You know, I looked into those, but while better, they mostly aren't enough better in energy usage to justify the higher cost and other drawbacks, IMHO. For example, the summit 28" wide 14 cf counterdepth fridge/freezer uses 440 kw per year. The sunfrost RF 19 uses 372. The 24" wide Summit uses 380 per year.

I'm not sure where sunfrost get the numbers they use in their promo materials. They're sure not comparing other small fridges when they say 90 kw a month, not these days.

Yes, it's a difference, but it's not as big a difference as I'd want for the difference in cost. There are a lot of fairly efficient options out there now, if you aren't planning to run on solar where every kilowatt is crucial.

So I wouldn't say don't do sunfrost, but I'd look around a lot more at the other options before you do.

I should have specified that that number is for the RF 19 fridge/freezer combination (the only one they have--all the others are fridge only), assuming you want what you'd have with a normal setup. The fridge only ones may be better. Since I don't have room for a separate freezer I never compared them that way.

Hey Writersblock - thank you for your thoughtful reply!

I was definitely assuming a refrigerator with a freezer compartment as well. OTOH, even though having a freezer compartment is most common, I might not mind just having the big freezer in the bsmt... have to think about that!

I'm not familiar with the Summit, so I'll have to check into that - thanks!

I looked into them too.

I can remember when windshield wipers wouldn't work if you drove up a steep hill under pouring rain. Cars are a lot better now. Fridges too. About 20 years ago some official agency got contests going to give ratings and awards. This later turned into the Energy Star ratings. In the last 20 years the kind of efficiency improvements that we might have dreamt of became reality. What does this have to do with Sun Frost or any other off-grid or highly efficient fridge? Sun Frost is in the same range as all other fridges now. As mentioned above, modern fridges are now good. Modern fridges can be very efficient and quiet.

You're welcome, mawrter. I should maybe have been more clear that *many* fridges come close to the sunfrost energy usage these days, and with most of them you'll get a much more efficient layout with the features you're used to, like door storage, crisper bins, etc. No need for a special cabinet to hold the fridge and a restricted layout inside, as with the Sunfrost.

ajmadison.com is a good place to start researching. It's very easy to compare many different brands and models there. Their site has a very good search engine.

I think the Sun Frost are still more efficient. Thicker insulation in the walls for one thing. And they have a more utilitarian look to them.

Yeah, I guess it depends on what you need, alexr. The RF 19, for example is 16 cf and uses 372 Kw per year and costs approximately $3K. The new maytag eco-conserve, as an example of a regular ol' fridge, is 18.5 cf and uses 392, and costs less than $900.

Now I don't doubt the sunfrost may last longer, but by the time you're on that third maytag it may only be using 200kw per year or whatever.

Now, of course, you can also factor in the fact that if your maytag should happen to last only a third as long as the sun frost, while your out of pocket would be about the same, you would be sending two more old fridges to the landfill, and that is a consideration, plus the energy/materials to build and transport those.

BTW, although one page of the sun frost specs only listed the big fridge as being available in a fridge/freezer, i see their specs page lists several other smaller models that way.

I checked because it's been years since I looked. On their homepage, Sun Frost say All models are available in 12 or 24 volt DC, or 110 or 220 volt AC. That's the real advantage, rather that the extra little bit of efficiency. If you have solar, or whatever, you can run it on direct current, instead of through the inverter, and it'll run right off of battery.

Not a big worry for standard, suburban home. :)

I've seen some unsettling reviews about Sun Frost - I was thinking of getting one, but now I'm too nervous to get one:

http://forum.solar-electric.com/forum/solar-electric-power-wind-power-balance-of-system/energy-use-conservation/6913-is-a-sunfrost-fridge-worth-it

I have had this refrigerator for 6 yrs. It came with my house and is probably about 10+ yrs. old. I have had no problems with it. I do have to defrost the freezer about twice a year but that is easy. The refrig. has no frills, lots of room inside and the motor is on the top so the heat rises without heating the refrig. compartments. Since I'm off the grid this refrig. has served me well.