# Comparative energy efficiency of appliances

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comparative-energy-efficiency-of-appliances/360569>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 13, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comparative-energy-efficiency-of-appliances/360569 "2006-06-13T14:25:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mahksm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@Mahksm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahksm)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comparative-energy-efficiency-of-appliances/360569/1 "2006-06-13T14:25:56Z")

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I have a general question about the comparative energy efficiency of a common electric stove heating element and a common electric refrigerator. Let’s presume that they are both about 5 years old. Let’s also presume that we are starting with an empty refrigerator that has been on for enough time so that it’s temperature is stabilized at a medium setting. Let’s also presume that I use the electric heating element as efficiently as possible, that is, by using a covered pan and by leaving the pan of water on the element until the residual heat in the element and temperature of the pan equalize. So then, let  
s say I start with a pan of water of a given temperature, say 55 degrees Far. I heat that water on the stove and then place it in the refrigerator until it has returned to 55 degrees. I want to know which appliance will probably consume more energy, and by approximately how much.

There suspect that there must be specific energy efficiency data available to answer such a question but I wouldn’t know how to read and interpret the BTU’s and Watts over time numbers.

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**Author:** ![acaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@acaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acaos)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comparative-energy-efficiency-of-appliances/360569/2 "2006-06-13T16:31:53Z")

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In general, it takes more energy to cool something off than to heat it up.

When heating something, no waste heat is generated - the entire purpose of the operation is to generate heat. Electric heating elements are quite efficient at transferring their energy into a pot of boiling water.

When cooling something off, you have to move the heat, plus the machinery will generate waste heat as a consequence of its own operation.