Model
Whirlpool WRTX7421T***
Rank #631 means 630 of the 1,000 refrigerator models we track cost less to run each year; the 95th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 95% of those models.
What does the Whirlpool WRTX7421T*** cost to run per year?
At $74 a year to run, the Whirlpool WRTX7421T*** runs more expensively than most models in its class, ranking #631 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track. It uses 10% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $82/yr to run, a saving of roughly $8 a year. Efficiency-wise, once its capacity is accounted for, it edges out 95% of the class, about as strong a result as this ranking produces. At 21.3 cu ft, it is a large 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 Truarctic TARBM1224SV at $74/yr runs a little cheaper and the Hamilton Beach HBF1152-SS-T-6COM at $74/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 WRTX7421T***'s $74/yr adds up to roughly $888 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
By the numbers
The Whirlpool WRTX7421T*** 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 $74/yr, here is what the Whirlpool WRTX7421T*** 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 WRTX7421T*** costs about $740. That is roughly $80 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $820 over the same ten years.
How the Whirlpool WRTX7421T*** compares
The refrigerator class we track runs from $8 to $149 a year. At $74/yr, it runs about $10 a year above the class median of $64, and it is about $66 a year more than the cheapest refrigerator to run at $8. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $82/yr, the Whirlpool WRTX7421T*** uses 10% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 21.3 cu ft, the Whirlpool WRTX7421T*** is a large refrigerator for its class, which spans 1.2 to 31.7 cu ft with a median of 12.6 cu ft, among refrigerator models, bigger capacity is the most common reason a running-cost figure lands on the high side, 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 Whirlpool WRTX7421T*** cheap to run?
Not especially. At $74 a year it ranks #631 of 1,000 refrigerator models we track, in the pricier part of its class to run, though its size and features may still justify that for your needs.
How much does the Whirlpool WRTX7421T*** cost per month?
Roughly $6.16/mo, spreading the $74/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 398 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $74 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Whirlpool WRTX7421T*** for its size?
95th percentile once size is factored in. That means its size-adjusted efficiency is a real factor in the running-cost figure above; its capacity plays a large role too.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 630 | Truarctic TARBM1224SV11.5 cu ft | $74 |
| 629 | Marathon MFF115*****11.5 cu ft | $74 |
| 628 | Conserv MDRF376-115011.5 cu ft | $74 |
| 627 | Sankey RF 2363 SS21 cu ft | $73 |
| 626 | Midea WHD-774FW121 cu ft | $73 |
Source
ES_0022856_WRTX7421T***__01232026113034_80286685View certified refrigerator listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Whirlpool and WRTX7421T*** 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.