The Most Energy Efficient Refrigerator 2023: Top 7

Introduction – Refrigerators Rank 7th In Biggest Home Electricity Use

It’s not surprising that refrigerators and freezers, combined, are the 7th most electricity hungry appliances in a home. This takes into account that a subset of homes have more than one refrigerator and separate freezers which are put into kitchens, basements, garages. Energy-efficient refrigerators are becoming increasingly popular because they not only reduce carbon emissions, but also save a lot of money in the long run. Their low power consumption has made them a necessity rather than a luxury nowadays. Here we take a look at the most energy efficient refrigerator.

Refrigerator efficiency factors in not only the amount of energy used but also the amount of volume cooled

But just because a refrigerator has an EnergyStar label doesn’t mean it is energy efficient. You must research and compare different models to determine which is the most energy-efficient for your needs. Some factors you should look at when comparing refrigerators include their size, how often they are opened, how well-insulated they are, and whether or not they have features like automatic defrosting or a cooling feature that allows you to adjust the temperature inside.

When shopping for an energy-efficient refrigerator, consider where you will place it in your home. If possible, choose a model with adjustable shelving so that you can customize the interior space to suit your needs.

We Analyzed 3,308 Refrigerators To Come To Top 7 Most Energy Efficient Refrigerator

For the below we analyzed the Federal government’s Energy Star certified home refrigerators to get the top most energy efficient refrigerator. For clarity of analysis, we excluded appliances that were “coolers” or “freezer-only” and included only mixed refrigerator and freezer units that included refrigerators with top freezers, bottom freezers, side-by-side units or compact refrigerators.

LG tops our list for being a regular sized refrigerator with freezer that has the best electricity use to cool per cubic foot of space

Caveat: Amount Of Energy Used Is The Wrong Way To Measure Efficiency

A simple way to look for an efficient refrigerator is to look for the amount of energy used, which is recorded as kilowatt hours per year. This is the electricity consumption to keep the refrigerator running for one year. This is the wrong way to do it.

Imagine you had a tiny fridge that has only one cubic foot of space and it costs 100 kWh per year to run. Would you consider that efficient compared to a fridge that’s 20 times larger and costs 4 times more energy? Maybe.

The point is that if you want a tiny energy usage, then its possible to achieve it by making a fridge that’s all but impossibly small to use for home. The numbers above are from two real fridges in our database!

Instead We Defined Efficiency As kWh Used To Cool Per Cubic Foot

Therefore we analyzed the efficiency of the refrigerator by calculating the energy used to cool each cubit foot of volume. To account for the volume correctly, we used the reported “adjusted capacity”, which is slightly larger than the true capacity because each refrigerator was a combination of a regular fridge and a freezer section.

Since freezers require more energy to cool to lower temperatures, they are given a multiplicative factor to account for the increased requirements. The less energy needed to cool down the volume the better. The results of the analysis yielded refrigerators that were big enough for home use.

We also included only one model from each brand to highlight the breadth of options. Many times very similar models of the same brand had exactly the same efficiency. Here are the top ten. They include very well known brands such as LG, GE, Whirlpool, and also less well-known manufacturers Midea, Insignia, Appliance Basics, Sankey.

The ones that didn’t make our top 7 but are here in the top list were Avanti, Smad, and Arctic Wind.

Analysis Results: Top Most Energy Efficient Refrigerator in 2022

Here are the top 10 results of our analysis. We picked the first seven and introduce them as the top 7 most energy efficient refrigerators. Note that the “type” refers to the configuration of freezer and refrigerator. All of these are “top freezer” types with the freezer arranged to be on top and the higher temperature refrigerator on the bottom.

Brand NameModel NumberTypeCapacity (Total Volume) (ft3)Annual Energy Use (kWh/yr)Energy in kWh used per Cu ft
LGLRTLS2403*Top Freezer23.841714.6
GEGTE22JTN****Top Freezer21.940515
WhirlpoolWRT541SZH*0*Top Freezer21.339915.3
MideaHD-774**Top Freezer2139415.4
InsigniaNS-RTM21SS7 VER CTop Freezer2139515.4
SANKEYRF 2363 SSTop Freezer2139615.5
AvantiFF21D0WTop Freezer2139615.5
SmadDDT-774WMUTop Freezer2139615.5
Arctic WindATMB212ETop Freezer2139615.5
CriterionCTMR21M1*Top Freezer2139615.5
Most Energy Efficient Refrigerators

7 Most Energy Efficient Refrigerator 2022

Here is more about the top 7 most energy-efficient refrigerators to consider for your home:

1. LG LRTLS2403*

Coming in at number 1 is the LG LRTLS2403*. This LG refrigerator is a top freezer type that is certified to be Energy Star Most Efficient for 2022. It is 10% more energy efficient than the US Federal Standard and has a capacity of 23.8 ft3.

It is R-600a refrigerant type and has only been available on the market as of May 25, 2021. LG is a well known appliance maker. It has a connected functionality that allows it to be controlled by a smart device, and it is also certified to be Most Efficient for 2022.

