WattCost

Data through April 2026

Running cost · Room Air Conditioners · ENERGY STAR certified

Whirlpool WHAW-181IN

The Whirlpool WHAW-181IN is certified at 938 kWh per year (based on 750 standardized hours), roughly $177 at the national average — though seasonal use means your real bill lands in a few months, not twelve. It sits near the bottom of the certified table — using 76% more than the median room air conditioner (rank 360 of 396) — so the state you live in matters more than usual. The same unit costs $116 a year in North Dakota but $437 in Hawaii — electricity rates, not the appliance, make the difference.

Estimated annual running cost · U.S. average rate 18.8¢/kWh

$177/yr

$52 · cheapest certified room air conditioners$395 · priciest
Per month
$14.71
Per day
48¢
Certified use
938 kWh/yr
Cooling capacity
18,000 BTU/hr
CEER
14.4
Mounting
Straddles Window
Variable-speed compressor
Yes
274 kWh2,096 kWh
Where the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN (▮) sits among all 396 certified room air conditioners, by annual kWh

What it costs in every state

Whirlpool WHAW-181IN: 938 kWh/yr × each state's average residential rate (EIA)
StateRate ¢/kWhThis model $/yrRelative cost
Alabama17.4¢$163
Alaska27.4¢$256
Arizona15.5¢$145
Arkansas14.2¢$133
California35.3¢$330
Colorado16.5¢$155
Connecticut32.2¢$302
Delaware18.8¢$176
District of Columbia25.4¢$238
Florida15.4¢$144
Georgia15.4¢$144
Hawaiipriciest46.6¢$437
Idaho12.7¢$119
Illinois20.5¢$192
Indiana17.9¢$168
Iowa13.9¢$130
Kansas15.8¢$148
Kentucky15.0¢$141
Louisiana14.4¢$135
Maine28.4¢$266
Maryland22.1¢$207
Massachusetts29.4¢$276
Michigan21.4¢$201
Minnesota16.4¢$154
Mississippi16.8¢$157
Missouri14.0¢$131
Montana13.9¢$130
Nebraska13.3¢$125
Nevada14.3¢$134
New Hampshire27.2¢$255
New Jersey23.5¢$221
New Mexico15.2¢$142
New York29.4¢$276
North Carolina16.3¢$152
North Dakotacheapest12.3¢$116
Ohio19.5¢$183
Oklahoma13.3¢$125
Oregon15.8¢$148
Pennsylvania21.5¢$201
Rhode Island28.3¢$265
South Carolina17.1¢$160
South Dakota14.5¢$136
Tennessee14.9¢$140
Texas17.0¢$159
Utah13.3¢$125
Vermont24.6¢$230
Virginia17.4¢$163
Washington14.4¢$135
West Virginia16.1¢$151
Wisconsin19.2¢$180
Wyoming14.7¢$138

Certified models closest in efficiency

room air conditioners within reach of 938 kWh/yr
ModelkWh/yr$/yr (US avg)
Friedrich CCV18A30A938$177
HEMA DS-2W1822CI938$177
TCL H18W4KW938$177
TCL H18W4KW-CA938$177
TCL T18WQ2S938$177
Friedrich WHVT14B33A950$179

Run your own numbers

Your rate, your numbers

Per day
48¢
Per month
$14.72
Per year
$177

938 kWh/yr × 18.8¢/kWh = $177/yr

Prefilled with this model's certified 938 kWh/yr — adjust if your usage differs from the DOE test basis. The certified annual kWh assumes 750 cooling hours per year (the DOE standard). In hot climates real usage can run well above that; in mild ones, below.

Questions, answered with the data

How much electricity does the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN use?
ENERGY STAR certifies the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN at 938 kWh per year. The certified annual kWh assumes 750 cooling hours per year (the DOE standard). In hot climates real usage can run well above that; in mild ones, below.
How much does the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN cost to run per month?
About $14.71 a month at the U.S. average residential rate (18.8¢/kWh) — 48¢ a day, or $177 a year. Your state's rate moves this up or down; see the table above.
Is the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN energy efficient?
It uses 76% more electricity than the median certified room air conditioner, which puts it among the least efficient certified models.
What does the Whirlpool WHAW-181IN cost to run in the cheapest vs. priciest state?
At current residential rates it costs about $116 a year in North Dakota (12.3¢/kWh) and $437 in Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh).

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