But there’s a lot more to fridge freezers than initially meets the eye. If you truly want to make the most of one and make your kitchen truly efficient, then you’ll definitely want to keep reading below.
Thanks to the help of our Reliant tech experts, we’ve put together this ultimate guide to fridge freezers. Below, we’re going to take a look at the inner workings of these helpful appliances. To find out everything you could possibly need to know. Whether you’re on the fence about grabbing your first fridge freezer, or you want to understand an existing one better, this guide will answer every question you could possibly have.
How Does A Fridge Freezer Work?
Fridge freezers operate quite similarly to their independent counterparts. Essentially, both the fridge and freezer compartments are designed to remove heat from your food while cooling it down at the same time. They do this through a process of evaporating and compressing a refrigerant in a continuous cycle. The refrigerant is essentially a chemical compound designed specifically to transfer heat out of your food, to send it away from the unit.
The first step of this cycle involves the gaseous refrigerant being pressurised by the compressor. Compressing the refrigerant naturally leads to an increase in temperature. The hot gas is then sent through the condenser coils, which are found on the back of your fridge freezer. As the refrigerant passes through the coils, the heat is slowly removed. This cools the refrigerant down, and causes it to turn into a liquid!
It may all sound a little confusing, but essentially the evaporation and compression cycle of a fridge freezer cools your food down by extracting its heat and then sending that heat outside of the unit!
After passing through the capillary tubes, the refrigerant reaches the evaporator coils. This is a key point of the process where the pressure drops massively. The lower the pressure around the refrigerant, the lower its boiling point also is. As the refrigerant liquid boils, it releases a very cold gas! This cold gas is then used to cool down your food, as well as to extract heat. Any heat from your food passes through the walls of the fridge freezer and is then absorbed into the gas.
The gas then flows all the way back to the compressor, to start over again!
Why Opt For A Fridge Freezer?
As highlighted previously, a fridge freezer combines the function of both a fridge and a freezer into a single appliance. This means that you don’t need to have both a separate fridge and freezer in your home. With just a single fridge freezer, you can save a massive amount of space in your kitchen.
The design of a fridge freezer also helps to keep most of your food in one convenient spot. You won’t have to make multiple trips between a separate fridge and freezer just to grab all of the ingredients for the night’s dinner. Instead, you can simply grab everything in one trip.
If you want to save space in your kitchen, and save some extra money, then a fridge freezer is a great option. They combine the best of fridges and freezers into a single useful appliance.
Fridge freezers are also a great option if you want to cut down on energy usage. Having both a separate fridge and freezer would ultimately lead to much higher energy consumption, as both appliances would operate individually. A fridge freezer, on the other hand, uses up less electricity. As the same energy is used to power both the fridge and freezer compartments.
What Are The Potential Downsides Of Owning A Fridge Freezer?
Fridge freezers are generally not the best option for large households. They are available in a massive number of sizes, so it is possible to grab one with plenty of storage space. However, they simply can never match up, in terms of capacity, when compared to individual fridges and freezers. Having both a large fridge and freezer offers much more storage space overall.
If you need to store a massive amount of food, and you often find yourself completely filling your fridge and freezer to the brim, then a fridge freezer may not be the best option.
What’s The Difference Between A French-Door Fridge Freezer And An American-Style Fridge Freezer?
Fridge freezers actually come in a number of different forms. The main way in which they tend to differ is in how you access both the fridge and freezer compartments. The most common style of fridge freezer has a vertical arrangement. A fridge freezer like this may situate the fridge compartment just above the freezer compartment, or the other way around. These compartments are hidden behind individual doors that swing outward.
Some other fridge freezer styles make use of parting doors that split off at the centre. When these doors part, it reveals an incredibly wide storage space that opens up to give you a panoramic view of all of your food. There are two major types of fridge freezer that make use of parting doors: American-style fridge freezers, and French-door fridge freezers. However, these two types of fridge freezer very often get confused with one another. If you want to find a truly perfect fridge freezer, it’s useful to understand what sets these two types apart.
What Is An American Style Fridge Freezer?
American-style fridge freezers make use of the parting doors we mentioned above. These doors are incredibly tall, and reach all the way from the top of the unit, right to the bottom. Behind one of the two parting doors will be the freezer compartment, while behind the other is the fridge compartment.
American-style fridge freezers have parting doors that extend from the top of the unit all the way to the bottom. French-door fridge freezers, instead, have parting doors exclusively for the fridge compartment, which is situated above the freezer compartment.
