R600a boils at about −12 °C at atmospheric pressure, which means it works at lower pressures than R134a or R290. It is efficient and quiet in small systems and has become the standard refrigerant for domestic refrigerators in many countries, including India. Its GWP is in single digits.
Because it runs at low pressure with a larger volume of vapour per unit of cooling, R600a suits small capacities: compact bottle coolers, small display units, countertop cabinets and some undercounters. For larger commercial loads and low-temperature freezers, R290 is usually preferred because it gives more capacity from a compressor of the same size.
Like other hydrocarbons, R600a is flammable (A3). Charges are kept very small, often well under a hundred grams in a small unit, and the electrical parts near the circuit are designed so they do not create sparks. Service must be done by technicians trained for hydrocarbons, never with brazing on a system still holding refrigerant.