A buyer’s guide to refrigerators, freezers and chillers

Introduction

At Dixons we won’t leave you out in the cold without any answers or guidance. We’ve put together buyer’s guides to break the ice and acquaint you with various considerations to help you choose the right appliances to suit your needs. So chill out, have a read and enjoy discovering your new fridge or freezer!

Size matters, when it comes to refrigeration. Fridge and freezer models vary greatly in size and capacity, so take into account the space you have in your home and how much nosh you want to store. A large family might require a spacious American-style side-by-side fridge while a new digs may only have space for a smaller unit.

It’s just as important to think inside the box and consider features like adjustable shelves, bottle grips, automatic defrost and wipe-clean coverings. For those who like a bit of luxury, there’s the option of water and ice dispensers. And if you prefer something more flavoursome than water, a wine chiller will keep your bottles frosty.

Choosing a Fridge

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Size: Location, location, location. In most homes, it’s pretty obvious what space you have for the fridge, but don’t worry about trying to squeeze a fridge and freezer into an area that could be closed up with polyfiller. If you have a small fitted kitchen, an integrated or under-counter model might suit you best. Similarly, the top of a small unit can be used as an extra work surface, or an additional unit can be set up in the garage for extra or bulk storage.

While a compact integrated fridge could save on space by fitting snugly under the counter, you might struggle if you enjoy a visit to Iceland to stock up on frozen food. A freestanding fridge-freezer would provide enough space for all your fresh groceries plus your ice-cream and frozen wedges, but you will need a considerable amount of floor and wall space to put it in.

A larger family kitchen could benefit from a generous American-style fridge freezer with a huge double-door structure that will give your kitchen a touch of celeb-style.

Capacity: Are you a fridge half full or half empty kind of household? Capacity is measured in litres and it’s important to consider how much grub you want to fit inside. If you can only tolerate a busy supermarket once a month, you might require a larger capacity model. If you like to stop by the newsagents on your way home everyday, a smaller capacity to fit some cheese and mayo might suffice.

Another factor is the design of the individual unit. If you have predicted Armageddon and are stocking up on frozen goods, then an integrated under-counter fridge might not have the storage space you need. Instead, consider whether you want a combined fridge freezer or full-size individual units – perhaps a chest freezer in the garage if you have the space. But if you use a lot of fresh produce and only tend to have an emergency bag of peas in the freezer, an integrated unit with small icebox may be perfectly adequate.

Efficiency: Aside from heating, a refrigerator is one the biggest consumers of energy in the home because it’s always on. To help you gauge its energy efficiency, all units are ranked from A to G, with A++ being the most efficient. The more efficient the model, the more money you save and the less carbon-footprint guilt you will have.

Extras: Once you’ve chosen your model, it’s time to customise. Consider the fine details such as adjustable door racks and split-shelving to increase maximise storage and cater for your favourite size bottles (wine-bottle size, of course!). Features such as anti-bacterial shelves and wipe-clean surfaces will help you keep your fridge sparkling and hygienic, with less effort. Rollers or castors will help you clean underneath it without needing a forklift.

For a more intelligent fridge, take a look at higher-end models with ice and water dispensers, LCD displays and open door alarms.

If you’ve settled on a refrigerator with a built-in icebox, look at the freezer’s star-rating. Zero stars means it’s only good for making ice, while four stars indicates it will cool to temperatures of -18C or colder and will therefore be capable of freezing fresh food.

Choosing a Freezer

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Size and capacity: The same rules apply with freezers as with refrigerators. If you have a large family or ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ happen to be your favourite 5 words of all time, you might want a stand alone freezer. If you’re more of a hermit crab, popping out every now and again to claw in a few nibbles, a combination freezer might be all you need.

If you settle on a standalone unit, you then have the option of choosing between an upright or chest freezer. An upright model will be suitable for most kitchens and is easy to store food in, thanks to various shelves and compartments. In contrast, a chest freezer can provide more storage space, particularly for odd-shaped or large items like the Christmas turkey. It should be noted that food in a chest freezer can often be more difficult to access. These freezers are also often better suited to storage in a garage or utility room but are ideal for bulk storage and professional use, should you happen to be in the business of catering to more than your own cravings.

Efficiency: Like refrigerators, all freezers should have an energy efficiency rating of A to G. The more efficient the unit, the more you save in electricity and the more you contribute to saving the world. Making sure you keep the doors shut and the seals clean will also help it work at its optimum level and prevent frosting.

Features: Fast-freeze helps prevent the temperature rising when you slip a just-cooked curry inside for next week’s dinner party when you’ll need help playing cook, host and bar-tender at once. This function helps preserve the food’s quality and freshness.

Some models also have automatic fast-freeze which kicks in when the unit is too warm. A frost-free freezer will allow fast freezing in all compartments so you never need to defrost.

Choosing a Chiller

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Some may argue that wine chilled to the right temperature is a pretty essential part of achieving contentment in life. If that’s you, you’ll no doubt already have a wine chiller and be here looking to replace your old one. If you just love entertaining or like a dedicated cool spot for your lager, a wine chiller or mini fridge could be what you need.

Size and style: If you’re just looking for extra room to keep your snacks and drinks cool, a table top mini bar fridge will fit conveniently on a kitchen work surface or a table. A mini bar fridge is also perfect for students or house-shares as a way to guarantee your room-mates will keep their fingers out of your food and drink stash without you having to label each item with trespasser warnings.

If you want to go down the wine chiller route, you have a wide range of sizes and styles to consider – from a smaller 16-bottle chiller for a table top to larger models that stand in for a wine cellar and can hold 175 bottles of wine or more.

If style is what you’re after, there are plenty of options from chic black to sleek stainless steel with interior lights to highlight your wine collection.

Temperature controls: Different wines react to different temperatures – too warm and you’re in danger of maturing your wine too quickly, too cold and it can get deposits. Some wine chillers have a single zone, but others have separate zones that can be set to different temperatures, catering for both your red and white wines. Some clever single-zone units have temperature control so you can store red wine at the top and cooler white wine at the bottom.

Other factors: Some fridges have an electronic hum, so it’s also important to consider where you whether you will be putting your chiller in the dining room where it might spoil the ambience or next to the karaoke machine where it will go unnoticed under the roaring singing attempts of your guests.

It’s also worth remembering that stored wine is very sensitive to factors like humidity, vibrations and light. While none of these should be a major problem for most people, it is worth making sure your chosen model is located away from the washing machine or dishwasher, which are bound to cause more vibrations than the average electronic unit.