The fridge presently in the kitchen is showing its age of 30 years, but a major reason for replacing it is to reduce our energy usage. Prices for electricity here continue to rise every year. About 80% of British Columbia's electricity is produced by hydroelectric sources. We wouldn't be subjected to increases now had the system, built in the 1940's to 1980's, been maintained. Political interference in the provincial corporation and treating it as a cash cow for years is why. Now the aging infrastructure will have to be updated by the current ratepayers.
We wanted appliances with good Energy Star ratings. There's little advantage in spending less on a purchase, but then paying more for years to come. I do find it rather strange that the US and Canadian ratings differ on the Whirlpool model WRB329RFBM. Perhaps Canada is colder and the compressor doesn't have to work so hard in the Great White North! LOL.