Historically LG refrigerators have been on the market since the early 1970s. The first models were simple, top-mount units with basic features. Over the years, LG has added new features and designs to its refrigerator line, including side-by-side and bottom-mount units, as well as French door models. Today, LG offers a wide range of refrigerators to suit any need, from basic top-mount units to state-of-the-art French door models with all the bells and whistles.

2. GE GTE22JTN****

Coming in at number 2 is the GE’s GTE22JTN****, which is a line of refrigerators are some of the most efficient on the market, with an Energy Star rating of 2.0. These fridges use an advanced cooling system and an automatic defrost cycle to keep your food fresh and your energy bills low.

It’s so close to the LG that we would say they’re identical in terms of total capacity and the amount of energy used per year. GE refrigerators have been around for over 100 years. The first GE refrigerator was introduced in 1911. It was a wooden box that held ice and had a door that opened to the outside.

The first GE refrigerators were not very popular and were only sold in a few stores. In 1915, GE released a new model of refrigerator that was made of metal and had a glass door. This model was more popular and was sold in more stores. In the early 1920s, GE released a new model of refrigerator that had a metal cabinet and a glass door.

This model was more popular and was sold in more stores. In the late 1920s, GE released a new model of refrigerator that had a metal cabinet and a glass door. This model was more popular and was sold in more stores. In the early 1930s, GE released a new model of refrigerator that had a metal cabinet and a glass door.

This model was more popular and was sold in more stores. In the mid 1930s, GE released a new model of refrigerator that had a metal cabinet and a glass door. This model was more popular and was sold in more stores. In the late 1930s, GE released a new model of refrigerator that had a metal cabinet and a glass door

3. Whirlpool WRT541SZD*0*

The Whirlpool refrigerator is a top freezer type that is ENERGY STAR certified. It uses 10% less energy than the US Federal Standard. The refrigerator has a total volume of 21.3 cubic feet and is 64.8 inches tall and 32.5 inches wide. It has been available on the market as far back as September 3, 2014.

Whirlpool is one of the most popular appliance brands in the world and their refrigerators are no exception. The history of Whirlpool refrigerators dates back to the early 20th century when the company was founded in 1911. Since then, Whirlpool has been constantly innovating and improving their refrigerators to keep up with the changing needs of consumers.

One of the most notable innovations from Whirlpool is the introduction of the frost-free refrigerator in the 1950s. This type of refrigerator eliminates the need for manual defrosting, which was a tedious and time-consuming task.

Frost-free refrigerators quickly became the standard in the industry and are still widely used today. In the 1980s, Whirlpool introduced the side-by-side refrigerator, which became an instant hit with consumers. This type of refrigerator offers more space than traditional top-freezer models and is much more convenient to use.

Side-by-side refrigerators are still very popular today and are offered in a variety of sizes and designs. Over the years, Whirlpool has continued to innovate and introduce new features to their refrigerators. Today, Whirlpool offers a wide range of refrigerators that are designed to meet the needs of any

4. Midea HD-774**

The Midea refrigerator is a top freezer model that has automatic defrost with top-mounted freezer without an automatic ice maker. The defrost is automatic. The dimensions are 67.0″ x 33.0″, with a capacity of 21.0 ft3. The adjusted volume is 25.6 ft3.

The estimated annual energy use is 394 kWh/yr. It is certified to meet ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 criteria. The Midea refrigerator was first introduced in China in the early 1980s. It was designed as a low-cost alternative to the more expensive refrigerators that were available at the time.

The Midea refrigerator quickly became popular in China and other parts of Asia. In the early 1990s, the company began exporting its refrigerators to Europe and the United States. Today, Midea refrigerators are sold in more than 100 countries around the world.

5. Insignia NS-RTM21SS7 VER C

The Insignia refrigerator is a top freezer style, and has an automatic defrost. It is 67 inches tall, 33 inches wide, and has a total volume of 21 cubic feet. It uses an annual average of 395 kilowatt hours of energy which is under the US federal standard of 440 kWh for a refrigerator of this size.

Insignia is a brand of home appliances owned by Best Buy. The company produces a wide range of appliances, including refrigerators. Insignia refrigerators were first introduced in 2003. Since then, the company has released a number of different models, each with its own unique features and design. Insignia refrigerators are known for their quality, durability, and stylish designs. They are available in a variety of colors and styles to match any home décor.

6. Sankey RF 2363 SS

The Sankey refrigerator is a top freezer model that is 67 inches tall and 33 inches wide. It has a total volume of 21 cubic feet and an adjusted volume of 25.6 cubic feet. The refrigerator uses 396 kWh/yr of energy and is 10% more energy efficient than the US Federal Standard.

The refrigerator is certified by ENERGY STAR and meets the criteria for the Most Efficient 2022 designation. The Sankey Refrigerator Company was founded in 1918 by William Sankey in Toledo, Ohio. The company produced a line of ice boxes and refrigerators for the home market. The company was acquired by the Frigidaire Corporation in 1929 but is maintained as a brand.

