Tefcold Relaunches Its UD Uni-Drawers With a Claimed 33% Energy Cut

TEFCOLD relaunched its UD uni-drawer range on 4 August 2026, with new one- and two-drawer models that the manufacturer says cut energy consumption by an average of 33% across the range.

The format is unchanged and remains a genuinely useful one. Each drawer takes GN 1/1 gastronorm pans and can be switched at the press of a button between cooling, at +2°C to +8°C, and freezing, at −18°C to −22°C — and on the two-drawer models each drawer is controlled independently, so one unit can run as a fridge on top and a freezer below.

Construction is SS304 stainless steel, and the top plate is reinforced so the unit can sit under counter-top fryers, ovens and other heavy appliances. That is the classic chef-base role: cold storage exactly where the cooking happens, with the equipment stacked on top.

What the 33% actually means

The 33% is Tefcold’s own figure — an average across the range against the outgoing models, with no test methodology published in the launch note. Treat it as a manufacturer claim, not a lab certificate. Even so, a cut of that size on a cabinet running 24 hours a day is worth chasing: ask for the kWh/24h figure on the exact model quoted and do the sums for your tariff. The launch note also leaves the new generation’s refrigerant unstated; spec sheets for the outgoing UD counters list R290 propane, so ask for the new sheet and check that line too.

Two generations, one market

Here is the part that matters if you are buying this autumn. Tefcold is not recalling anything — the older UD models will be delisted as existing stock sells out, and the new units replace them on the price list. That means for months yet, a “Tefcold UD drawer” quoted by any dealer in the UK could be either generation: same name, same footprint, very different energy bill.

Craven Cooling lists Tefcold UD dual-temperature counters — the UD1-2, UD1-3, UD2-2 and UD2-3. While stock transitions through the supply chain, ask us which generation is on the shelf before you order, and we will tell you straight, spec sheet in hand.

Craven’s verdict

The strength is real: a proven, space-saving format that now claims a substantial efficiency gain, in a heavy-duty stainless build that earns its place under a busy pass. The caution is the transition itself — an unverified average figure and a sell-through period in which old and new stock share one product name. This suits kitchens that are tight on floor space and want fridge and freezer capacity in a single under-counter footprint. The next step: tell us what you need it to hold, and we will confirm generation, spec and lead time before you commit.

The stunt — The Generation Check: Before you order any refrigerated drawer unit, anywhere, ask the seller three questions in writing: is this the current generation or run-out stock, what is the kWh/24h on this exact model’s spec sheet, and what refrigerant does it carry? Thirty seconds of email that works on every brand — and tells you exactly what you are paying for.

Source: TEFCOLD UK — New UD uni-drawer range cuts energy consumption by an average of 33% (4 August 2026)