Best Fridges

• What you need to know
• Fridges are one of the most energy-intensive appliances in our households.
• There’s an enormous range of different fridges on the market. This means you can get the perfect one for you, but also that choosing can be quite difficult.
• Fridges that are too big will consume unnecessary energy. When buying a new one, make sure that it fits with your lifestyle.
• Features like automatic defrost, cold storage compartments, and fast cooling can improve energy-efficiency as well as optimizing food storage.
• Modern top-end fridges are often smart devices, meaning you can connect them to the internet and control them wirelessly.

An essential in every household

The road to healthy food and indulgent snacks often leads to the same place: the fridge. Fridges are one of the fundamental appliances you’ll find in any homes, and have become an essential tool for preserving food. In fact, fridges are even more common in our homes than other appliances like washing machines and tumble driers.

A quick history

While refrigeration has been around for a long time, refrigerators only began their domestic takeover in Europe and the US in the 1950s.

Types of refrigerator

Fridges come in loads of different shapes, sizes, and designs. This means there’s usually a model out there on the market to suit everyone’s individual needs.

Standard fridge types

A different fridge type should be chosen depending on factors like available space and the size of your household.

Freestanding fridges come in loads of different designs. From classic white to modern stainless steel, you’ll be able to find something that looks great in your home.

While you can of course get full-size freestanding fridges, you can also get smaller tabletop models. These are great for small households. Freestanding fridges can come with and without a freezer compartment.

The main thing to consider when buying an integrated fridge is that it needs to fit into your kitchen units perfectly. This means that when it comes to choosing a model, you need to make sure the measurements fit your needs exactly.

There’s a huge range of integrated fridges on the market. Just as with freestanding fridges, you can get models with and without freezer compartments.

Just as with freestanding and integrated fridges, you can choose between full-size and compact models with or without a freezer compartment. Compact under-counter fridges are a great option for single households as they are very small.

Special fridge types

While most people will be fine with one of the aforementioned fridge styles, there are a few special types which you might be interested in. Read on for a quick overview.

One of the main disadvantages of these combination appliances is that if one of the parts breaks, you’ll have to replace the whole thing. Fridge-freezers come in a huge range of different styles and sizes, and can also come with the ability to integrate them into your kitchen cabinets.

In the US, 2-in-1 double-door fridges are very common. In Europe, by contrast, you also frequently see individual appliances (one fridge and one freezer) with a system to connect them together.

Double-door fridges have a lot of storage space, but they also take up a lot of space. They’re only really good for larger households (four or more people). Due to their design, they aren’t the most energy efficient, but they are very effective as they have separate cooling circuits for the fridge and the freezer. Double-door fridges also often have a lot of extra features like water and ice cube dispensers, bar compartments, and Wi-Fi connectivity. These features of course command a higher price, and while they can be very luxurious, they aren’t totally necessary.

The main advantage of French door fridges is that they have a lot of storage space at eye level. Compared to classic double-door fridges, French door fridges take up less space, but you still should only go for one if you have a big kitchen. Just as with double-door fridges, these models tend to come with extra features like a water dispenser.

In addition, there are other different special types such as drinks refrigerators, wine refrigerators, or mini refrigerators.

Buying tips

When it comes to choosing a fridge, there are a few important things to consider. Since you’ll want your fridge to last for years, you will want it to look and perform as best as it can within your budget. However, the model that comes first in review lists won’t necessarily be the best option for you and your home.

There are a few factors that come into play when determining which fridge is best for you. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve detailed the most important things to consider below.

Size and capacity

The first thing you need to consider is how much space you have in your kitchen, and where exactly you want to put your fridge. This will determine what style of fridge you should go for.

The next thing to think about is how much capacity you need. Models with both a fridge and a freezer compartment will usually give separate capacities for each part.

Fridges with bigger capacities consume more electricity. As a general rule, each additional 3.5 cubic feet (100L) of capacity will increase power consumption by 20%. Due to this when choosing a fridge, it’s very important to get a model with a capacity that corresponds as closely as possible to your needs.

Working out what capacity you need

For the average one-to-two-person household, you will need a fridge with between 3.5 an 5 cubic feet (100-140L) of storage volume. For each additional person, you will generally want to add 1.7 cubic feet (50L) in extra capacity.

When deciding on capacity, you’ll also want to think about what you are storing in your fridge. For example, if you tend to use your freezer a lot, you will want a model with lots of freezer space. In general, a 1.7 to 2.8 cubic foot sized freezer (50-80L) will be good for a two-person household. If you use your freezer a lot, then go for a model with at least 3.5 cubic feet of space (100L).

The following table gives an overview of recommended capacity depending on household size:

Household size	Recommended usable capacity (refrigerator)	Recommended usable capacity (freezer compartment)
1 person	2.8-3.5ft³ (80-100L)	1-1.7ft³ (30-50L)
2 people	4.2-5.2ft³ (120-150L)	1.4-2.8ft³ (50-80L)
3 people	5.6-7ft³ (160-200L)	2.1-3.5ft³ (60-100L)
4 people	7-8.8ft³ (200-250L)	2.6-4.4ft³ (75-125L)
5 people	8.5-10.5ft³ (240-300L)	3.2-5.2ft³ (90-150L)

Energy consumption

Electricity consumption is always an important factor to consider as it determines the running costs of your appliance. It is also a great way to compare different models. It can really pay off to invest in an energy-efficient model, but beware that the most efficient appliances can command a higher price. We will go into further detail about this later on, as you can end up saving on electricity costs even if your fridge is more expensive initially.

