Perhaps one of the most recognisable styles is the American-style fridge freezer. These wide fridge freezer juggernauts offer an immense amount of storage, and can easily make any kitchen feel even more luxurious.
Whether you’re interested in grabbing your first American-style fridge freezer, or you want to better understand one of your own, this is the guide for you. With the help of our Reliant tech experts, we’re going to answer every one of your biggest burning questions. So why don’t we dive right in?
What Is An American Style Fridge Freezer?
American-style fridge freezers differ massively from more ordinary fridge freezers. The main difference is how both the fridge and freezer compartments are organised. On a standard fridge freezer, both the fridge and freezer compartments are usually organised in a vertical arrangement. In most cases, the fridge compartment will be found towards the top of the unit, while the (slightly smaller) freezer compartment is just below. These compartments are hidden behind individual doors that open all of the way to the left or right.
American-style fridge freezers are recognisable for their wide designs and tall parting doors that open to the left and right. Instead of situating the fridge and freezer compartments vertically, they are placed adjacent to one another.
An American-style fridge freezer, on the other hand, has both the fridge and freezer compartments placed adjacent to one another. On one side of the unit is the fridge compartment, while on the opposite side is the freezer compartment.
These two compartments are sealed by two parting doors that meet in the middle. The doors typically extend from the top of the unit, all the way to the very bottom. When fully opened, the doors open to the left and right of the unit. This results in a wide panoramic insight into the food you have stored away. This wide design is what has made these fridge freezers so iconic.
What Is The Difference Between An American Style Fridge Freezer And A French Door Fridge Freezer?
The central parting doors are perhaps the most iconic part of an American-style fridge freezer. The problem is that they are often confused with French-door fridge freezers as a result of them.
Both of these styles of fridge freezer make use of a parting-door design. With both doors opening to the left and right of the unit. However, where the two types of fridge freezer differ is in where the freezer compartment is found.
As we now know, the freezer compartment of an American-style fridge freezer is placed adjacent to the fridge compartment. The freezer compartment on a French-door fridge freezer, on the other hand, is placed below the fridge compartment. This is similar to how a standard fridge freezer is designed. A single door is used to seal off the freezer compartment, while the two parting doors hide the fridge compartment alone.
The parting doors of an American-style fridge freezer hide both the fridge and freezer compartments. The parting doors of a French-door style model only hide the fridge section of the unit.
French-door fridge freezers are almost a sort of middle ground between more traditional fridge freezers and the wider American style. If you have a kitchen that is short on floor space, but you’re keen on the parting-door style of fridge freezer, then the French-door style should suit you perfectly.
What Are The Benefits Of An American Style Fridge Freezer?
Making use of a parting-door design is more than just a stylistic choice! American-style fridge freezers actually have a number of great benefits that make them worth considering as a food storage option! Let’s check out some of the highlights.
Immense Storage
American-style fridge freezers are made up of top-to-toe storage space. Behind each of the parting doors is a massive amount of vertical capacity. This makes it easy to stock up on all of your favourite foods without having to overstuff the unit. Most models should come with adjustable drawers and shelves that you can add and remove to suit your needs.
And we can’t go without mentioning the extra storage space included within each of the two doors. On the inside surface of each door is plenty of shelving space, and plenty of hidden compartments.
Ease Of Use
American-style fridge freezers make prepping your meals a total breeze. As both the fridge and freezer sections are placed directly next to each other, you can simply open both doors, grab the ingredients you need, and then get cooking. This saves you the trouble of making multiple trips between both a fridge and a freezer just to grab everything you need.
Ice Dispenser
An iconic feature often found in many American-style fridge freezers is a built-in ice dispenser. This handy extra is installed directly into the door, and, with the push of a button, allows you to access plenty of fresh ice. It’s an especially useful feature for those often hosting social gatherings and parties at home. You can keep everyone’s drinks topped up with ease!
An ice dispenser can help to really cut down on energy usage. You can simply access ice without having to open the door of the unit. This means the freezer can maintain its internal temperature!
You also don’t need to open the freezer door just to access the ice. This means that there’s no time spent with the door ajar, letting all of that cold air out, while you dig out that cumbersome bag of ice. This in turn saves energy and money, as the freezer does not have to work overtime just to return its internal temperature back to normal.
