How to Make Your Refrigerator More Efficient

Refrigerators are one of the few appliances that never turn off. Modern models are efficient, but settings, maintenance and placement still make a noticeable difference.

Step by step

1. Set the right temperatures

   Keep the refrigerator at or below 40 °F (37–38 °F is ideal) and the freezer at 0 °F. Colder settings waste energy.

2. Check the door seals

   Close the door on a dollar bill. If it slides out easily, the gasket may need cleaning or replacing.

3. Clean the coils

   Vacuum the condenser coils at the back or underneath once or twice a year so the fridge can release heat.

4. Leave space around it

   Allow a few inches of airflow around the sides and back, and keep it away from ovens and direct sunlight.

5. Let food cool first

   Cool hot leftovers briefly before refrigerating them, within food safety guidelines of two hours.

6. Keep it reasonably full

   A full fridge and freezer hold cold better, but don't block air vents inside.

7. Defrost manual freezers

   Ice buildup over a quarter inch makes the freezer work harder.

8. Rethink the second fridge

   Older garage fridges are often very inefficient, especially in hot garages. Unplug it if you don't really need it.

How much does your fridge cost to run?

Measure it with a plug-in energy meter over a few days to get the average watts, then calculate the yearly cost:

Is it time to replace it?

Refrigerators older than about 15 years often use much more electricity than a new ENERGY STAR model. If yours uses well over 600–800 kWh a year, replacement can pay off over the new fridge's lifetime — and many utilities offer recycling rebates for old units.