There’s never been a more crucial time to own an energy-efficient fridge-freezer as our energy prices in the UK soar to all-time highs.
Chances are, these home appliances that are left running 24/7 could be taking a huge bite out of our yearly bills if it’s an old, less efficient, outdated system.
Why energy efficient fridge-freezers are important
Fridge-freezers are one of the only appliances we tend to trust in leaving turned on all the time. If our appliance isn’t energy-efficient then we’ll be consuming more electricity than needed to chill our food and drinks.
While switching to a cheaper-to-run model might not seem like a huge impact at first, over the length of a 14 year average lifespan these savings can be significant.
So much so, that according to EnergySavingTrust, simply switching to a more economical appliance will save you just over £600 throughout the lifetime of your product.
That’s enough saved to offset the initial price of purchase!
Energy ratings explained
Energy ratings are displayed on various home appliances such as oil-filled-radiators and other electric heaters. These labels give you an indication of how efficiently they’ll operate.
If you have an older model dating back before 2021 there’s a chance you might still see A+, A++, A+++ ratings on your refrigerator. A new rating system was introduced in 2021 from A to G to make things more simplified.
The ratings range from A to G, where the energy rating of A will be the most energy-efficient compared to a rating of G.
Typical energy consumed from a fridge-freezer that’s G-rated will cost around £115 a year.
By changing to an A++ rated appliance, this amount will drop to around £68.
Most Energy Efficient Fridge-Freezers Rated A
A-rated fridge-freezers are the most efficient you can run and by owning one you can be saving upwards of £600 in energy compared to less efficient models.
Hisense A++
Cost to run £53/Year
- Rating: A++ (E)
- Energy: 243 kWh
- Fridge Cap: 207L
- Freezer Cap: 97L
- Auto defrost
- Colour: White, Black
Samsung A++
Cost to run £56/Year
- Rating: A++ (E)
- Energy: 254 kWh
- Fridge Cap: 238L
- Freezer Cap: 112L
- Auto defrost
- Colour: Black
Beko A+
Cost to run £65/Year
- Rating: A+ (F)
- Energy: 298 kWh
- Fridge Cap: 270L
- Freezer Cap: 263L
- Auto defrost
- Colour: Silver
Most energy efficient chest-freezers
A chest freezer uses less energy than an upright one as you can transform it from a freezer to a fridge whenever you like from adjusting the built-in thermostat.
SIA A+ Rated Chest Freezer
Cost to run £35/Year
- Rating: A+ (F)
- Energy: 159 kWh
- Freezer Cap: 80L
- Thermostat
- 7 Temperature Settings
- Colour: Black
Russell Hobbs Chest Freezer A+
Cost to run £55/Year
- Rating: A+ (F)
- Energy: 250 kWh
- Freezer Cap: 198L
- Colour: Black, White
- Model: RH198CF3003B
Haier A+ Freestanding Chest Freezer
Cost to run £84/Year
- Rating: A+ (F)
- Energy: 385 kWh
- Freezer Cap: 519L
- Temperaure Display
- Colour: White
- Model: HCE519F
How much does a fridge-freezer cost to run?
Running costs will vary depending on the appliance size (Litre Capacity) and energy ratings as explained above.
However, let’s take a few different models and compare their total kilowatt usage in the table below:
Model | Rating | Energy (24hr) | Energy (Year) | Cost to Run (Year) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hisense | A++ | 0.22 kWh | 243 kWh | £53 |
Beko | A+ | 0.22 kWh | 298 kWh | £65 |
Final strategies for reducing running costs
Keeping up with regular cleaning and maintenance will help to extend the lifetime of your appliance.
Here are a few energy-saving tips and practices you can take:
- Make sure to position the fridge-freezer away from any heat sources such as ovens or radiators, this will help to maximize the efficiency of your appliance.
- Try not to leave it empty for long periods of time, an empty fridge has more internal space to cool using more energy.
- To keep your freezer section running efficiently make sure to defrost it regularly.
Final Thoughts
If you’re buying a new appliance or if you’re just looking to switch to a more energy efficient a-rated model, be sure to check the energy chart printed on your device and that it shows between A to A+++.
Running an economical fridge-freezer along with other household devices that are also more efficient can save you much more money each year.