Energy-Efficient Fridge Freezers

Ben Slater

In this article

A fridge freezer is probably one of the few appliances in your home that uses electricity 24 hours a day, so it makes sense to buy one that's as efficient as possible. Use our energy calculator and recommendations below to buy a fridge freezer that won't rack up your energy bills.

Although fridge freezer energy labels give an indication of which ones are the cheapest to run, our in-depth testing has found that even models that have the same energy label can cost different amounts to run each year.

When we test fridge freezers, we work out exactly how much power every model uses, as well as the likely annual cost it will add to your bills.

But cheap chilling and frugal freezing are only worth having if the fridge freezer can cool quickly and maintain a stable temperature. Otherwise, you may find that you're while you're saving money on your energy bills, you're spending more at the supermarket, because a poor fridge freezer could reduce the lifespan of your food.

Check out our list of the best fridge freezers to help keep your food fresher for longer.

Top energy-saving fridge freezers

We reveal our pick of the best energy-saving fridge freezers we've tested in the table below. Not only are these models very economical, but they were also among the top performers in our tough chilling and freezing tests, so you can be confident that you're getting the best of both price and performance.

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Best fridge freezer

89%

£739.00

Reviewed Aug 2019

Quite simply, this is one of the best fridge freezers we’ve ever tested. Models that cost twice as much still can’t match this LG for performance. The freezer cools four times faster than some we’ve seen, and the fridge is rapid as well, helping to keep your food fresher for longer. It will maintain a stable temperature, no matter what the weather outside, and it’s energy efficient, too, so you may be in for a pleasant surprise when you see your electricity bill.

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Best cheap fridge freezer

78%

£429.00

Reviewed Aug 2016

The average price of the fridge freezers we’ve reviewed from this brand is around £840, so this Best Buy is a bargain. The fact that it’s also very energy efficient means you’ll save even more over its lifespan. You get lots for your money, too. In addition to performing well in all our tough performance tests, this fridge freezer has a reasonable amount of storage space and a water dispenser. The freezer is also frost-free, so you’ll never have to go through the arduous task of defrosting it by hand.

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Best built-in fridge freezer

70%

£989.99

Reviewed Jul 2015

Integrated fridge freezers tend to cost more than freestanding models, but that doesn’t meant they have to cost more to run. This built-in model is very economical and, while the purchase price might be high, you get a lot for your money when it comes to features. It’s frost-free, so you won’t ever need to defrost the freezer by hand, there’s a humidity-controllable crisper drawer in the fridge to help keep fruit and vegetables fresh, and there are door alarms to alert you if a door has been left open. Although the temperature can rise a little in certain conditions, this fridge freezer performed well in most of our tough tests, and only narrowly missed out on being a Best Buy.

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Best American fridge freezer

86%

£1199.00

Reviewed Aug 2018

If you’re set on an American fridge freezer, look no further than this stylish and spacious model. It chills and freezes rapidly, the recommended thermostat setting gets the best performance out of the fridge and freezer, and, unlike some models, the internal temperature remains stable when it’s hot or cold outside.

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Best spacious freestanding fridge freezer

72%

£1799.00

Reviewed Feb 2017

This fridge freezer is just over two metres tall, so it contains more usable storage space than most freestanding fridge freezers. And yet, thanks to it's A+++ energy label, it's also more efficient than most of them. On top of more storage space and lower running costs, this impressive fridge freezer also chills and freezes quickly to help keep your food fresher for longer.

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Fridge freezer efficiency tips

Don’t leave the door open for longer than necessary or the fridge freezer will be filled with warm air and have to work to cool down again.
Avoid putting warm food in your freezer – let it cool down first.
Keep your fridge freezer at least three quarters full – don’t overfill, though, or you’ll stop air from circulating around the compartments, and the appliance will use more energy to keep cold.

Best Buy fridge freezers

When we test fridge freezers, we measure how much energy they use to keep cool, as well as the amount they use up when chilling and freezing fresh items, and we calculate how much they're likely to add to your yearly electricity bills - so you can factor in that cost when you're buying one.

Of course, a great fridge freezer must be able to chill and freeze fast, and stay evenly cool around the clock, even when the temperature in your kitchen changes. To see which models make the grade as the best – and the worst – on the market, head to our fridge freezer reviews.