How to Choose a Refrigerator: 10 Features and Tips

You've found it: it's roomy, it fits flush into your built-in and it's also in a good energy class. But are you sure you have a complete overview of what the market really could offer you today, at a reasonable price? Choose a refrigerator has decisive consequences for your wallet and your food, and we are here to guide you: we present you with a series of qualities and cautions that you might not have considered when choosing your new refrigerator!

The defrosting system, advanced technologies, the type of hinges or the reversibility of the doors are factors that may one day make you smile or twist your mouth. In short, which refrigerator to choose?

Here is a useful list of features to evaluate when choosing a good refrigerator.

ENERGY CLASS

A real long-term investment: save on your energy bills and preserve your food in the best possible way. In our catalogue you will find all classes, with the most popular being D, E and F: remember that they correspond to the old A++, A++ and A+, so these are high quality appliances

Particular attention should also be paid to materials. Steel and glass not only look good, but have a higher degree of temperature insulation. Many free-standing models also offer stainless steel finishes that are anti-fingerprint, thus anti-child and anti-stress-cleaning.

HOW TO CHOOSE A REFRIGERATOR ACCORDING TO THE DEFROSTING METHOD

Save money, yes, but also your time. Be careful, there are different types of defrosting that you might confuse.

• No Frost. One or more fans circulate the air evenly, preventing the formation of frost in the compartments, while an evaporator evaporates any formations. If it is a Partial no Frost model, defrosting may be effective in the freezer, but not at all in the refrigerator. The refrigerator therefore maintains a high degree of humidity, making it ideal for storing fresh food without it drying out.
• Total no Frost. As the name suggests, it prevents frost formation altogether, thanks to two separate circuits. You can forget about it! Be aware, however, as mentioned above, that air circulation could make fresh food drier, so it should be protected with foil or other covers. Or, choose a Total No Frost refrigerator with special storage drawers, designed precisely to overcome this problem. Another detail: consider that No Frost technology consumes more energy and may also be noisier.
• Low Frost. It does not prevent frost formation altogether, but it does reduce it considerably, making it a good compromise. It consumes less and, hear hear, a small amount of ice may even help the refrigerator maintain its temperature, ice being an insulator. It has no fan, the cooling circuit is located directly behind the walls of the refrigerator.

STATIC OR VENTILATED REFRIGERATOR

Both have advantages and disadvantages, closely related to the above-mentioned characteristics. A ventilated refrigerator has an even air distribution and is more likely to prevent frost; a static refrigerator, on the other hand, requires periodic defrosting, but on the other hand costs less and entails less risk of breakdown, as it has fewer components.

OPENING: PULL HINGES OR SELF-SUPPORTING HINGES

You will always find an important indication in our catalogue: whether doors are reversible. This is an essential choice if 'furnishing likes change', or if you simply don't want to give up a model just because it is set up in a way that is unusable for you.

Another element you should take into account is the hinges: pull or self-supporting. Pull-on hinges use a sliding rail mechanism to connect the refrigerator door to the cabinet door, offering greater flexibility and ease of replacement. Self-supporting hinges, on the other hand, permanently weld the door to the cabinet door, accommodate heavier weights and give a uniform, modern appearance; installation is more complex and the maximum weight supported by the refrigerator door must be taken into account.

An extra touch is provided by flat hinges (soft closing), for silent and cushioned closing (self-supporting).

Make sure to leave an adequate opening margin if the hinges protrude, or play it safe and opt for a model with a flush opening.

You may not have thought of this, but there are models with a locking mechanism, for example in some Liebherrs. You know when you open the refrigerator eagerly, and almost leave your fingernails in it because it won't open? Well, some manufacturers have thought of this too.

Finally, if you want to place your free-standing refrigerator in a corner, make sure it is designed to be best used with a 90 degree door opening, like this beautiful Beko.

SPECIAL FUNCTIONS

Discover how much difference it can make to have storage drawers with adjustable temperature or humidity, or with special additional functions for immediate cooling (fast cooling, fast freezing, super freezing, etc.). If you consider yourself to be a particularly absent-minded creature, an integrated alarm when you leave the door open might come in handy. This and much more: compartments for fast bottle cooling, temperature sensors, Eco mode… but before we move on to the next point, we cannot not show you something you may not have seen yet.

