We all need a fridge freezer to make sure our food lasts for as long as possible. What’s more it needs to be stored under safe conditions, so we know we won’t fall prey to food poisoning.
There are so many different combinations and styles of fridge freezers and their separates available today that it can be hard to choose the one that will meet all your needs and more. But our guide should help you reach the right decision.
Fridge Freezers from our Featured Retailers
Freestanding or built in?
There are plenty of great looking freestanding fridge freezers available now. Some are even double door models which are known as American fridge freezers. These even have ice makers and dispensers on the outside of the doors.
A built in fridge freezer is ideal if you want your appliance to be hidden away when not being used. It is designed to go inside a tall housing, and the doors come with brackets which are then attached to the doors of the unit. As you open the outer cabinet door, so the door of the fridge or freezer will open as well.
Do you want your fridge freezer on display or would you prefer it to be hidden?
All in one or separates?
Some people like having their fridge above their freezer. Other people prefer having two separate appliances. The former solution has the advantage that the fridge is normally used more often than the freezer, so you won’t have to constantly bend down to go in the fridge. This applies regardless of whether your fridge is fitted or freestanding, since it will be under the counter.
Separates can often mean you get a bigger freezer, although an under counter fridge can be smaller than that which comes as part of a fridge freezer. Check the capacities before making your decision and your purchase.
You can also get a chest freezer, but this has to stand separately as it opens from the top. This means it cannot go underneath the kitchen worktop. Many people use these for extra storage and position them in a utility room or garage.
How big do you want your fridge freezer to be?
A standard fridge freezer is 60cm wide, but the American ones are a great deal bigger than this. Heights vary too, so if you have a low ceiling or anything else which may impede the positioning of your fridge freezer, make sure you measure up before you buy.
The other aspect of sizing relates to the inside of your fridge freezer. For example you might look at one fridge freezer which has a much bigger fridge compartment than freezer compartment. This is commonly known as a 70/30 split. But you can also get an even 50/50 split between the fridge and the freezer. This is ideal if you have more frozen food that you would like to store.
Think about your needs and how much room you will need in each appliance before you decide what to buy.
Don’t forget the energy rating!
Energy ratings can help you to pick a fridge freezer or other refrigeration appliance that will be efficient and use little energy. Watch out for A rated appliances, as these are the most efficient of them all. The higher the letter goes, the less efficient the fridge freezer is.
Needless to say, going for a good energy rating will save you money in the long run. The appliance will use up less electricity to run.
What modern features should I look out for?
Stayfresh is certainly worth having in your fridge freezer. This idea is designed to make sure your fresh food stays that way for as long as possible. In addition many modern fridge freezers also come with a special coating inside them that wards off the build up of any harmful bacteria.
When looking for a good quality freezer, automatic defrosting is a good thing to have. It means that you don’t have to worry about defrosting it yourself all the time, as the appliance does it for you. If you have ever defrosted your own fridge freezer in the past, you will know that this is definitely a good thing to look for!
In conclusion
All fridge freezers will freeze your food and keep it fresh. But as you can see there are a lot of different options available to get just the right combination for your own family’s needs.
Why not take a look round now to see which options will suit you the best?