Model
Midea MERM33S1AST
Rank #277 means 276 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 14th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 14% of those models.
What does the Midea MERM33S1AST cost to run per year?
Do the math and the Midea MERM33S1AST's $48/yr puts it at rank #277 of 1,000, on the cheaper side of the class. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $54/yr to run, a saving of roughly $6 a year. Adjusted for size, it is only more efficient than 14% of refrigerator models we track, so its headline cost is mostly a function of its capacity rather than efficiency. At 3.3 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 Made4 Supply 1814812 at $48/yr runs a little cheaper and the Seasons 189975 at $48/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 Midea MERM33S1AST's $48/yr adds up to roughly $576 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Comfee CERM33B0AIX.
By the numbers
The Midea MERM33S1AST 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 $48/yr, here is what the Midea MERM33S1AST adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Midea MERM33S1AST costs about $480. That is roughly $60 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $540 over the same ten years.
How the Midea MERM33S1AST compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $48/yr, it runs about $16 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $40 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $54/yr, the Midea MERM33S1AST uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 3.3 cu ft, the Midea MERM33S1AST 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 Midea MERM33S1AST cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $48 a year it ranks #277 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Midea MERM33S1AST cost per month?
Roughly $4.02/mo, spreading the $48/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 260 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $48 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Midea MERM33S1AST for its size?
14th percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 280 | Made4 Supply 18148123.3 cu ft | $48 |
| 279 | Insignia NS-CF33WH63.3 cu ft | $48 |
| 278 | Ellipse EFVC13S12.7 cu ft | $48 |
| 277 | Comfee CERM33B0AIX3.3 cu ft | $48 |
| 276 | Xo XOU15ORSL3.3 cu ft | $48 |
Source
ES_1030337_MERM33S1AST_05232025082516_80251537View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Midea and MERM33S1AST 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.