Model
Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1
Rank #694 means 693 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 74th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 74% of those models.
What does the Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 cost to run per year?
The Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 is a relatively costly runner for its class: about $85 a year, rank #694 of 1,000. It uses 27% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $110/yr to run, a saving of roughly $25 a year. Once capacity is factored in, its 74th efficiency percentile puts it ahead of most peers in its class. 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 Ikea IRT138FD*0* at $84/yr runs a little cheaper and the Farberware FW-MRF179US-TU-I6A at $85/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 Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1's $85/yr adds up to roughly $1020 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 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 $85/yr, here is what the Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 costs about $850. That is roughly $250 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $1100 over the same ten years.
How the Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $85/yr, it runs about $21 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $77 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $110/yr, the Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 uses 27% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 18.2 cu ft, the Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 is a large refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, among refrigerator models, bigger capacity is the most common reason a running-cost figure lands on the high side, all else being equal.
- 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 Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 cheap to run?
Not especially. At $85 a year it ranks #694 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 Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 cost per month?
Roughly $7.05/mo, spreading the $85/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 456 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $85 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Fisher & Paykel RF178WRNUX1 for its size?
74th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 693 | Ikea IRT138FD*0*18.3 cu ft | $84 |
| 692 | Truarctic TARBM1731SS17.2 cu ft | $84 |
| 691 | Hisense RB17N3ESE17.2 cu ft | $84 |
| 690 | Hisense RB170P3ESEH17.2 cu ft | $84 |
| 689 | Frigidaire FFHI1835V*18.3 cu ft | $84 |
Source
ES_0031708_RF178WRNUX1_12082025113439_80280482View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Fisher & Paykel and RF178WRNUX1 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.