What should I look for when buying a refrigerator?

Purchase an appropriately sized refrigerator. Generally, the larger the refrigerator, the greater the energy consumption. The most energy-efficient models are typically 16-20 cubic feet.
Consider purchasing a refrigerator with a top freezer. Models with the freezer on top tend to use the least energy (versus bottom freezers or side-by-sides).
Consider buying a refrigerator with fewer doors. Fewer doors reduce the air leakage. To maximize your savings, minimize the number of doors and pay attention to cool air you can feel when you shut the doors. Make sure the seals around the doors are airtight. If they are not, replace them.
Consider selecting a refrigerator with a lower Global Warming Potential refrigerant Refrigerants with lower global warming potential (GWP) for refrigerators include R-600a and R-441A. Selecting an ENERGY STAR certified model with a lower GWP refrigerant means your product will have a much lower impact on the climate if the refrigerant is released into the environment. The GWP compares the warming power of a substance to an equivalent amount of CO₂ (GWP = 1 for CO₂). Some refrigerants are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are powerful greenhouse gases with GWPs hundreds or thousands of times higher than CO₂. Select the filter below to find refrigerators that contain refrigerants with a lower impact on global warming.