Model
Upstreman FR17I
Rank #82 means 81 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 5th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 5% of those models.
What does the Upstreman FR17I cost to run per year?
Rank #82 of 1,000 puts the Upstreman FR17I among the cheapest refrigerator models we track to keep running, at roughly $39 a year. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $43/yr to run, a saving of roughly $4 a year. Its size-adjusted efficiency percentile of 5 means the low running cost, where it exists, is driven almost entirely by capacity rather than efficiency. 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 FR17F at $39/yr runs a little cheaper and the Upstreman FR17-Red 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 Upstreman FR17I's $39/yr adds up to roughly $468 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Comfee CERR16B0A**.
By the numbers
The Upstreman FR17I 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 Upstreman FR17I 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 FR17I costs about $390. That is roughly $40 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $430 over the same ten years.
How the Upstreman FR17I 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 $43/yr, the Upstreman FR17I uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 1.7 cu ft, the Upstreman FR17I 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.
- 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 FR17I cheap to run?
Yes. Its $39/yr running cost puts it at rank #82 of 1,000, below what most refrigerator models we track cost to run.
How much does the Upstreman FR17I cost per month?
About $3.22 a month, which is the $39 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: 208 kWh from ENERGY STAR times the US average of $0.1856/kWh comes to about $39 a year. It covers electricity only, not the purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Upstreman FR17I for its size?
5th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 95 | Upstreman FR17F1.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 94 | Upstreman FR17B1.7 cu ft | $39 |
| 93 | Miele K31222UI4.8 cu ft | $39 |
| 92 | Magic Chef MCR16CHW1.6 cu ft | $39 |
| 91 | Koolatron 0595866111001.7 cu ft | $39 |
Source
ES_1144488_FR17I_08082022101727_5239460View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Upstreman and FR17I 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.