Modern Design
With an American-style fridge freezer, you can also be the envy of the neighbourhood. These appliances simply scream luxury. From the immense storage space they offer, the tantalising panoramic view of your food, to the ice dispensers built into them. American-style fridge freezers simply have a modern and fashionable look to them.
It also helps that they come in an array of sizes and styles. So you can truly pick a model that fits the look of your home.
What Are The Drawbacks Of American Style Fridge Freezers?
Narrow Storage Space
Because both of the central compartments of an American-style fridge freezer are located adjacent to one another, the space within these compartments is often much more narrow. For the most part, these units make up for it by having a great level of depth within each compartment, and plenty of storage options built into the doors themselves.
If you want to make full use of every square inch of freezer space, for instance, you may actually be better served by a French-door fridge freezer. The freezer compartments on these units are much wider and offer plenty of depth thanks to their internal drawers. This allows you to more efficiently stock up.
They’re Large
We’ve used the word “Wide” to describe American-style fridge freezers quite a few times so far. It can’t be overlooked that these types of fridge freezers are known for their large physical footprints. While they might offer great storage space, the result is a much larger unit.
American-style fridge freezers take up a lot of space, thanks to their wide designs. If you want one of your own, you’ll need to make sure you have enough room in your kitchen.
As a result, American-style fridge freezers are simply unsuitable for some households. If you don’t have the space for one, then you won’t be able to make good use of one.
They Consume A Lot Of Electricity
Unfortunately, there’s no getting around the fact that American-style fridge freezers are high-energy consumers. As such, if you’re looking for one of your own, you’ll need to look for an efficient model (more on that later).
What Should You Look For In An American Style Fridge Freezer?
Hopefully, we’ve managed to pique your interest in these appliances even more. They can offer a number of benefits to users, and truly improve the flow of a good kitchen. However, in order to make the most of one, there are a few things you’re going to need to look out for. The most important of these are collected below.
The Size
At this point, you’re likely tired of hearing us mention just how big American-style fridge freezers are. We’ve mentioned it a few times already throughout this guide. However, it’s really important to keep the often large size of these appliances in mind when looking to buy one.
You’ll need to have a good sense of the space you want your new fridge freezer to take up. Make sure there’s plenty of space for the unit! You’ll also want to make sure there’s plenty of breathing room around the unit.
Luckily, if you do have the space, there are plenty of sizes to choose from. Though most models are still larger than your average fridge freezer, there are plenty that are a little more compact.
You want to make sure you don’t pick an American-style fridge freezer that’s too big for your kitchen. These appliances are very wide, so you’ll need very adequate space to host them.
You should ensure that there is also plenty of space directly in front of the unit. Both of the doors extend across the entire height of the unit, so as such, you want to make sure they’re not at risk of bashing into anything. You should also make sure there’s plenty of space to the left and right of the unit. This will ensure you can open both doors all of the way without them being blocked.
Having a wide berth around an American-style fridge freezer is also a great idea for cutting down on noise. When placed too close to other appliances, or even walls, fridge freezers can vibrate and emit a persistent buzzing noise!
Capacity
If you’re interested in grabbing an American-style fridge freezer, it’s likely because you have a lot of hungry mouths to feed. American-style fridge freezers are great for storing a massive amount of food and really stocking up.
However, you want to make sure to grab a model with the perfect capacity. This is because you don’t want to risk overfilling or underfilling it. Generally, you should aim to fill every bit of the unit to around 75% full. This ensures there’s no wasted space, but also allows room for the appliance to work its magic inside.
Make sure to keep a close eye on the measurements you’ve taken for the spot where you want to situate the unit. The greater the capacity of the unit, the greater its overall size will have to be. You need to strike that perfect balance between capacity and overall unit size. Make sure to take your time at this point, to really find a model that suits you perfectly.
A good fridge freezer should have enough space for all of the food you need to store on a regular basis. Make sure to balance the unit’s capacity with its overall size to ensure a good fit in your kitchen.
And to make full use of the unit’s storage capacity, make sure to look out for plenty of storage features. Look for adjustable shelves, drawers, and small storage spaces, so you can really maximise the space offered!
Efficiency
American-style fridge freezers use up a lot of electricity in operation. So, if you want to create a truly efficient home, you’ll want to look for the most efficient model around. This search can be made all the easier by looking out for the energy rating labels linked to every model.
Energy rating labels are specially designed to let you see, at a glance, just how efficient any model of fridge freezer is. When quickly browsing through options, you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for the energy efficiency scale. This scale gives you a quick look into how efficient any particular model is.
