Best buying for your next Fridge

There are big variations in temperature uniformity, efficiency, noise and running costs for refrigerators.

There are three basic models of fridge to choose from:

• Two door Fridge with Freezer on top,
• Upside Down Fridge with Freezer on bottom, and
• Side by Side Fridge and Freezer.

Other refrigerator types include Pidgeon Pair with a matching fridge and freezer and compact or bar fridges.

Two door Fridge with Freezer on top

Pros

• The most economically priced
• The most economical and energy-efficient to run
• Generally the greatest range of products available 

Cons

• You have to bend down to use the fridge

Best buy?

If best price, range, efficiency and value are your biggest concern, this is the fridge design for you.

Upside down Fridge with Freezer on bottom

Pros

• Logical design - what you use most is at eye level
• Less bending - this can save your back
• Freezer design often has handy slide-out baskets
• Bigger range now becoming available

Cons

• Less energy efficient
• Costs more to buy
• Crispers may be too cold (being so close to the freezer) and may ice-burn your vegies
• Can be slower to chill, especially in the freezer

Best buy?

This is all about the convenience factor - it's easy to use.

Side by Side Fridge and Freezer

Pros

• Wide range of features available, including ice cube and/or water dispensers
• Better for walkways or other areas where you can't have a large swinging door
• Generally the greatest storage capacity
• Can offer good access for people in wheelchairs
• Chilled water on tap can be a boon with a family

Cons

• Are inefficient overall in their use of space
• Ice-cube maker/ water chiller can take up a lot of freezer space
• Can be quite narrow and don't always fit in a pizza box or frozen turkey
• Can't be put in a tight corner and need an overall large space to fit
• Freezer access can be awkward
• Temperature fluctuations can be very different between top and bottom of fridge. 

Best Buy? 

If you're an entertainer, or have an active family, the extra features and space can be very useful.

How big should your Fridge be?

A good rule of thumb is that a family of two needs between 250-285 L of space in a fridge, and you should add 28.5 litres for each additional family member after that. Add freezer space on top of that.

The bigger the fridge, the more features, the better the efficiency per litre and the better performance. If in doubt, get the bigger fridge.

Review Fridges to buy!

Use Comparison Net to search hundreds of fridges, shortlist the fridges you want to buy then compare model features side by side.

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