The refrigerator plays a major role in our kitchen, knowing how to decide which refrigerator to buy is important. It’s where we keep our food to be safe and avoid food spoilage that is usually caused by bacteria thriving in warmer temperatures outside the fridge and also inside when your fridge is damaged.
Refrigerators come in many different types and sizes, all available depending on your usage or lifestyle. So how do you decide which refrigerator to buy?
Here are some guidelines that might help you decide.
1. Fridge Size
One of the most important factors when choosing and answering the question, how do I decide which refrigerator to buy? Is determining what size of the fridge will fit your kitchen. Some kitchen layout restricts the fridge size you want but there’s always a type of fridge that will provide enough space to store foods, frozen food, fresh produce, water, etc., and meet your everyday needs.
2. Fridge Type
The type of fridge is one of the main angles you want to look into because not all fridges are designed to fit your kitchen and your lifestyle. Here are the most common types of refrigerator that you may want to consider:
Top Mount Fridge
The top mount refrigerator is what you imagine when you think of a traditional fridge. Most families buy the most common type because it has the ideal price, size, and style for most kitchen designs. It is ideal for small families and limited kitchen space. These are the useful features: adjustable shelves, an additional small freezer box at the bottom, temperature controls, energy-efficient, and has a storage capacity somewhere between 350 – 750 L.
Pros
Top mount fridge is energy-efficient among other big fridges with up to 25% less energy usage and it is cheaper. It also has a big space that can store your everyday needs. This can fit in most kitchen layouts.
Cons
This refrigerator easily freezes too much, even the fruits, vegetables, and leftover food is affected which shouldn’t be and it’s difficult to defrost when that happens. In addition, since the fridge is at the bottom, the bending is more frequent which is not healthy for our back.
Bottom Mount fridge
The bottom mount refrigerator is the opposite top mount fridge, the main difference is the placement of the freezer is at the bottom. Also known as bottom freezer refrigerator. It is ideal for a small number of family members and limited kitchen space Easy waist-high, energy-efficient, adjustable glass shelf, temperature control, and has a storage capacity somewhere between 350 – 750 as well.
Pros
Moving the freezer to the bottom will make the fridge at the eye and chest level that makes it much easier to find all of the most commonly used items inside. Most people use the fridge more frequently than the freezer. This is very helpful for people who have back or posture problems.
Cons
Food tends to be heavier when frozen. Since the freezer is on the bottom part, getting these frozen items will require more effort. Another concern is kids can reach the freezer and can hurt themselves by picking up and dropping heavy frozen items.
French door fridge
French door refrigerators are the latest design trend because of their elegance and spacious design internally and externally. This is ideal for a large number of family members and a spacious kitchen
Additional features: ice and water dispenser, easy waist-high access, larger freezer space at the bottom, wider door shelves and have a storage capacity somewhere between 600 – 800 L.
Pros
French door fridge has grown in popularity because it is easier to access items inside without opening the whole fridge door. It has a more useful adjustable shelf space to fill in for better orientation and it fits essential items. In addition to that, it comes with plenty of storage boxes for better organization.
Cons
French door fridge comes with many features and a larger interior, requiring more energy to use for functioning completely. The freezer is also located at the bottom and as mentioned earlier, can prove difficult to access for people with back problems. In addition to that, it doesn’t suit all kitchen layouts, especially small kitchens.
Side by Side fridge
A Side by Side refrigerator is a great choice for a large family of five or more members and a spacious kitchen. It is also simple and stylish that matches the modern house design.
Features include: ice and water dispenser, easy waist-high access, wider door shelves and has a storage capacity between 600 – 800 L.
Pros
From the bottom mount and the french door fridge, by spitting the fridge vertically between the refrigerator and freezer. The advantage of both sections is now in the eye and chest level, making access easier.
Cons
Side by Side fridge is commonly wider than the traditional fridge, making it more difficult to place in simple kitchen layouts. In addition to that, It doesn’t have an adjustable shelf which can be a major inconvenience for organizing food items and storing large-sized items.
Four-door fridge
A Four-door refrigerator is the most convenient type of fridge because of its flexible storage space. In addition to that, it is ideal for a spacious kitchen and big families who love to entertain guests. Adjustable shelves, easy high-waist access, ice, and a water dispenser are all useful and convenient features to look for. It has a storage capacity somewhere between 600-800 L.
Pros
This model of fridge is one of the most advanced fridges in the market, it has a technology that automatically defrosts the fridge, the door-in-door instant view, no need to fully open the door to see what’s inside, adjustable shelves to accommodate large items, and it includes a feature called a vegetable crisper which keeps the food fresh for a longer time. In addition, it has an inverter linear compressor that can save up to 32% of energy.
Cons
This fridge model is more expensive than the traditional one since it is the most innovative fridge. Like the french door and side-by-side fridge, this can also be difficult to fit in some kitchen layouts.
Bar fridge
Bar refrigerator has a similar function to large fridges but on a smaller scale and has a much-limited space that fits only plenty of drinks and snacks. Adjustable shelves, a small freezer box, and temperature control are the most common features. Capacity is at 40 – 133 L.
Pros
The bar fridge is a compact fridge that fits in small spaces such as corners of rooms, dormitories, offices, and other small spaces. It is also low in cost and energy consumption but it retains the same function as that of bigger refrigerators. You can even place it above the table for easier access.
Cons
This fridge is small in size, which limits the number of items you can fit inside, and bigger items like some plastic containers won’t fit.
3. Kitchen Space
The kitchen space is very important to know how do you decide which refrigerator to buy? Because it shows you where to place big appliances in the right position and knowing which refrigerator to buy? To not interfere with your workflow around the kitchen. Always measure the clearance (e.g. opening doorways, people entryways to the kitchen.) to ensure that it will fit perfectly to your home and leave at least 25mm of free space between the exterior of the fridge and the wall to avoid overheating. Remember that it is a machine that works 24/7
4. Consider your Lifestyle
The refrigerator is expected to run for a long time, so it’s important to match it with your lifestyle to satisfy your everyday needs. Maybe you live alone in your condominium, you might consider buying a fridge for a single person and not the big, smart fridge that has too many features and can even cost you more. Be realistic and smart.
5. Important fridge feature (depends on brand)
Air deodorizers
– this feature helps to keep the fresh smell inside the fridge by absorbing unpleasant smells using an active carbon filter.
Anti-bacterial Agents
– this helps to reduce more bacteria from multiplying by using the coated walls installed inside the fridge. This will give you a more hygienic fridge environment and fresher food.
Conclusion
Answering the question how do I decide which refrigerator to buy? It’s very important to consider the lifestyle you have to satisfy your everyday needs. Fancy and innovative technology is awesome but if it doesn’t suit you and your lifestyle, it’ll just be a waste of money.
As refrigerators run 24/7, sometimes you can’t avoid fridge breakdowns. Call for professional refrigerator repair services at the first sign of a fridge issue.
