Fridge Freezers

FRIDGE FREEZERS

When buying a Fridge Freezer you should take into account the size of your home. You should also make sure the refrigerator is energy efficient to avoid foreclosure bills. For many of freezing can be seen that equal size fridge to freezer may suit you better. If you do not freeze much, it is generally preferable to have a larger refrigerator and have a smaller freezer. Most fridge freezers are energy efficiency, Fridge Freezers use below 25% of energy compared with 15 years ago.

All refrigerators / freezers energy must be labeled with the relationship between energy consumption in volume terms. Keep an eye on the energy efficiency rating of A - G, where A is the most effective.

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When choosing a fridge freezer, the main consideration will usually be the space that it will take up in your kitchen, and secondly, the size of fridge or freezer that would be desirable, taking account of the requirements of the household.
Fridge freezers are available in 4 standard widths (50cm, 55cm, 60cm and 70cm) and various heights, and come in freestanding and built-in models.

All fridge freezers are rated from 'A' to 'G' for Energy Efficiency with 'A-grade' appliances being the most energy efficient. This means an A grade appliance will use less electricity than a B grade, and so on. A Grade appliances can help make great savings on your electricity bill, as well as being less detrimental to the environment, although generally, a newer appliance, even with a lower energy rating, will be less harmful to the environment, and more cost effective to run, than an old one. This is due entirely to improvements made in energy efficiency across the range of appliances available now. Most models available are now A or A+ energy efficiency.

Climate class

This is the room temperature that the fridge freezer can efficiently operate in. The most common classes in the UK are N class which means it should be in a room with a minimum temperature of 16°C and a maximum temperature of 32°C. This is normal room temperature range for the UK. For use in colder, or hotter environments, seek out SN models, which can operate effectively in cooler temperatures, between 10°C and 32°C, or for a hotter environment, choose ST or T which operate at a minimum temperature of 18°C and a maximum of 38°C and 43°C respectively.

Size

Storage capacity is measured in cubic feet (cu ft). Some manufacturers size their products by gross capacity; this is the total capacity when all shelves and drawers are removed. Some manufacturers quote the net capacity, which is the storage capacity with all drawers and shelves in place. Check this carefully, before making comparisons between different brands. When calculating the space available for a fridge or freezer, remember that for a built-in appliance, the calculation is the size of the external housing required (this will be shown on the specifications for the model), whereas with a freestanding fridge or freeze, extra space should be allowed for ventilation around the appliance. The capacity of a fridge freezer is less important than the amount of usable internal space it has. Consider what type of things you will want to put in the fridge and where you would store them. Consider the layout of the shelving, and whether it is adjustable for your needs. Some fridges will have removable shelving to allow for taller items, and freezers may have adjustable height shelves, or fixed height drawers. There will be a variety of shelving on the inside of the door – these could include dairy compartments, bottle shelves, and smaller shelves. Selecting the most convenient layout for your household will vastly improve your satisfaction with the appliance once it is installed.
Separate Fridges and Freezers have the same features as Fridge Freezers and are also available in a range of sizes.

Fridge Freezers, Fridges and Freezers are available as integrated, or ‘built-in’ appliances. An integrated appliance fits in to your kitchen units, with the door covered by a panel that matches the kitchen cupboards. When closed, the appliance is completely hidden and looks like a kitchen unit. An integrated appliance requires a housing unit, and a matching cupboard door.

Types of fridge freezer

Freestanding; these are available as a standard model with one section on top and the other on the bottom.
Integrated or built-in; as with other types of built-in appliance, these will offer less storage space in relation to the outside space. They fit inside a kitchen unit, and are concealed behind a matching cupboard door. Manufacturers generally offer a smaller choice of integrated models, and they will be more expensive than the equivalent freestanding version. The advantage of an integrated appliance lies in the appearance of the kitchen. A more streamlined finish will be achieved.
American Style, or Side by side: these are larger, and take up much more floor space, having a full height fridge beside a full height freezer, which suits the household with a requirement for extra storage space. American style fridge freezers generally have additional features, such as an external water or ice dispenser for cold drinks. Appliances with ice and water dispensers will require plumbing into your water supply; therefore they must be placed within 1 metre of a cold fill water connector, such as that of a washing machine.

Features available on fridge freezers:

Frost Free – This feature indicates that the fridge/freezer completely defrosts itself automatically. No need for messy defrosting and mopping up – this is a time saving and convenience feature.
Auto-Defrost – This prevents ice build-up inside the fridge. Fridge freezers come in different configurations – that is, the size of the fridge relative to the size of the freezer can be selected to suit individual requirements. If you buy more fresh produce, choose a model with more fridge space, whereas if you prefer to store more frozen food, choose a larger freezer.
In addition, there is a choice to be made between fridge on the bottom, or fridge on the top. Again, consider which of these you will be using most often, and any difficulties in stooping to a lower appliance, or in reaching a higher one.

One control or two?

Fridge freezers have either one thermostat, which controls both appliances, or two. Separate controls for fridge and freezer allow you to turn off the fridge and leave the freezer on, for example when going on holiday, or defrost the freezer whilst leaving the fridge on. There is more control over the individual temperatures of fridge and freezer with individual thermostats and controls. Models with two controls, however, will generally be more expensive than those with a single control.

