I promised to do some research and come back to share the most energy efficient upright freezers. I went to the Energy Star website, Consumer Reports, and did much searching on the internet but, ultimately, I was disappointed. I found that the energy savings between models labeled “Energy Star” and others doesn’t make much difference where freezers are concerned.

Now if you are a person who bleeds green when cut, this may upset you. “Kati,” you may say, “but the Energy Star website says that qualified models are 40% MORE efficient than 2001 models. That’s something.” And that’s true: it IS something. It’s just not enough, when I crunch the numbers, to make me want to replace my freezer.

Let’s take the upright, self-defrost model preferred by Consumer Reports, the 16.7 cubic foot model from Frigidaire. And let me just note here, that I could not find any self-defrost freezer that is Energy Star qualified. If you want Energy Star qualfied you have to a) buy manual defrost (no way), or b) buy a chest freezer (double no way–in all of my years of teaching and working with women, if ever there was a problem with bags breaking during defrosting, becoming unsealed, or meals getting lost, 99 times out of 100 it was a chest-freezer issue.)

What was I talking about again? Ah yes, the Frigidaire. This model uses 682 kwh per year at a cost of roughly $55.00. So let’s say I could find an Energy Star model, that means I would only save an additional $25.00 per year in electricity. ONLY $25.00. Frankly, if a single meal in the freezer saves me from going out to eat with the family for just one time I’ve already saved $25.00 right there. (Ok, maybe if we did take and bake pizza, it would take two meals from the freezer, but you get my point.)

So here’s what I’d do: BUY USED! More on that in my next blog…

P.S. If you are in the market for a new appliance, are on a budget, and want to get the most bang for your energy buck, consider buying an Energy Star washing machine. The new front-loaders are energy AND water efficient AND will make a noticeable impact on the bills. By making this change, you can save between $125-150.00 per year! Be sure to contact your local power company, water company, and state energy office to see if there are any tax credits or rebates that can reduce the purchase price. It really will make a difference over the years!