Model
Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK
Rank #47 means 46 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 24th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 24% of those models.
What does the Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK cost to run per year?
Almost nothing we track in this class costs less to run than the Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK: about $37 a year, rank #47 of 1,000. It uses 19% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $45/yr to run, a saving of roughly $8 a year. Normalized for capacity, it beats only 24% of refrigerator models we track, a below-average efficiency result. 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 Microfridge 3.1MF7R at $36/yr runs a little cheaper and the Frigidaire EFR331-B-WHITE-COM at $37/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 Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK's $37/yr adds up to roughly $444 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Frigidaire EFR376-C-WHITE, Frigidaire EFR331-B-WHITE-COM, Frigidaire EFR376-B-WHITE-COM, Rca RFR321-BLACK, Rca RFR376-B-RED, Rca RFR320-PURPLE, Rca RFR320-B-BLACK, Rca RFR320-B-WHITE-COM.
By the numbers
The Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK 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 $37/yr, here is what the Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK costs about $370. That is roughly $80 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $450 over the same ten years.
How the Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $37/yr, it runs about $27 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $29 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $45/yr, the Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK uses 19% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 3.2 cu ft, the Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK is a small refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, less capacity to service is usually the first reason a running-cost figure lands on the low side, before efficiency 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.
- 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 Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $37 a year it ranks #47 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK cost per month?
Roughly $3.05/mo, spreading the $37/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 197 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $37 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Frigidaire EFR331-B-BLACK for its size?
24th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | Microfridge 3.1MF7R3.1 cu ft | $36 |
| 45 | Frigidaire EFR376-B-CORAL3.2 cu ft | $36 |
| 44 | Marvel MLRE*15-SS01A2.7 cu ft | $36 |
| 43 | Marvel MPWC415-SS31A2.7 cu ft | $35 |
| 42 | Danby DAG016A5BDH1.5 cu ft | $35 |
Source
ES_1120898_EFR331-B-BLACK_01292021130713_2513955View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Frigidaire and EFR331-B-BLACK 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.