What style and size of refrigerator/freezer is most efficient and functional?
A. New refrigerator/freezers are much more energy efficient than a 17-year-old model. Energy Star qualified models are 20 percent more efficient than the most recent federal energy efficiency standards. This means a new super-efficient model may use less than half as much electricity as your old one. The energy savings from a more efficient compressor and insulation should pay back the cost of a model over its lifetime. My refrigerator is about 16 years old. We had a recent power outage because of Hurricane Ike, and my food warmed within eight hours and had to be trashed. My neighbor has a new model, and the insulation kept food in his refrigerator safely below 40 degrees for the same time period. When selecting a refrigerator, the size is the most important factor affecting its electricity use. Select as small a model as will meet your requirements. You can base the size requirements on your existing refrigerator and how full it typically is, not on the few holiday occasions when you
