Buying and Operating Tips: Refrigerators

• Buying tips
• Refrigerator distributors by brand name
• Categories of refrigerators
• EnerGuide label: Types of Refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers
• Operating tips to save energy and money

Buying Tips

Select the Right Size (Capacity) for Your Needs

A model that is too big wastes money and energy, and one that is too small could waste energy if it becomes overcrowded with food and drinks. It is better to have a larger, energy-efficient refrigerator than a smaller model. Review the type of food and containers you typically store in your refrigerator and the size of your kitchen and choose the best size for your needs.

Measure the space where the appliance will be located (height, width and depth) before shopping. Allow enough space for good airflow around the sides, top and back of your new refrigerator for maximum operating efficiency.

Look for These Features

• Look for the ENERGY STAR symbol
• the lowest EnerGuide energy consumption rating
• an "Energy Save" switch that controls heating coils in the cabinet (they prevent condensation in humid weather, but you should turn them off when the air is dry)
• separate temperature controls that regulate the inside temperature of the refrigerator and freezer compartments
• easy-rolling wheels, which make cleaning easier, especially for vacuuming the condenser coils regularly in order to maximize efficiency and compressor life

A Higher Standard: ENERGY STAR®

Choose an ENERGY STAR Qualified Model

Today's refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers use 50 percent less energy than those produced in 1990. Superior design, more efficient compressors and better insulation and door seals all help improve energy efficiency.

To be ENERGY STAR qualified, standard-size refrigerators must exceed Government of Canada minimum regulated energy efficiency levels by at least 15 percent. Compact refrigerators must achieve energy efficiency levels that are at least 20 percent higher than the minimum regulated standard in Canada.

ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators are available in every category, including all sizes of standard and compact models, refrigerators with manual and partial automatic defrost, and "all-refrigerators" (a term that refers to models that have no freezer compartment).

Refrigerators	1990 (average annual energy consumption in kWh/year)	2004 (average annual energy consumptionin kWh/year)
Type 3 (top-mounted freezer, 16.5 – 18.4 cu.ft)	1044	465
ENERGY STAR qualified	-	411

Compare current refrigerators models by visiting our searchable product listings, which show ENERGY STAR qualified models and standard models.

List of models: Refrigerators

Refrigerator Distributors by Brand Name

Brand Name	Distributor
Admiral	Whirlpool Corporation
Amana	Maytag Ltd.
Avanti	Danby Products Ltd.
Beaumark	The Bay / La Baie
Camco	Camco Inc. / GE Appliances
Clairtone	Super Electric Co. Ltd.
Coldspot	Sears Canada Inc.
Consul	Multibras S/A Electrodomésticos
Crosley	Crosley Appliances Ltd.
Daewoo	Daewoo Electronics Corporation
Danby	Danby Products Ltd.
Danby Designer (Danby Des.)	Danby Products Ltd.
Danby Millennium (Danby Mil.)	Danby Products Ltd.
Estate	Whirlpool Corporation
Eterna	Camco Inc. / GE Appliances
Frigidaire	Electrolux Home Products
GE Profile	Camco Inc. / GE Appliances
General Electric	(GE) Camco Inc. / GE Appliances
Gladiator	Lowe’s
Gibson	Electrolux Home Products
Goldstar	LG Electronics Inc.
Gorenje	Gorenje Inc. / Danby Products Ltd.
Heartland	Camco Inc. / Heartland Appliances Inc.
Hotpoint	Camco Inc. / GE Appliances
Inglis	Whirlpool Corporation
Jade	Maytag Ltd.
Jenn-Air	Maytag Ltd.
Kenmore	Sears Canada Inc.
Kirkland	Costco Wholesale Corporation
Kirkland Signature ( Kirkland Sig.)	Costco Wholesale Corporation
KitchenAid	Whirlpool Corporation
LG	LG Electronics Inc.
Liebherr	Euro-line Appliances
Magic	Chef Maytag Ltd.
Maytag	Maytag Ltd.
Moffat	Camco Inc.
Monogram	Camco Inc. / GE Appliances
Performa	Maytag Ltd.
Profile	Camco Inc. / GE Appliances
Roper	Whirlpool Corporation
Samsung	Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
Sanyo	Sanyo E & E Corp.
Simplicity	Danby Products Ltd.
Sub-Zero	Sub-Zero Freezer Company, Inc.
Thermador	BSH Home Appliances
U-Line	U-Line Corporation
Ultraline	Viking Range Corporation
Viking	Viking Range Corporation
Whirlpool	Whirlpool Corporation
White-Westinghouse (White-West.)	Electrolux Home Products
Wood’s W.C.	Wood Company Ltd.

Categories of Refrigerators

Refrigerators are available in various sizes and with a variety of different features, all of which affect energy consumption. That's why EnerGuide groups refrigerators according to type and size, enabling you to compare the energy consumption of similar models.

