Model
Whirlpool WHAW-101IN
Rank #143 means 142 of the 404 room air conditioner models we track cost less to run each year; the 65th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 65% of those models.
What does the Whirlpool WHAW-101IN cost to run per year?
Ranking #143 of 404, the Whirlpool WHAW-101IN is in the cheaper half of its class to run, at about $93 a year. It uses 38% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $150/yr to run, a saving of roughly $57 a year. Adjusted for size, it is more efficient than 65% of room air conditioner models we track, a solidly above-average result. Its CEER of 15 reflects combined energy efficiency ratio, one of the class's core efficiency levers.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Vissani VAWA10V4HWT at $93/yr runs a little cheaper and the Windmill 10W2Wi at $93/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 Whirlpool WHAW-101IN's $93/yr adds up to roughly $930 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Black+Decker BD10NWES.
By the numbers
The Whirlpool WHAW-101IN 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 $93/yr, here is what the Whirlpool WHAW-101IN 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 WHAW-101IN costs about $930. That is roughly $570 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $1500 over the same ten years.
How the Whirlpool WHAW-101IN compares
The room air conditioner class we track runs from $51 to $389 a year. At $93/yr, it runs about $6 a year cheaper than the class median of $99, and it is about $42 a year more than the cheapest room air conditioner to run at $51. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $150/yr, the Whirlpool WHAW-101IN uses 38% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 10000 BTU/hr, the Whirlpool WHAW-101IN is a small room air conditioner for its class, which spans 5000 to 34100 BTU/hr with a median of 10100 BTU/hr, less capacity to service is usually the first reason a running-cost figure lands on the low side, before efficiency even enters the picture. Its CEER of 15, above the class median of 15, reflects combined energy efficiency ratio: a higher figure means it wrings more useful work out of every kilowatt-hour, so it is the efficiency lever to weigh against raw size.
- 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 Whirlpool WHAW-101IN cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $93 a year it ranks #143 of 404 room air conditioner models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Whirlpool WHAW-101IN cost per month?
Roughly $7.73/mo, spreading the $93/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 500 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $93 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Whirlpool WHAW-101IN for its size?
65th percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 190 | Vissani VAWA10V4HWT10000 BTU/hr | $93 |
| 189 | Tcl T10WQ2S10000 BTU/hr | $93 |
| 188 | Tcl H10W4MW10000 BTU/hr | $93 |
| 187 | Tcl H10W4KW-CA10000 BTU/hr | $93 |
| 186 | Tcl H10W4KW10000 BTU/hr | $93 |
Source
ES_1055302_WHAW-101IN_07232024104052_80200121View certified room air conditioner listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Whirlpool and WHAW-101IN 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.