The level of choice that comes with any appliance purchase is mind boggling these days, and when faced with the seemingly endless array of products, manufacturers and features, having to make that choice can often be overwhelming. Here are the key elements to think about when buying a new fridge freezer which will help to narrow down the choice available and hopefully leave you with the perfect fridge freezer for your needs.
An easy choice to start off with - do you need an integrated fridge-freezer or freestanding. This should be quite a straight forward decision depending on whether your appliances are built in to your kitchen units or not. A built in appliance will be hidden behind the units in your kitchen, so the aesthetics are going to less important. If it's freestanding you're after, would a standard fridge freezer best suit your needs, or would you prefer an American side by side? A fridge freezer side by side will obviously take up more space than if they are stacked on top of one another, but apart from that, the choice is pretty much down to personal preference and price, as the American fridge freezers are a wee bit more expensive.
Size and split ratio should be the next consideration - this all depends on how big your household is and your cooking habits. The bigger your family, the larger capacity fridge freezer you are going to need. If you buy a lot of frozen foods, or like to cook large portions to freeze, then you should opt for a more even fridge/ freezer split. However if you tend to eat more fresh food or nothing stays in your freezer very long then an 80/20 fridge freezer split might be more appropriate.
When you have identified these essential needs, make a list of all the things you do and don't like about your current appliance and which features are most important to you. Some features to consider are:
* Frost free - so you never need to manually defrost your fridge freezer again
* Energy rating - the higher the energy rating of your appliance the more money you will save in the long run on your electricity bills
* Colour - Is there a colour theme in your kitchen?
Some of the more trivial features that you may value include:
* Safety features - important if you have young children in your household
* Retractable shelves - useful for increasing storage space
* Water and/or ice dispenser
* Holiday setting - saves energy whilst you are away by setting the fridge to 12°c when empty with the door closed, also prevents unpleasant odours
* Wine rack
* Super cool/ super freeze - quickly reduces the internal temperature of the appliance when new items added, for example after a shopping trip which helps to keep all items fresh
Most brands will also usually have their own unique patented technology, so it is worth checking out what the different brands offer. One of the best on the market is the Samsung TwinCooling Fridge Freezer which cools the fridge and freezer compartments separately each with its own evaporator so that the cold air from the freezer doesn't travel into the fridge. This means the fridge retains its high humidity level essential for preserving the freshness of your food.
An easy choice to start off with - do you need an integrated fridge-freezer or freestanding. This should be quite a straight forward decision depending on whether your appliances are built in to your kitchen units or not. A built in appliance will be hidden behind the units in your kitchen, so the aesthetics are going to less important. If it's freestanding you're after, would a standard fridge freezer best suit your needs, or would you prefer an American side by side? A fridge freezer side by side will obviously take up more space than if they are stacked on top of one another, but apart from that, the choice is pretty much down to personal preference and price, as the American fridge freezers are a wee bit more expensive.
Size and split ratio should be the next consideration - this all depends on how big your household is and your cooking habits. The bigger your family, the larger capacity fridge freezer you are going to need. If you buy a lot of frozen foods, or like to cook large portions to freeze, then you should opt for a more even fridge/ freezer split. However if you tend to eat more fresh food or nothing stays in your freezer very long then an 80/20 fridge freezer split might be more appropriate.
When you have identified these essential needs, make a list of all the things you do and don't like about your current appliance and which features are most important to you. Some features to consider are:
* Frost free - so you never need to manually defrost your fridge freezer again
* Energy rating - the higher the energy rating of your appliance the more money you will save in the long run on your electricity bills
* Colour - Is there a colour theme in your kitchen?
Some of the more trivial features that you may value include:
* Safety features - important if you have young children in your household
* Retractable shelves - useful for increasing storage space
* Water and/or ice dispenser
* Holiday setting - saves energy whilst you are away by setting the fridge to 12°c when empty with the door closed, also prevents unpleasant odours
* Wine rack
* Super cool/ super freeze - quickly reduces the internal temperature of the appliance when new items added, for example after a shopping trip which helps to keep all items fresh
Most brands will also usually have their own unique patented technology, so it is worth checking out what the different brands offer. One of the best on the market is the Samsung TwinCooling Fridge Freezer which cools the fridge and freezer compartments separately each with its own evaporator so that the cold air from the freezer doesn't travel into the fridge. This means the fridge retains its high humidity level essential for preserving the freshness of your food.