New fridge or not? When to keep or replace a household appliance

New refrigerators are usually more energy-efficient than older models. The time it takes to make your money back in energy savings varies, but could be as much as 20 years. — dpa

BERLIN: Many older household appliances are considered power guzzlers. The solution seems to be to replace them with modern versions – after all, they’re more energy-efficient.

But it’s actually not as simple as that. You need to consider not only the saving in electricity but also the impact on your wallet and the environment.