How to Chose an Energy Efficient Refrigerator

With the cost of utilities on the rise, who wants to pay for extra electricity and energy that they don't need? If you're thinking about repairing part of your refrigerator or purchasing a new fridge altogether, you may consider buying an energy efficient refrigerator. Not only will energy-efficient refrigerators lower the cost of the energy needed to use it, but you may be interested to know that some energy efficient refrigerators may qualify for a rebate.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Consider what you don't like about the refrigerator you have now and make a list of all the features that you'd like to have in a new refrigerator.

2. Decide whether or not you would like to purchase a side-by-side refrigerator and freezer or a refrigerator with a top freezer compartment.

3. Take a trip to a store that sells refrigerators and home appliances. Ask the associate to show you all of the "Energy Star" refrigerators. The refrigerators that have earned the Energy Star have been certified by the government as using a considerable amount of less energy than other models of refrigerators.

4. Make a list of the "Energy Star" refrigerators that you see and the features of each. Some features you may want to make note of are whether it's a side-by-side unit or has a top freezer compartment, how many kilowatt hours per year (kWh/year) the unit uses, whether it has an ice-maker and water-dispenser, and how many cubic feet the unit is.

5. Narrow the list you have made down to about three or four specific refrigerator units. Some criteria you may use to narrow down your list include the price of the unit and whether or not it contains the features you would like in a refrigerator that you made a list of in Step 1.

6. Decide on purchasing the refrigerator that has the best value for the price and is the most energy-efficient as you'd like it to be.

Tips & Warnings

• Side-by-side refrigerators and freezers typically use 20% to 30% more energy than top-bottom models.
• The size of a typical home refrigerator is usually 25 cubic feet or less, and any unit that is over 25 cubic feet uses a considerably more energy.
• Visit the government's "Energy Star" website for more information and ratings for energy-efficient models (see Resources below).

Resources

• Energy Star Refrigerators