Do you have an older fridge sitting at home, collecting dust, and gobbling up power? You may be due for a new fridge freezer unit, or considering upgrading already! If you are, there are a few things to consider when shopping for a fridge freezer to make sure you choose the right model for your unique household.
Side-by-Side or Vertical Unit?
Consider whether you need a freezer attached to the side of the fridge, or if you want a slimmer, more compact unit with a vertical freezer. If you have a large family or household, a side-by-side freezer unit might be the best option. However, it’s important to consider whether your kitchen has the space for this wide unit. Be sure to also consider the shelf space and organisation. Side-by-side models tend to have narrower and deeper shelves, which can make it tricky to fit larger food items flat, such as a pizza. You may prefer a vertical unit! But if you need lots of freezer space, and have a large household, this may not be right for you.
Top or Bottom Freezer
There are different benefits to the location of your freezer on a vertical unit. If your freezer is at the top, you’ll probably find this more convenient. You don’t tend to open the freezer door as much as the fridge. However, if you have wheelchair users at home, a bottom freezer would likely be the better option.
The location of the freezer will also impact the function of the vegetable crisper function. Bottom freezers tend to have cold crispers as the feature is built into the top of the freezer. Luckily, there are some models with a small heater under the crisper to combat this. Meanwhile, top freezers tend to have warmer crispers as they sit at the bottom of the freezer unit.
Interior Organisation
Consider choosing a fridge that allows you to change the side of the unit that the door opens. If you move homes or even renovate your kitchen in the future, you don’t have to worry about the door being on the wrong size for accessibility. If you are going to put the fridge in a corner, make sure your shelves and drawers can be taken out without having to open the door wider than 90°.
Be sure to also choose a unit that allows you to rearrange the height of shelves for different organisational arrangements.
Multi-Drawers
Drawers are often placed between the fridge and freezer, and are designed to help regulate humidity to help keep your fruit and vegetables fresher for longer. You can even get multi-drawers that have a separate temperature control.
Exterior Aesthetics
Modern appliances come in a variety of finishes these days. Consider choosing a matte or finger-print resistant finish to avoid having to wipe it down all the time! You can also play with colour from charcoal, to silver, and even red. White units tend to be a little cheaper. Colour may come with a premium price!
Size and Space
Consider how much fridge and freezer space your household needs! If you have a family or household of four, you’ll likely need around 400 to 500 litres of storage space. Vertical fridge freezer units can be as large as 600 litres, with side-by-side units 600 to 800 litres. Just remember that side-by-side units will cost you quite a bit more.
Check the measurements before you buy! How much space do you have in your kitchen for the unit? Make sure you account for ventilation space on the top, bottom and sides of the unit – usually 5cm. But it’s important to check what the fridge model needs before hitting buy now. Some models can require up to 30cm of space at the top!
Make sure the shelves in the unit and inside the doors will store your go-to fridge items including milk and juice bottles!
Noise
Your fridge is going to be running at all times. If there’s a sound coming from it, such as a buzz or a hum, it could drive you crazy! Consider the layout of your home, too. Open plan kitchen and living room spaces will not be effective at reducing noise. But if the unit is surrounded by walls at the back and sides, or other kitchen cabinets, it can help to dampen the noise. Fridges have a decibel of about 30dBA which is about the same as a whisper. Be sure to check the decibel rating on the unit before purchasing! Generally, if two fridge units have a reading of 3dBA apart, you won’t notice a difference. But if the difference is 5dBA or larger, it’ll sound louder.
Temperature
You want to make sure your food will stay cold enough to stay fresh or frozen! These are the temperatures that you should generally look for. If your fridge has a difference of 1°C, it won’t be a big deal. But these are ideal temperatures.
- Fridge: 3°C
- Freezer: -18°C, but -12°C to -15°C is acceptable for short-term storage (about 2 weeks)
- Chiller drawer: 0°C
- Door: 3°C
Energy Efficiency
It’s important to consider the ongoing costs of running your fridge freezer unit. Consider choosing a model that has a high energy star rating. The more stars, on a scale of 1-5 stars, means that the fridge freezer is more energy efficient. Energy efficient appliances, while they may come at a higher price tag initially, are often the smarter, long-term choice. They will use less energy to keep your food cool and frozen—saving you money on your power bill month-to-month!
How Energy Efficient Appliances Save Money
Compare Fridge Freezers
Before you buy your fridge freezer, be sure to jump on PriceMe to compare different models and prices. Compare different specifications and even customer reviews. This is a great way to get the best price too. Don’t pay more than you need to. Simply find the best price, and click! You’ll be taken to the retailer page to make your purchase.
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