When both of the doors of an American-style fridge freezer are open, it truly creates a glorious view, as your entire peripheral vision is taken up by food. This also makes it much easier to find certain foods, just swing the doors open, grab the ingredients you need, and get to prepping your meal!
What Is A French-Door Fridge Freezer?
French-door fridge freezers also have parting doors that meet at the centre of the unit. However, these two doors are dedicated entirely to hiding just the fridge compartment. The freezer compartment is instead situated beneath these two parting doors, behind a single large door. This is slightly more similar to the vertically-oriented standard fridge freezer.
When you open the two parting doors, you get a full view of all of the food in your fridge. This makes them great for those who really like to stay stocked up on fresh foods. Keeping the freezer compartment separated is also great when it comes to energy efficiency.
When both parting doors are opened on an American-style fridge freezer, naturally, much of the cold air from the freezer compartment is released. This means that, when the doors are closed again, the freezer compartment needs to work a little harder to get the temperature back to the right level. Even if you didn’t grab anything from the freezer, it would still consume more energy! When you open the two parting doors of a French-door fridge freezer, the freezer compartment remains untouched!
However, French-door fridge freezers aren’t always the best option for those who make frequent use of the freezer. This is because the user would have to crouch down to access anything from there.
Which Is Better?
It’s not easy to determine which of the two types is truly best. This is because they both offer very different user experiences.
American-style fridge freezers are great for larger homes with plenty of space. French-door fridge freezers are often much more narrow, and are thus best for homes that are short on floor space!
If you often make use of both the freezer and fridge compartments of a fridge freezer, then an American-style model is a great choice. With both doors open, you can grab all of the food you need from both compartments, in one trip. However, in order to situate both compartments adjacently, American-style fridge freezers need to be large and tall. This means that they can often be inconvenient for those with smaller homes and less floor space.
French-door fridge freezers may not offer quite as much freezer space, but they do have a much more compact size and design. This makes them great for smaller homes.
Ultimately, your choice between the two will depend on the amount of space you have and the kind of fridge freezer experience you want.
What Should You Look For In A Fridge Freezer?
If you’re totally new to fridge freezers, and our guide has so far piqued your interest, then you might feel ready to grab one of your own! While fridge freezers are incredibly useful, there are a few things you’ll want to look out for in order to make sure your new fridge freezer is a truly worthy investment.
Unit Size
Size is easily the most important thing to consider when grabbing a new fridge freezer. You need to make sure that the unit fits comfortably into your kitchen, let alone through the front door.
Luckily, fridge freezers are great for those kitchens that are already packed with plenty of floor-taking appliances. This is thanks to the fact that they combine both a fridge and freezer into a single handy unit.
Fridge freezers also come in a number of shapes and sizes, to suit your specific needs. While it’s great to have a big fridge freezer full of all of the foods you need, you want to make sure it’s not too big. A fridge freezer that’s too big will jut out from your kitchen walls, creating an obstacle to wrestle past every time you walk through.
You should make sure there’s ample space around the fridge freezer in your chosen spot. This is important for getting the most out of it. If you place a fridge freezer too close to the wall, or to other appliances, it will vibrate, and create an obnoxious buzzing sound! You also want to make sure there’s more than enough room for the doors to swing open. Make sure the doors of the fridge freezer aren’t at risk of bashing into anything nearby!
Before looking for your dream fridge freezer, make sure to take a look around your kitchen. If you have a perfect spot in mind for the unit, make a note of the measurements. This will help you to find a fridge freezer of a suitable size, and narrow down your options.
Storage Capacity
How many people live in your household? And how many hungry mouths need to be fed at the end of every day? Having an idea of this will help you to ensure you pick a fridge freezer with enough storage capacity. You’ll want to make sure you have more than enough room for all of your essential foods, preferably with a little space left over.
Just make sure to keep in mind the available space you have for the new unit. Fridge freezer unit size goes hand in hand with capacity. The greater the capacity of a fridge freezer, the larger the overall unit will have to be!
You want to make sure the storage capacity of your fridge freezer is right. You need enough space for all your goods, but you also want to make sure it’s not so big that you’ll have trouble filling it!
On the other hand, you also want to make sure your fridge freezer doesn’t have too much storage space. Underfilling a fridge freezer is simply a waste of electricity.
