Model
Danby DCR045B1******
Rank #291 means 290 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 26th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 26% of those models.
What does the Danby DCR045B1****** cost to run per year?
At $49 a year to run, the Danby DCR045B1****** runs cheaper than most models in its class, ranking #291 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track. It uses 11% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $55/yr to run, a saving of roughly $6 a year. Once capacity is factored in, its efficiency percentile of 26 is below the class median, worth weighing alongside the raw dollar figure. At 4.5 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 Miele K 2601 Vi at $49/yr runs a little cheaper and the Magic Chef HMTR450SE at $49/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 DCR045B1******'s $49/yr adds up to roughly $588 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Magic Chef HMTR450SE, Truarctic THRF14522SS.
By the numbers
The Danby DCR045B1****** 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 $49/yr, here is what the Danby DCR045B1****** 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 DCR045B1****** costs about $490. That is roughly $60 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $550 over the same ten years.
How the Danby DCR045B1****** compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $49/yr, it runs about $15 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $41 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $55/yr, the Danby DCR045B1****** uses 11% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 4.5 cu ft, the Danby DCR045B1****** is a small refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, and smaller refrigerator models generally cost less to run for the same job, all else being equal.
- 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 DCR045B1****** cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $49 a year it ranks #291 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Danby DCR045B1****** cost per month?
Roughly $4.1/mo, spreading the $49/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 265 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $49 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Danby DCR045B1****** for its size?
26th percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 290 | Miele K 2601 Vi13 cu ft | $49 |
| 289 | Sapphire SR24-SSADA4.6 cu ft | $49 |
| 288 | Absocold ARD1033FW21R/L10 cu ft | $49 |
| 287 | Absocold ARD369A*14R/L3.6 cu ft | $49 |
| 286 | Frigidaire FFUE1326AV13 cu ft | $48 |
Source
ES_0031682_DCR045B1******_06162023123515_80172609View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Danby and DCR045B1****** 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.