When researching energy efficient appliances, we often turn to the recommendations of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The ACEEE continues to publish helpful information about all sorts of appliances, including freezers. The ninth edition of their Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, published in fall 2007, contains helpful information about selecting a freezer.

The most efficient type of freezer is the chest freezer. This is because a chest freezer opens from the top, and cold air (which is heavier than warm air) does not escape easily from a chest freezer. The weight of the lid also helps to seal chest freezers tightly. Chest freezers are 10% to 25% more efficient than upright freezers.

A useful thing to know about U.S. freezers is they’re almost all manufactured by three companies: Frigidaire (owned by Electrolux), W.C. Wood (based in Canada) and Haier (based in China). Frigidaire makes freezers under the Frigidaire and Gibson names, and makes some freezers for Kenmore and GE. W.C. Wood makes freezers for Amana, Magic Chef, some units for Maytag, Danby and Whirlpool. Haier makes freezers for GE, Kenmore, some units for Maytag and Amana in addition to selling some models under its own name.

Because of the different branding, many times customer are paying a premium for a differently branded freezer. For example, Frigidaire freezers sometimes cost more than GE freezers and Maytag freezers may fetch a premium over a W.C. Wood freezer.

Recently, the US Department of Energy launched the Recycle My Old Fridge campaign that encourages Americans to recycle their old, inefficient refrigerators. The web site includes a calculator so users can determine how much energy their current refrigerator consumes, what they can save by replacing it with a new Energy Star model, and where they can take the old fridge to be recycled locally.

Here’s a look at the most efficient chest freezers currently available:

Whirlpool Chest Freezers

Whirlpool Chest Freezer: Energy Star Qualified

Whirlpools makes a very energy efficient chest freezer, model number EH151FXR (similar models are EH151FXQ or EH150FXQ). This 14.8-cubic-foot freezer is rated at 354 kWhrs per year. The average cost to run this freezer for year is $29, according to Energy Star.

Though it requires manual defrosting, it sport a number of other features including an interior light and a temperature alarm. Its key-eject lock means that the freezer can only be opened when the key is pushed in and turned — a safety feature helpful in homes with small children. Four baskets (two upper, two lower) make it easier to organize the contents — especially on the lower level.

It’s available from Amazon for $405.

Sundanzer DC-Powered Chest Freezers

Sundanzer DC Chest Freezer

The most efficient DC-powered chest freezer is the SunDanzer. This eight-cubic-foot capacity freezer has an exceptionally low energy consumption — it uses around 140 kWhr / year. It incorporates the highly efficient Danforst compressor. It also has a super-insulated cabinet that is wrapped in four inches of polyurethane. Because it runs on either 12 or 24 volts DC, the SunDanzer freezer is mostly used in off-grid homes or in remote locations, because a 75 watts solar panel and and two six-volt golf cart batteries can power the freezer.

It’s available from the Alternative Energy Store

Most Energy Efficient Bottom Freezer Refrigerators

For consumers looking for an energy efficient refrigerator these days, the choices (thankfully) are numerous.  It seems that just about every major appliance manufacturer has developed a model that is energy efficient enough to garner the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program seal of approval.

While the most popular refrigerator model in terms of sales is the side-by-side configuration, that is also the least efficient in terms of energy usage. Energy misers would be wise to choose a configuration that has the freezer on the bottom and the refrigerator on top, which happens to be the most energy-efficient fridge/freezer configuration available. While this variety – known simply as the bottom freezer model – often does not come with the ever-popular built-in ice maker, some models do include this amenity, and are large enough to accommodate the typical family.

Looking at the energy usage of bottom freezer models earning the Energy Star Tier 3 designation – the most efficient category – consumers have several options. These are some of the top energy efficient refrigerators, given the typical American’s choice of size and amenities:

LG Electronics Model LFD25870

Most Energy Efficient Refrigerators / Freezers:LG Model LFD25870 Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

This highly efficient unit boasts a comfortable 25 cubic feet of space and an ice maker. With annual energy usage rated at 476 kilowatt hours per year, this model comes in at 31 percent lower than the 687 kWh/year federal standard.

As an alternative, LG’s Model LFC25776 offers the same space, but lacks an ice maker. It has a four compartment crisper system, which gives easy access and numerous ways to organize fruits, vegetables and beverages. This energy efficient refrigerator also comes with two humidity-controlled crisper drawers, a full-width Glide-N-Serve drawer, and a bonus drawer for fruits and vegetables. Because it has no ice maker, this unit uses just 416 kWh/year, 30 percent below the federal standard of 596 kWh.

The LG Electronics Model LFC25776 Bottom Freezer Refrigerator is available via Amazon.com for $1,499.

Crosley Appliances Model CFD26WIS

Most Energy Efficient Refrigerators / Freezers: Crosley Appliances Model CFD26WIS Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

This model offers slightly more space than the LG unit above, with 26.5 cubic feet. Also with an ice maker, this energy efficient refrigerator uses an average 487 kWh/year, coming in at 30 percent below the federal standard of 696 kWh/year. Among other features, it has cubed/crushed ice and water in the door, digital temperature display, dual-level incandescent bright lighting, a full width pantry drawer, two sliding half-width and one-fourth-width Spillsafe Shelves, two crispers with humidity control and two adjustable clear 2-gallon bins.

For those who can live without an ice maker, Crosley Models CFD26SDS and FGUN2642L each offer the same amount of space but use just 422 kWh/year, 30 percent lower than the 603 kWh/year standard.

