Regardless of efficiency, it is very difficult to find a newer refrigerator whose compressor doesn't emit a very irritating high pitched whine almost continuously.
Personal pet level is that it’s so hard to get information on the noise level of appliances.
We’ve recently moved, and our new house’s crawl space has a Santa Fe dehumidifier in it that seems SO LOUD at night. I don’t think it’s broken - it’s just a compressor and fan with no engineering put into keeping them quiet. If I could get one that was as efficient and well built, but I knew would be quiet, I’d replace it in a heartbeat - but manufacturers don’t advertise noise levels.
Surely I can’t be the only one who’d pay substantially more for an appliance that was guaranteed to be quiet?
I would try plugging a simple induction motor into the refrigerator circuit to see if it also makes a weird noise. It's possible you have a problem with the wiring itself (loose neutral, etc.).
I've never had issues with HF noise out of a refrigerator. It's always been the opposite kind of noise that has been a problem.
The newer compressors are smaller so they cost less, but are run faster to pump at the same rate. Many old hermetic compressors used a 4-pole 1500/1800RPM motor, then they became a 2-pole 3000/3600RPM, and the newest VFD/inverter motors can go even faster.
We’ve recently moved, and our new house’s crawl space has a Santa Fe dehumidifier in it that seems SO LOUD at night. I don’t think it’s broken - it’s just a compressor and fan with no engineering put into keeping them quiet. If I could get one that was as efficient and well built, but I knew would be quiet, I’d replace it in a heartbeat - but manufacturers don’t advertise noise levels.
Surely I can’t be the only one who’d pay substantially more for an appliance that was guaranteed to be quiet?