Model
Danby DAG016A5BDH
Rank #42 means 41 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 3rd efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 3% of those models.
What does the Danby DAG016A5BDH cost to run per year?
At $35 a year to run, the Danby DAG016A5BDH is one of the very cheapest refrigerator models we track, ranking #42 of 1,000, in the bottom five percent on cost. It uses 30% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $51/yr to run, a saving of roughly $16 a year. Its 3th size-adjusted efficiency percentile sits at the floor of the class, a figure worth weighing carefully against the raw cost above. At 1.5 cu ft, it is a small refrigerator for the class, which runs 1.2 to 31.7 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 Gaggenau RVW467770 at $34/yr runs a little cheaper and the Marvel MPWC415-SS31A at $35/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 Danby DAG016A5BDH's $35/yr adds up to roughly $420 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Danby DAG016A5BDH 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 $35/yr, here is what the Danby DAG016A5BDH adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Danby DAG016A5BDH costs about $350. That is roughly $160 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $510 over the same ten years.
How the Danby DAG016A5BDH compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $35/yr, it runs about $29 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $27 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $51/yr, the Danby DAG016A5BDH uses 30% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 1.5 cu ft, the Danby DAG016A5BDH is a small refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 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 interior volume is the first thing that scales a fridge's running cost up or down, before compressor quality even enters the picture.
- 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.
- 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 Danby DAG016A5BDH cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $35 a year it ranks #42 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Danby DAG016A5BDH cost per month?
Roughly $2.94/mo, spreading the $35/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 190 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $35 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Danby DAG016A5BDH for its size?
3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Gaggenau RVW46777014 cu ft | $34 |
| 40 | Viking Range,Llc FDWCIC7240R12.3 cu ft | $33 |
| 39 | Fhiaba S240FW6U12.3 cu ft | $33 |
| 38 | Liebherr MW 240111.3 cu ft | $32 |
| 37 | Dometic C60G11.7 cu ft | $32 |
Source
ES_0031682_DAG016A5BDH_06162026112712_80301376View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Danby and DAG016A5BDH 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.