Model
Whirlpool WHAW-181IN
Rank #363 means 362 of the 404 room air conditioner models we track cost less to run each year; the 13th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 13% of those models.
What does the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN cost to run per year?
Not many room air conditioner models we track cost more to run than the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN: about $174 a year, rank #363 of 404. It uses 35% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $268/yr to run, a saving of roughly $94 a year. Adjusted for size, it is only more efficient than 13% of room air conditioner models we track, so its headline cost is mostly a function of its capacity rather than efficiency. Its CEER of 14.4 reflects combined energy efficiency ratio, one of the class's core efficiency levers.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Tcl T18WQ2S at $174/yr runs a little cheaper and the Friedrich WHVT14B33A at $176/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-181IN's $174/yr adds up to roughly $1740 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Friedrich CCV18A30A.
By the numbers
The Whirlpool WHAW-181IN 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 $174/yr, here is what the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN 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-181IN costs about $1740. That is roughly $940 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $2680 over the same ten years.
How the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN compares
The room air conditioner class we track runs from $51 to $389 a year. At $174/yr, it runs about $75 a year above the class median of $99, and it is about $123 a year more than the cheapest room air conditioner to run at $51. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $268/yr, the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN uses 35% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 18000 BTU/hr, the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN is a large room air conditioner for its class, which spans 5000 to 34100 BTU/hr with a median of 10100 BTU/hr, and larger room air conditioner models generally cost more to run than smaller ones in the same class, simply because there is more to keep cold, spin, heat, or light. Beyond size, its CEER of 14.4, below the class median of 15, is the class's own efficiency yardstick, combined energy efficiency ratio, and it is what separates two similarly sized models with different running costs.
- 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-181IN cheap to run?
Not especially. At $174 a year it ranks #363 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 Whirlpool WHAW-181IN cost per month?
Roughly $14.5/mo, spreading the $174/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 938 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $174 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN for its size?
13th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 367 | Tcl T18WQ2S18000 BTU/hr | $174 |
| 366 | Tcl H18W4KW-CA18000 BTU/hr | $174 |
| 365 | Tcl H18W4KW18000 BTU/hr | $174 |
| 364 | Hema DS-2W1822CI18000 BTU/hr | $174 |
| 363 | Friedrich CCV18A30A18000 BTU/hr | $174 |
Source
ES_1055302_WHAW-181IN_07232024104052_80200121View certified room air conditioner listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Whirlpool and WHAW-181IN 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.