Your Refrigerator

Choosing Your Fridge

Technology has come a long way since we had to schlep snow and ice from the wintry slopes to keep our ocean catch from stinking up our log cabins, which is good news for our tired gams, but less than stellar news for the planet. The refrigerator is the biggest energy hog in any household, guzzling up about 14 percent of a household's electricity, or 1,383 kilowatt hours per year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Although fridge makers have made tremendous leaps and bounds in energy efficiency over the past two decades, you can still do better by the planet by choosing an Energy Star model that uses at least 15 percent less energy than required by federal standards. In fact, if your fridge is more than 15 years old, it's time to say sayonara, according to Maria Vargas, spokeswoman for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program. "With an Energy Star-qualified appliance, you can have the energy savings without sacrificing your personal comfort," she says. "So you can have your cake and eat it, too."

Because a brand new Energy Star-qualified refrigerator siphons roughly 40 percent less energy than one built before 2001, it's often worthwhile to replace a prehistoric clunker with a svelte new model, especially if you have to icepick your way through the Arctic Circle to see the back of your current freezer. Swapping a 1993 refrigerator with a brand new Energy Star model could save you up to $88.94 per year, according to Energy Star's savings calculator.

With the variety of refrigerator types available for purchase, from diminutive dorm-room coolers to SUV-size behemoths, picking the right one isn't just a matter of finding one that will sit flush between your kitchen cabinets and look fetching doing so. Generally speaking, the larger the fridge or freezer, the more energy it consumes, so consider your needs before you reach for your wallet. Unless you're feeding a family of 10.5 or throwing elaborate dinner parties every other night, a supersized 72-incher (as in wide, not tall) is an unnecessary squanderer of electricity, Energy Star-rated or no. "As long as you get a fridge that fits your home and lifestyle, and has the Energy Star rating, you can feel confident you've made the right decision," Vargas says.

Aesthetics and convenience can also play powerful factors. Side-by-side refrigerator/freezer combos may be all the rage in the showrooms these days, but they also use 10% to 25% more energy than their top- or bottom-mounted brethren, according to Energy Star. (The most energy-sipping freezer models are typically chest freezers, not unlike the type you grab popsicles from at your neighborhood mini-mart.)  And if "frugal" is your middle name, consider nixing the automatic ice-makers and through-the-door dispensers; not only do they bump up energy use by 14% to 20%, but they also raise the purchase price of your Frigidaire by an extra $75 to $250

Want to make some lucre off your purchase? Some states offer rebates as much as $150 just for choosing an Energy Star-rated appliance. To find out what local rebates and tax credits are available to you, punch in your zip code online at Energy Star's Special Offer/Rebate Finder.