Do Refrigerator Thermostat “Setups” Save Energy?
In its February 1994 issue, Consumer Reports described tests performed on a collection of upscale refrigerators. One feature tested was energy use. The test procedure differed from the one the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) uses to rate refrigerators, however, because the freezer temperature setting was 5deg.F lower in the Consumer Reports tests. Since a refrigerator’s energy consumption is quite sensitive to temperature settings–both inside the refrigerator and in the kitchen, garage, or basement–the energy use measured by Consumer Reports was higher than that shown on the DOE labels. Thanks to Consumer Reports’ measurements, Home Energy can now answer a frequently asked question: How much does the setting affect energy use in typical refrigerators? The results are surprisingly consistent. Lowering the freezer temperature by 5deg.F increases energy use by an average of 18% (see Figure 1). The increase is slightly larger for top freezers (22%). That translates into an average annual
