Model
L2 LRC05M3A**
Rank #19 means 18 of the 622 freezer models we track cost less to run each year; the 33rd efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 33% of those models.
What does the L2 LRC05M3A** cost to run per year?
Few freezer models we track undercut the L2 LRC05M3A** on cost; at about $36 a year it holds rank #19 of 622. It uses 11% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $41/yr to run, a saving of roughly $5 a year. Adjusted for size, it is only more efficient than 33% of freezer models we track, so part of its running cost comes from its capacity rather than efficiency alone. At 5.1 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 L2 LRC05M2AWWC at $36/yr runs a little cheaper and the Master Chef 043-0293-0 at $36/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 L2 LRC05M3A**'s $36/yr adds up to roughly $504 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Arctic King ARC05B2C**.
By the numbers
The L2 LRC05M3A** 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 $36/yr, here is what the L2 LRC05M3A** adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the L2 LRC05M3A** costs about $360. That is roughly $50 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $410 over the same ten years.
How the L2 LRC05M3A** compares
The freezer class we track runs from $25 to $120 a year. At $36/yr, it runs about $39 a year cheaper than the class median of $75, and it is about $11 a year more than the cheapest freezer to run at $25. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $41/yr, the L2 LRC05M3A** uses 11% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 5.1 cu ft, the L2 LRC05M3A** is a small freezer for its class, which spans 1.1 to 23 cu ft with a median of 13.8 cu ft, at the small end of the class, capacity itself is doing a lot of the work to keep that figure down, separate from how efficient the unit actually is.
- 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 L2 LRC05M3A** cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $36 a year it ranks #19 of 622 freezer models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the L2 LRC05M3A** cost per month?
Roughly $3.03/mo, spreading the $36/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 196 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $36 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the L2 LRC05M3A** for its size?
33rd 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | L2 LRC05M2AWWC5 cu ft | $36 |
| 21 | Galanz GLF50*E*5 cu ft | $36 |
| 20 | Frigidaire FFCS0562AW5.1 cu ft | $36 |
| 19 | Arctic King ARC05B2C**5.1 cu ft | $36 |
| 18 | Arctic King AC05ESWCR1RCM5 cu ft | $36 |
Source
ES_1147914_LRC05M3A**_122320250549955_9340618View certified freezer listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026L2 and LRC05M3A** 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.