[Greenbuilding] Small EnergyStar Refrigerator

[Kathy Cochran]

The newest model refrigerator, the French Door model (Amana, Maytag, and a
few others) seems to address this issue of cold air falling out, where you
only open one side of the refrigerator,(if you know on which side you have
the bottle of milk....) and the freezer is on the bottom, with no place for
the cold air to fall.  The Energy Efficiency tags seem to reflect this, as
the annual KWHs are far less than a same-size Side-by-Side.  This new
design is, alas, more expensive than a side by side.  And if it lasts, say
10 years, the difference of $45 per year vs $55 per year to run them hardly
justifies the difference in purchase price.  The design, itself though has
many other benefits, such as the width to accommodate large platters and
trays.

By the way, I have seen a Sunfrost, and while it may be the best thing to
run on an off-grid situation, I was very disappointed to see no amenities
inside, like a nice arrangement of shelves to accommodate different size
items, bottles, etc. like the refers you see at Home Depot or Lowes.  

Kathy Cochran in Northern California


> [Original Message]
> From: Keith Winston <keith at earthsunenergy.com>
> To: Greenbuilder list <greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org>
> Date: 2/11/2007 8:23:14 AM
> Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Small EnergyStar Refrigerator
>
> Exactly -- all other things being equal, chest refrigerators and 
> freezers are a considerably more efficient form factor than over/under, 
> or (shudder) side-by-side (by far the worst) - the cold air doesn't just 
> spill out every time you open the door (this is BTW why filling your 
> semi-empty fridge with "stuff" -- bottles of water, or even empty 
> bottles -- can improve the operational efficiency). The question of 
> digging around is an interesting one, since I've never lived with one I 
> don't know but I'd expect one could get used to how to lay out the 
> interior for easy/efficient access. They typically come with baskets, etc.
>
> Keith
>
>
> RONALD CASCIO wrote:
> >  In a message dated 2/10/2007 12:14:55 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> >  LarenCorie at axilar.net writes:
> >
> >  ... canot imagine a chest refrigerator would be energy efficient,
think of 
> > all the time you'd have the top open digging for stuff
> >
> >  Linda
> >
> >
> > Cold air falls, so where is the cold air in the chest freezer going
when the 
> > lid is open?
> >
> > Ron
> >
> >
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> >
> >   
>
> -- 
> Keith Winston
> Earth Sun Energy Systems
> Hyattsville, MD 20781
> 301-980-6325
> send me mail at 
> keith at the company below
> www.EarthSunEnergy.com
>
>
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