Colours

Fridges and freezers are available in several different colours and finishes, such as white, silver, black, stainless steel, and brushed steel. These colours will vary slightly between manufacturers, but generally all appliances from the same manufacturer will be available to match each other. If your appliances are freestanding, therefore, it may be more visually appealing to choose them all from the same manufacturer

Glossary

Bottle grip: A shaped bar designed to prevent bottles from falling over in the trays on the doors.
Bottle racks: Specially shaped racks or shelving for safe storage of bottles. These will usually be adjustable, or removable.
Can holders: A space saving device for efficiently storing cans.
Chill compartment: This is a drawer that is designed for storing meat, fish and poultry or ready meals, which is usually colder than the rest of the fridge (around 0°C).
Fast-freeze: This function can be used to freeze a large quantity of ambient temperature food at the same time, whilst preventing the freezer from warming up. Freezing fresh food quickly helps prevent it from losing its texture.
Freezer door pouches/slots: Spaces in the freezer for storing ice packs or liquids which are unsuitable for freezing.

Freezer Star ratings: A guide to how long food can be stored. 1 star - food can be stored for up to one week, 4 stars – food can be tored for up to a year. For freezing fresh food, a 4 star rating is required. Less tha 4 star is suitable for storing pre-frozen food, and 1 star is suitable only for ice

Frost-free: fridges and freezers with this facility do not need to be regularly de-frosted. Ice is prevented from building up by a thawing and freezing process during the defrost cycle. However, this means that some foods with high-fat content can deteriorate more quickly in a frost- free freezer, and if food isn’t wrapped, it can become drier than it would in a conventional freezer.

High-temperature warning: If the fridge or freezer gets too warm, an alarm will sound.

Holiday button: This turns off the fridge and sets the freezer to the coldest temperature in order to save energy when the fridge is not being used on a daily basis.

Humidity controlled compartment: You can adapt the humidity in this compartment, according to what type of food you are storing. Increasing humidity helps to prolong fresh fruit and vegetables while lowering it can prolong the life of meat, fish and dairy food.

Ice and water dispenser: This is an external facility on most American-style models. It dispenses ice cubes, crushed ice or chilled water for cold drinks. These models almost always need to be plumbed into the mains water supply. The dispenser takes up a certain amount of space in the freezer. The water dispenser has a filter that needs changing approximately every 6 months..

Ice banks or soft fruit trays: These are plastic trays for freezing things that need to lie flat to retain their shape, such as ice cubes or soft fruit.

Rollers or castors: These are sometimes fitted to freestanding models, and make it easier to pull the appliance out for access to the plug or to clean behind the appliance.

Super cool: This is a fridge setting for when a lot of room temperature food is placed in the fridge at once. It cools the fridge compartment for a set period of time, usually around six hours, which cools the food and prevents the fridge from warming up.

Temperature gauge: All models have these so you can check the appliance is running at the correct temperature. The control is adjustable according to the temperature and amount of food inside, and the external temperature.

FAQs

What sort of shelf arrangement is best?
It depends on what you want to store in your fridge but anything that will help save space and make things easily accessible is good. Choose a fridge with bottle racks, can racks, cheese and salad compartments, egg holders, bottle/condiment shelves and so on if you will make use of them. Flexible shelves that allow you to adjust the height are useful. Solid glass shelves are generally more expensive than racks, but these are easy to clean and prevent any spills from dripping onto food below. Can I keep a fridge-freezer in a garage? Fridges and freezers have a climate class, which tells you the minimum, and maximum room temperature they should be placed in to work efficiently. For most models the minimum temperature is 10°C and most sheds and garages in the UK are colder than this in winter. When the temperature is lower than this, the fridge freezer will use more energy to maintain the right temperature. If it is kept in an unsuitable location, that does not maintain the optimum ambient temperature, it may not be covered by the guarantee. Chest freezers are generally more likely to be suitable for use in colder locations, as they are double insulated.
What maintenance do fridge freezers need to continue working well?
As well as regularly cleaning the inside, make sure you clean the door seals to ensure that no heat can get in. Defrost the freezer if it is not a frost-free model.
Is it worth buying a model that has an antimicrobial coating?
An antimicrobial coating kills bacteria growing inside the fridge. Fridges should be kept clean on a regular basis by washing with normal household detergent, and bicarbonate of soda.
How can I work out the running costs of my fridge?
The cost of running a fridge freezer is normally shown in “kilowatts per year”. This means you can multiply the number of kilowatts used per year by the “cost per kilowatt hour” that you pay for your electricity, which will give you the running costs of the model. This will be approximate, as fridge freezers use more energy at different times, depending for example, if the door has been left open for a while or if the fast freeze facility has been used.
Which types of fridge freezers least harmful to the environment?
Fridge freezers with an A++ rating are the most energy efficient. Also, those using the cooling agent or refrigerant R600a are better as this is not harmful to the environment. Those with the refrigerant R134a are more harmful, as the refrigerant is a greenhouse gas, and leaks of this gas contribute to global warming. More expensive models that have door-open alarms, automatic door-closing mechanisms and thicker insulation are also better for the environment as they help to prevent wastage of energy.
How should I dispose of my old fridge freezer?
Arrange with your retailer to take it away when he delivers your new one. Otherwise Councils will normally take it for disposal, or you can take it to your local civic waste