Are Energy Star Refrigerators Really Worth the Difference in Price?

By John E. Moore
First off, know that almost all refrigerators coming out these days are Energy Star rated – at least from the major manufacturers that pay Energy Star enough money to get certified. I’m sure they pay a pretty penny for the sticker. The Energy Star sticker means the fridge runs at 20% less energy than the minimum required by the dept. of energy aka US Gov.

We’re leary about these standards for many reasons. The most problematic of the issues surrounding how energy efficient a refrigerator is happens to be the internal storage capacity measurement of the refrigerator. Measurements most of the time do not accurately reflect the internal storage space. This obviously skews the energy requirements needed to cool the fridge.

The second is what temperature the fridge is kept at during testing. Is it the lowest cooler setting or middle ground? We dont know, it’s not published but my guess is that most will need to keep the fridge at around a middle cooler setting.

What about opening and closing the door? How does that fit into the equation?

A little more information in answer to these questions would be very much appreciated….

When shopping, compare the estimated yearly operating cost of your new model with the cost range of similar models by looking at the yellow EnergyGuide label.  All new refrigerators sold in the U.S. are required to have this label.  Consumer Reports also offers a refrigerator guide with tips on purchasing a new refrigerator.

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John