Today, consumers are offered the largest selection of refrigerators of all time, with many new models appearing every day. The underlying cooling technology has not changed over the past decades, but there has been significant progress in the efficiency and functionality of these indispensable devices.
You can classify them in different ways. Mini-refrigerators and standard-size models are available. By type of defrosting, drip and No Frost systems are distinguished. According to the principle of placement, refrigerators are built-in and standing separately. By design, they are divided into types with top, bottom or side placement of the freezer, as well as with a French door. Each option has its pros and cons.
Types of refrigerators
Top freezer models are the most affordable. But which brand of refrigerator is better? The choice, according to expert advice, depends on the useful volume and annual electricity consumption of a particular model. Refrigerators of this type break less often than others. Their biggest disadvantage islow position of the main camera. Since most use it more often than the freezer, you often have to bend over to get to the lower sections. In addition, most models of this type have limited food storage capabilities. This is especially true of the freezer, which often has only one shelf. In professional tests, they tend to be louder than other types and don't keep temperatures very well.
Choosing a refrigerator with a bottom freezer will cost more. Models of this type, as a rule, are more convenient to use, because the most popular sections are on top. In modern refrigerators, the freezer is often a drawer that makes it easier to see the contents, although some are accessed through the door, as well as the main compartment. Regardless, you have to bend over to get to the food. Containers allow you to conveniently place products, and the best models have retractable containers.
The biggest advantage of side-freezer refrigerators is the narrow doors, which can be a plus in narrow kitchens. They are also child-friendly as they allow easy access to groceries. These refrigerators do not use space and energy as efficiently as other models. Narrow compartments make it difficult to accommodate wide pies and pizza boxes.
Models with a French door are equipped with a refrigerator for the entirewide, but have two doors instead of one large one. This design only allows one half to open, so cold air escapes less, leaving room for wide items. This is the most expensive type in general, but it justifies its price. These refrigerators are often equipped with ice and water dispensers. The lower freezer is often made in the form of full-width drawers, but some models have 4 doors dividing it into 2 independent compartments. In addition, there is sometimes an additional drawer above the freezer for frequently used items such as deli meats.
Built-in refrigerators are designed so that they do not protrude beyond the edges of cabinets and countertops. They can be all of the above types. Some models allow you to install front panels that match the design of kitchen cabinets, which ensures that the overall style matches. They provide the perfect look but tend to be expensive. Another serious disadvantage is that this type of model provides the smallest usable area and low energy efficiency.
What to look for when choosing a refrigerator?
Experts advise that the purchased model, regardless of type, should have the following functionality:
- Configuration flexibility. The refrigerator should be able to store wide and tall items in easily accessible and not hidden places.
- Convenient features. Additional features that customers appreciate are ice and water dispensers, adjustable shelves andcontrolled humidity vegetable compartments.
- Well lit interior. Most models have at least one light source inside the refrigerator compartment. Some are equipped with additional lighting in the freezer or in each container.
- Temperature control. All refrigerators refrigerate food, but models with a French door or side-mounted freezer usually have better temperature control.
- Sturdy construction. Doors should be well balanced and strong. Shelving or bins - hold securely.
- High energy efficiency. With updated and stricter standards, Energy Star compliance guarantees the lowest energy consumption, which is important when choosing a refrigerator. What to pay attention to in this case? Some older models do not have this certification, but test results may indicate that they are.
- Simple controls. They should be easily accessible (from the front, not at the back, which may require clearing the shelf to access) and intuitive to use.
- Easy to clean surfaces. Tips for choosing a refrigerator recommend not wire, but glass shelves that hold spilled liquid. Modern finishes offer a stainless steel exterior that is less soiled.
- Stylish appearance. Some refrigerators are produced in different colors, from basic white to steel. Where a choice is offered, the latter option can greatly increasecost.
Master's Tips
Before choosing a refrigerator, measurements should be taken. Be sure to take a tape measure and check the height, width, depth and gap in the doors. It is necessary to determine the direction of opening in order to have access to the refrigerator from the desired side (or it could be outweighed). You should also measure all the way to the kitchen to make sure the model you choose will fit through all doorways.
