A refrigerator is not only a simple utilitarian home or kitchen equipment; it is now more of a fashion statement or an asset that enhances the appearance of your kitchen. Before investing in a refrigerator, several considerations must be looked upon. For example, the right capacity to satisfy the demands of all family members and must guarantee energy use to keep the power cost under control. Size is also an important criterion to choose. This blog discusses what you need to consider before buying a refrigerator.
Space
The available space in your home is important when selecting a refrigerator. While buying a fridge, it is advisable to measure it per your house’s requirements. Keep in mind to keep some space for the fridge doors to move freely.
Types Of Refrigerator
Single Door- These are the kind of refrigerators that come with one door. These are the most cost-effective solutions available, and in addition to fridge capacity, they also provide some freezer room.
Double Door- These have two doors stacked on top of each other. The upper container is for the freezer, while the lower is for everyday use. This gives you some extra freezer room to store food and vegetables. These freezers are designed to consume less energy and are naturally frost-free. Double door variants are power-saving refrigerators.
Triple Door- A Triple Door Refrigerator has three separate compartments. The first is a freezer, the second is a refrigerator with a lot of space, and the third is the bottom used for storing vegetables and fruits. Each of the three chambers comes with a cooling system. Triple-door refrigerators are suitable for medium-sized families.
Side By Side- These refrigerators come with two doors, with one side having the fridge and the other having a freezer. These refrigerators are budget friendly; however, these refrigerators come with compact spaces for storing food items.
Top Freezer- This is a classic model refrigerator where the refrigerator is installed at the lower part of the model. This type is the most budgetary alternative, making it an ideal choice for those on a fixed budget.
Mini Refrigerator- Mini fridges deliver the cooling capacity you want in a much smaller container, making them ideal for smaller kitchens, workplaces, and other applications. These refrigerators have a capacity of 100 L.
Capacity
A refrigerator’s capacity is measured in litres. Measuring a refrigerator’s capacity depends on the size of the family. A 100 to 258L fridge is sufficient for a family of three. However, a 250-500 L fridge is appropriate for a larger household of four to five persons. Families with seven to eight people need a large refrigerator ranging from 500 to 850 litres. There are refrigerators of 40L and 100L suitable for people living alone. Even if you don’t have many family members, you may need a bigger capacity at times; therefore, it’s always ideal to think about your needs thoroughly before choosing a refrigerator capacity.
Energy Ratings
People often don’t look at the EER and invest in a low star refrigerator that costs them more in terms of electricity consumption. Appliances are awarded with EER (Energy Efficiency Rating) based upon how they use energy efficiently. The more stars the refrigerators have, the more energy-efficient they are.
Defrosting
Cooler airflow is required within all refrigerator chambers. With refrigerators having direct cool choices, circulation is managed entirely by natural convection, with no additional assistance. One significant downside of this approach is uneven distribution, which causes ice to build in the refrigerator. Therefore one needs to defrost the fridge regularly.
Frost-free refrigerator comes with unique technology that evenly distributes the air without letting the ice freeze. However, they are more expensive than most refrigerators and use more power due to fans.
The above points will surely help in buying a new refrigerator and looking for the features you need. Nowadays, refrigerators have smart features that can be controlled with a mobile phone. It is important to opt for the ones that suit you the best.
