The energy efficiency factor (EEF) is one of the most important factors that you should take into account when buying a new refrigerator, and thus a lot of people are searching for the highest EEF refrigerator currently available in the Philippines.
According to this list from the DOE[1], as of March 2020, the highest EEF refrigerator in the Philippines is the model HRF-IVD450H from Haier, with an impressive EEF of 625, and a storage volume of 311L (11.0 cu.ft.). It also has an energy consumption of just 0.61 kWh/24h, which amounts to just ₱178.31 per month assuming that the power rate is at ₱9.744 per kWh.
However, that is only for the 11.0 cu.ft. capacity – what if you want to buy a bigger or small capacity than that? Which is why in this article, we will explain what the EEF of a refrigerator means, and what is the highest EEF model in each storage capacity.
What is the EEF (Energy Efficiency Ratio) in refrigerators?
The big number in the middle of the energy guide label of a refrigerator is called the energy efficiency ratio (EEF). It tells you how efficiently a refrigerator uses its power to cool its rated storage volume.
A high EEF number means that that particular model is more energy efficient, and therefore has a lower operating cost. Do note that it does not tell you how much it will cost to operate – it will only tell you if one model is more efficient than the other.
Check out this article we’ve written if you want to know the energy consumption of your refrigerator, and how to estimate its contribution to your monthly electricity bill.
How to compute a refrigerator’s EEF?
The energy guide label sure is handy, but unfortunately, it is not available for all refrigerators.
Refrigerator models that are below 5.0 cu.ft. or above 20.0 cu.ft. are not required to have an EEF label. Beverage coolers, minibars, upright freezers, and chest freezers are similarly not required.
If the refrigerator you are looking for does not have an EEF label, then you can compute it with this formula:
Total Storage Volume (liters) ÷ Energy Consumption (kWh/24h)
If the energy consumption in kWh/24h is not supplied, then divide the rated input (W) by 1,000, then multiply it by 24. While you will arrive at a significantly lower EEF value, you can still use this figure to compare between models.
Which refrigerator models tend to have a high EEF?
The EEF is inversely proportional to the energy consumption (the lower the energy consumption, the higher the EEF), which is why inverter refrigerators tend to have a high EEF compared to their non-inverter counterparts.
We’ve already written a deep dive on the inverter technology in refrigerators here. Go check it out!
Also, since direct cooling (manual defrost) refrigerators tend to have a lower power consumption than that of fan cooling (no frost) models, they also tend to have high EEF values.
Highest EEF refrigerator per capacity
In the table that follows, we will show the average EEF per capacity for comparison.
Now, without further ado, the highest EEF refrigerator models for each capacity:
| Capacity | Average EEF of this capacity | Highest EEF Model | EEF |
| Less than 5.0 cu.ft. | 207 | Condura CSD510MN | 363 |
| 5.0 cu.ft. – 5.9 cu.ft. | 224 | Haier HR-IVC68B | 482 |
| 6.0 cu.ft. – 6.9 cu.ft. | 223 | Haier HR-IVC78B | 541 |
| 7.0 cu.ft. – 7.9. cu.ft. | 240 | Condura CSD231SAi | 506 |
| 8.0 cu.ft. – 8.9 cu.ft. | 276 | Panasonic NR-BQ241VS | 550 |
| 9.0 cu.ft. – 9.9 cu.ft. | 291 | Panasonic NR-BQ261VB | 470 |
| 10.0 cu.ft. – 10.9 cu.ft. | 338 | Haier HRF-IVB338VN | 474 |
| 11.0 cu.ft. – 11.9 cu.ft. | 361 | Haier HRF-IVD450H | 625 |
Additionally, we’ve laid out the comparison between these models’ energy consumption cost per month vs. the average in their capacity here:
| Capacity | Average Cost Per Month Of This Capacity | Highest EEF Model | Cost Per Month |
| Less than 5.0 cu.ft. | ₱201.70 | Condura CSD510MN | ₱116.93 |
| 5.0 cu.ft. – 5.9 cu.ft. | ₱236.78 | Haier HR-IVC68B | ₱99.39 |
| 6.0 cu.ft. – 6.9 cu.ft. | ₱298.17 | Haier HR-IVC78B | ₱99.39 |
| 7.0 cu.ft. – 7.9. cu.ft. | ₱321.55 | Condura CSD231SAi | ₱119.85 |
| 8.0 cu.ft. – 8.9 cu.ft. | ₱327.40 | Panasonic NR-BQ241VS | ₱152.01 |
| 9.0 cu.ft. – 9.9 cu.ft. | ₱353.71 | Panasonic NR-BQ261VB | ₱187.08 |
| 10.0 cu.ft. – 10.9 cu.ft. | ₱321.55 | Haier HRF-IVB338VN | ₱236.78 |
| 11.0 cu.ft. – 11.9 cu.ft. | ₱336.17 | Haier HRF-IVD450H | ₱178.32 |
Formula: Energy Consumption (kWh/24h) x Power Rate = Daily Electricity Cost
Most of these models are available through Lazada, go check them out!
Conclusion
Now that you know what the EEF means, and that we’ve given you the highest EEF models in each capacity, you can now make a better choice when deciding which is the best refrigerator model for you.
Having said this though, the EEF is not the end all be all factor of the best refrigerator for you. You should also take into account the additional features that you want or need from your fridge – and the highest EEF model may not have that.
Additionally, for the estimated monthly energy consumption, keep in mind that these are only just that – estimations. Proper usage habits and regular maintenance will determine whether your electricity bill will be high or low.