Before you choose the type of refrigerator, you need to think about its operation. For many, the bottom freezer option is the most convenient because it eliminates the need to bend over to grab fresh food. However, if it is used frequently, then the top location is preferable. Side seating is ideal for families with small children so they can reach for groceries without standing on a chair.
One of the most common causes of complaints is the high noise level. If the kitchen is located near the sleeping areas, the solution would be to purchase a quiet refrigerator. On the other hand, if you need a model for a garage or will be located away from the main living areas, then the noise level will not be of decisive importance.
When choosing a refrigerator, according to the advice of the masters, you should carefully consider the need to have additional functions. The presence of an ice and water dispenser is the most requested feature, but refrigerators with them break much more often. Dispensers also increase consumptionenergy and reduce usable volume.
Price expectations
The price includes not only the purchase price, but also the price of electricity that the device consumes. Before choosing a refrigerator, according to the advice of the masters, it is necessary to compare the costs for different models, check the yellow EnergyGuide label. Don't buy just for being Energy Star certified, as this energy efficiency standard varies depending on the type and size of the device. A large Energy Star rated side-freezer refrigerator can use more energy than a smaller model without one. The more reliable EnergyGuide rating estimates annual energy consumption in kilowatt-hours.
Buy Tactics
What is it?
- Sales. Sometimes buying a new refrigerator is an emergency when the old one is completely out of order. However, if there is no hurry, you should follow the calendar. For example, in Moscow there is a large selection of discounted refrigerators on holidays.
- Join the club. Many major retailers offer loy alty programs that allow you to receive discounts and earn points on future purchases. It's almost always free and will save you a lot of money. As with loy alty programs, using a merchant branded credit card often comes with a discount as well as free shipping. Of course, this is a good deal only if it is possible to pay for the purchase when the first invoice arrives, otherwise the interest will exceed the savings. If notenough cash, using a branded card will eliminate the need to pay interest for a certain period of time - up to a year or 18 months.
- Extended Warranty Disclaimer. Many sellers invite and even urge you to purchase an extended warranty on a new refrigerator. But most experts agree that it almost never pays off.
- Pre-selection of the refrigerator on the Internet. Large household appliances are mainly bought in retail rather than online stores. Shopping in the showroom allows you to check dimensions, features and finishes up close. But even then, you can first find the price in online stores, be sure to visit several sites, and ask the retailer to reduce the price of the product to this level.
Top freezers
Although these models are very popular among consumers, they tend to attract less experts and professional reviewers than other types. Mainly because they are less user-friendly, requiring you to bend over to get to the main compartment, and offer fewer options for configuring food storage space. However, they are more reliable and less expensive.
LG LTCS24223S (around Rs. This is the only model that is recommended by experts and has good reviews.owners.
Her biggest advantage is her size. With a volume of 674 liters, the LG LTCS24223S is one of the largest top freezer refrigerators. And that's good, because it costs less than the cheapest models with French doors.
Large volume results in large dimensions - 85 x 174 x 83 cm. If large families are very happy with such a space, some say that it looks strange in their kitchen, because it protrudes significantly into the living area. The refrigerator is available in 4 colors - stainless steel, white (W), black (B) and black stainless steel (D).
Of the total volume, 500 liters are reserved for the main storage area and 174 liters for the freezer. The food storage facilities are excellent. There are not many configurations available, but most of them indicate that there is enough space for the organization. There are 2 shelves, 2 vegetable bins (with a full shelf on top) and 2 bins in the refrigerator door that can accommodate, for example, 3 liter plastic canisters of milk. There is also a butter container, but according to users, it is too small to hold a pack of margarine. Ice box included.
The freezer has LED lighting, which the owners say is bright and attractive. However, experts say the contents of the refrigerator can block out the light, making it difficult to find the right food.
In terms of performance, the LG LTCS24223S, like all top freezer models, gets morelower expert ratings for temperature accuracy and stability than other types of refrigerators. Users praise the device for maintaining the temperature well and evenly distributing it, but the freezer is of average quality. There are very few user complaints. Users who felt the temperature was not cold enough simply adjusted it on the control panel.
Bottom freezers
Experts recommend them for their convenient layout. The popularity of such devices is less than models with a French door, which are more convenient, since replacing one massive door with two smaller ones allows installation in small kitchens.
