4 Tips for Reducing the Cost of Running Your Mini-Fridge – What to Know
With living costs rising rapidly, you’d want to find solutions that would allow you to live comfortably while minimizing such expenses. That can mean that you invest money in more energy-efficient appliances or equipment that uses less water or electricity. That said, one of the most electric-hungry appliances you can ever have is the fridge. It is running 24/7, and it needs the power to keep it that way. Because of this, you might be thinking about replacing your floor-to-ceiling-sized fridge with a mini-fridge instead.
Fortunately for you, it is much cheaper to run a mini-fridge, averaging at around $5 a month. Nonetheless, there are still ways you can push that cost even lower, and here’s how:
1. Choose the Right Spot
You may not realize it, but the location the fridge is be placed in can severely affect how much it is going to cost to run the fridge. For example, if you place the fridge near the window where sunlight can always warm it up, the mini-fridge is going to take up a lot more power to keep its contents cool.
Ensure that when you set up your mini-fridge that it is placed somewhere away from the sunlight or any other sources of heat. That way, it minimizes its use of electricity, keeping its running costs down.
2. Tweak the Thermostat
Sometimes, your mini-fridges thermostat might be set a little too low or too high to be working at peak efficiency. When it is too cold, your mini-fridge is simply wasting electricity to cool it a few degrees lower. When it is too warm, whatever you decide to store inside the fridge might end up spoiling faster than you’d like.
Whatever the case may be, consult the manual of your fridge to figure out which temperature it operates at peak efficiency. In most cases, though, anywhere between 4 to 5 Celsius is the temperature you’re looking for.
3. Keep the Seal Maintained
Your mini-fridge’s door will have some seal on it so that when you close it, it becomes airtight. As you might have guessed, if this seal is damaged or broken, or even sometimes dirty enough that it doesn’t stick to the fridge when closed, cold air will come out.
Because of that, you must check your mini-fridge’s seal often. When you notice that it is starting not to stick properly, or that there are tears in it, have it replaced right away.
4. Limit Opening the Fridge
Perhaps the most significant factor in deciding how much you end up paying to run the mini-fridge monthly is how often you open the fridge. If you start paying attention to that, you might realize that you’re opening the fridge more often than necessary. You might also be surprised at how long you stare into the mini-fridge, figuring out what you want to eat next.
What do you do about this? Well, try your best to limit the number of times you open the fridge. When you do open it, close it as fast as you can. That way, the mini-fridge won’t have to work too hard, pushing the temps back down again.
Conclusion
If there are any tips we’ve shared with you that you haven’t employed just yet, do so. While purchasing a mini-fridge already helps you save plenty of money compared to a much larger fridge, these tips will help you save even more. You’ll be surprised at how much you start to save on your electrical bill just because you spent less time opening the fridge or moved it to a cooler spot.
Need more advice on mini-fridges? Check out our website for more.