Reply #30: Efficient Refrigerators ... [View All]

Several years ago I was thinking of replacing our side-by-side kitchen refrigerator, as it's an old model that I bought used and it uses A LOT of power. I came up with a list of 3 features that I wanted for its replacement. (didn't care about side-by-side):

1. Extra thick wall insulation, in the neighborhood of 3 inches or more.
2. No automatic defrost, only manual (this means no electric HEATER inside, reason for this should be obvious)
3. Condenser on top of unit (the condenser is typically located outside the unit, it emits the heat removed from the inside. Heat RISES, many American models now place this underneath, some have it on the back, and some models place it inside the back wall)
4. Reasonable price

The only unit I could find on the Internet at that time that met all of those features and wasn't overpriced was a Chinese model shipped from a Chinese factory. They required a bulk purchase. Boutique American retailers had some models similar to it that were easily priced at 3 times what a typical fridge should cost, and without the automatic defroster heater, they have LESS parts so they should COST LESS.

I'm still waiting for these types of refrigerators to hit the discount stores. They're much more energy efficient.

It seems most modern American households don't want a refrigerator without an automatic defroster (I mean inside-the-fridge HEATER), so the discount stores don't seem to have them.

I still have the power hog.