Thermostat and mode usage. Running on a fixed low temperature around the clock uses far more energy than using a thermostat setting, eco mode, or a timer to match cooling to when the room is actually occupied.
Common questions
Is the Keystone KSTAW182WA cheap to run?
Not especially. At $167 a year it ranks #354 of 404 room air conditioner 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 Keystone KSTAW182WA cost per month?
Roughly $13.92/mo, spreading the $167/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 900 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $167 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Keystone KSTAW182WA for its size?
15th 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
Source
ES_1055302_KSTAW182WA_11142024120904_80206320View certified room air conditioner listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Keystone and KSTAW182WA 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.