Frozen assets
The cost of buying a big chiller
The search for a freezer begins with the measurement of holes. It’s the size of nook in the kitchen, or the space at the back of the garage left after the car is parked.
It’s the estimation of the gap in freezing capacity a family needs to close, perhaps as a result of having a superabundant garden, or a growing family.
But there is another hole that buyers should factor into their freezer-shopping; the one that running it creates in your income.
Unfortunately, not all freezer retailers are making shopping around easy by leaving energyefficiency information off their websites, amd when they do, it may not be easy to find, or prominently displayed.
Eddie Thompson from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) said: ‘‘It’s important for consumers to have information about running costs when they are looking for products on retailer websites.’’
‘‘The running cost of a new fridge/freezer over a 10-year period could be between $600 and $2000 so it’s important to consider more than the upfront cost.’’
‘‘EECA has been encouraging retailers to integrate energy efficiency into their online offers. This is already happening in Australia where retailer sites have been making it easier to find energy efficient products.’’
In the meantime, consumers armed with model numbers could find out the running costs of models at energyrating.gov.au.
A total cost approach to freezer buying means looking at both price and 10-year running costs.
Three retailers who put kilowatt hour per years statistics for their freezers online include The Warehouse, Harvey Norman and 100 per cent, though none of the sites makes a feature of the energy ratings, indicating upfront price is paramount for shoppers.
The Warehouse was selling the Daewoo 142litre capacity chest freezers for $349 at the time of writing, with an EECA ‘‘Energy Star’’ rating of two out of five stars, and an estimated power use of 314kwh a year.
If the buyer is paying 23cents per KWH with Meridian Energy, that would add up to $72.22 a year. Annualising that over 10 years, and adding it to the purchase price gives one measure of total cost, and adds up to $1071.20.
Over the last 10 years electricity prices have tended upwards, the actual cost would be higher.
A buyer with cheaper electricity provider Powershop, with which a household might be paying 19.9cper kwh, would result in a lower annual running cost, in this case of $62.50.
Total price shopping for a freezer can provide a spur to go to Powerswitch.org.nz to check if switching electricity provider can save the household money.
Trying to calculate the total cost of any purchase is smart, but not every cost can be anticipated.
Buying a cheaper model can mean buying a freezer that has a shorter than expected lifespan, or frosts up more quickly.
Having to get one repaired, or replaced, will rewrite the economics of the purchase.
Freezers are typically sold with 24 month ‘‘manufacturer’s warranty’’. Under the Consumer Guarantees Act there is no such thing as a manufacturer’s warranty, only the obligation on the maker, or retailer, to supply goods that are fit for purpose.
One man’s fight to get his freezer fixed exposed the true status of manufacturers’ warranties. Faced with a repair bill of $900 on a seven and a half yearold freezer, he headed to the Disputes Tribunal, and won.
EECA has been encouraging retailers to integrate energy efficiency into their online offers. Eddie Thompson, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority