Model
Midea MRB12B1***
Rank #623 means 622 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 41st efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 41% of those models.
What does the Midea MRB12B1*** cost to run per year?
Do the math and the Midea MRB12B1***'s $73/yr puts it at rank #623 of 1,000, on the pricier side of the class. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $82/yr to run, a saving of roughly $9 a year. Normalized for capacity, it beats 41% of refrigerator models we track, an average result for the class. At 11.5 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 Insignia NS-RBM11**2 at $73/yr runs a little cheaper and the Fulgor Milano FM4FBM24VS2 at $73/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 MRB12B1***'s $73/yr adds up to roughly $876 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Insignia NS-RBM11**2.
By the numbers
The Midea MRB12B1*** 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 $73/yr, here is what the Midea MRB12B1*** 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 MRB12B1*** costs about $730. That is roughly $90 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $820 over the same ten years.
How the Midea MRB12B1*** compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $73/yr, it runs about $9 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $65 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $82/yr, the Midea MRB12B1*** uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 11.5 cu ft, the Midea MRB12B1*** 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 Midea MRB12B1*** cheap to run?
Not especially. At $73 a year it ranks #623 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 Midea MRB12B1*** cost per month?
Roughly $6.11/mo, spreading the $73/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 395 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $73 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Midea MRB12B1*** for its size?
41st 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 623 | Insignia NS-RBM11**211.5 cu ft | $73 |
| 622 | Verona VEFTF3021RSL20.7 cu ft | $73 |
| 621 | Midea HD-774**21 cu ft | $73 |
| 620 | Kitchenaid KBBX102MPA8.8 cu ft | $73 |
| 619 | Avanti AVFF21DLJM#**21 cu ft | $73 |
Source
ES_1129046_MRB12B1***_011020250149456_8332090View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Midea and MRB12B1*** 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.