Sub-Zero BI-48S/S/TH
Not ENERGY STAR certified
Side-by-side refrigerator · 28.2 cu ft
Inthis refrigerator costs
about $12 a month
$145 a year
An estimate at your state's average rate — not a guarantee of your bill.
The yellow sticker says $113 a year.
You'll pay $33 more.
Sticker uses 14¢ per kWh. The U.S. average is 18.0¢ per kWh.
Energy use
805 kWh a year
vs similar side-by-side refrigerator
+20%
Cheaper refrigerators, same size
ENERGY STAR lists 2 other certified models at the same 805 kWh a year, size and type, so everything on this page applies to them too.
Cheaper to run, same size
- Frigidaire FRSN2610ASide-by-side refrigerator · 26.4 cu ft$95
- Samsung RS27T5202Side-by-side refrigerator · 27.4 cu ft$98
- Frigidaire GRSN2620ASide-by-side refrigerator · 26 cu ft$109
- True Residential TR-48SBS-SS-CSide-by-side refrigerator · 29.5 cu ft$113
A year at the U.S. average residential rate.
Cost in every state
805 kWh a year × each state's average residential rate (EIA 12-month average through July 2026).
| State | Rate | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 43.7¢ | $352 | about $29 a month |
| California | 33.1¢ | $267 | about $22 a month |
| Massachusetts | 30.4¢ | $245 | about $20 a month |
| Rhode Island | 29.4¢ | $237 | about $20 a month |
| Maine | 29.3¢ | $236 | about $20 a month |
| New York | 28.4¢ | $228 | about $19 a month |
| Connecticut | 28.2¢ | $227 | about $19 a month |
| Alaska | 27.0¢ | $217 | about $18 a month |
| New Hampshire | 26.8¢ | $215 | about $18 a month |
| District of Columbia | 24.2¢ | $195 | about $16 a month |
Show all 52 statesShow fewer
| Vermont | 23.9¢ | $192 | about $16 a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 23.6¢ | $190 | about $16 a month |
| Maryland | 22.3¢ | $180 | about $15 a month |
| Michigan | 21.0¢ | $169 | about $14 a month |
| Pennsylvania | 20.8¢ | $167 | about $14 a month |
| Illinois | 19.0¢ | $153 | about $13 a month |
| Wisconsin | 18.8¢ | $151 | about $13 a month |
| Ohio | 18.3¢ | $147 | about $12 a month |
| U.S. average | 18.0¢ | $145 | about $12 a month |
| Delaware | 18.0¢ | $145 | about $12 a month |
| Indiana | 17.1¢ | $137 | about $11 a month |
| Virginia | 16.6¢ | $133 | about $11 a month |
| Colorado | 16.6¢ | $133 | about $11 a month |
| Alabama | 16.5¢ | $133 | about $11 a month |
| Minnesota | 16.2¢ | $131 | about $11 a month |
| Texas | 16.0¢ | $129 | about $11 a month |
| South Carolina | 15.7¢ | $127 | about $11 a month |
| West Virginia | 15.7¢ | $126 | about $11 a month |
| Oregon | 15.6¢ | $125 | about $10 a month |
| Arizona | 15.5¢ | $125 | about $10 a month |
| Florida | 15.4¢ | $124 | about $10 a month |
| New Mexico | 15.2¢ | $123 | about $10 a month |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $122 | about $10 a month |
| Georgia | 15.1¢ | $121 | about $10 a month |
| Mississippi | 14.9¢ | $120 | about $10 a month |
| North Carolina | 14.9¢ | $120 | about $10 a month |
| South Dakota | 14.3¢ | $115 | about $10 a month |
| Washington | 14.2¢ | $114 | about $9 a month |
| Wyoming | 14.2¢ | $114 | about $9 a month |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $113 | about $9 a month |
| Kentucky | 14.0¢ | $113 | about $9 a month |
| Montana | 13.9¢ | $112 | about $9 a month |
| Missouri | 13.9¢ | $112 | about $9 a month |
| Tennessee | 13.7¢ | $110 | about $9 a month |
| Oklahoma | 13.6¢ | $110 | about $9 a month |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $109 | about $9 a month |
| Arkansas | 13.5¢ | $108 | about $9 a month |
| Utah | 13.3¢ | $107 | about $9 a month |
| Louisiana | 13.1¢ | $105 | about $9 a month |
| Nebraska | 12.9¢ | $104 | about $9 a month |
| Idaho | 12.7¢ | $102 | about $8 a month |
| North Dakota | 12.5¢ | $101 | about $8 a month |
What the Sub-Zero BI-48S/S/TH costs where electricity is expensive
At Hawaii's average residential rate of 43.7¢ per kWh, the Sub-Zero BI-48S/S/TH costs $352 a year — $239 more a year than the label says. The EnergyGuide label estimates $113 a year, because every label in the country is calculated at 14¢ per kWh. At the U.S. average of 18.0¢ per kWh this refrigerator costs $145 a year, and in North Dakota, the cheapest state, $101 a year.
