Refrigerator

A homes refrigerator is often the second highest energy consuming product in a home, after heating and cooling. An Energy Star Refrigerator has improved insulation and compressors compared to standard models and uses 10% less energy. Average refrigerators from before the year 2000 used up to 4 times as much electricity as a new Energy Star model today.

Refrigerators are measured in both dimension and capacity. Dimensions refer to the space the fridge will require in a home, while capacity indicates how much space is inside the refrigerator for storage and general use.

Replacing an older fridge with an Energy Star refrigerator will decrease your energy bills, your environmental footprint and use less energy than a 60w light bulb, on average. New refrigerators are built to last at least 15 years and can save you over $100 per year over a standard refrigerator.

Prior to the commercialization of mechanical refrigerators in 1913, the icebox was the home refrigerator of choice, using blocks of ice cut from frozen lakes or made in commercial ice-makers.