7. Avanti FF21D0W

The Avanti refrigerator has a capacity of 21.0 cubic feet, and is 67.0 inches high and 33.0 inches wide. It is an ENERGY STAR certified appliance, and meets the criteria for Most Efficient 2022. Avanti refrigerators have been in production since the early 1990s. The company was founded in 1992 and has been manufacturing high quality refrigerators ever since. Avanti refrigerators are known for their sleek design, innovative features, and high quality construction. The Avanti company is located in the United States.

Efficiency Of 215 Refrigerator Brands

Most energy efficient refrigerator: 215 top brand models

In our analysis of 3,308 refrigerators, we came across 215 brands. The efficiency in kWh per Cubic Foot varied wildly, over a factor of 8 from lowest to highest. The distribution of efficiencies is given above. You can see the LG and GE models on the far left, using about 15 kWh per cubic foot. Whereas on the far right are brands and models that use up over 120 kWh per cubic foot.

Note that the top 100 or so are all very similar, with good efficiencies of under 30 kWh used to cool per cubic foot and then there’s a rise of more inefficient refrigerators after that. One of us owns a Bosch refrigerator at home and wondered where it lies – it’s at 26 kWh per cubic foot which puts it in the top 100. That makes it efficient, but not as efficient as the best LG and GE models! In fact, the LG and GE are 30% more efficient than the Bosch.

Efficiency Of The Top 25 Refrigerator Brands Are Very Similar

To give you a better sense of the top refrigerators, we plotted out the efficiencies of the top 25 which includes the top 7 we reviewed. One thing you’ll notice is that the efficiency isn’t much different from 1 to 25! They are all similar. In terms of savings, you’ll save just a few percent comparing the first to the twentieth. This was hard to see in the table, that the differences are actually quite small.

Top 25 most energy efficient refrigerators – very small differences are observed relative to the bigger differences in the full 215 brands. This means the top 25 are all pretty similar. We estimate the cost of electricity will differ 5%-10% from the 1st to the 25th.

Refrigerators That Use The Least Energy – For Fun Only

We list here also the top refrigerators that use the least energy. If you take a look at them, they’re really not suitable for family use because they are really small and they’re incredibly inefficient. In fact all of them are compact refrigerators. Their efficiency in terms of the electricity in kWh used to cool every cubic foot is pretty high, as much as 4 times higher. The Goldstar compact is the closest in terms of efficiency and has the largest capacity of these compacts that looks similar to the efficient refrigerators we analyzed above.

Brand NameModel NumberTypeCapacity (Total Volume) (ft3)Annual Energy Use (kWh/yr)kWh per Cu ft
DOMETICC40S2Compact Refrigerator1.110696.3636364
GoldstarGKIM08121*Compact Refrigerator7.616922.2368421
Montgomery WardFR336-W-B-SSBLACKCompact Refrigerator3.219360.3125
COCA COLACRF32CKCompact Refrigerator3.219761.5625
FRIGIAIREEFR331Compact Refrigerator3.219761.5625
Char-BroilA107-7000-9000Compact Refrigerator2.719873.3333333
LynxLN24DW*Compact Refrigerator519939.8
MarvelMPDR424-SS71ACompact Refrigerator519939.8
EcoMaxEF-32199-B-2Compact Refrigerator3.219962.1875
MicroChillMCH4G16Compact Refrigerator3.219962.1875

The Thing To Consider Before Buying An Energy-Efficient Refrigerator

When looking for an energy-efficient refrigerator, it is important to consider various factors. First and foremost, you should look at the size and capacity of the unit, as well as the available storage options. In addition, you should pay attention to the cooling and freezing capabilities of the fridge, as well as any additional features or technology that may help to reduce your energy costs over time.

You should also consider whether the refrigerator is portable or built-in, as well as its overall design and aesthetics. Finally, it is important to read reviews from other users to understand how reliable and durable each model is over time. Ultimately, finding an energy-efficient refrigerator that meets all your needs will ensure you can save on your energy costs and enjoy fresh, cool food for years to come.

Conclusions On The Most Energy Efficient Refrigerator

In conclusion, energy-efficient refrigerators are a great choice for anyone looking to save on their monthly energy costs while still enjoying the reliable cooling performance. Whether you’re looking for a small, portable unit or a spacious built-in model, there is an energy-efficient fridge that will meet your needs and budget. Choosing the right refrigerator requires careful consideration of your needs and the various features available in different models. With so many choices available today, it can be difficult to know where to start. By researching and considering all the factors involved, you can find the perfect energy-efficient refrigerator for your home or office.

Anne Lauer
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Anna Lauer is a writer, gardener, and homesteader living in rural Wisconsin. She has written for Mother Earth News, Grit, and Hobby Farms magazines. Anna is writing a new book about growing your food for free and an ultimate guide to producing food at little to no cost. When shes not writing or gardening, Anna enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters.

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