Refrigerators


Refrigerators are a big chunk of home energy use!

In most homes, the refrigerator is the second-largest user of electricity (13.7%), right after the air conditioner (16%). (Dept. of Energy)

With most appliances you save energy by using them less, but you can't very well do that with your fridge. The main way to save money with your fridge is to use an efficient model. New fridges aren't just a little more efficient, they're incredibly more efficient. A 1986-era 18 c.f. fridge uses 1400 kWh a year, while a modern energy-efficient model uses only 350 kWh -- a whopping 75% reduction. At 15¢ kWh, trading in a pre-1986 fridge for a new efficient one would save about $158 a year in electricity costs. And some older fridges are even worse than the average. One reader estimates her savings to be $238 per year for trading in her 1979 fridge for a 2004 model.

One big caveat: All the figures on this page are with any ice maker turned OFF. When the icemaker is on then usage could be as much as double. (Consumer Reports)
If you trade in an old fridge without an icemaker for an icemaker-equipped fridge, and you run the icemaker, you might not see any savings.

Should you replace your current fridge?

If your fridge was made before 2001, then yes, you should almost certainly trade it in.
Older fridges are wildly inefficient.

The best modern models use less than half of what 1993-2000 fridges used. For older fridges it's even more striking: Replacing a 1992 fridge with a modern Energy Star model could save $1400 in electricity costs over the useful life of the fridge. So if you've got an old fridge, yes, trade it in. You might even be able to get a state rebate for buying an energy-efficient fridge. Your city or utility might have a rebate program, too. (Check with them.) 

 

Sample savings for replacing an old 22 c.f. fridge with a newer model

A 22 cf fridge made in this year...

Uses about this
much energy...

Replacing with a
2001+ model saves:

Replacing with a 2008+
Energy Star model saves:

Replacing with a
CEE Tier 3 model saves:

<1976

2200 kWh

$238 / yr.

$257 / yr.

$266 / yr.

1976-86

1700 kWh

$165 / yr.

$183 / yr.

$192 / yr.

1987-89

1150 kWh

$83 / yr.

$101 / yr.

$110 / yr.

1990-92

1100 kWh

$73 / yr.

$92 / yr.

$101 / yr.

1993-00

850 kWh

37 / yr.

$55 / yr.

$64 / yr.

2001-2010

600 kWh

-

$18 / yr.

$28 / yr.

2001-2004 Energy Star (10%+ better)

550 kWh

-

$9 / yr.

$18 / yr.

2004-2008 Energy Star (15%+ better)

525 kWh

-

$5 / yr.

$14 / yr.

2008-2010 Energy Star (20%+ better)

500 kWh

-

-

$9 / yr.

CEE Tier 3 (30%+better)

425 kWh

-

-

-

Bold rows are current models. Assumes electricity rate of $0.15 per kWh and icemaker OFF.

 

If your fridge was made 2001 or later, it's a tougher call. As you can see from the table, trading in a 2001+ model for a new Energy Star model might save around $20/yr. in energy costs, or $280 over its useful life. That's certainly not as much as it would cost you to buy a new fridge. On the other hand, you're going to have to replace your fridge sooner or later anyway, since the average useful life is only around 14 years. So the question isn't really, "Should I replace my fridge?", but rather, "Should I replace it early (before it needs replacing)?" To answer that question, use the calculator above, not the table, because the calculator will let you choose your fridge size and local electricity rate, which is all-important. As I always say, the figures provided in the table are samples. Your savings will differ depending on how much you're paying for electricity and the size of the fridge. (It'll also differ by the exact model you buy, and how warm or cool it is in your kitchen, by the way.)

When making your decision, consider that trading up early saves you from inflation. A fridge bought this year will likely cost less than one bought a couple of years from now. And the cost of electricity generally goes up each year, so the "penalty" for not trading up gets a little bigger each year, as you pay more and more for electricity.

And of course, one reason to replace the fridge now is that saving energy reduces pollution. I always pay a little more if it means I pollute a little less. I traded in my old fridge before it died for that very reason.