Is It Time to Retire Your Frig?

Have you ever wondered how much you could save on your monthly home energy bill by replacing your old refrigerator or freestanding freezer with a new energy-efficient model? Or whether it’s finally time to retire that spare frig in the garage or basement - the one that’s even older than the one in the kitchen?

A new online tool found at
www.energystar.gov developed by the
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) can help you make that decision by calculating the potential savings from replacing older refrigerators and freezers with new, energy-efficient models.

According to Energy Star® officials, if your refrigerator was manufactured before 1993, you should consider replacing it. The Energy Star® program helps consumers save money on home energy bills by labeling the most energy-efficient products in more than 50 categories.

The table on the left calculates the cost of running an average size refrigerator for a year, using an energy price of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour. Because the style of the refrigerator affects the energy use, this table shows the two most common styles (Freezer on Top and Side-by-Side). Note also that refrigerator age is a major determinant of energy consumption. Advances in technology (compressors, heat exchangers, etc.) have dramatically cut energy use since about 1980.

ANNUAL OPERATING COST OF AVERAGE·SIZE REFRIGERATOR*

Freezer on top
Model Year
< 1980 $289
1980-1989 $185
1990-1992 $115
1993-2000 $ 79
2001-2006 $ 53
Side-by-Side
Model Year
< 1980 $374
1980-1989 $238
1990-1992 $148
1993-2000 $102
2001-2006 $ 70


The table represents averages.
*Estimates based on refrigerator sizes from 16.5 to 18.9 cubic feet, using cost of electricity at $0.10 per kilowatt-hour. Results derived from Energy Star’s “Refrigerator Retirement Energy Calculator,” which is available at
www.energystar.gov.