You may have noticed that the energy rating system for appliances changed a few years ago. The once-familiar A+ ratings have disappeared. This may have left you wondering what rating you need to look for when choosing a new appliance.
What is a Good Energy Rating for a Fridge Freezer?
Under the new system introduced in 2021, very few appliances currently achieve the top energy rating bands, and those that do are often prohibitively expensive. Fridge freezers that would have been rated A+++ would now be rated a D, so if that fits within your budget, this is the rating to look out for.
What Are the New Energy Ratings for Fridge Freezers?
Energy efficiency ratings were first introduced around 20 years ago to help customers make an informed decision when buying a new electrical appliance. In the original system, A was the most efficient and F was the least efficient.
However, with improvements in technology and the drive for us all to reduce our impact on the environment, more and more appliances were meeting the requirements for the A rating, meaning it was no longer useful in helping consumers decide between products.
This is why the A+, A++ and A+++ ratings were introduced.
However, as more and more products filled the upper bands, there were fewer and fewer products in the lower bands, so it was decided that an overhaul was needed.
Under the new system, introduced in 2021, A is the most energy-efficient, while G is currently the least energy efficient.
It is worth noting though that the G category will be removed from the market in September 2023, as part of the drive by the government to encourage consumers to choose more energy-efficient products.
Is Energy Efficiency Rating F Good?
Don’t be fooled into ruling out those lower bands. Fridge freezers with an F or G rating are the least energy efficient on the market, but they are still 40% more energy efficient than those produced as little as a decade ago.
The new system has been designed to be future-proof, meaning that very few fridge freezers currently meet the requirements for the top few bands.
As a result, most fridge freezers currently on the market have an energy rating of E or F.
It is worth bearing in mind though, that fridge freezers graded an F, E or D in the new system would have been graded as an A+, A++ and A+++, respectively in the old system, which were the top three bands of the old system.
What Does the Energy Efficiency Rating Actually Mean?
The A-G ratings relate to the Energy Efficiency Index (EEI), which is calculated by assessing the appliance’s annual energy consumption and dividing this by the standard annual energy consumption of similar products.
Appliances with an A rating are calculated to be in the top 10% of similar products in terms of their energy efficiency. Those with a B rating are in the top 10-20%, those with a C rating are in the top 20-35% and those with a D rating are in the top 35-50%.
Meanwhile, appliances with an E rating are on par with 50-65% of appliances on the market, while those with an F rating fall into the 65-80% bracket. The G rating, which is due to be scrapped in September 2023, represents appliances with an EEI of 80-100%.
Is it Worth Paying the Extra Money for the Most Energy Efficient Fridge Freezers?
It is important to note that while a fridge freezer from the top-rated energy efficiency bands will no doubt be considerably more expensive, this will likely be made up for by savings in your energy bills, which is something on everyone’s mind at the moment.
To break this down into numbers, at current energy prices (January 2023), an A-rated fridge freezer will cost you around £37 a year to run, while an F-rated fridge freezer will have running costs of around £140 a year.
Over ten years, choosing an A-rated fridge freezer could save you around £1,000.
Also, take a look at precisely what you are getting for your money. A-rated appliances are in this top bracket for a reason, and you will find all the latest technological advances reflected in their design.
Many manufacturers are investing heavily in making their products more energy efficient, and this innovation costs money.
On the flip side, you also need to consider what your priorities are. As there are currently very few fridge freezers in the top energy efficiency bands, there isn’t a lot of choice, so if you want a freezer that’s a particular height, width or colour, you may have to compromise on energy efficiency to get what you want.
What Other Information Is Included on the New Energy Rating Label?
The new energy rating labels are designed to give the consumer as much information as possible so that they can make the most informed decision.
There is information regarding the annual energy consumption of the fridge freezer in kilowatt-hours/year, and also the total volume capacity of both the fridge and freezer section, given in litres.
If it’s important to you that your fridge freezer is quiet, there is also information on the noise emission of the product, including the volume in decibels and a rating from A to D, with A being the quietest and D being the loudest.
Para quienes deseen aún más información, la etiqueta de calificación energética incluye ahora un código QR que puede escanearse con un smartphone, y enlaces a la base de datos European Product Registry for Easy Labelling (EPREL), que contiene información detallada sobre el producto, incluidos sus datos de registro y la ficha de información del producto.
Related FAQs
Do you have more questions about fridge freezer ratings? Then look over these:
Yes, under the current rating system, a D is the perfect balance between energy efficiency and cost to purchase.
