A neighbor gave Jane an old refrigerator when he remodeled. Like many Alaskans, Jane stuck the old fridge in her garage and loaded it with essentials like fish, game meat, and liquid refreshments.
Jane thought she got a bargain, but how much is that free fridge really costing her?
Old refrigerators cost more to operate
Estimated monthly cost at the following rates | ||||||
Refrigerator | kWh/month | (per kWh) | ||||
$0.14 | $0.15 | $0.16 | ||||
Top freezer*, 18.5 to 20.4 ft3: | ||||||
July 2001 or newer | 37 | 5.18 | 5.55 | 5.92 | ||
1993 to June 2001 | 58 | 8.12 | 8.70 | 9.28 | ||
1990 to 1993 | 82 | 11.48 | 12.30 | 13.12 | ||
Older than 1990 | 100 | 14.00 | 15.00 | 16.00 | ||
Side-by-Side, 21.5 to 22.4 ft3: | ||||||
July 2001 or newer (ENERGY STAR) | 51 | 7.14 | 7.65 | 8.16 | ||
1993 to June 2001 | 71 | 9.94 | 10.65 | 11.36 | ||
1990 to 1993 | 110 | 15.40 | 16.50 | 17.60 | ||
Older than 1990 | 135 | 18.90 | 20.25 | 21.60 | ||
Compact, 1.7 to 6.0 ft3, manual defrost: | ||||||
Conventional | 32 | 4.48 | 4.80 | 5.12 | ||
ENERGY STAR | 26 | 3.64 | 3.90 | 4.16 |
*bottom freezer models use about the same amount.
Note: Ice makers will increase operating costs by 15% to 20%. Through-the-door ice and water dispensers will add another 10% to 15% to operating costs. Each cubic foot larger adds about 25 kWh per year.
Now, what if Jane went out and bought herself a brand new fridge? That would be a lot more expensive, or would it? Let’s add it up.
You can calculate how expensive is your refrigerator here.
That’s the magic of ENERGY STAR appliances*. New appliances not only save energy, but they also work better, and they’re less likely to fail, spoiling your precious food.
When shopping for a new fridge, keep in mind that top and bottom models use up to 25% less energy than side-by-side models. Also, the smaller the fridge, the less energy it consumes. And here’s another energy-saving tip you probably didn’t know.
*According to the Energy Star web site.