Crosely appliances are sold through independent retailers and distributors. Click here to find one in your local area.

Electrolux Model EI27BS26J

Most Energy Efficient Refrigerators / Freezers: Electrolux Model EI27BS26J Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

This energy efficient refrigerator offers 26.5 cubic feet of space and includes an ice maker. It’s energy usage is 487 kWh/year, 30 percent lower than the 696 kWh/year standard. It includes such features as patented Luxury-Glide Drawers, which smoothly glide out and keep produce fresh with adjustable humidity control and minimal temperature variation; LED lighting; Cool Zone drawers that keep contents chilled – perfect for wine and beer or even snacks and juice boxes; and a tri-level freezer organization system features three Luxury-Glide baskets with removable/adjustable dividers and two removable baskets

For more energy savings, skip the ice maker and go with Electrolux Model FGUN2642L , which uses just 422 kWh/year. That’s 30 percent lower than the federal standard.

The Electrolux Model EI27BS26J Bottom Freezer Refrigerator is available via Amazon.com for $1,999.

Frigidaire Model FGUB2642

Most Energy Efficient Refrigerators / Freezers: Frigidaire Model FGUB2642 Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

This unit offers 26.5 cubic feet of space while using 487 kWh/year, a 30 percent reduction from the 696 kWh/year standard. Features include Frigidaire’s patented SpaceWise Organization system, which makes it easy to keep food organized and easy to find when you need it; PureSource Ultra Water Filtration, which offers best-in-class water filtration so you get cleaner, better-tasting water at your fingertips; a large capacity full-width drawer; Effortless Glide crisper drawers that keep fruits and vegetables fresh; and Effortless Glide freezer drawers that glide out smoothly and fully extend, giving you easy access to what’s inside.

The Frigidaire FGUB2642L Bottom Freezer Refrigerator is available via Amazon.com for $1,749.

Note: Both Maytag and Whirlpool have garnered Tier 3 Energy Star designations for several models of bottom freezer units. However, these models are not yet available for sale. Maytag Models MFI2665XE and MFI2670XE will each provide 25.72 cubic feet of space, with an ice maker and annual energy usage of 481 kWh/year. Whirlpool Models GI6FARXX, GI6FDRXX and GI6SDRXX will each offer 25.72 cubic feet of space, with an ice maker and annual energy usage of 481 kWh/year, or 30 percent less than the federal standard.

The e-cube, invented by British engineers, significantly reduces the energy used by fridges and freezers, which are estimated to consume about a fifth of all domestic electricity in the UK. The one-size-fits-all, retrofit, wax device, barely three inches wide, fits around the temperature sensor, to more accurately reflect the temperature of the contents. It said to cut power usage by 30%.

More information: The Guardian

Via: Free Energy News

In terms of quality, cost and energy efficiency, Kenmore refrigerators get high ratings from Good Housekeeping and Consumer Reports. They make many “no-frills” refrigerators which are Energy Star compliant. Kenmore fridges have factory-installed ice makers, which are less prone to break down than those built into the door. For example, a reasonably priced, mid-sized Kenmore fridge is available from Sears for about $430. In my experience as an owner, however, I’ve found that Kenmore shelves and drawers tend to break very easily.

Top-freezer and bottom-freezer refrigerators are more energy efficient than “side-by-side” models, and they are less expensive. See this report from the Green Guide, for a list of the best Energy Star compliant refrigerators.

If you are looking for highly efficient refrigerator, look for models from Avanti and Sunfrost. These fridges are best if you are looking for great energy savings, or if you are off-grid and using solar power.

An off-grid experimenter in Australia, Tom Chalko, has retrofitted a chest freezer to create a fridge that uses only 100 watt-hours (0.1 kWh) per day! Why a chest freezer? Tom points out that vertical door refrigerators are inherently inefficient. As soon as you open a vertical fridge door the cold air escapes, simply because it is heavier than the warmer air in the room. When you open a chest freezer, the cool air stays inside, just because it’s heavy. Any leak or wear in a vertical door seal causes significant loss of efficiency.

Tom took a standard chest freezer (a Vestfrost SE255), added a $40 external thermostat, then wired the freezer to turn off when the desired temperature was reached. The thermostat runs on 2 AAA batteries which last for months. The freezer runs for about 90 seconds per hour and then shuts down completely, making it not only very efficient but very quiet.

Full article from Build It Solar (PDF File)

Via: Treehugger

Sunfrost refrigerators are the most efficient ones out there.

Here are the specs on a typical model:

Energy Consumption : 585-845 Whr / day (42-58 Amp Hours)
DC, 20 kWh / month, 249 kWh / year
Annual Energy Cost: $21
Capacity: 16 cu. ft.
Dimensions: 62.5″ H, 34.5″ W, 27.75″ D
Weight: 300 lb. (44 cu ft. volume)
Available from: Alternative Energy Store

Power Consumption: 277 kWh per year
Annual Energy Cost: $23
Capacity: 11.2 cu ft
Dimensions: 23.5" W, 66.75" H, 25" D
Weight: 130 lb.
Power: 120 V AC
Best Price: $320 (ikitchenbath.com)
also a counter-high version available at Amazon for
$139.88

Power Consumption: 480 watt hours/day or 240 watt hours /day
with insulation (70°F day)
Capacity: 7 cu. ft.
Dimensions: 18.5" W, 41" H, 28" D
Shipping weight: 138 lb.
Power: 12 or 24V DC
Best Price: $1196 (E-Marine)