Refrigerator and Air-conditioner with Inverter Compressor Consume 50% Less Power

Years ago when we were entertaining the idea of buying a larger fridge equipped with an inverter compressor, the technology was still quite new. We took our time thinking that the inverter technology would get better by leaps and bounds once it became mainstream. It’s like buying a first generation mobile phone. Bad idea. Wait for the second or third generation and you can be sure that the technology has been improved on.

After checking out several brands and comparing features and prices, we finally bought a new fridge — a 21-cubic-foot side-by-side-door model with linear inverter compressor. The brand is LG.

I refrained from writing about it until we have seen its performance. Speedy had been closely monitoring the fridge’s performance and, at this point, we can safely make the conclusion that inverter technology is no hype. The 21-cubic-foot fridge consumes only about half of what the eight-cubic-foot Kelvinator that we had consumed.

No, there is no typo there. The 21-cubic-foot fridge with inverter consumes about fifty per cent less power than the eight-cubic foot fridge without an inverter.

How is that even possible? A fridge larger by almost 200 per cent consuming less power? I am no engineer. Neither am I a refrigeration expert. I can only talk in terms of fantastic results.

And if the refrigerator with inverter is not proof enough, we also bought a new air-conditioner for my home office — a split-type model with an inverter compressor. Speedy compared its performance with the window-type air-conditioner with the same horsepower by monitoring the power meter when one or the other aircon was on. Same thing as the fridge. The aircon with inverter consumes only about half of what the unit without an inverter consumes.

What’s the downside?

If you think long-term, there is no downside. But if you go by immediacy, the fridge and the aircon with inverter cost three to four times more than models with no inverter. So, yes, the initial cost is quite high.

But if you consider how punishing Philippine summer is and how it makes the compressor of the fridge and aircon work harder to deliver the required temperature, in a year or so, the savings in electric bills will far outweigh the higher initial cost.