apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Not sure if that was a misprint, or that the compound characteristic "energy efficient and repair free" changes the claculation, but bottom-freezer models are, in general, slightly more efficint than top-freezer models. They're close enough in general efficiency that the differences between models dwarf the differneces between those two styles generally, so it probably makes sense not to get too hung up on top vs. bottom. As for repairs, the top freezer models may be cheaper. I haven't seen much data. The bottom-freezer frequently have more complicated mechanisms than the simple door, so perhaps they are more prone to need repairs. The most repair-prone parts of fridges tend to be the water/ice features, not the basic cooling mechanism, so if you're looking to avoid repair costs as much as possible, you may want to opt for a Brita and some ice cube trays instead. (Through-the-door water and ice also tends to reduce textbook efficiency as well, although I'm not sure how big the difference is in real world use -- opening and closing a fridge frequently to get water and ice could eat up the savings pretty quickl, I suppose.)

I second pilgrim's comment; bottom freezers would be slightly more energy efficient. This is pretty intuitive...cool air sinks while warm air rises, so a freezer drawer on the bottom wouldn't lose as much cool air with each opening (because the cool air naturally pools toward the bottom) as a top-freezer would.

For those who own a home though not having built-in water and icemaker will be undesirable to some potential buyers. more green savvy buyers might see it as desirable. You have tro know your market.

I just had a new refrigerator installed yesterday. I felt like I did a lot of research prior to choosing this bottom freezer, french door model to replace my old side-by-side.

The Energy Guide tag estimates the yearly operating cost to be $49, probably more than half what my old model cost.

When I saw the picture and the topic, I assumed the text would give some information on ways to tuck refrigerators into cozy insulated nooks as a way to reduce energy use. Seems possible.
Along those lines, I wonder if it is possible to install a tub into an insulated enclosure. Bathwater in my apartment's smallish tub seems to lose heat far too quickly. Could this be improved by some kind of insulation?
These might be silly questions. Feel free to say that, if it's true.

You don't want to tuck your fridge in an insulated enclosure because air needs to the coils on the back. If they don't get sufficient air flow they will get hotter and the efficiency will go down.

Significant heat loss is through the gasket that seals the door to the body of the fridge when it is closed, so make sure that fits tightly and there aren't any gaps.

to respond to rapunzels query about bathwater, insulation is the way to keep your bathwater warmer, but it should be put in place underneath and around the tub before the bathtub is installed, an insulated "enclosure" wouldn't help keep the water warm. Unfortunately, builders and remodelers rarely do this.

After 46 years of filling ice trays myself, I had an icemaker installed in my freezer last year and have enjoyed every single repair-free minute of it.

rapunzel: i put insulation around the sides of my tub from the bottom - kept the water warm longer, but also lead to mold growing!