New Delhi, Oct. 15 -- Buying a refrigerator is not just about the price you pay at the store or the right capacity for your home. It's also about managing your electricity bill. You get right refrigerator and it will serve you well for years. But you get a wrong model and it will only shoot up your monthly and yearly electricity bill. This makes choosing between a 3-star and a 5-star refrigerator more important than it might seem. While a 5-star model usually costs more upfront, its higher energy efficiency can help reduce electricity consumption. But does that saving justify the extra money?

Consider an illustrative example for a Delhi household. If a comparable 3-star refrigerator consumes 212 units of electricity annually and a 5-star...