Model
Whirlpool AMA27S1E
Rank #116 means 115 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 11th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 11% of those models.
What does the Whirlpool AMA27S1E cost to run per year?
Few refrigerator models we track cost less to run than the Whirlpool AMA27S1E: about $40 a year, rank #116 of 1,000. It uses 22% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $51/yr to run, a saving of roughly $11 a year. Normalized for capacity, it beats only 11% of refrigerator models we track, one of the weaker efficiency results we track for the class. 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 Sapphire SR243SSPRADA at $40/yr runs a little cheaper and the Arctic Chef ACFR321-WHITE-6COM 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 Whirlpool AMA27S1E's $40/yr adds up to roughly $480 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Whirlpool AMA27S1E 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 Whirlpool AMA27S1E adds up to before purchase price, water, or repairs enter the math.
Left running for a decade at today's US average rate, the Whirlpool AMA27S1E costs about $400. That is roughly $110 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $510 over the same ten years.
How the Whirlpool AMA27S1E 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 $51/yr, the Whirlpool AMA27S1E uses 22% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 2.6 cu ft, the Whirlpool AMA27S1E 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.
- 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 Whirlpool AMA27S1E cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $40 a year it ranks #116 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Whirlpool AMA27S1E cost per month?
Roughly $3.31/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 214 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 Whirlpool AMA27S1E for its size?
11th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 115 | Sapphire SR243SSPRADA5.4 cu ft | $40 |
| 114 | Icebox IBCR25SUN2.5 cu ft | $40 |
| 113 | Galanz GL27S52.6 cu ft | $40 |
| 112 | Amana AMAR27S1E2.6 cu ft | $40 |
| 111 | Royal Sovereign RMF-74***2.6 cu ft | $40 |
Source
ES_0022856_AMA27S1E_04202015015653_70028261View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Whirlpool and AMA27S1E 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.