Make sure to look for fridge freezers that make full use of their internal capacity. Look for plenty of shelves, drawers, and extra storage compartments. This ensures you can make use of every inch and truly stock up every time you head to the supermarket!
Energy Efficiency
Your fridge freezer will need to be turned on and operating at all times. Thus it’s worth looking for a model that offers efficient performance. A more energy-efficient fridge freezer will use up fewer resources while in operation. So you can breathe that extra sigh of relief at seeing how much you save on your energy bills.
But how do you tell how efficient a fridge freezer is without opening it up and inspecting every component? Simple! Just take a look at each model’s unique energy rating label. This handy label may be easy to overlook, but with a quick glance, it can easily give you a complete insight into the performance of any fridge freezer.
The most important element of these energy rating labels to look out for is the colour-coded rating chart. This chart is for rating each fridge freezer on a scale from “A” to “G”, based on its efficiency. The more efficient a fridge freezer is, the closer it will rank to “A”. While it would be tough to find an “A”-rated fridge freezer, we’d recommend looking for the highest ratings you can find, Energy-efficient fridge freezers tend to be rated around a “D”.
Make sure to also look at the supplemental information provided on these labels. This helpful information can help you narrow down your choices. They can also help you to understand exactly how much energy your new fridge freezer will use!
Noise Level
The process of pumping refrigerant around a fridge freezer naturally results in some amount of noise. For the most part, fridge freezers are very quiet, and you’ll barely notice even the slightest sound from one while in operation.
However, if you have a smaller home, or your kitchen is often used as a social space, then you’ll want to make sure your new fridge freezer is as quiet as possible. To determine this, make sure to look out for each model’s decibel level. Fridge freezers can emit anywhere from 30 to 50 dB worth of noise. 50 dB is just quieter than an average conversation, so we’d recommend looking for any decibel level lower than this!
It’s worth looking for a fridge freezer with a decibel level lower than 50 dB. This ensures that you won’t hear it while in operation, and you can keep using the kitchen as a social space.
When you eventually choose the perfect fridge freezer for your home, make sure to position it perfectly. Again, you want to make sure it’s not too close to other objects. Otherwise, the motion created by basic operation could result in a persistent and annoying vibration!
Extra Features
Fridge freezers are already incredibly handy appliances. But some models also include a few extra features that can vastly improve the user experience. It’s worth taking note of some of these features as you browse through models. You never know when you might encounter a feature that improves your kitchen massively.
If you want to cut down on time with the fridge freezer door left ajar, it can be worth looking for a model with a built-in ice dispenser. These are built directly into the door of some models so that you can immediately access ice whenever you need it. If you’re often hosting events, then you totally need a fridge freezer with an ice dispenser.
And don’t forget that fridge freezers are getting smarter every year! Much like our TVs and phones, fridge freezers are now packed with interconnectivity features that make them effortless to use. If you want a fridge freezer that truly acts as the heart of the home, it’s worth looking for a model with smart features.
Smart fridge freezer features can range from smartphone connectivity to smart touch interfaces. These touch screens are built directly into the doors of the freezer, and can basically be used as a digital noticeboard. Throw up memos, reminders, or small notes, stay on top of the time, and even scroll through social media. All from the fridge itself. Smart fridges are great for busy families, allowing everyone to stay on top of everything together!
Price
Looking through fridge freezer models can be daunting when you consider just how much the prices can fluctuate from model to model. If you’re finding yourself daunted by prices, a good rule of thumb is that, the larger the fridge freezer is, and the more advanced features it has, the more it will cost.
This is why it’s valuable to consider exactly what you want from your fridge freezer before heading out to buy one. It will allow you to establish a budget, and will also keep you on track while navigating through such a sea of amazing options!
It’s important to find a fridge freezer for a fair price. You don’t want to spend too little and end up with a barebones appliance, but you also don’t want to spend too much.
If you find a fridge freezer with features you need, but that costs a little more than you expected, we’d suggest taking the leap. There’s no point in buying a fridge freezer that costs less but lacks any of the quality-of-life improvements that make the appliances so essential. Just as we’d similarly recommend against spending too much just for the sake of it. There’s no point throwing money away for features that you may not even use.
Make sure to take your time when deciding on the perfect fridge freezer, to find a model that offers the best user experience, at a price that is fair.
Is It Better To Keep A Fridge Freezer In The Kitchen Or Garage?
For the most part, it’s best to keep a fridge freezer within the confines of the kitchen. However, if you are short on space, then the garage can be a suitable option.
