Present in the vast majority of homes, the refrigerator is very useful. It is a real modern attic because it allows you to keep your food cool for a long time.
To offer more options and advantages to their users, refrigerator manufacturers are offering models that are more and more advanced and offer very interesting performances.
So, whatever your needs, you are sure to find the refrigerator you need.
However, it won’t always be easy to find your way around this vast world of the refrigerator if you decide to buy a refrigerator.
We, therefore, offer you this refrigerator buying guide, which we are sure will help you in the search for the refrigerator that corresponds to your needs.
Discover now the different criteria to consider before buying a refrigerator.
Buying Your Refrigerator Well: Our 8 Criteria
The Type of Refrigerator
As we pointed out above, the refrigerator has undergone many changes. So nowadays there are different types of refrigerators with interesting characteristics:
The Standard Or One-Door Refrigerator
This is the classic version of the refrigerator.
This version is equipped with a refrigeration space for storing your food and is often recommended for regular consumers of fruits and vegetables.
Some models still have a freezer compartment or freezer. The performance level of the freezer space is expressed in stars and varies between 2 and 4 stars.
The American Refrigerator Or Two Vertical “Side By Side” Doors
The American version stands out from most refrigerators by its capacity, which often exceeds 400 liters.
In addition, it offers two storage spaces evenly distributed: a space for freezing and space for refrigeration.
Some models are also equipped with a door that allows you to access drinks or ice cubes without having to open the refrigerator.
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The Combined Refrigerator
It also offers storage space for freezing and storage space for refrigeration.
However, unlike the American models, the two spaces do not have the same capacity. The refrigerator compartment occupies 2/3 of the total space and is equipped with several storage drawers.
The Multi-Door Refrigerator
classified in the category of large volume refrigerators, it also offers a part for freezing and apart for refrigeration.
On the other hand, it stands out from other refrigerators by its number of doors (3 or 4 doors depending on the model).
Many users appreciate this type of refrigerator for its modular storage space and its many features.
The Mini Fridge
this is a small capacity or small size refrigerator. Its compact shape makes it easy to move and allows it to be installed in a motorhome, office, bedroom, etc.
Installation
As is the case with a mini dishwasher or a microwave, the Refrigerators can be installed freestanding or built-in.
Freestanding installation is the easiest to achieve and does not require the use of a professional.
You can choose the design you like. The only constraint is in the space available in your house.
You must have enough space to leave a gap between the fridge and the wall. This will allow heat to escape, and this is essential to ensure the longevity of your device.
The built-in refrigerator is installed in the furniture for parsimonious management of space.
It is therefore designed to harmonize with the interior decoration of your home and be completely invisible.
Like free-standing models, it is essential to provide a space (at least 5 centimeters) during installation to allow heat to escape.
The Capacity
Determining the capacity needed to meet your needs is not as easy as you might think. You have to take into account the number of people to satisfy, your eating habits or the frequency of supplying your fridge.
Generally speaking, a single person or a couple might need a capacity of at least 200 liters for their needs while a family with two children might need around 300 liters.
For a large family, on the other hand, it is necessary to plan beyond 400 liters.
Energy Consumption
For a device that is supposed to non-stop running refrigerator, energy consumption must be carefully considered or risk having to bear a heavy burden.
To give users an idea of how much electrical energy an ideal refrigerator can consume, manufacturers indicate its energy class.
Due to certain restrictions aimed at limiting high energy consumption, refrigerator designers can no longer offer models with an energy class lower than A.
It is for this reason that most models sold for several years are A + or A ++.
Also, note that the type of refrigerator determines your energy consumption. A classic refrigerator will consume less than a refrigerator of another type.
However, in terms of consumption, everything suggests that the American version is the most energy-intensive, and this is not surprising, because it has a large capacity.
Freezing Performance
The freezing performance is expressed in stars and is classified into 4 levels depending on the refrigerator.
Each star corresponds to -6 degrees Celsius and allows food to be frozen over a certain period. That said, for:
- One star, you have the option of having ice cubes and keeping food frozen for 3 days.
- Two stars, it is possible to reach a temperature of -12 degrees Celsius and keep your food for 3 weeks or a month.
- Three stars, you can store food for a year.
- Four stars, you can freeze the food and keep it for 1 year.
There are also very important performances such as the freezing capacity and the autonomy of the best refrigerator.
Expressed in kilograms per 24 hours (kg / 24h), the freezing power is the amount of food that your appliance can freeze in 24 hours.
The autonomy of the refrigerator is the time during which your refrigerator is able to store your food before it thaws in the event of a power failure.
The Cooling System
Food preservation in a refrigerator is ensured by a refrigeration system or technology, and there are 3 different technologies. Those are:
Static Cold
it is the oldest technology used by refrigerators and it is also the quietest and the most economical because of its basic operating system.
The generated cold air spreads randomly in the refrigerator. Since the air is not ventilated, the cold air being heavy is concentrated at the bottom while the warm air is concentrated at the top.
So, you have to take this into account when storing food in the refrigerator for better preservation.
Stirred Or Dynamic Cold
cold air is stirred and distributed more evenly. In addition, each time the fridge is opened, the fan on one side turns on to restore the homogeneous circulation of cold air.
You no longer need to constantly monitor the distribution of food in the refrigerator to ensure their proper conservation.
Ventilated Cold
also called “no frost”, this technology is the one found on high-end models because it is the most advanced. It distributes cold, dry air evenly in order to quickly cool the food while avoiding the formation of frost.
In addition, the absence of humidity helps to fight against the proliferation of bacteria in the refrigerator.
The Options and the Quality of the Shelves
For better preservation of your food, the refrigerator offers various options. These include in particular:
- Super freezing for quickly freezing large quantities of food for a period of time.
- Super refrigeration to reduce the temperature of the fridge for a few hours or half a day.
- Automatic defrost to avoid overconsumption of energy and facilitate the cleaning of the fridge.
- Ionization to fight against the proliferation of bacteria and odors in the fridge.
- The door in the door to access part of the refrigerator without having to open the main door.
- The integrated minibar to treat yourself to cold drinks without having to open the refrigerator.
- The door alarm to signals the opening too long or the bad closing of the door.
- Mechanical or digital thermostat for temperature regulation.
You will also appreciate other options such as the holiday function, the connected function, the ice and water dispenser, LED lighting, etc.
As for the shelves or shelves of your refrigerator, they can be glass or plastic. Glass shelves are the most practical and the most scratch-resistant.
You will also find very practical anti-overflow shelves to prevent the spillage of liquid and bottle-holder shelves for the horizontal storage of bottles.
The Sound Levels
Between 38 and 42 decibels, the sound level of a refrigerator should not interfere.
However, the notion of noise being relative, it is preferable that you find out about the noise level of your refrigerator.
In addition, if the refrigerator is to be installed near the living room or in a kitchen open to the living room, it is necessary to take into account this parameter so as not to be annoyed at times.
