How to Check if Your Fridge is Costing You More Tokens at Home - EPRA

A report by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has revealed that refrigerators that consume more power are still popular in the Kenyan market despite high electricity bills.

In its annual statistical report on refrigerators registered in the country between July 2024 and June 2025, appliances with 1 and 2 stars were the most popular at 75%. EPRA ranks appliances between 1 and 5 star for energy efficiency, with 5 star being the most energy efficient.

"2-star-rated refrigerator models constituted a majority of the models registered in the period under review. 51 (1-star rated) refrigerator models were registered, accounting for 26.1% of the models registered. 

"(110) 2-star rated refrigerator models were registered, accounting for 48.7% of the models registered. On the other hand, 57 (3-star) rated refrigerator models were registered, representing 25.2% of the models registered,"  read the report in part.

Here is How to Check Power Consumption of Fridge

When buying a refrigerator, one is advised to go for refrigerators that are energy efficient, and this can be checked by looking at the green labels on the door of the appliances.

A 5-star rating means that the appliance will consume less power than another appliance whose rating is 1 star.

"When buying fridges, electrical motors, air conditioners, fluorescent lamps, and fluorescent ballast, always ensure that they have the EPRA energy efficiency star labels. The labels act as a guide to the energy efficiency of an appliance. The more the stars, the more you save.

"The EPRA Kenya energy efficiency labels have a minimum of 1 star and a maximum of 5 stars. A 5-star rated appliance has the highest energy efficiency, consuming relatively less energy, therefore saving you money on bills." EPRA advises.

Additionally, the labels have the energy consumption number. The number indicates the amount of power your appliance uses annually.

"It is better to buy an appliance with a smaller KWh/per year number. You can calculate the cost of running the appliance by multiplying the 1KWh by the energy consumption number on the sticker," EPRA advised.

However, energy-saving refrigerators are usually more expensive than less energy-saving refrigerators.

In the event that one has a fridge that consumes more electricity, they can still use some strategies to control their power bills. This can be through these habits.

• Opening the fridge door only when necessary

When the door is open, the cold air spills out of the bottom and is replaced by warmer, lighter room air. This sudden introduction of heat and moisture raises the internal temperature, which the thermostat detects. The compressor must then run for a longer, continuous cycle to pump the excess heat out and bring the temperature back down, and this leads to more power use.

• Putting cool food inside the fridge

 When you place hot food (like fresh leftovers) inside, you are introducing a large amount of heat directly into the cold compartment. The fridge's cooling system must then use significant energy to remove this heat and maintain a cold temperature.

• Ensuring there is no overcrowding in the fridge

A fridge cools by circulating cold air. When shelves are full of items, or food is pushed against the air vents, the cold air cannot circulate effectively. That means that the cooling system has to run longer to try to cool these areas, or it will fail to maintain a stable temperature, wasting energy.