The reason why the kitchen is the best place for a fridge freezer is because the temperature in the space can be more easily controlled. When a fridge freezer creates the perfect internal temperature, it needs to take into account the temperature of the surrounding space. The warmer that space is, the harder it has to work. This is even more the case if the temperature fluctuates. If you live in an area with often fluctuating temperatures and weather conditions, then it’s best not to keep the fridge freezer in the garage. This will result in more energy consumption.
However, if you live in a milder area, where the weather is often consistent, then a fridge freezer can be suitably kept in the garage!
Should You Go For An Integrated Fridge Freezer?
Integrated fridge freezers are installed in such a way that they look like a natural part of the kitchen decor. You can easily hide them behind cabinet doors, and create a modern and uniform look within the space.
Integrated fridge freezers are great for creating a beautiful kitchen space, but you’ll need to dedicate a bit more time to choosing the right spot. You’ll have to grab a model with precise dimensions, and you’ll also need to spend a little more to get the appliance professionally installed.
Integrated fridge freezers can be hidden behind cabinet doors. This creates a modern and consistent look in your kitchen. However, they cost a lot more to install! Be sure your budget accounts for this!
If you want an integrated fridge freezer, make sure your budget accounts for the inevitable higher cost of the installation!
Do You Need An Electrician To Help You To Install A Fridge Freezer?
If the chosen spot for your new fridge freezer already has a nearby plug socket, you shouldn’t need to contact an electrician to help you install it. All you will need is a little bit of strength, and some help from a friend to shift it into place. Once in place, all you need to do is plug it in.
If you don’t have a plug socket ready and waiting for your fridge freezer, then you will need to contact an electrician. They will be able to install a plug socket nearby and can even make sure your fridge freezer is connected to its own dedicated circuit. This helps to protect against short-circuiting.
Integrated fridge freezers will also need to be fully hooked up with the help of an electrician. They’ll be able to ensure the installation is full and sufficient.
How Should You Stock Up A Fridge Freezer?
To make the most of a fridge freezer, we recommend stocking it up in a way that is sensible and organised. Don’t simply throw everything in with reckless abandon. One of the best things you can do for the efficiency of your fridge freezer is to sort every item into individual containers. For instance, you could keep certain cuts of meat in labelled bags, and certain vegetables in airtight boxes. This helps to keep everything fresh and away from airborne bacteria.
Labelling and organising your food is also beneficial for you and the performance of your fridge freezer. When everything is so clearly organised and labelled, it’s much easier to find everything you’re looking for. It means that you can quickly dip in and out of the unit while cutting down on time spent with the door left ajar. This is beneficial for the fridge freezer itself because it won’t have to work quite as hard to maintain the correct temperature.
Should You Fill A Fridge Freezer All The Way?
It’s recommended to fill the fridge compartment to around 75% full. This ensures there’s still enough space for cool air to move around inside, keeping your food fresh. It’s also full enough to ensure that none of the energy used by the fridge freezer goes to waste.
You should fill a fridge to around 75% of its capacity. This allows enough space for the cold air to work its magic. A freezer can be filled up a little more, so you can stock up on food!
There’s a little more leniency when it comes to the freezer compartment. While we’d recommend against stuffing the freezer compartment until it’s hard to close, you can certainly stock up much more. A well-stocked freezer will have a much easier time maintaining a consistent temperature, and will also make full use of its energy.
If you ever find that you’re running out of space in the freezer compartment, it may need defrosting. When frost builds up too much on the inside surface of the freezer, it reduces the available space. If left unchecked, it can also impact the performance of the entire unit. Frost could easily build up on the vents of the freezer. This makes it harder for the temperature to be controlled and maintained.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Does A Fridge Freezer Work?
A fridge freezer works by continually evaporating and compressing a gaseous refrigerant in a perpetual cycle. This refrigerant moves around the entire unit and absorbs heat from food. Heat is then sent outside of the fridge freezer. This helps to keep everything inside cool and helps the unit maintain a perfect and harmonious internal temperature.
Is It Cheaper To Use A Fridge Freezer?
Using a fridge freezer, instead of a separate fridge and freezer combination is much more cost-effective. Operating both of the units separately will result in much more energy consumption than a single fridge freezer. Fridge freezers are also great for saving space in your kitchen or garage. With both appliances combined into one, you can free up some vital indoor real estate!
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