What do you usually look for when you buy a Refrigerator?
There are people who consider upfront costs and those who seek long-term savings. This is due to savings in the consumption of electricity. Such people opt for energy efficient refrigerators.
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has introduced the standards and labeling program in May 2006. According to these conditions, every electrical and electronic goods manufacturer should place a label on the appliance indicating the amount of electricity it will consume under certain conditions.
This is a mandatory compliance for manufacturers of alliances like televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, geysers, etc.
Refrigerator BEE Star Ratings 2026
The BEE provides the respective star rating on its label that is mandatorily stuck on the appliance. So, consumers need not calculate anything. But, it is better if you know how BEE arrives at the star rating for frost-free and Direct Cool refrigerators.
BEE Star Ratings For Frost Free Refrigerators 2026
Frost Free Refrigerator (Valid from 1st January 2026 to 31st December 2028)
Annual Energy Consumption (AEC) in kWh/year based on total volume (Vtot in litres):
| Star Rating | Annual Energy Consumption (kWh/Year) |
|---|---|
| ⭐ 1 Star | (0.136 × Vtot + 211) ≤ AEC < (0.157 × Vtot + 243) |
| ⭐⭐ 2 Star | (0.118 × Vtot + 184) ≤ AEC < (0.136 × Vtot + 211) |
| ⭐⭐⭐ 3 Star | (0.103 × Vtot + 160) ≤ AEC < (0.118 × Vtot + 184) |
| ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Star | (0.090 × Vtot + 140) ≤ AEC < (0.103 × Vtot + 160) |
| ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Star | AEC < (0.090 × Vtot + 140) |
BEE Star Ratings – Direct Cool Refrigerators (DCR)
Annual Energy Consumption (AEC) in kWh/year based on total volume (Vtot in litres):
Direct Cool Refrigerator (Valid from 1st January 2026 to 31st December 2028)
| Star Rating | Annual Energy Consumption (kWh/Year) |
|---|---|
| ⭐ 1 Star | (0.103 × Vtot + 160) ≤ AEC < (0.115 × Vtot + 179) |
| ⭐⭐ 2 Star | (0.091 × Vtot + 141) ≤ AEC < (0.103 × Vtot + 160) |
| ⭐⭐⭐ 3 Star | (0.080 × Vtot + 124) ≤ AEC < (0.091 × Vtot + 141) |
| ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Star | (0.070 × Vtot + 109) ≤ AEC < (0.080 × Vtot + 124) |
| ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Star | AEC < (0.070 × Vtot + 109) |
These values help determine the star rating of a refrigerator based on its rated volume and annual power usage.
Please note that the BEE Star label provides the AEC (Annual Energy Consumption) figures.
The volume calculation is slightly complicated.
- For Direct Cool Refrigerator – Fresh food storage volume + 1.31 x Freezer storage volume.
- For Frost-Free Refrigerator – Fresh food storage volume + 1.62 x Freezer storage volume.
Here are some tips that can help save power for refrigerators.
- Do not place hot food inside the fridge. Instead, allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Leave space for air circulation. Overloading a refrigerator can cause irregular air flow, leading to inefficient cooling and higher power consumption.
- Set the temperature according to your needs. It can save up to 20% to 25% of the power.
- Opening the door frequently can increase power consumption by 7%.
- Cleaning the condenser coils can reduce power consumption by 5%.
- A 5-star refrigerator is initially expensive. However, you save money in the long run because of power savings.
The Star Rating Concept
A lot of research has gone into the designing of these labels. If you look at it closely, it will contain many items. However, the highlight of these labels is the number of stars on it.
The more the number of stars on the label, the higher is the efficiency of the appliance.
Hence, it consumes less current. The maximum number of stars an appliance can get is 5. Therefore, we can say that a 5-star appliance is better than any other similar appliance with lesser number of stars. At the same time, these appliances cost more. Thus, a 1-star fridge is the cheapest whereas a 5-star refrigerator is the most expensive.
If you are too confused about the star rating aspect, you can simply opt to buy the product with a higher star rating. It will recover the upfront costs over a period through savings in your electricity bill.
Are ratings for refrigerators different from that of the other appliances?
Different appliances have different star rating formulas. The principal consideration is consumption of electrical units.
Understanding the star rating for refrigerators is very simple because the labels include the expected annual power consumption in kWh. Using this figure, it is easy to comprehend the cost of electrical consumption. Hence, it becomes easier to compare refrigerators manufactured at different times.
The star ratings for a refrigerator also depend on the volume and capacity of the refrigerator. There is a specific formula for calculating and determining the BEE Star ratings. We need not go into the deeper aspects of the star ratings. One can conclude by saying that 5-star refrigeration is always better than others.
