Model
Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A
Rank #100 means 99 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 15th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 15% of those models.
What does the Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A cost to run per year?
Among the 1,000 refrigerator models we track, the Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A's $39/yr running cost ranks it #100, comfortably in the cheap-to-run group. It uses 26% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $53/yr to run, a saving of roughly $14 a year. Efficiency-wise, once size is accounted for, it lags most of the class, ahead of only 15% of the models we track. Counter-depth construction, which this model has, generally means a shallower cabinet and less interior volume than a standard-depth model the same width, a tradeoff worth knowing if you are comparing it on cubic feet.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Marvel MLBV*15-IG01A at $39/yr runs a little cheaper and the Marvel MPBV415-SG31A at $39/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 Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A's $39/yr adds up to roughly $468 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Marvel MLBV*15-IG01A.
By the numbers
The Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A 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 $39/yr, here is what the Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A costs about $390. That is roughly $140 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $530 over the same ten years.
How the Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $39/yr, it runs about $25 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $31 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $53/yr, the Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A uses 26% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 2.7 cu ft, the Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A 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.
- Counter depth vs standard depth. Standard-depth models generally offer more interior volume per unit of width than counter-depth models, a tradeoff between built-in looks and cubic feet.
- Interior volume. More cubic feet of cold air to maintain generally means a bigger compressor and a higher running-cost figure, even among efficient models.
- Compressor technology. How a compressor cycles, full on/off versus a variable-speed inverter design, is one of the biggest hidden differences behind two fridges with similar cubic feet but different running costs.
- Placement and ventilation. Ventilation clearance around the back and top matters more than most owners expect; a fridge starved of airflow runs its compressor longer to hold the same temperature.
Common questions
Is the Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A cheap to run?
Yes. Its $39/yr running cost puts it at rank #100 of 1,000, below what most refrigerator models we track cost to run.
How much does the Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A cost per month?
About $3.23 a month, which is the $39 annual estimate spread across twelve months at the US average rate of $0.1856/kWh. Your own bill scales with your local electricity rate and how heavily you use it.
How is this running-cost figure calculated?
The formula is annual kWh times price per kWh: 209 kWh from ENERGY STAR times the US average of $0.1856/kWh comes to about $39 a year. It covers electricity only, not the purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Marvel MLWC*15-IG01A for its size?
15th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Marvel MLBV*15-IG01A2.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 99 | Upstreman FR17-Vintage Yellow1.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 98 | Upstreman FR17-Vintage Orange1.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 97 | Upstreman FR17-Red1.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 96 | Upstreman FR17I1.7 cu ft | $39 |
Source
ES_Marvel Refrigeration_MLWC*15-IG01A_061120211417410_2726292View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Marvel and MLWC*15-IG01A 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.