Model
Tcl TRM044S4AW
Rank #188 means 187 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 30th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 30% of those models.
What does the Tcl TRM044S4AW cost to run per year?
Do the math and the Tcl TRM044S4AW's $42/yr puts it at rank #188 of 1,000, one of the more affordable refrigerator models we track to keep running. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $47/yr to run, a saving of roughly $5 a year. Adjusted for size, it is only more efficient than 30% of refrigerator models we track, so part of its running cost comes from its capacity rather than efficiency alone. At 4.4 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 Magic Chef MCR44WEF at $42/yr runs a little cheaper and the Vissani HVR43GBEF at $42/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 Tcl TRM044S4AW's $42/yr adds up to roughly $504 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Criterion CCR44CE1*.
By the numbers
The Tcl TRM044S4AW 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 $42/yr, here is what the Tcl TRM044S4AW adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Tcl TRM044S4AW costs about $420. That is roughly $50 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $470 over the same ten years.
How the Tcl TRM044S4AW compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $42/yr, it runs about $22 a year cheaper than the class median of $64, and it is about $34 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $47/yr, the Tcl TRM044S4AW uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 4.4 cu ft, the Tcl TRM044S4AW is a small refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, less capacity to service is usually the first reason a running-cost figure lands on the low side, before efficiency even enters the picture.
- 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 Tcl TRM044S4AW cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $42 a year it ranks #188 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Tcl TRM044S4AW cost per month?
Roughly $3.53/mo, spreading the $42/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 228 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $42 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Tcl TRM044S4AW for its size?
30th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 197 | Magic Chef MCR44WEF4.4 cu ft | $42 |
| 196 | Magic Chef MCR44BEF4.4 cu ft | $42 |
| 195 | Magic Chef HMBR440WEF4.4 cu ft | $42 |
| 194 | Magic Chef HMBR440BE4.4 cu ft | $42 |
| 193 | Iseasy USF-S4.4CF-WH4.4 cu ft | $42 |
Source
ES_1147781_TRM044S4AW_05132026112854_80297806View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Tcl and TRM044S4AW 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.