My refrigerator is 36 years old. Still going strong, but
if you believe published efficiency numbers, it's costing
me a hundred bux a year more than it would for a new one.
Payback calculations depend on your assumptions for the
time value of money and inflation in energy cost. Just looking
at the cash flow, the break even point is 7 years or so.
Looks marginal, but let's save the planet. Off
I went to look at refrigerators.

While chatting with the guy at Sears, he "disclosed" that
the smaller compressors run much longer at higher pressure
and they only
last 6 to 7 years. If true, that negates all the savings.

Is there any relevant data relating to service life of the
newer, high-efficiency home refrigerators?
mike