Stacked or Side-by-side: Which Refrigerator is Best For Your Home?
The appliance that uses the most energy in your home is usually the refrigerator, and that means it can have a big impact on your energy bills. That said, home appliances—refrigerators in particular—have become much more energy-efficient over the years. To keep your ice cream cold and your veggies crisp check out The Wire’s tips on buying a new fridge.
Energy Star® says start with the following tips when shopping for an energy-efficient fridge:
Ask for an ENERGY STAR model.
When buying a refrigerator, request an ENERGY STAR qualified model to ensure it is energy efficient.
Check the yellow EnergyGuide label.
Use this label to determine the model’s energy use, compare the energy use of similar models, and estimate annual operating costs. Learn how to read the Energy Guide Label.
Consider buying a refrigerator with a top-mounted freezer.
Models with top-mounted freezers use 10–25% less energy than bottom-mount or side-by-side models.
Purchase an appropriately sized refrigerator.
Generally, the larger the refrigerator, the greater the energy consumption. The most energy-efficient models are typically 16–20 cubic feet.
Consider retiring the old refrigerator in your basement or garage.
Refrigerators over 10 years old could be costing you about $125 per year to run. If you need a second refrigerator year-round, replace the old one with a new ENERGY STAR certified unit and save more than $60 a year in operating costs.
How much can you save by flipping your fridge?
Energy Star® also has the Flip your Fridge Calculator to find out how much you can save when buying a new Energy Star Certified Refrigerator. Find out how much your old refrigerator or freezer costs to operate and how much you can save by flipping it to Energy Star.
Which style of refrigerator is more energy-efficient?
In general, refrigerators withtop-mounted freezers use less energy than refrigerators with eitherside-mounted or bottom-mounted freezers.
It is the placement of thefreezer in relation to the compressor that makes the energy difference. Thecompressor — which is near the bottom — generates heat. This heat makes itharder for the bottom freezer to achieve and maintain ideal temperatures. Thetop freezer models are farther away from the compressor and therefore canmaintain ideal temperatures using less energy.
A top-freezer refrigerator that has earned the ENERGY STAR uses less energy than a 60-watt light bulb. However, there is a large degree of variation depending on the size of a given refrigerator/freezer, its defrost type, and whether the model has through-the-door ice.
