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Among domestic electrical appliances, the refrigerator tops them all in terms of energy consumption. This should come as no surprise given the fact that it is always turned on. But there are different kinds of refrigerator. A 4-star refrigerator-freezer with an A-class energy label consumes around 450 kilowatt-hours less per year than a G-class one of the same characteristics. This saves about 50 euros a year, which is adds up to a fair amount of money over the life of the refrigerator, usually 10-12 years. And in any case, that savings is a lot more than the difference in the purchase prices of the two models.

Another factor to keep in mind when you buy a fridge is size. Get one big enough to meet your needs, but no bigger. When it comes to refrigerators, size does matter. The monthly energy consumption of a refrigerator goes up 10 kilowatt-hours for every additional 100 liters of volume. If you live alone, a 100-150 liter refrigerator is more than enough. For families of two to four members we recommend 200-280 liters. Only if there are four people in the family will you need a refrigerator of 300 to 350 liters, and in the case of five or more, add another 50 liters per person.

The location of the appliance also affects its energy consumption. Keep it out of the sunlight and other sources of heat such as the oven, stove or heater, and don't place it up against the wall or cabinets, so that the rear part is well ventilated. If you install the refrigerator improperly it will consume up to 15% more energy.

Once the fridge is installed, its consumption is determined mainly by the temperature inside. Set the thermostat at an intermediate level, which will give a temperature of about 5 degrees centigrade, which is the right one for not wasting energy. Each degree of lower temperature means a 5% increase in electricity consumption.

And when the refrigerator has attained the right temperature, it is important to maintain it. Make sure the door is hermetically sealed. A good way to check this is to close it with a sheet of paper caught in the door. If the paper does not tear when you try to pull it out, this means the door does not close properly and energy is being wasted. In this case you have to adjust the closing mechanism or change the rubber seal. Improper insulation can double a refrigerator's energy consumption over the life of the appliance. To keep the appliance from losing cold, don't open the doors all the time and when you do, close it as soon as possible.

Make sure the light goes off when you close the door. If it stays on, which tends to happen when the door or switch is slightly misaligned, this creates a source of heat that will raise the temperature inside the appliance and thus increase its energy consumption. The same thing happens if you place hot food inside the fridge.

Contrary to the general belief, a full refrigerator consumes less than a half-full one because food retains cold better than air does. But for the refrigerator to do its job, which is simply to keep things cold, the cold air needs to circulate freely. So don't fill it too much and don't stack things.

Thaw frozen foods inside the fridge. This way you utilize the cold stored in the food and spare the refrigerator a bit of work. Furthermore you save the energy you would use holding the frozen food under hot running water or placing it in a microwave oven.

If the layer of ice or frost in the freezer reaches 8 to 10 millimeters, you have to thaw it out. Frost reduces the amount of available space but also acts as insulation that hinders the refrigerator's performance and makes it consume more energy. If you have a no-frost freezer, there will be no frost or ice inside but it is still a good idea to thaw it once a year. It is also a good idea to clean the electric coil in the back of the refrigerator and that rear wall with a vacuum cleaner or brush. Dust and dirt raise energy consumption. Clean the walls, shelves and drawers of the refrigerator with soap and water.

- The first refrigerators for home use were manufactured by the U.S. firm General Electric in 1927. They started arriving in Spain at the end of that decade.

- The first refrigerators used ammonia and sulfur dioxide as coolants. They gave off a foul smell and were very toxic. Starting in 1931 the industry replaced these gases with difluorochloromethane, a liquid commonly known as Freon. It was an ideal coolant and it was thought to be harmless. But many years later it was learned that these kinds of compound, called chlorofluorocarbons, were the main agents responsible for destruction of the earth's ozone layer, which protects us from solar radiation. In 1993 Greenpeace unveiled its first Greenfreeze refrigerator, which did not use CFCs as coolants. Today most brands use this technology.

- If you live in the Balearic islands, you are in luck. Starting in October the regional government will subsidize to the tune of 90 euros per appliance -- purchases of low-energy-consumption refrigerators, washing machines and dishwaters. Consumers will be reimbursed by banks taking part in the plan.