The very top of the scale, coloured green, is for “A”-rated appliances. These are the cream of the crop, and the most efficient available. The very bottom of the scale, coloured red, is for “G”-rated appliances. These are the least efficient and will cost the most to operate.
Most fridge freezers tend to rank around “D” or “E” at the highest, so we’d recommend looking around there. It’s best to avoid “G”-rated models wherever possible. They may often have a lower upfront cost but will be more expensive to operate.
Most American-style fridge freezers will rank around “D” to “E” on the efficiency scale. If you want to cut down on operating costs, it’s worth targeting these ratings as much as possible.
Even if you find a truly efficient model, you’ll need to make sure to make full use of it. Half-filling any kind of fridge freezer will lead to a lot of wasted electricity. This would mean that even the most efficient fridge freezer would not be living up to its full potential.
Simple Operation
Using a fridge freezer should never feel like doing rocket science. For a good user experience, we recommend looking for a model that is easy and simple to operate. Most crucially, you’ll want to make sure your chosen model has simple temperature controls. These allow you to set a perfect temperature for both the fridge and freezer compartments.
Some smart models can be connected to your smartphone. This allows you to control the temperature entirely remotely, through your phone! Smart fridges often cost a little more than usual, but they’re a great investment.
Extra Features
Supplemental features can go a long way towards improving the user experience of any fridge freezer. We spoke a little earlier about one of these features: the ice dispenser. It’s worth looking out for the feature, especially if you’re often preparing fresh drinks for guests.
Some American-style fridge freezers also come with transparent windows built into the doors. These allow you to easily see what you’ve got stocked away without having to open any of the doors. This helps to reduce the amount of time the door is left open, which has positive benefits for the unit’s performance.
And, as we touched on above, there are also a number of American-style fridge freezers that come with built-in smart features. A smart fridge freezer can connect to the internet, and to your smartphone, for easy control from anywhere in the home. If you wanted to take it even further, you could even opt for a model with a built-in touch panel. These touch panels are great for throwing up digital messages and leaving notes for the whole family.
Extra features like ice dispensers can result in a much higher price tag. Be sure to consider what kind of experience you want from a new American-style fridge freezer, to make sure you don’t spend too much!
Ultimately, your choice of extra features will depend on the kind of experience you want from the appliance and your available budget. If you just want a simple American-style fridge freezer, then you can cut out some of these features, and save yourself a little bit of extra cash.
Price
Checking all of these factors will help to ensure you grab a fridge freezer that is fairly priced. You don’t want to spend too much or too little on your new appliance. Spending too much can leave you with an appliance packed with features that you might actually never use. Spend too little on a model, however, and you can end up with a fridge freezer that can’t hope to meet your needs.
Each of the factors we’ve discussed thus far will have a direct impact on the price of an American-style fridge freezer. For instance, the bigger it is, the more it will cost. Extra features like ice dispensers and transparent doors will also have an impact on price, so you should be sure to consider exactly what you want out of your new appliance.
Considering all of the factors of your new American-style fridge freezer can help to ensure that you grab one for a fair and balanced price.
Do You Need A Plumber Or Electrician To Help Install An American Style Fridge Freezer?
Despite their size, American-style fridge freezers are actually quite easy to install. All you actually need to do is plug the appliance in and then move it into its final spot. As such, you may not need any professional assistance with installation at all. However, we still recommend contacting a friend to help you to install it. These appliances are very heavy, so lifting them incorrectly could easily lead to physical strain or injury. A friend can help to ensure it’s installed safely, and without having to drag the unit across the floor!
However, you will need to depend on the services of an electrician if you are planning to install an American-style fridge freezer in a spot without a plug socket. An electrician will be able to install a plug socket so that you simply plug the unit right in. They’ll also be able to certify that the unit will be hooked up to its own circuit on the home’s power grid. These appliances use a lot of electricity, so you need to make sure they’re not sharing power with any nearby appliances.
If you already have the perfect spot for your fridge freezer, with a nearby plug socket, then you shouldn’t need to contact an electrician or plumber. Just ask a friend to help move the unit!
In most cases, you won’t need to contact a plumber to install a fridge freezer. However, if you’re installing an American-style fridge freezer, then you might. If you choose a model with a built-in ice dispenser, then you’ll need to consider where it’s drawing water from. Some models need to be plumbed in to keep generating ice. Other models, instead, require you to manually refill a water tank in order to ensure a constant supply of ice.