| Where | Rate | Cost a year | vs the label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 43.7¢ per kWh | $352 | +$239 |
| California | 33.1¢ per kWh | $267 | +$154 |
| Massachusetts | 30.4¢ per kWh | $245 | +$132 |
| Rhode Island | 29.4¢ per kWh | $237 | +$124 |
| Maine | 29.3¢ per kWh | $236 | +$123 |
| North Dakota | 12.5¢ per kWh | $101 | −$12 |
Electricity prices: EIA 12-month average through July 2026, residential sector, average revenue per kWh. Label figure calculated at 14¢ per kWh, the rate the FTC requires on labels.
Full specs
At the U.S. average residential rate this one costs $145 a year — about 20% more expensive to run than the average side-by-side refrigerator ($121 a year across 380 certified models).
Every model on this scale is ENERGY STAR certified. Range across 380 side-by-side refrigerators, priced a year at the U.S. average residential rate.
- Brand
- Sub-Zero
- Model number
- BI-48S/S/TH
- Type
- Side-by-side refrigerator
- Capacity
- 28.2 cu ft
- Annual energy use
- 805 kWh a year
- ENERGY STAR Most Efficient
- No
- Product class
- (4I-BI.) Built-In Refrigerator-freezers - automatic defrost with side-mounted freezer with an automatic icemaker without through-the-door ice service
- Adjusted volume (cu ft)
- 35.6
- EnergyGuide label
- https://haven.subzero.com/AssetLink/88tu6u20fc1p44e22d0853808pg5566c.pdf
Where to buy
We do not sell appliances. These open a search on the retailer's own site.
Common questions
+How much does the Sub-Zero BI-48S/S/TH cost to run per month?
about $12 a month at the U.S. average residential rate of 18.0¢ per kWh, or $145 a year. Your cost depends on your state's rate — see the table above.
+How many kWh does the Sub-Zero BI-48S/S/TH use?
805 kWh a year, as the manufacturer filed it with the U.S. Department of Energy, in its compliance certification database.
+Is the Sub-Zero BI-48S/S/TH energy efficient?
It is not ENERGY STAR certified — it is filed with the U.S. Department of Energy, which every model on sale must be. It uses about 20% more electricity than the average side-by-side refrigerator (average: 673 kWh a year).
+How does the Sub-Zero BI-48S/S/TH compare to the average refrigerator?
The average side-by-side refrigerator in our database uses 673 kWh a year, costing $121 a year at the U.S. average residential rate. The Sub-Zero BI-48S/S/TH uses 805 kWh a year, costing $145 a year.
How we calculate this
Annual energy use (805 kWh a year) is the figure the manufacturer filed for this model with the U.S. Department of Energy, in the compliance certification database. Running cost is that figure multiplied by a state's average residential electricity price from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (12-month average through July 2026, average revenue per kWh).
Sources: U.S. DOE compliance certification data, updated fortnightly · U.S. EIA electricity prices, 12-month average through July 2026.