Fridges & Freezers

Fridges & Freezers

When it comes to choosing a new fridge to tie in with your newly renovated kitchen, there is a fantastic array of fridges and freezers now available.

There are a few key factors which should be taken into consideration as a first step before deciding on the type of fridge and freezer you are after.

Capacity

What kind of a capacity are you after? Are you a 20-something couple moving into your first home or are you a family of 5 with 2 hungry teenage boys? Are you a big weekly shopper or do you pop into the supermarket after work every day? This will

Space

Where will the fridge fit in the home? Do you want to install it into your cabinetry? Will it be freestanding? Check the specifications and dimensions of where you want your fridge to fit.

Energy Rating

Are you looking to make a switch to energy efficient refrigeration? How high star ratings are you looking for? The more energy efficient options are often a little pricier.

Wants & Needs

See which little extra bells and whistles you want or need from your fridge and freezer; a big capacity, narrow doors, a water dispenser, an ice maker, just a freezer…the options are endless!

Armed with the knowledge of what you need, there are a myriad of different types of refrigerators and freezers available to suit every need.

Top Freezer Fridge

This is the fridge that we all know, and the most common fridge you’ll see on the floor of electrical appliance stores. It’s the freezer at the top, and the fridge at the bottom.

Pros	Cons
• Economically priced • Easy to use – wide shelving space makes it easier to use and reach the back of the fridge • Now available in modern stainless steel designs • Can offer big litres of storage • In most models, doors can be fixed as right or left opening	• The bottom shelves which normally houses fruits and vegetables are hard to reach for adults • The wide one-way door requires a large space to swing out

Bottom Freezer Fridge

Also known as the upside down fridge, the bottom mount fridge offers the convenience of having the more frequently used items in the fridge at eye and waist height. This saves you bending to find things in the vegetable drawers of your refrigerator.

Pros	Cons
• Economically priced • Easier access to fresh food; the most commonly consumed contents in the fridge and freezer combination	• You need to bend to access the freezer, but as discussed, it’s not used very often • Like the Top Freezer issue, the wide doors will need a large space to swing open

Side by Side Fridge

The side by side fridge is great for any household. The side by side fridge is available in varying capacities for different number of people. The side by side fridge also allows for you to have more of your fridge storage at eye level, while not pushing your frozen food down to ground level. It is perfect for the family who likes to be organized and shop and cook ahead.

Pros	Cons
• Sleek and modern design • Slim and narrow doors do not need large amounts of space • Water filter and ice-maker inbuilt	• The narrow fridge compartment makes it difficult to store large platter and even a pizza box • Usually, a more expensive choice compared to previously mentioned models

French Door Fridge

The French Fridge Freezer is a combination of upside down fridge and double door fridge. You get double doors at the top of your fridge (at least 60% of the fridge’s height) then underneath there may be a single freezer door, a single freezer drawer or double freezer drawers. French door fridges have been gaining in popularity.

Pros	Cons
• Sleek and extremely attractive • Large fresh food space and ease of bottom freezer use • Narrow fridge doors maximise space	• This is a large model, so requires quite a large amount of space • Usually, a more expensive choice compared to previously mentioned models

Fridge & Freezer Drawers

An extremely recent addition to the refrigeration world, the Fridge and Freezer drawers are an alternative to the standard vertical options.

Pros	Cons
• Easily hidden under a counter top • Inexpensive to run	• Limited capacity • Not as energy efficient as other models

Fridge Only

As its name suggests, the Fridge only option is purely a fresh food refrigerator.

Pros	Cons
• If you have little to few things to freeze, the Fridge only option may be for you • Large fresh food capacity	• Separate freezer must be purchased which will take up more space

Freezer Only

As its name also suggests, this option is purely for freezing. The Freezer is available in a Vertical or Chest option.

Pros	Cons
• If you have a lot of frozen goods to store: meats, pastries, veggies, than this is the perfect option for you	• A separate fridge must be purchased which will take up more space

Wine and Beer Fridges

Specifically designed for wines, beers and beverages, these fridges can range anywhere from small and compact built in options to full sized models that will store hundreds of beverages.

Bar Fridge

The bar fridge is familiar to most people, but the bar fridge label is applied more to the size of the fridge rather than the contents of the fridge. Of course bar fridges are used in bars, but they are also used in caravans, small bed sit apartments, as a second fridge or as an outdoor kitchen fridge. The small size of the bar fridge means that it consumes less electricity, making it a great occasional use fridge.

Wine Fridge

Wine fridges, unlike bar fridges, are named because they are designed for storing wine, not because of size. Generally glass fronted, a wine fridge is designed to refrigerate wine at optimum temperature and humidity. The best wine fridge will have variable settings depending on the type of wine that you are storing in your wine fridge and the type of conditions that best suit that wine.

Pros	Cons
• If you’re a keen entertainer, the wine and beer fridge will always have your beverages cooled when you have that unexpected visitor • Keep your drinks out of your main refrigerator to maximise space	• More space required, above and beyond your fridge/freezer

Chest Freezer

The chest freezer is available in many different sizes, from quite compact through to very large. The chest freezer is ideal for storing frozen food for long periods. The size of the chest freezer that you choose depends on how many people you are feeding and how long you need to store the food for. When choosing a chest freezer look at the internal design as baskets can make it easier to access food stored at the bottom of your chest freezer.