Model
Element ERT74MES
Rank #507 means 506 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 36th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 36% of those models.
What does the Element ERT74MES cost to run per year?
Ranking #507 of 1,000, the Element ERT74MES runs at roughly $64 a year, neither the cheapest nor the priciest in its class. It uses 11% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $72/yr to run, a saving of roughly $8 a year. Adjusted for size, it is only more efficient than 36% of refrigerator models we track, so part of its running cost comes from its capacity rather than efficiency alone. At 7.5 cu ft, it is a mid-size 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 Criterion CTMR74C1S at $64/yr runs a little cheaper and the Finlux 263 TMF0712BL at $64/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 Element ERT74MES's $64/yr adds up to roughly $768 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Element ERT74MES 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 $64/yr, here is what the Element ERT74MES adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Element ERT74MES costs about $640. That is roughly $80 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $720 over the same ten years.
How the Element ERT74MES compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $64/yr, it sits right on the class median of $64, and it is about $56 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $72/yr, the Element ERT74MES uses 11% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 7.5 cu ft, the Element ERT74MES is a mid-size refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, neither the size advantage of a small unit nor the size penalty of a large one applies here, so its running cost is a fairer test of efficiency alone.
- 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 Element ERT74MES cheap to run?
It is about average. At $64 a year it ranks #507 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, close to the middle of its class on running cost.
How much does the Element ERT74MES cost per month?
Roughly $5.34/mo, spreading the $64/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 345 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $64 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Element ERT74MES for its size?
36th percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 506 | Criterion CTMR74C1S7.4 cu ft | $64 |
| 505 | Bertazzoni REF36RCBPNP20 cu ft | $64 |
| 504 | Vitara VTFR0732WE7.3 cu ft | $64 |
| 503 | Tcl TRT07T4**7.3 cu ft | $64 |
| 502 | Premium Levella PRF7350HW7.3 cu ft | $64 |
Source
ES_1145034_ERT74MES_01162026193024_4971340View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Element and ERT74MES 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.