In the HarvestFresh drawer of this innovative Beko, the sun's 24-hour cycle is mimicked with blue, green and red light: it preserves vitamins A and C longer and keeps produce fresh for longer.

ICE AND WATER DISPENSER

The real question is: why not? Refrigerators with water and ice dispensers are becoming more and more affordable and popular. Not all of them require a water connection, as they are equipped with an internal tank to be filled manually. Here again, it is necessary to read the descriptions well: some models may not need a connection for water dispensing, but instead for ice production.

NOISINESS

Generally, No Frost or Total No Frost refrigerators are noisier because of the compressor that kicks in to remove frost. However, there are models designed so that all internal components create a perfect fit, to minimise vibration, or with Inverter compressors. A refrigerator with Inverter technology adjusts the operating speed as needed, allowing a more efficient and quieter performance than conventional compressors, which operate at a fixed speed.

Packed with creature comforts and with only 29 dB of noise emission, this Bosch is a true energy class A gem. It features Inverter No Frost technology and two separate cooling circuits.

INTERNET CONNECTION

What would I do with a Wi-Fi connection in a refrigerator? Let us open the door to the new technological era:

• Remote monitoring. Check the temperature, door status and condition of your fridge, or receive automatic software updates directly on your mobile device, without the need for a technician.
• Energy management. Monitor energy consumption and optimise use to save energy.
• Food management. Some models keep track of expiry dates and suggest recipes based on available ingredients.
• Integration with other smart devices. It can be integrated with voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for even easier control. If your refrigerator has a screen, you can connect it to your phone and enjoy your favourite apps while cooking or waiting for guests.

TYPOLOGY: BUILT-IN COLUMN OR FREE-STANDING REFRIGERATOR

At the end of the queue, for the simple reason that in this case your kitchen design will be in charge.

Built-in column

A classic yet varied solution, determined precisely by the space available to you. If you have the possibility, you can choose a separate single-door refrigerator and freezer for maximum storage capacity. Alternatively, you will find combined refrigerators with two doors, or a single door refrigerator with an internal freezer compartment, for those frozen foods that you need to have on hand; in the latter case, the ideal would be to have a chest freezer, perhaps to keep in the basement. The most common standard dimensions of a built-in tall cabinet consider a height of 177 cm by a width of 54 cm, but in our catalogue you can always find alternative and refined proposals.

Free installation

The most popular, put them wherever you want and leave room for aesthetics. You can add a touch of colour to your kitchen and go for the top of the range. A striking and particularly functional treat are the french door combi fridges, professional two-door fridges with one or more freezer drawers, and the iconic side-by-side. Considerably more expensive, they offer extra space and quality materials such as glass and steel for maximum energy efficiency.

Undermount built-in

If you are looking for a secondary solution, perhaps for a basement or small kitchen, you will also find an interesting selection of undermount built-in refrigerators in our catalogue. Space apart, they are no match for the more high-tech fridges; they can have Internet connection and special cooling functions.

CAPACITY AND INTERNAL DESIGN

If you usually have more than one egg and a leftover dinner in your fridge, if you like not to mix smells, if you are a serial collector of jars or if you have a large family, of course, the interior design is crucial. Make sure that the shelves are movable, easy to clean and that there is enough space for bottles; many models offer additional shaped horizontal shelves or extra deep balconies for bulkier drinks.

We leave a small note to guide you in your choice of capacity, although there are many factors to take into account. Generally speaking, it is good to be forward-looking, and even if you have no major needs now, this may change in the future.

• Singles or couples: 100-200 l
• Families of 3-4 persons: 200-400 l
• Families of 5 or more: 400 l or more

You now have all the tools to make your own assessments. We advise you to take some time and read the descriptions carefully. You may come across very similar models, but pay attention to the details! And if you need support, we are always ready to provide you with all the guidance and advice you need. Contact us for a personal consultation or a quote!