These make excellent use of your floor space, taking up about the same amount as a separate fridge OR freezer, and are now available in a huge range of styles; from high tech to retro, and in many different colours. They can be free standing or built- in to co-ordinate with your kitchen and once you have decided which one of these options to choose, you’ll need to think about what size is right for you.
Size
The outside dimensions of the fridge freezer will be given in centimetres – height, width and depth, so measure the available space that you have including your ceiling height if this is an issue. Some models will need additional space at the back of them to allow for venting, so you will have to bear this in mind when choosing. If you are going to opt for a built in model make sure that you allow for the “housing” as well.
The capacity on the inside of the fridge freezer is quoted in litres and/or cubic feet. Some manufacturers then give a separate breakdown of how the space is divided up; i.e. xxxx litres/Cu.ft of fridge space, and xxxx litres/Cu.ft of freezer space. Although the numbers in themselves are fairly unhelpful, they are a useful way of comparing the various models that are available. Most, but not all models, have the fridge section at the top.
Space and Your Lifestyle
Think about the types of food that you buy: If you shop regularly for fresh food and only really use the freezer for ice cubes and other odd items you may need a model with a larger fridge area and smaller freezer. If your shopping tends towards lots of ready meals, prepared foods and bulk buying a larger freezer area will suit you better. Many different models are now available giving varying proportions of fridge/freezer space. Knowing the actual capacity of each section will be more accurate than visually estimating alone, and will help you to make to right choice for your needs. Look inside the fridge section - it will have various areas within it for dairy, chilled food, bottles etc. Some will even have a chilled drinks dispenser and as you might expect, these types of extras tend to come at a higher price. Check these to see if the layout inside is to your liking, or if it can be altered to suit you.
Energy Efficiency
Fridge freezers are rated “A-G” according to their energy efficiency. “A” is the best and will save you money on your electricity bill. Their running costs are very often given in “kilowatts per year”; a useful guideline when comparing models in the shop. With this knowledge you can work out the real cost of running one, by multiplying this number by the “cost per kilowatt hour” that you pay for your electricity. Generally speaking, more recent models tend to fall into the A – C range. The fridge and freezer areas will have separate controls to allow it to work at optimum temperatures.
Star Ratings
Given in 1 star* to 4 stars **** for the freezer section. The more stars the better! Most fridge freezers will be three or four stars. This means that the majority of foods can be frozen and safely stored for up to twelve months. Lower star ratings are usually applicable to ice boxes rather than freezers meaning than food can only be safely frozen for ** = one month and * = one week.
Frost Free
Literally means just that! No more defrosting, emptying out, scraping off ice and mopping up puddles of water in your kitchen. This has to be one of the best innovations ever and although models with this feature tend to be more expensive, it’s definitely worth considering.
Auto-Defrost
This automatically regulates the temperature in your fridge freezer to prevent frost build up meaning that you should never get unwanted ice ever again! Not available in all models but again, worth looking out for.
Shelving
Look for shelving that’s adjustable and easy to clean. Glass ones are very practical for the fridge section as they can just be wiped down and don’t block the view of what’s inside. It’s worth checking to see if you can comfortably reach all the shelves as some fridge freezers can be quite tall! For the freezer section the food drawers need to be strong – they will potentially be carrying heavy food items and have to be tough enough not to crack when being pulled out for the hundredth time! Most are made from see-through strong plastic. Try them out in the shop to make sure that they don’t feel flimsy - they will have to stand up to lots of wear and tear and are very often the first things to break.
OTHER USEFUL FEATURES TO LOOK OUT FOR
- Fast Freeze - Quickly lowers the temperature of the freezer reducing ice build up on food. This may have a light to indicate operation and can be useful to freeze fresh food, especially soft fruit.
- Noise dBA - Noise levels measured in decibels. A reasonable level is anything under 40, while anything nearer 50 would be quite noisy. Not all models will give this information but it’s worth looking out for especially if your fridge freezer will be in an open plan kitchen/family room.
- Reversible Doors – Many models have this option making them easier to integrate into your kitchen, and move to a different position should you want to later on.
GENERAL
Fridge freezers are a very convenient and space saving appliance that you won’t want to replace every year, so try and ensure that the model you choose suits your food buying habits and quantities. A variety of colours and finishes are easily available to suit every taste. As with all appliances, look out for good design, strong construction (especially on the doors and freezers drawers) and a warranty that you’re comfortable with.
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