The EU Energy Label for Fridge Freezers Explained

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All white goods sold within the EU, with the exception of hobs, come with a European Union energy label that provides information about that appliance. The information on the label varies depending on the kind of appliance with the only constant being an overall grading for energy efficiency. This article looks at how an energy label for fridge freezers breaks down.
The star rating of the freezer - There are four star ratings available for domestic refrigeration units. Ratings of between one and three stars are for iceboxes, cold storage which maintains a temperature of less than -12 degrees Celsius but are not suitable for freezing fresh foods. A four star rating indicates a true "freezer" unit that can freeze food and store it safely for twelve months.
The noise level - Thanks to the motor which powers the compressor and the fans needed to circulate cool air, refrigerators will always make some sound. How much noise they make depends largely on the build quality of the unit. The loudness of the sound an appliance makes is measured in decibels and it is this figure which is displayed on the energy label.
The storage space for frozen or fresh food - This is a measure of the net volume of the internal cavities; how much space there is for storing food once you discount any room taken up by shelving. This number can vary significantly from the volume that was highlighted in a fridge freezer's brochure as some manufacturers give the gross volume which does not account for shelving and internal features that take up space.
Annual energy consumption - An estimate of the amount of energy the appliance will use every year as measured in kilowatt hours. You can easily use this number to calculate an estimated running cost by multiplying this figure by the price you pay per unit of electricity (one kilowatt hour and one unit are the same thing). You should always bear in mind that the actual energy usage can rise depending on several factors including the location, the number of times the door is opened, the amount of food stored and how you use programmes and features.
Overall grade - Each appliance is awarded an overall grade for energy efficiency that can vary from the super efficient A++ to G (which should be avoided). Some brands claim that their fridge freezers have an even higher grading such as A+++ however this is not officially recognised. The grading is related to both the volume of the appliance and the average energy use.

Ben is a copywriter for Appliances Online and he spends most of his time daubing paint onto fridge freezers.

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