There is probably hardly a home in the UK which does not have a refrigerator. An essential part of any modern kitchen, refrigerators are switched on twenty four hours a day, 365 days a year. Using an energy efficient refrigerator, therefore, surely makes perfect sense as an easy way to save power and money! An energy efficient refrigerator should not be much different in price to any other similar model, but will undoubtedly save you money over its lifetime.
An energy efficient refrigerator works by the use of high efficiency compressors, improved insulation and more precise temperature and defrost mechanisms in order to improve the overall energy efficiency. These factors combined mean that you could save two thirds of the energy used by a ten year old fridge freezer, which adds up to about £36 a year! And in using less power your fridge is having less of an impact on the environment. When buying an energy efficient refrigerator look for the Energy Saving Recommended logo, which is a quick and easy way to spot energy efficient appliances. Also take note of the Climate Class of a fridge/freezer which will probably be N or SN. These indicate the range of room temperatures in which the appliance will work effectively, between 16°C and 32°C for an N model and between 10°C and 32°C for SN model Fridges.
Don’t forget, however, that there are other ways to reduce the power consumption of your refrigerator even if it is already an energy efficient model. Keep the fridge door closed as much as possible, so don’t leave it open while you make a sandwich. Also ensure that food is cooled before it is refrigerated, otherwise the temperature in the fridge will rise resulting in it having to work harder. Also make sure that you regularly defrost both your fridge and freezer for maximum efficiency.
Source: www.est.org.uk, www.downwithco2.co.uk 2009
