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Refrigerator Repair vs Replace Calculator

Should you fix it or buy a new one?

Six honest inputs. We apply the 50% rule (Consumer Reports / USDA), the 10-year ENERGY STAR cutoff, and a 5-year total-cost comparison — then give you a single verdict.

⏱ ~45 secENERGY STAR · DOE · AHAM · Consumer ReportsSpecialty
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Tell us about the repair
Years since manufacture
The quote you have in hand
A comparable new unit, fully delivered
From the EnergyGuide label or estimate
ENERGY STAR full-size: ~400–500
US avg per EIA: ~16.5¢
Verdict · Repair · High confidence
Repair it.

The 5-year math clearly favors repair, you're under the 10-year cutoff, and the quote is well below half of replacement. Get it fixed.

5-yr repair
$928
5-yr replace
$1,871
Energy save / yr
$41
Break-even
27.9 yr
Why this verdict
  • Repair is significantly cheaper over 5 years.

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How we decide

The methodology

01

10-year ENERGY STAR rule (hard)

Refrigerators 10 years or older may use up to 35% more energy than newer ENERGY STAR certified models. Past the cutoff → replace, regardless of how cheap the repair is.

02

50% rule (Consumer Reports / USDA)

If a repair quote is more than half the cost of a comparable new unit, replacement is the better economic call. Triggered automatically when the math crosses 50%.

03

5-year total-cost comparison

Repair cost + 5 yr of current-unit energy vs new cost + 5 yr of new-unit energy, both at your electricity rate. Whichever is lower wins — confidence is High when the gap is decisive.

Questions

Frequently asked

Widely cited by Consumer Reports and USDA appliance guidance: if a repair quote is more than half the cost of a new comparable unit, replacement is the better economic call. We apply it automatically.
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Next step

If it's time to replace — we'll match you fast.

Tell us your size, budget, and must-haves. We'll send a short-list of 3 ENERGY STAR-certified replacement models with real prices across every major retailer.

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