Credit:
Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.
What to Look For
An eco-friendly refrigerator can help save the earth, and it can save money, too. Refrigerators are one of the biggest energy hogs in your home, accounting for an average of eight percent of your electricity bill. Eco-conscious users will want to get a model that uses the minimum amount of energy—a number we measure during testing. Earth-friendly tips For the truly energy conscious, it is worth disabling the ice maker if you are not planning to use it. Freezing a large quantity of water takes a great deal of energy, so turn off the ice maker if you are going on holiday—or just don't use it.
Refrigerators are also full of gases that can be bad for the environment: older models may contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), for example, which are known to deplete the ozone layer. Newer models use less harmful coolants, but they are still dangerous if released. So, an old refrigerator should always be sent to a dedicated recycling bank, where experts can extract the coolant properly. Your local energy company will either run its own recycling program, or else refer you to a company that can pick an old fridge up and salvage it properly.