Last summer we had to do an emergency fridge replacement — our giant 25 year old SubZero gave up — and we struggled to find the right replacement. Availability was very low at that time due to the pandemic. But we ended up with an LG-LFCC22426S and love it; other than working perfectly, and using far less energy than our old one, it’s also amazingly quiet.

One of our customers sent us detailed comments regarding fridge efficiency and features that I thought worth sharing. Thanks Kenneth!

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Fridge Efficiency

Older online videos encourage cleaning the coils of the refrigerator on a regulars basis. However, my refrigerator’s coil is practically impossible to clean by a person without the technical skills to dismantle the refrigerator or the ability to  tip it on its side  as mentioned in the video: tipping of a 200 pound plus appliance without needed equipment or proper  knowledge is not something anyone should try. The possibility of injury is too great.  

The coil  in my refrigerator  is composed of tiny fins that prohibits the cleaning brush from fitting between them. I have looked for a new refrigerator where it is possible to clean the coil and  I have been unable to find any refrigerator where it is possible. A salesperson suggested that I give up looking because cleanable coils are no longer available to his knowledge. This is another example of a behavior that was once productive but may now no longer be practical due to changing circumstances.  If accessible coils exist, it would be nice to know which model refrigerators include ones that can be cleaned. Recommending a task that is no longer reasonably possible for those who purchased refrigerators in the last twenty years is frustrating and may not be productive.

I also question the accuracy of a “Mr. Electricity” widget that calculates the savings by purchasing a new refrigerator. This widget was last updated 11 years ago. The current Energy Star Guidelines went into effect September 15, 2014 (unless there is a newer one that I am unaware of). Presumably the new guidelines would result in additional savings.  The current Energy Star website or consumer reports offer more relevant information. 

Delayed Defrost Capability

I am interested in the delayed defrost capability mentioned in the guidelines found in the Energy Star link below. I have seen a few refrigerator specification  sheets  that claim their refrigerator has this feature. However, most refrigerator spec sheets found on store websites do not mention it. Does delayed defrost capability exist in all current models? If so, can they be controlled by the consumer? Is this feature currently supported by PG&E?  Presumably those who make use of this feature would realize additional savings. How much will they lower one’s bill?
ENERGY STAR Final Version 5.0 Residential Refrigerators and Freezers Specification

Here is an excerpt from the document —

“Delay Defrost Capability When interconnected with an energy management system or other consumer authorized device, service, or application via a communication link, products with automatic defrost shall have a delay defrost capability active by default, where the consumer can input or the product itself shall identify, the time of day, and the product shall automatically move the defrost function outside of a 4-hour deferral period. The default deferral period is seasonal and has been defined to align with both summer and winter peak energy demand periods, as follows: • 6am to 10am – November 1 through April 30 • 3pm to 7pm – May 1 through October 31 The product shall provide an option for the consumer and/or consumer authorized 3rd party to modify scheduling and functional status of this capability in order to, for example: respond to a short term request from the utility, align defrost avoidance periods with on-peak periods for their utility, or enable/disable the capability. In the event of a power outage, after power is restored the product shall not require any interaction from the consumer to maintain this defrost deferral feature with the same settings as prior to the power outage”

https://www.energystar.gov/sites/default/files/specs//ENERGY%20STAR%20Final%20Version%205.0%20Residential%20Refrigerators%20and%20Freezers%20Specification.pdf

Ironically, the feature may not result in equalizing net demand if defrost delay is limited to the hours specified. Often there is a glut of surplus electricity at 3:00 in the afternoon. So, defrosting may best occur at this time, not the other way around. Still, the intention of the feature is to shift electricity use to times when net-demand is low. It would be far better if utilities could send a signal to delay defrosting when net demand is high rather than at a fixed time of day.  People who agree to enable PG&E to control it, could be offered lower rates. 

Measuring Current Refrigerator Cost to Operate

I borrowed a Kilowatt EZ from the Public library. This measures the amount of electricity that my appliances use. It shows that I am using about $115 per year of electricity to power my refrigerator. After comparing the current usage to the estimated usage for a similar sized new refrigerator according to Energy Star, it appears to show that a new refrigerator would save little or no  electricity compared to my old refrigerator.  It is still possible that the conditions of testing are different and that a new refrigerator may offer some savings. However, at the time of purchase, my refrigerator was a very efficient model so the savings of buying a current model may not be as much as one would hope. Many other refrigerators for sale at the time of my purchase  used a lot more electricity than mine did. To have a blanket recommendation that a refrigerator be replaced simply because of its age may not be accurate. 

Therefore, I urge your readers to borrow or purchase a Kilowatt EZ or similar device to see if upgrading is worth the trouble and expense.

True Storage Space

I often found that food was crowded and difficult to locate in my refrigerator (I have a top-freezer model). It was so bad that I sometimes needed to get on my knees in order to see things on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. So, I investigated the possibility of purchasing a 25 cubic feet side by side refrigerator model as a replacement for my 20 cubic feet top-freezer model. While doing my research, I discovered that the refrigerator compartment in the side-by-side refrigerator had virtually the  same number of cubic feet as our current refrigerator (15.5 cubic feet in the side-by-side compared to 15 cubic feet in our top freezer model). Granted, the freezer compartment of the side by side was far larger than my current freezer. However, the ice maker and the  dispenser in the side-by-side took up a large portion of the freezer, effectively canceling out much of the increased freezer size of the side-by-side refrigerator. Therefore, even if the 25 foot side by side was “larger”,  the volume of usable storage space in both the refrigerator and freezer compartments were about the same compared to the much smaller top-freezer model that I currently own. I can see how an ice maker could be a great convenience for those that use a lot of ice. However, for us, we really saw little need for it. So we would be trading a much bulkier, expensive, less reliable (according to studies), and less efficient  refrigerator for one that offered little additional useable space and a feature of limited value to us.

Those who attempt to find a side-by-side refrigerator without an ice maker will be disappointed by the limited availability of side by side refrigerators that do not have an ice maker. The few that exist are usually marketed as lower end models as is evidenced by the lower quality exterior finishes, and less desirable shelving material. In addition, the cost is  very similar to side-by-side refrigerators with an ice makers included. It is certainly reasonable that the vast majority of side-by-side refrigerators have dispensers in the door. The unique placement of the freezer compartment is well-suited to offering this feature. Those that prefer to not have an ice make should consider another type of refrigerator.

I compared shelf space of my current refrigerator with the side by side refrigerator we were thinking about purchasing. I learned that my “smaller” (fewer cubic feet of space) top freezer model has about one fifth more shelf space in the refrigerator compartment than the 25 foot side by side refrigerator has. I could never have imagined that replacing my 20 cubic foot refrigerator with a newer “much larger” side- by-side-refrigerator would result in so much less shelf space in the refrigerator compartment. Granted the space between shelves of the side-by side was much larger than the space between shelves in my current refrigerated compartment. However, I do not need more space between shelves, I need more shelf space. In addition, the model of side by side that I looked at did not offer the option of adjusting the location of shelves so adding another shelf would not have been possible. Certainly, more space between shelves may be a desirable feature to some buyers and some may be willing to sacrifice shelf space to get it.  However, purchasers should be aware of what they are buying to ensure that it meets their needs. 
I have since reorganized my refrigerator and found this to be of great help locating food. I now no longer feel that a larger refrigerator is needed. If I did, I would not buy a side-by-side model.