Are fridge freezers more energy saving than separate appliances?

pynky

I was going to buy a fridge freezer but wondered 
Are fridge freezers more energy saving than separate appliances? what will cost more to run per month/year. 

QrizB

As a general rule, yes a fridge freezer will be more efficient than two separate appliances.

But there a lot of variation between appliances and they all have comparative energy consumption ratings. You should compare your planned purchases and see how big the difference really is.

I chose separate appliances as, in my case, the difference wasn't that great and it gives me more flexibility in positioning them in my kitchen.

Swipe

I prefer a separate fridge and freezer so if one breaks I don't have to replace both.

spot1034

It's probably just bad luck but I had a number of fridge freezers in the past and none lasted more than a very few years before breaking down, whereas the separate fridges and freezers. I've owned have been much more reliable and lasted far longer without any trouble.

Zandoni

All you can do is compare the manufacturers claims. I’d go with whatever suits your kitchen layout.

wrf12345

I have a 35 year old fridge/freezer that I now run as just a fridge and use a separate newish freezer, saves quite a bit of energy, both are on the minimal settings. Turning off the fridge overnight does not seem to save any money, though.

Ultrasonic

A key factor in energy use of a fridge or freezer is how big the chilled volume is, so key to what may work out cheaper is whether a fridge-freezer or separate units may give you the combination that you need. From a pure money-saving perspective, also factor in the purchase costs, as I'd guess two separate units may be more expensive?

Ultrasonic

wrf12345 said:

Turning off the fridge overnight does not seem to save any money, though.

It's not wise to turn a fridge or freezer off if they contain food that you want to remain chilled, irrespective of whether it may save money. I'm not surprised to hear that it doesn't though.