A Handy Guide to Choose Your Best Fridge Freezer

Fridge-freezers are the most sought after kitchen appliances universally. These days of rapid action and fast paced lifestyle demands appliances of all variations to keep up with the speed. A unique combination of both the fridge and the freezer as a single unit helps most of the time with space and maintenance. Fridge-freezer comes in two different types like the built-in or the freestanding. They come in various sizes and colours to suit different needs and family size.

SIZE MATTERS

As the saying goes, definitely size matters when you choose your fridge-freezer. There are many variations in the width of the appliance and it is very vital to keep in mind the space and storage area of the intended kitchen in use. Freestanding fridge-freezers are easy to position in a relatively free area with the power supply unit close by and it is cost effective too. On the other hand while opting for an integrated or a built in fridge-freezer unit, special provision in the wall as well as the outer finishing should be taken care of. It has to fit in to the design and interior décor of the kitchen without protruding offensively.

Obviously, next the capacity of the fridge-freezer should be considered seriously keeping in mind the size of the family and its demands. If it is expected to be used commercially in shopping malls and departmental stores, there are special units serving the purpose. The capacity is usually noted inside in litres or cubic ft.

There are models which divide the fridge and the freezer sections equally and yet there are others which go for a 70 percent fridge and 30 percent freezer compartments.

LOOKOUT FOR THE COOLING AGENT

Long have the days gone when CFC gas remained to be the most used cooling agent in a fridge-freezer. They have proven to have leaks which resulted to have serious and harmful effects on the ozone layer of the earth. There are other gases which do not have the same kind of ill effect as that of CFC but still enhances global warming. So, these days’ manufacturers of fridge-freezers try to remain eco-friendly by using natural gases like the Isobutene as a cooling agent. These kinds of natural gases do not possess damaging effects to either the global warming or the ozone layer.

ENRICH THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY

On purchase of a fridge-freezer it is wise to make a keen note on the energy consumption and find out the energy rating awarded by the EU to the particular model. Almost all the models are subjected to rating and vary from A++ to G. A with a ++ being the most efficient with G with the least efficiency rating. It is well known fact that an appliance with a higher energy rating will directly correlate in saving the amount of used power and cut down the bill cost effectively.

When calculating the running cost per year of the fridge-freezer by taking into account of its working 24 x 7 x 365 days, it amounts to an approximate average cost of 11p/KW/hour. The calculations also relate to the size and capacity of the fridge-freezer unit and the amount and type of food stored regularly.

Also some of the manufacturers provide a star rating for their freezer section ranging from 1 to 4 stars. More the stars better the performance is assured. With a higher number of stars which is meant for freezers, it is can be safely assured that the food remain frozen without any hazards for maximum of 12 months. One or two stars reflect to the pertaining ice boxes which hold food frozen for less than a month.

Star rating Icebox temperature Food storage
4 stars -18° C or colder Freeze fresh food, and store food for up to three to 12 months
3 stars -18° C Store pre-frozen food for up to three to 12 months
2 stars -12° C Store pre-frozen food for up to a month
1 star -6° C Store pre-frozen food for up to a week
No stars N/A Suitable only for making ice

THERMOSTAT FEATURE

Fridge-freezers do have both a single and double thermostat options. A single thermostat regulates the temperature commonly for both the fridge and freezer sections, while some provide with two separate thermostats for the individual sections. When single thermostat is considered to be cheaper, it comes with a risk of being either too cold or too warm in a single temperature setting. The double controls always allow switching off the fridge while permitting the freezer to function. This is highly recommended on holidaying. Vice versa, fridge could continue to function with the freezer defrosting.

OPTIMAL CLIMATE CLASSIFIED

When buying a fridge-freezer, it is relevant to know about the recommended climate class of the appliance. Almost all of them come with a climate class that is optimal. The N and SN are the two obvious class and they both can deal easily with a maximum of 32°C temperature. There are two more special classes of ST and T.

Class model Climate temperature
N Not used in rooms colder than 16°C
SN Not used in room less than 10°C
ST Best in between temperatures of 18°C and 38°C
T Effective between 18°C and 43°C

ADDITIONAL FEATURES TO LOOK UPON

Shelving is one of the key factors as it requires more area and easy to approach attitude. Safety glass shelves help you to see the contents easily and many fridge-freezers have rims that prevent spilling. Different sizes allow storage different items and scratch resistance is a bonus in keeping clean.

Anti-bacterial lining allows protection and prevents growth of harmful micro-organisms. This maintains protection to the food and avoids health problems related to them. It is easy to remove and clean too.

Removable bottle racks add space in storing bottled items as well as provide valuable room for other items. The deep door is a perfect storage space for larger bottles. Most of the fridge-freezers have many individual separate compartments where different food items can be stored individually and avoid mixing up as well as contamination. Vacuum storage is a valuable addition to preserve food without losing the texture and flavour.

Doors of the fridge-freezers are usually self closing which immediately maintains the temperature inside the appliance even when accidently left unclosed. With a magnetic removable door seals the unit becomes totally easy to clean and maintain hygiene. The easily detachable internal fittings along with the smooth interior walls of the fridge-freezer save time and energy in cleaning.

FRIDGE NEEDS

It is ideal to look out if the fridge-freezer is equipped with a salad crisper which separates the fruits and vegetables from other foods and a dairy compartment which is an absolute necessity. Butter, cheese and other dairy products helps them to maintain their freshness and taste. This also prevents the odour of other food items to overlay the dairy food.

Water and ice dispenser proves to be of high value in a hot, scorching summer. Crushed or cubed ice and filtered cold water is instantly ready for use. The chiller or the cooler compartment maintains the humidity and temperature at the right temperature to store meat and fish which are easily perishable.

FREEZER SPECIALTIES

A transparent drawer in the freezer allows access to have a look at the stored items without a lot of rummaging. An innovative and ideal compartment for frozen food and ready-to-cook meals is great for pizza and other typical foods. A berry tray allows soft fruits like raspberry to freeze easily and do not stick around. The ice tray is a natural addition to the freezer which allows access instantly to ice cubes.

SPECIAL OPTIONS

It is always great to have some special options which are a value addition. The super-cool setting allows cooling the fridge continuously for about 6 hours usually. This is very much effective when large amount of food is stored at one time. Also the fast-freeze settings preserve the nutrient, aroma and flavour of the food. This is a best choice when freezing fresh foods.

Frost-free and auto-frosting models are relatively expensive but worth its value. It allows keeping the fridge-freezer without any extra icing loading on the back walls and putting extra load and the energy consumption. Some of these units are usually loaded with a holiday button with which you can switch off the fridge and run only the freezer. This saves energy as well as money.

USEFUL FEATURES WORTH CHECKING

The child lock facility in a fridge-freezer has special settings which prevent children fidgeting with the temperature and other program controls. Many of the Fridge-freezers today have LCD display with touch control. The main functions of the appliance can be accessed and control with this.

There are also the open door alarms which alert and helps in preventing damage to the contents of the fridge-freezer and the temperature warning setting sound an alarm if there is a dangerous variation in the temperatures.

Lastly but a very important feature is to check for the noise level of the appliance. Noises which are measured in decibel should not exceed 40 decibels. If it reaches a 50, the appliance is definitely noisy and a disturbance to the environment. Checking for this special information on purchase is vital in the long run.