Model
Whirlpool WHAW-121IN
Rank #231 means 230 of the 404 room air conditioner models we track cost less to run each year; the 43rd efficiency percentile means it uses less energy for its size than 43% of those models.
What does the Whirlpool WHAW-121IN cost to run per year?
The Whirlpool WHAW-121IN costs about $111 a year to run, a middle-of-the-pack figure at rank #231 of 404. It uses 38% less energy than the U.S. federal standard model in its class, which would cost about $180/yr to run, a saving of roughly $69 a year. Its 43th size-adjusted efficiency percentile is unremarkable, close to what a typical model in the class scores. Its CEER of 15 reflects combined energy efficiency ratio, one of the class's core efficiency levers.
Immediately around it on the leaderboard, the Vissani VWL1225T at $111/yr runs a little cheaper and the Zokop TIWC-12CRD1 at $111/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 Whirlpool WHAW-121IN's $111/yr adds up to roughly $1110 in electricity alone, before purchase price or repairs.
Also sold as: Black+Decker BD12NWES.
By the numbers
The Whirlpool WHAW-121IN 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 $111/yr, here is what the Whirlpool WHAW-121IN 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 WHAW-121IN costs about $1110. That is roughly $690 less than a standard model in its class, which would run closer to $1800 over the same ten years.
How the Whirlpool WHAW-121IN compares
The room air conditioner class we track runs from $51 to $389 a year. At $111/yr, it runs about $12 a year above the class median of $99, and it is about $60 a year more than the cheapest room air conditioner to run at $51. Against the US federal standard model for its class at about $180/yr, the Whirlpool WHAW-121IN uses 38% less energy.
What drives its running cost
At 12000 BTU/hr, the Whirlpool WHAW-121IN is a mid-size room air conditioner for its class, which spans 5000 to 34100 BTU/hr with a median of 10100 BTU/hr, neither the size advantage of a small unit nor the size penalty of a large one applies here, so its running cost is a fairer test of efficiency alone. Beyond size, its CEER of 15, above 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 Whirlpool WHAW-121IN cheap to run?
It is about average. At $111 a year it ranks #231 of 404 room air conditioner models we track, close to the middle of its class on running cost.
How much does the Whirlpool WHAW-121IN cost per month?
Roughly $9.28/mo, spreading the $111/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 600 kWh from ENERGY STAR and multiply it by the US average residential electricity rate of $0.1856/kWh, giving about $111 a year. It is an electricity-only estimate and does not include purchase price, water, or installation.
How efficient is the Whirlpool WHAW-121IN for its size?
43rd percentile once size is factored in, a fairly typical result for the class.
Cheaper to run in the same class
| Rank | Model | Cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
| 288 | Vissani VWL1225T12000 BTU/hr | $111 |
| 287 | Vissani VAWA12V4HWT12000 BTU/hr | $111 |
| 286 | Tcl T12WQ2S12000 BTU/hr | $111 |
| 285 | Tcl H12W4MW12000 BTU/hr | $111 |
| 284 | Tcl H12W4KW-CA12000 BTU/hr | $111 |
Source
ES_1055302_WHAW-121IN_07232024104052_80200121View certified room air conditioner listingsENERGY STAR data as of July 2026Whirlpool and WHAW-121IN 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.