Noise

Noise output shouldn’t be underestimated when it comes to fridges. After all, most people put their fridges in their kitchens, which are also an important communal space in any household.

Noise is measured in decibels (dB). Most fridges will produce between 45 and 50 dB, about as loud as a normal conversation. If a model has anything less than 40 dB, it will be more or less silent. As a result, we recommend going for a fridge with a noise output of around 35 dB, which is about as loud as an indoor fan.

Build material

Another important thing to consider is what kind of material a fridge is made from. Most modern fridges have high-quality stainless steel doors. The inner shelves should be made from safety glass. It is shatterproof and scratch resistant. If you want a fridge with a bottle rack, make sure it is made from metal. Alongside these factors, there are also some features you should consider when choosing a fridge:

Extra features

In addition to the important features detailed above, there are a few features you might also want to consider even though they aren’t really essential.

These new features aren’t all gimmicks. In fact, even something like smart home compatibility can help you save energy. For example, if you can see what’s inside your fridge without having to open it, you can save on cooling energy.

Energy consumption

Fridges are in constant use, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As a result, energy efficiency is an extremely important thing to consider when choosing a fridge. After all, energy costs can really pile up. A lot of countries will have a rating system for energy efficiency, which can be really helpful for showing which model is most efficient.

Saving energy

The information you get from the manufacturer or energy label about any fridge’s energy consumption should always be considered as an average benchmark. How much energy your fridge consumes will also depend on how you use it. The following list gives a few tips to help you save on power costs with your fridge:

• Fridges work best when filled. If you have a lot of empty space, your fridge will quickly fill with warm air when you open the door, resulting in extra cooling costs. Go for a fridge with a capacity that suits your needs to avoid having too much space.
• The temperature inside your fridge doesn’t need to be overly cold. Fridge compartments should be between 41 and 44.6 °F (5-7 °C), and freezer compartments should be 0 °F (-18 °C).
• Try to avoid unnecessarily opening your fridge door, and don’t leave it open.
• Don’t put warm food in your fridge – it will overwork the cooling system. It’s much better to let your food cool down to room temperature first.
• Don’t install your fridge next to heat sources like cookers or radiators.

Temperature zones

When saving energy, it also helps to use the different temperature zones in your fridge. In fridges with internal fans, this isn’t important as the temperature is even throughout. However, if your fridge doesn’t have a fan, convection means that the fridge will be cooler at the bottom and warmer at the top.

• Upper compartment – warm zone: the temperature is between 46 and 50 °F (8-10 °C). Jam, packaged cheese or cooked food are all good here.
• Middle compartment – middle zone: dairy products stay fresh for a long time at a temperature of about 41 °F (5 °C).
• Lower compartment – cold zone: at about 35 °F (2 °C) this is the coldest zone in the refrigerator. This is optimal for storing raw meat and fish.
• Vegetable drawer – special zone: the plastic drawer is covered by a glass plate at the top. This ensures that the cold air does not sink any further. The temperature in the vegetable compartment is again around 46 °F (8 °C). Vegetables and fruit stay crisp and fresh here for longer.
• Door compartments: the temperature is relatively warm at around 48 °F (9 °C). The narrow compartments are good for drinks and sauces. The top compartment is great for eggs and butter.

How do fridges work?

Fridges keep things cool. To do this, they extract heat from inside and conduct it outside. There are several ways of doing this, but the most common method is using compression.

Compression cooling

Compression systems consist of an evaporator, compressor, condenser, and throttle. Heat transfer takes place using refrigerants. These are liquids that evaporate into gas under the influence of heat.

The evaporator is a system of tubes which – depending on the model – is located in the side walls, the floor, and the rear wall of the refrigerator. The liquid refrigerant inside flows into the refrigerator. When it comes into contact with heat from the interior, it evaporates into gas. In this form, it reaches the compressor, which is located on the outside at the lower rear of the refrigerator.

The compressor compresses the gas so that it heats up. It is then passed through the condenser. This is the coiled tube system located at the back of the refrigerator. As the refrigerant makes its way through the tubes, it releases heat into the environment. As it cools, it condenses, which means it turns back into a liquid. This is how it flows through the throttle. This lowers the pressure of the refrigerant once more. Then the refrigerant flows back into the evaporator and the cycle starts again.

The main disadvantage of compression cooling systems is that they are quite noisy, as the compressor needs to be driven by a motor.

The silent alternative

Another method of heat transfer used in refrigerators is absorption. However, we’re only mentioning this briefly as it isn’t very common in conventional household refrigerators. In contrast to the compression, this cooling system runs silently. However, it consumes a lot of energy. Therefore, it is primarily used for mini refrigerators, cool boxes, and minibars.

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Images 1-18: © FinalCheck