Model
Bosch B36CL81EN*
Rank #815 means 814 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 57th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 57% of those models.
What does the Bosch B36CL81EN* cost to run per year?
The Bosch B36CL81EN* costs about $105 a year to run, sitting well up the cheapest-to-run leaderboard, rank #815 of 1,000. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $116/yr to run, a saving of roughly $11 a year. Its 57th size-adjusted efficiency percentile is unremarkable, close to what a typical model in the class scores. It is a counter-depth model, built shallower to sit flush with kitchen cabinets, a design choice that typically trades away some interior volume (and so some running-cost headroom) for the built-in look.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Fulgor Milano F6FBM36S2 at $105/yr runs a little cheaper and the Bertazzoni REF36FDFZXN2V at $106/yr runs a little more, a sense of how tightly models are packed at this point in the ranking. A refrigerator typically stays in service for somewhere around 12 years; over that span, the Bosch B36CL81EN*'s $105/yr adds up to roughly $1260 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Bosch B36CL81EN* 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 $105/yr, here is what the Bosch B36CL81EN* adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Bosch B36CL81EN* costs about $1050. That is roughly $110 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $1160 over the same ten years.
How the Bosch B36CL81EN* compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $105/yr, it runs about $41 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $97 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $116/yr, the Bosch B36CL81EN* uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 20.5 cu ft, the Bosch B36CL81EN* is a large refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, and larger refrigerator 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.
- Counter depth vs standard depth. Counter-depth models sit flush with cabinets but usually hold less interior volume than a standard-depth model of the same width, which can nudge the per-cubic-foot running cost either way.
- Interior volume. Cubic feet of interior volume is the first thing that scales a fridge's running cost up or down, before compressor quality even enters the picture.
- Compressor technology. Newer variable-speed (inverter) compressors modulate output instead of cycling fully on and off, which tends to use less energy for the same cooling job than an older fixed-speed compressor.
- Placement and ventilation. A fridge pushed tight against a wall or cabinet, or standing next to an oven or in direct sun, works harder to shed the heat its compressor produces, which can push real-world cost above the published figure.
Common questions
Is the Bosch B36CL81EN* cheap to run?
Not especially. At $105 a year it ranks #815 of 1,000 refrigerator 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 Bosch B36CL81EN* cost per month?
Roughly $8.79/mo, spreading the $105/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 568 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $105 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Bosch B36CL81EN* for its size?
57th percentile once size is factored in. That means its size-adjusted efficiency is a real factor in the running-cost figure above; its capacity plays a large role too.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 814 | Fulgor Milano F6FBM36S219.6 cu ft | $105 |
| 813 | Beko BFFD3624ZSS220.5 cu ft | $105 |
| 812 | Blomberg BRFD2234XSS20.9 cu ft | $105 |
| 811 | Maytag MFC2062FE***20 cu ft | $104 |
| 810 | Jenn-Air JFC2089BE*20 cu ft | $104 |
Source
ES_31649_B36CL81EN*_010620210429472_8000340View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Bosch and B36CL81EN* 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.