Model
Tcl W5WC72-B
Rank #5 means 4 of the 404 room air conditioner models we track cost less to run each year; the 97th efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 97% of those models.
What does the Tcl W5WC72-B cost to run per year?
At $51 a year to run, the Tcl W5WC72-B is one of the very cheapest room air conditioner models we track, ranking #5 of 404, in the bottom five percent on cost. It uses 25% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $68/yr to run, a saving of roughly $17 a year. Once capacity is factored in, it outperforms 97% of the room air conditioner models we track on efficiency, near the very top of the normalized ranking. The CEER figure of 13.7 on this model captures combined energy efficiency ratio, the main efficiency lever ENERGY STAR tracks for this class.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Tcl W5WC72 at $51/yr runs a little cheaper and the Tcl W5WC72M at $51/yr runs a little more, a sense of how tightly models are packed at this point in the ranking. A room air conditioner typically stays in service for somewhere around 10 years; over that span, the Tcl W5WC72-B's $51/yr adds up to roughly $510 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Tcl W5WC72.
By the numbers
The Tcl W5WC72-B 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 $51/yr, here is what the Tcl W5WC72-B 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 W5WC72-B costs about $510. That is roughly $170 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $680 over the same ten years.
How the Tcl W5WC72-B compares
The room air conditioner class we track runs from $51 to $389 a year. At $51/yr, it runs about $48 a year cheaper than the class median of $99, and it is the cheapest room air conditioner to run in the class among the models we track. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $68/yr, the Tcl W5WC72-B uses 25% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 5000 BTU/hr, the Tcl W5WC72-B is a small room air conditioner for its class, which spans 5000 to 34100 BTU/hr with a median of 10100 BTU/hr, less capacity to service is usually the first reason a running-cost figure lands on the low side, before efficiency even enters the picture. Beyond size, its CEER of 13.7, below the class median of 15, is the class's own efficiency yardstick, combined energy efficiency ratio, and it is what separates two similarly sized models with different running costs.
- Combined Energy Efficiency Ratio (CEER). CEER captures cooling output per watt, including standby power; a higher CEER means less electricity for the same BTU of cooling.
- BTU cooling capacity. A higher-BTU unit is sized for a bigger room and generally uses more electricity per hour of operation than a smaller unit, regardless of efficiency.
- Thermostat and mode usage. Running on a fixed low temperature around the clock uses far more energy than using a thermostat setting, eco mode, or a timer to match cooling to when the room is actually occupied.
Common questions
Is the Tcl W5WC72-B cheap to run?
Yes, relatively. At $51 a year it ranks #5 of 404 room air conditioner models we track, in the cheaper part of its class to run.
How much does the Tcl W5WC72-B cost per month?
Roughly $4.23/mo, spreading the $51/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 274 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $51 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Tcl W5WC72-B for its size?
97th 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Tcl W5WC725000 BTU/hr | $51 |
| 4 | Tcl T05WV9RB5000 BTU/hr | $51 |
| 3 | Tcl T05WV9R5000 BTU/hr | $51 |
| 2 | Tcl T05WV9MB5000 BTU/hr | $51 |
| 1 | Tcl T05WV9M5000 BTU/hr | $51 |
Source
ES_1126578_W5WC72-B_11122025105736_80268586View certified room air conditioner listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Tcl and W5WC72-B 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.