How Do You Stock Up An American Style Fridge Freezer Efficiently?
American-style fridge freezers offer a lot of vertical storage space. As such, you’ll want to stock it up accordingly. One of the best ways to do this is to make use of stackable storage boxes and tubs. These types of containers can take full advantage of this vertical space, so you don’t have to put any of the storage capacity to waste.
We also recommend making sure that these containers are air-tight. Air-tight containers keep contaminants from reaching your food, which in turn helps to keep it much fresher for longer. It also helps to keep those particularly smelly foods from releasing powerful odours. Saving yourself a nasty surprise every time you open it up!
Stackable containers also make it much easier to use your fridge freezer. By labelling each of these containers according to its contents, you can quickly determine how much food you have in stock at any one time. This makes it easier to stock up correctly every time you do your weekly shop. And, once again, it also reduces time with the unit left wide open. Your fridge freezer won’t have to work extra hard just to maintain a suitable temperature.
How Full Should An American-Style Fridge Freezer Be?
It’s recommended to fill up any fridge freezer to around 75% full. The reason for this is that it ensures that none of the energy used by the unit is put to waste. Half-filling your fridge freezer will just result in the unit working hard just to cool down a whole load of nothing! Filling up to 75% also ensures that there’s plenty of room for the cold air in the unit to move around. This ensures full operation at all times.
How Long Do American Style Fridge Freezers Last?
Luckily, the money you invest in an American-style fridge freezer is not for nought. These models are durable and built to last. With good care, you can expect yours to last in excess of 10 years, and in some cases, even beyond 15 years!
However, in order for one of these appliances to last this long, you’ll have to treat it well. Be sure to maintain it.
How Do You Take Care Of An American Style Fridge Freezer?
If you want your fridge freezer to last as long as possible, make sure to stay on top of its health. There are a few things you can do to help with this. Let’s take a look at some key tips.
Clean It!
Fridge freezers are designed specifically to keep your food isolated from mould, bacteria, and viruses. As such, you should be sure to clean the unit at least once a year. This helps to keep mould from developing on the interior of the unit and helps to keep bacteria from reaching your food. It also prevents any nasty odours from ruining the taste of your food!
You won’t have to clean your American-style fridge freezer too often. Around once a year should suffice. Cleaning the unit helps to keep it free of bacteria, viruses, and mould.
Mould can also do direct damage to your fridge’s air vents. This will then have a direct impact on the appliance’s ability to pump that all-important cold air around.
If you ever spill anything in your fridge, or you ever notice small pools of water inside, be sure to wipe them up quickly. This keeps bacteria from propagating.
Defrost
Defrosting is very important for the health of both the fridge and freezer compartments. Defrosting only needs to be done once a year, but helps to keep the whole appliance working at its best.
When frost builds up on the interior of a fridge or freezer, not only does it take up vital space that could be reserved for your food, but it also impacts the function of the entire unit. Frost can easily build up on the surface of the appliance, and block vents. Of course, this makes it tough for cold air to move around both compartments.
Defrosting your American-style fridge freezer helps to free up lost storage space, and keeps the appliance working at its best. It ensures cold air stays in, and hot air can leave.
Excessive frost also makes it hard for warm air to exit the fridge. In turn, this means that foods simply won’t be preserved as effectively in either the fridge or freezer compartments. This can shorten the shelf life of all of your favourite foods.
Take Care Of The Door Seals
In order to create and maintain such perfect internal conditions, your fridge freezer makes use of door seals. These seals create a vacuum that totally isolates both of the main storage compartments. When the seals are damaged, dirty, or otherwise less flexible, it’s much harder for the appliance to keep cold air in. Again, this results in your food spoiling at a fast rate!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is An American-Style Fridge Freezer?
American-style fridge freezers have tall doors that part at the centre. These two doors reveal both fridge and freezer compartments that are arranged next to each other. For instance, one model may have the freezer compartment on the left of the unit, while the fridge compartment is kept in the fridge compartment.
Will An American Fridge Freezer Fit Through Door?
This will depend on the size of your door! As such, as well as measuring the chosen spot for your American-style fridge freezer, you should make sure to get accurate measurements of your doorways. This way, you can be sure that the unit will be able to fit into the kitchen!
