Many refrigerants — the material in a freezer or refrigerator that are used to create a cooling effect — are harmful to the Earth’s atmosphere. As a result, they are labeled as having high “Global Warming Potential” or GWP.
Low GWP freezers and refrigerator do exist and can be spefically shopped for. These appliances usually used R-600a or R-441A refrigerants.
GWP ratings vary depending if you are looking at the number for the 25-, 50-, or 100-year impact of that material on the atmosphere. Lower numbers are better, so an ideal number would be 0, but ratings of 3 an under are considered good.
The common, but outdated, refrigerant called R-22 is a type of hydrochlorofluorocarbon. It’s sometimes labeled as HCFC-22 and has a GWP rating of about 1800 (100-year rating). On the other side of the spectrum there are substances like refrigerant grade ammonia (R-717) which has a GWP of 0, marking a vast improvement.
R-600a, or Iso-Butane, is an increasingly popular refrigerant 2022 thanks to its affordable price and low GWP (about 3). R-600 is commonly found in residential and small commercial refrigerators, freezers, water coolers, and drink dispensers.
Lowest GWP Refrigerators
| Model | Refrigerant Type | GWP | Inital Sale Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEPSI FR101PEP | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | February 21, 2025 |
| MOUNTAIN DEW FR102MD | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | February 21, 2025 |
| DR PEPPER FR104DRP | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | February 21, 2025 |
| Samsung RF70F23DE* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | February 18, 2025 |
| Miele KFMC 3858 FD | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | February 17, 2025 |
| Miele KFMC 3846 R | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | February 17, 2025 |
| Samsung RF70F29DE* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | February 11, 2025 |
| Blomberg BRFD21612SS | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | February 10, 2025 |
| Smeg FD36UXIW | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | February 1, 2025 |
| ELEMENT ERT16CGD* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 29, 2025 |
| ELEMENT ERT16CGD*-CA | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 29, 2025 |
| Seasons MSTF16**R | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 29, 2025 |
| Direct Supply 0-3F6GK | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 29, 2025 |
| Thermador T30IB100SP | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 27, 2025 |
| Frigidaire GRTE2055A* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 18, 2025 |
| Frigidaire GRTE2055A* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 18, 2025 |
| VIWIN FLS-80-BLACK | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 10, 2025 |
| VIWIN FLS-90-BLACK | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 10, 2025 |
| Vissani MDTF14*** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 9, 2025 |
| Samsung RT70F18LR** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 6, 2025 |
| Samsung RT70F18LR** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 6, 2025 |
| Samsung RT70F18LA** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 6, 2025 |
| Frigidaire FRMS2733A* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 6, 2025 |
| Midea MRB12B1*** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 1, 2025 |
| KitchenAid KRSF536R**** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 1, 2025 |
| KitchenAid KRSC536R**** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | January 1, 2025 |
| LG LL27T3530* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 24, 2024 |
| LG LS27H3230* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 24, 2024 |
| Midea MRB19B7A** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 18, 2024 |
| Fisher & Paykel RS30F*E* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 6, 2024 |
| Fisher & Paykel RS30SH*E* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 6, 2024 |
| Fisher & Paykel RS18F*E* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 6, 2024 |
| Fisher & Paykel RS2484W*E* Ice & Water | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 6, 2024 |
| Fisher & Paykel RS24F*E* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 6, 2024 |
| Fisher & Paykel RS24SH*E* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 6, 2024 |
| Fisher & Paykel RS3084W*E* Ice & Water | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 6, 2024 |
| Samsung RF27CG5B10** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 2, 2024 |
| Samsung RF32CG5B10** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 2, 2024 |
| Bosch B36CD80SN* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 1, 2024 |
| LG LRFLC2716* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | November 30, 2024 |
Lowest GWP Freezers
| Model | Refrigerant Type | GWP | Inital Sale Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| WANAI BC/BD-110 | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 26, 2024 |
| WANAI BC/BD-63 | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | December 26, 2024 |
| WANAI BC/BD-79 | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | November 26, 2024 |
| WANAI BC/BD-72 | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | October 25, 2024 |
| Midea MRU17F5A** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | September 30, 2024 |
| Beko BUFR2715MG | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | July 31, 2024 |
| Frigidaire PRDF1922A* | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | July 19, 2024 |
| Marathon MUF80W | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | July 15, 2024 |
| Marathon MUF80BLS | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | July 15, 2024 |
| Midea MRU21F6A** | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | June 25, 2024 |
| Blomberg BRUF2814SS | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | May 31, 2024 |
| Blomberg BRUF2814WH | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | May 31, 2024 |
| Conserv FR1400BREV | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | May 25, 2024 |
| Conserv FR1400SREV | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | May 25, 2024 |
| Conserv FR1400WREV | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | May 25, 2024 |
| Conserv FR1700BREV | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | May 25, 2024 |
| Conserv FR1700SREV | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | May 25, 2024 |
| VITARA VLUF1701EWE | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | May 25, 2024 |
| VITARA VLUF1401ESE | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | May 25, 2024 |
| VITARA VLUF1401EWE | R-600a | R-600a (GWP:3 | Lower GWP) | May 25, 2024 |