Fridge reviews: Refrigerator efficiency
Pick an energy-efficient refrigerator to save electricity
After central heating, refrigeration products are the biggest domestic users of energy and account for around 20% of the electricity consumed by domestic appliances.
This makes refrigerator efficiency a key consideration if you’re looking to lower energy costs and do your bit for the environment.
How Which? tests refrigerator efficiency
We calculate average running costs for each refrigerator we test as an indication of refrigerator efficiency – especially important because your refrigerator is always switched on.
The Which? Best Buy fridges come top for efficiency as well as performance, cooling power and temperature stability.
You can also use our compare features and prices tool to sort refrigerators by energy rating, from A++ to B.
How refrigerators compare on efficiency
As well as running costs, you should also take refrigerator capacity and any potentially energy-guzzling extra features into consideration when thinking about overall refrigerator efficiency.
We compared two A-rated refrigerators, the Beko TLDA521S and the Hotpoint HT303NI.
Despite being in the same energy efficiency class, the Beko refrigerator – which has almost the same capacity as the Hotpoint fridge – costs just £7 per year to run, compared to the £23 running costs calculated for the Hotpoint fridge.
| Running cost of fridges compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Model | Litres | Running cost |
| Beko | TLDA521S | 216 | £7 |
| Hotpoint | HT303NI | 200 | £23 |
EU energy labelling for refrigerators
The energy labelling of cold appliances has been in place for more than a decade, with ratings ranging from the ultra-efficient A++ to the positively power-hungry G classifications.
Refrigerator energy ratings are not simply a calculation of the amount of electricity consumed by the appliance over a period of time.
They take into account other factors including the capacity, style and features of each refrigerator, which combine to produce a single rating that can be easily interpreted by consumers.
If you currently run two worktop-height refrigerators, it would usually be more efficient to consolidate your groceries into one tall refrigerator – but it's only worth trading up if you're likely to keep the refrigerator around two-thirds full.
In future, consumers could see a new energy labelling scheme for refrigerators, freezers and fridge freezers which is currently being debated at EU level as part of the energy labelling directive.
Refrigerator reliability and environmental impact
Determining the 'tipping point' at which it's environmentally best to replace a working fridge with a more efficient new refrigerator isn't straightforward.
You need to take into consideration the environmental cost in disposing of your old refrigerator, the materials and energy that go into producing a new fridge, and the carbon emissions generated during transportation.
Choosing a reliable fridge model can help you get the most out of your appliance as well as minimising the environmental impact of disposing of and replacing your old fridge.
Cross-reference our fridge reliability survey results with the Which? Best Buy fridges to ensure you choose the optimum refrigerator for both efficiency and reliability.
Ozone friendly?
Some refrigerators and fridge freezers carry labels claiming they are 'ozone friendly', but that's not always the whole story.
Many fridges use a cooling agent (or refrigerant) called R600a, which neither affects ozone nor is a significant greenhouse gas.
However, others use a refrigerant called R134a. This is better for the ozone layer than CFCs, which are now banned, but it's still a greenhouse gas and therefore still contributes to global warming.
We list refrigerants for all refrigerator models in our fridge reviews.
Ensure your refrigerator door is tightly shut
Refrigerator efficiency tips
- Buy a fridge thermometer Check the temperature from time to time – the thermostat dial should be set somewhere between 0oC and 5oC.
- Opening Don’t open the refrigerator more often than necessary, or leave the door open for long periods.
- Refrigerating food Put perishables, prepared foods and leftovers in the refrigerator as soon as possible – but don't put hot food in the fridge; allow it to cool down first.
- Maintain Clean the fridge and defrost the icebox or freezer regularly.
- Don't overfill your fridge This restricts air circulation and can make it harder to maintain a cool temperature.
- Location Check the ‘climate class’ of your refrigerator to see which temperature your appliance will work best at – keeping it in an unheated garage or shed, for example, might mean it will break sooner.
Reducing food waste
Refrigerator efficiency can also extend to how you keep the food inside your refrigerator:
- Reduce food waste Pay attention to food storage instructions and use-by dates.
- Avoid cross-contamination Don't store cooked and raw meat near each other, to avoid cross-contamination.
- Storage Store raw meat, poultry and fish at the bottom of the fridge, above the crisper drawers.
Recycle your old refrigerator
Under the waste electrical and electronic equipment (Weee) directive, shops must help customers recycle old fridges – along with a wide range of other electrical and white goods – either by paying towards fridge recycling facilities at a council site, or by offering a recycling service themselves.
When you're shopping, ask if the store will take away your old fridge when it delivers your new one.
Alternatively, contact your council to find your nearest appliance recycling site, or to arrange for your old refrigerator to be collected. Some councils offer free collection; others charge up to £30. Find out more about recycling in our essential recycling guide.
Or, if your refrigerator still works, use a recycling scheme such as Freecycle to offer it to someone else.
For more on energy efficiency, green issues and the environment, visit Which?'s greener living section.