Model
Koolatron KTUF88
Rank #76 means 75 of the 622 freezer models we track cost less to run each year; the 10th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 10% of those models.
What does the Koolatron KTUF88 cost to run per year?
At $45 a year to run, the Koolatron KTUF88 is among the cheapest freezer models we track, ranking #76 of 622. It uses 12% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $50/yr to run, a saving of roughly $5 a year. Once capacity is factored in, its efficiency percentile of 10 is among the lowest in its class. At 3 cu ft, it is a small freezer for the class, which runs 1.1 to 23 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 Galanz GL31F**E at $45/yr runs a little cheaper and the Master Chef 043-2352-8 at $45/yr runs a little more, a sense of how tightly models are packed at this point in the ranking. A freezer typically stays in service for somewhere around 14 years; over that span, the Koolatron KTUF88's $45/yr adds up to roughly $630 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Arctic King ARU030S1ARSS.
By the numbers
The Koolatron KTUF88 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 $45/yr, here is what the Koolatron KTUF88 adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Koolatron KTUF88 costs about $450. That is roughly $50 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $500 over the same ten years.
How the Koolatron KTUF88 compares
The freezer class we track runs from $25 to $120 a year. At $45/yr, it runs about $30 a year cheaper than the class median of $75, and it is about $20 a year more than the cheapest freezer to run at $25. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $50/yr, the Koolatron KTUF88 uses 12% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 3 cu ft, the Koolatron KTUF88 is a small freezer for its class, which spans 1.1 to 23 cu ft with a median of 13.8 cu ft, less capacity to service is usually the first reason a running-cost figure lands on the low side, before efficiency even enters the picture.
- Interior volume. Cubic feet of frozen storage is the first lever behind a freezer's running cost, ahead of insulation or defrost type.
- Insulation and defrost type. Two freezers of the same size can differ meaningfully on running cost based on insulation quality and whether they run an automatic-defrost heater.
- Chest vs upright design. Chest freezers open from the top, so cold air, which sinks, stays inside when the lid opens; upright freezers lose more cold air per door opening for a similar capacity.
Common questions
Is the Koolatron KTUF88 cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $45 a year it ranks #76 of 622 freezer models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Koolatron KTUF88 cost per month?
Roughly $3.71/mo, spreading the $45/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 240 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $45 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Koolatron KTUF88 for its size?
10th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 78 | Galanz GL31F**E3 cu ft | $45 |
| 77 | Arctic King ARU030S1ARWW3 cu ft | $45 |
| 76 | Arctic King ARU030S1ARSS3 cu ft | $45 |
| 75 | Bangson US-BSR-0196A2.1 cu ft | $43 |
| 74 | Bangson US-BSR-0196-22.1 cu ft | $43 |
Source
ES_1137414_KTUF88_11242021190599_5940161View certified freezer listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Koolatron and KTUF88 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.