subject: Are Cheap Fridge Freezers That Claim To Be Triple A Star Energy Rated Really Good Value [print this page] So we all need a fridge freezer or stand alone freezer, and we all like to get a cheap fridge freezer but in the ever decreasing circle of cheapness over value and quality, we ask the question: Is it really possible for a very cheap fridge freezer to be reliable, well made and a proper Triple A star rated energy efficient product?
Now, as boring as it may seem, the technology that goes into getting a fridge freezer to be highly energy efficient is not an easy task.
The way a Fridge Freezer or any cooling system works is as follows:
- An electric motor pressurises the refrigerant gas and pumps it round the pipes. The compressing gas causes energy to be released in the form of heat; this then passes through small radiators on the back of the appliance called the condenser coils, which give off heat into the room. Cooling the pressurised gas condenses it into a liquid.. So, the (by now) cooled liquid then passes through very narrow capillary tube under pressure. The liquid flows to the evaporator coils where it passes through an expansion chamber, causing the pressure, and therefore the boiling point, to immediately drop. The liquid expands rapidly and boils, turning into a cold gas. Hey presto! Cold Air!
Now, using this method obviously demands power, the more power you put into the pumps the colder the fridge or freezer gets. The trick is controlling the power usage through the thermostats so that you only need the minimal amount of energy to keep the whole thing cold, what triple A star rated appliances do (and this principle applies to washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers too) is that they are running on the absolute edge of performance to use the least amount of power to do the job needed.
With some appliances, the manufacturing process has to be refined and in some cases redesigned to get a better result from less energy (and bear in mind this costs R&D money, someone has to pay for that) "" eg: either to get a better hermetic seal (as with fridge freezers) or better methods of spraying water onto plates etc to get them clean as with dishwashers but in general these product may well claim to be "energy efficient" but they are running so far on the edge that performance often fails. We have had experience of so called "Triple A rated" fridge freezers that take ages to get cold and actually do not keep cold long in a powercut situation unless you have had them running at full tilt previously.
To get appliances to work superbly and be reliable, they need investment in components and design. So where does that leave cheap dishwashers, cheap washing machines and cheap fridge freezers? Well you often pay for what you get "" our advice if that if you want to get a Triple A rated product (which is a good idea) do not skim on a few extra pounds and buy the very cheapest "" spend a bit more for better quality and read all available reviews before you buy.
