Model
Royal Sovereign RMF-74***
Rank #108 means 107 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 12th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 12% of those models.
What does the Royal Sovereign RMF-74*** cost to run per year?
Do the math and the Royal Sovereign RMF-74***'s $40/yr puts it at rank #108 of 1,000, one of the more affordable refrigerator models we track to keep running. It uses 11% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $44/yr to run, a saving of roughly $4 a year. Adjusted for size, it is only more efficient than 12% of refrigerator models we track, so its headline cost is mostly a function of its capacity rather than efficiency. At 2.6 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 Midea WHS-87LB1 at $40/yr runs a little cheaper and the Amana AMAR27S1E at $40/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 Royal Sovereign RMF-74***'s $40/yr adds up to roughly $480 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Emerson CR0026***.
By the numbers
The Royal Sovereign RMF-74*** 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 $40/yr, here is what the Royal Sovereign RMF-74*** adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Royal Sovereign RMF-74*** costs about $400. That is roughly $40 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $440 over the same ten years.
How the Royal Sovereign RMF-74*** compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $40/yr, it runs about $24 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $32 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $44/yr, the Royal Sovereign RMF-74*** uses 11% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 2.6 cu ft, the Royal Sovereign RMF-74*** 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 Royal Sovereign RMF-74*** cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $40 a year it ranks #108 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Royal Sovereign RMF-74*** cost per month?
Roughly $3.29/mo, spreading the $40/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 213 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $40 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Royal Sovereign RMF-74*** for its size?
12th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 110 | Midea WHS-87LB12.4 cu ft | $40 |
| 109 | Galanz GLR25MS1E022.5 cu ft | $40 |
| 108 | Emerson CR0026***2.6 cu ft | $40 |
| 107 | Omnimax 3730-93713.8 cu ft | $39 |
| 106 | Midea HS-507FWEN13.8 cu ft | $39 |
Source
ES_1146706_RMF-74***_091920240704687_3332927View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Royal Sovereign and RMF-74*** 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.