Energy rating — why is your refrigerator rated E and the machine A

The question that repeats itself in the store: Why is the new refrigerator rated E?

This is one of the most common questions we get asked. A customer sees a modern, economical refrigerator of a well-known brand - and the label says E. On the same visit, he sees a washing machine that is rated A, and concludes that the refrigerator is wasteful. This conclusion is wrong, and the reason is not in the refrigerator.

We checked our active catalog to see how consistent the pattern is. Of the 53 refrigerators that have an energy rating in the specifications, 36 are rated E and another 10 are rated F — that is, 46 out of 53. Of the 31 washing machines with a rating, 24 are rated A. This is neither a coincidence nor poor quality of refrigerators: these are simply two different scales.

What has changed in the label?

In March 2021, the European energy label underwent a comprehensive change, and Israel adopted it. The old scale accumulated over the years the grades A+, A++ and A+++, until almost every new product on the market was in one of them and the label stopped distinguishing between products. The new scale returned to clean A to G, without pluses.

The main thing is that the bar has been moved. Grade A in the new scale was deliberately set almost unattainable at the time of launch, to leave room for future improvements. The result: a product that was A+++ on the old scale is today generally rated in the C to E area. Same product, same power consumption, different letter.

And here is the point that confuses the most: the bar was moved with different intensity in each category. In refrigerators, it was moved very strongly, which is why most of the best refrigerators on the market today are in E or F. In washing machines, it was moved less, and class A remains achievable for an efficient model. That is why it is impossible to compare the signal of a refrigerator with the signal of a washing machine - they are measured against different rulers.

Not all categories have moved to the new scale

The 2021 change does not apply to all types of products. In our catalog this is clearly visible: all 25 furnaces with an A rating, and all 17 air conditioners with an A rating. In these categories, the old scale is still used, and it is also encountered in grades such as A+.

The practical meaning is simple: when comparing two products, make sure they are from the same category. Comparing the rating of an air conditioner to the rating of a refrigerator means nothing.

In some of the provider's records, the two grades appear side by side — for example, "E (according to a new European standard) / A++ (according to a previous standard)". This is the same machine, depicted in two scales. If only one letter appears in the specification without indicating the standard, it is worth asking us which scale it belongs to.

The number is more important than the letter

The figure that really allows comparison is the annual electricity consumption in kWh, which appears on the label below the letter. It does not depend on the scale and did not change in 2021. Two refrigerators of the same E class can differ by dozens of kWh per year.

To translate into shekels: the domestic electricity tariff in Israel is around 0.6 NIS per kWh including VAT, and is updated from time to time. The difference of 150 kWh per year between two refrigerators is approximately 90 NIS per year - and over the 12 years of a refrigerator's life, close to 1,100 NIS. This is an amount that can justify a price difference in the purchase, or not, depending on its size.

Where it really matters

A refrigerator works 24 hours a day, all year round, and is the biggest constant consumer of electricity in the house. where a good rating pays for itself. An air conditioner is the biggest seasonal consumer, and in the long northern summer the difference between a new inverter model and an old model is noticeable in the account.

A washing machine and a dishwasher consume mainly in heating the water, so the savings are noticeable in a family that runs a daily cycle and less in a couple that does laundry twice a week. A clothes dryer is a story in itself: a heat pump dryer consumes significantly less than a condenser dryer, and the difference adds up quickly for those who dry every day.

And a rule of thumb that almost always holds: replacing a 12-15 year old product with a new model saves electricity even if the new model is rated E. Technology has advanced much more than the letter indicates.

How it works for us

Every product page in the catalog shows the specification as published by the manufacturer or importer, including the energy rating when it exists. We do not convert grades between scales and do not complete a missing figure - if it has not been published, it does not appear.

If you are debating between two models and want to understand what the actual difference is in the electricity bill, send us the names of the models on WhatsApp. We will compare against the specification sheets and tell you the number, not just the letter.