Model
Miele K31222UI
Rank #93 means 92 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 37th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 37% of those models.
What does the Miele K31222UI cost to run per year?
Do the math and the Miele K31222UI's $39/yr puts it at rank #93 of 1,000, one of the more affordable refrigerator models we track to keep running. It uses 31% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $56/yr to run, a saving of roughly $17 a year. Adjusted for size, it is only more efficient than 37% of refrigerator models we track, so part of its running cost comes from its capacity rather than efficiency alone. 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 Magic Chef MCR16CHW at $39/yr runs a little cheaper and the Upstreman FR17B 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 Miele K31222UI's $39/yr adds up to roughly $468 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Miele K31222UI 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 Miele K31222UI adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Miele K31222UI costs about $390. That is roughly $170 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $560 over the same ten years.
How the Miele K31222UI 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 $56/yr, the Miele K31222UI uses 31% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 4.8 cu ft, the Miele K31222UI is a small refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, at the small end of the class, capacity itself is doing a lot of the work to keep that figure down, separate from how efficient the unit actually is.
- 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 Miele K31222UI cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $39 a year it ranks #93 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Miele K31222UI cost per month?
Roughly $3.22/mo, spreading the $39/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 208 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $39 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Miele K31222UI for its size?
37th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 92 | Magic Chef MCR16CHW1.6 cu ft | $39 |
| 91 | Koolatron 0595866111001.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 90 | Kenmore 9961*61*1.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 89 | Igloo FR115I-B-GREEN1.6 cu ft | $39 |
| 88 | Icebox IBCR17SUN1.7 cu ft | $39 |
Source
ES_31629_K31222UI_121920252120464_1932516View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Miele and K31222UI 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.