Refrigerators with Automatic Defrost

This category includes standard-size refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers that do not feature automatic defrost (Types 1 and 2 on the EnerGuide label).

Refrigerators without Automatic Defrost

This category includes standard-size refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers that do not feature automatic defrost (Types 1 and 2 on the EnerGuide label).

Compact Refrigerators

This category includes all compact refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers (Types 11 to 15 on the EnerGuide label). These appliances have total refrigerated volumes of less than 219.5 L (7.75 cu. ft.) and overall heights of less than 91.4 cm (36 in.).

EnerGuide Label Types: Refrigerator, Refrigerator-Freezer

Every EnerGuide label shows the type of product, its capacity and its energy consumption. Because of space restrictions, it does not list other features. Instead, the type of product is shown by a number. This chart lists the various types of refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers, with their corresponding features.

Refrigerators without Automatic Defrost

Type 1	Refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers with manual defrost
Type 2	Refrigerator-freezers with partial automatic defrost (partial automatic defrost is a system in which only the refrigerator portion of the appliance defrosts automatically; the freezer compartment must be defrosted manually)

Refrigerators with Automatic Defrost

Type 3	Refrigerator-freezers with automatic defrost, with top-mounted freezer, without through-the-door ice service and all-refrigerators* with automatic defrost
Type 4	Refrigerator-freezers with automatic defrost, with side-mounted freezer, without through-the-door ice service
Type 5	Refrigerator-freezers with automatic defrost, with bottom-mounted freezer, without through-the-door ice service
Type 6	Refrigerator-freezers with automatic defrost, with top-mounted freezer and through-the-door ice service
Type 7	Refrigerator-freezers with automatic defrost, with side-mounted freezer and through-the-door ice service

*The term "all-refrigerators" refers to models that have no freezer compartment.

Compact Refrigerators

Type 11	Compact refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers with manual defrost
Type 12	Compact refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers with partial automatic defrost
Type 13	Compact refrigerator-freezers with automatic defrost and with top-mounted freezer as well as compact all-refrigerator* models with automatic defrost
Type 14	Compact refrigerator-freezers with automatic defrost and with side-mounted freezer
Type 15	Compact refrigerator-freezers with automatic defrost and with bottom-mounted freezer

*The term "all-refrigerators" refers to models that have no freezer compartment.

Operating Tips to Save Energy and Money

Set- Up

• Read your owner's manual - it's full of hints to help you operate your refrigerator at optimum efficiency.
• Avoid locating your refrigerator near a heat source such as a radiator, heating vent, kitchen range or dishwasher. This will force your refrigerator to work harder than necessary
• Allow enough space for continuous airflow around your refrigerator - refrigerator motors and compressors generate heat. If this heat can't escape, the refrigerator's cooling system has to work harder and use more energy.
• Set your refrigerator temperature between 1.7 and 3.3°C (35-38°F) and the freezer compartment at -18°C (0°F) for maximum efficiency and food safety.
• Adjust the "energy saver" switch so that it provides maximum energy savings without causing condensation.
• Set the butter conditioners to "hard" to save energy. These units use small heaters to keep the butter soft.

Maintenance

• Vacuum behind or underneath your refrigerator so that air can circulate freely. When dust and pet hair build up on condenser coils, the motor works harder and uses more electricity. Keeping them clean enhances the appliance's peak efficiency and extends the life of the compressor. It also allows you to check the condition of your unit.
• Check to make sure the refrigerator doors seal properly. To do this, close the door on a piece of paper and then try to remove the paper. If it slides out or moves easily, adjust the door or replace the seal (try this test in a number of places).
• If the refrigerator is a manual-defrost model, defrost it when 7 millimetres (¼ in.) of frost builds up on the walls.

Everyday Operating Tips

• Don't overfill the door and shelves - restricting air circulation inside your refrigerator reduces its energy efficiency.
• Organize the contents to ensure good air circulation around the items and so you won't spend a lot of time looking for what you want.
• Turn your refrigerator's anti-sweat heater switch to "Saves Energy" once the humidity drops in the fall.
• Thaw frozen food inside the refrigerator. This will help cool the interior and eliminate the use of energy for thawing in an oven or microwave.
• Let food cool, at least partially, before putting it in the refrigerator. This way, the refrigerator won't have to work as hard to keep the food cold.

Recycle Your Old Refrigerator

It may be tempting to move an old refrigerator to the basement or garage instead of recycling it, but this can cost you a lot of money. Use the Energy Cost Calculator for New Appliances to see how much. Your old appliance could use as much energy as four ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators (manufactured in 2005), so getting rid of it will make a big difference on your electricity bill. When discarding your older refrigerator, check with your municipality or local utility about pick-up and recycling programs.