Model
Upstreman BR321-Indigo
Rank #129 means 128 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 21st efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 21% of those models.
What does the Upstreman BR321-Indigo cost to run per year?
Among the 1,000 refrigerator models we track, the Upstreman BR321-Indigo's $40/yr running cost ranks it #129, comfortably in the cheap-to-run group. It uses 11% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $45/yr to run, a saving of roughly $5 a year. Capacity-normalized, it ranks ahead of just 21% of refrigerator models we track, a soft spot worth weighing against the dollar figure. 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 Upstreman BR321G at $40/yr runs a little cheaper and the Upstreman BR321-Red 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 Upstreman BR321-Indigo's $40/yr adds up to roughly $480 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Bangson US-BSR-100.
By the numbers
The Upstreman BR321-Indigo 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 Upstreman BR321-Indigo adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Upstreman BR321-Indigo costs about $400. That is roughly $50 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $450 over the same ten years.
How the Upstreman BR321-Indigo 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 $45/yr, the Upstreman BR321-Indigo uses 11% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 3.2 cu ft, the Upstreman BR321-Indigo 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.
- Counter depth vs standard depth. Standard-depth models generally offer more interior volume per unit of width than counter-depth models, a tradeoff between built-in looks and cubic feet.
- Interior volume. More cubic feet of cold air to maintain generally means a bigger compressor and a higher running-cost figure, even among efficient models.
- Compressor technology. How a compressor cycles, full on/off versus a variable-speed inverter design, is one of the biggest hidden differences behind two fridges with similar cubic feet but different running costs.
- Placement and ventilation. Ventilation clearance around the back and top matters more than most owners expect; a fridge starved of airflow runs its compressor longer to hold the same temperature.
Common questions
Is the Upstreman BR321-Indigo cheap to run?
Yes. Its $40/yr running cost puts it at rank #129 of 1,000, below what most refrigerator models we track cost to run.
How much does the Upstreman BR321-Indigo cost per month?
About $3.37 a month, which is the $40 annual estimate spread across twelve months at the US average rate of $0.1856/kWh. Your own bill scales with your local electricity rate and how heavily you use it.
How is this running-cost figure calculated?
The formula is annual kWh times price per kWh: 218 kWh from ENERGY STAR times the US average of $0.1856/kWh comes to about $40 a year. It covers electricity only, not the purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Upstreman BR321-Indigo for its size?
21st 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 143 | Upstreman BR321G3.2 cu ft | $40 |
| 142 | Upstreman BR321C3.2 cu ft | $40 |
| 141 | Thomson TFR4414.5 cu ft | $40 |
| 140 | Kenmore KMR33MWER3.2 cu ft | $40 |
| 139 | Hamilton Beach HBR33MWEE023.2 cu ft | $40 |
Source
ES_1144488_BR321-Indigo_08082022102414_6369397View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Upstreman and BR321-Indigo 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.