The best choice of this type of refrigerator is LG LDC24370ST with a volume of 674 liters (about 100 thousand rubles). This model has a width of 83 cm and is made of stainless steel. Also available in white and black.
The refrigerator leads the way in the quality of the freezer, which provides excellent temperature control and cooling uniformity. Owners praise the device for excellent performance and plenty of storage options, noting quiet operation and visual appeal.
The LG LDC24370ST's feature list includes the nice touch of a door left open alarm. There is an internal ice maker. According to users, the glass shelves are adjustable and easy to clean. It is permissible to store objects of various shapes, heights and sizes in the door, from a pack of juice tocanisters of milk. There are two compartments for vegetables and a compartment for storing wide, low plates. Two drawers in the freezer make food easy to access.
Option for small kitchens
Among the large selection of refrigerators with a side-mounted freezer, the best is the Samsung RH25H5611SR (about 100 thousand rubles). It is the latest and least expensive model in the popular Food Show series and features a double door design that allows access to frequently used foods without cold leakage. Parents love this feature, but some experts say they're not sure it's necessary.
In addition, the Samsung RH25H5611SR receives high marks from experts for its amazing performance in reaching and maintaining temperatures. There are no real complaints about temperature accuracy or anything else. Some complain that the water dispenser drips or leaks when not in use, or that water continues to flow after the glass is removed. Others claim that the ice maker is noisy, but these shortcomings do not detract from the quality of the refrigerator itself. There are complaints about durability, but they are very few.
One of the characteristic problems of all refrigerators of this type is not always intuitive options for placing products. However, the Samsung RH25H5611SR has been touched on less than other models simply because it's larger so it offers more space, but even then it's hard to put items like pizza boxes or group tall condiments withlow. However, these are problems that the owners are doing very well.
In addition to the ice and water dispenser, digital control and double door, the owners especially like the LED lighting, which gives an amazing atmosphere. According to experts, the appearance is quite simple, the owners like it. In addition to stainless steel finishes, white, black, and black stainless steel are also available.
French Door Refrigerators
This type of model performs best in professional tests, and users like its convenient layout, useful features and stylish appearance. However, they cost more.
787-liter GE Café CFE28TSHSS (177 thousand rubles) is easily ahead of other brands of refrigerators. The choice of model pleases owners as it is attractive, feature rich, highly energy efficient and has great product placement options. The only caveat is the noisy operation.
A unique feature of the dispenser is the ability to dispense not only cold, but also hot water. Instead of an LED display, the user is dealing with a small touch screen. You can personalize the display by loading photos from a flash drive and playing a slideshow. Inside are 2 vegetable bins and a full-width drawer that can be set to different temperatures for different perishables. Leak-proof glass shelves are adjustable and there is plenty of storage space on the doors. Refrigerator is only available instainless steel option. It measures 91 cm wide and 92 cm deep.
The performance of the GE CFE28TSHSS is excellent. The refrigerator does not have serious flaws, but there are minor ones. Food stored at the bottom of the freezer barely cools down to -17°C. However, the superior temperature stability of the chamber minimizes the risk of spoilage. Correcting the defect is simple: just lower the temperature of the thermostat.
Choosing built-in refrigerator
Models of this type usually do not exceed the size of kitchen cabinets and countertops, offering an elegant look that matches the design of the kitchen. But they are more expensive than most equivalent standard depth grades.
The best choice of built-in refrigerator is the Samsung RF23J9011SR (190 thousand rubles) with a volume of 637 liters - a 4-door model with a bottom freezer. The main disadvantage of devices of this type is the lack of usable space and low versatility. However, in this case there is no problem, since it is possible to use the lower right compartment both as a freezer and as a refrigerator, depending on the current need. In the latter case, there are 2 additional settings - for soft ice cream or wine.
Samsung RF23J9011SR outperforms other models in professional tests as well. Experts are pleased with all aspects of its performance, but especially praise the vegetable containers, which do an excellent job of retaining moisture. In addition, it is an energy-saving choice. The refrigerator provides precision andtemperature uniformity, little noise. Users appreciate the beautiful design and LED lighting. The Samsung RF23J9011SR is made of stainless steel but is also available in black.
