During an economic downturn that’s prompting many of us to test out our grandmothers’ secret recipes – who knew tongue could be so tasty – rather than dine out, it isn’t surprising that the Best Buy near the Potrero Hill Shopping Center has strategically placed “No Interest for 18 Months!” signs all along their shiny row of KitchenAide and Frigidaire refrigerators.  If there’s extra money to go around, replacing an old fridge may be one of the few shopping indulgences that can be fun and pragmatic.

Many of the refrigerators on offer at Best Buy feature bright yellow tags promoting futuristic-sounding features: humidity controlled crispers, spill-proof glass shelves, and fresh-lock hydrators.  Gone are the days when a crushed and cubed ice maker was the gold standard.  The new mark that you’ve made it, in the refrigerator department any way, is a French-door behemoth with an adjustable temperature deli drawer.

Other signs hang less prominently on these show room fridges:  small, less brightly yellowish notices are often tucked inside, sometimes stowed away in the freezer drawer.  Inside one high-end Samsung model, priced at $2,399, a yellow Energy Guide reads, “Estimated Yearly Operating Cost $65.  540 Kwh estimated yearly electricity use.”  And in smaller print: “Your cost will depend on your energy rates. Based on 2007 national average electricity cost of 10.66 cents per Kwh.”  Omitted from the signage is that the average rate Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s residential customers pay for electricity is almost 40 percent higher than the national average:  14.8 cents per Kwh.

Alongside a sticker that radiantly explains how the “Fans Cool Freezer and Fridge Separately—No Flavor Mix,” the Energy Guide seems, and is, government-issued.  Following the instructions to “Ask about energy star,” a suggestion that appears on a handful of fridges that feature the Energy Star logo, an inquiry is made to Best Buy sales representative, Scotty.  According to Scotty, to qualify for an Energy Star rating, a refrigerator must use 10 percent less electricity than the federal standard, an average kilowatt use that depends on the amount of space the fridge is cooling.

According to the female end of a couple plying the refrigerator aisle, who were searching for a coupon offering free fridge disposal and delivery, “size and style is really important,” not energy savings.  Her husband, upon reflection, disagrees.  “If the fridges were different models but roughly the same price I would most likely go with the one with energy savings,” he said.

    Scotty asserts that shoppers looking for larger, more expensive fridges – as well as hefty households whose family members open the doors frequently – seem more inclined to ask about Energy Star savings.  Best Buy sales representative Jeremy related that roughly 30 percent of the store’s customers inquire about energy savings.  “Overall, between different models in the same price range, it’s not a huge difference, maybe $5 to $15 a year,” he said.  Jeremy typically communicates savings as an annual amount, even though most shoppers ask him how much they might save monthly.  He also asserted that using the humidity controlled crisper, and producing a ton of ice for a party, doesn’t trigger significant electric utility bill impacts.