Your Guide to Choosing a Refrigerator

Buying a refrigerator is not an easy decision especially since there are many types and models in the market. We at Labeb and through this article will list the main types of refrigerators then list their specifications and finally advise you which best meets your needs.

It is true that the refrigerators main task is to preserve foods and vegetables and cool them. However, the market has many options which made it harder to choose one as you need to check all the specifications and features. Purchasing a  refrigerator will reflect on your lifestyle; meaning that a refrigerator is an electric appliance and so if you want to save on your electric bill you need to check the electric consumption of the fridge, and if you have a small house you cannot buy a big fridge, but what if you need a big fridge? And what if you have a large family?

The three questions above are a reminder of how difficult it is to buy a refrigerator. Therefore, we at Labeb will help you and once you finish reading through this article you will find that choosing a refrigerator became easier.

Many factors like the refrigerator’s size, number of household members, having a freezer, and specifications like producing ice cubes, inner drawers, and outer design and especially since the market is packed with different brands and types (knowing that companies compete to improve their products) make it harder to buy one. Nonetheless, that does not deny the fact that there are certain factors for choosing the best refrigerator. We will present the different types in this guide and it will be divided into three main points: the first will list the different types of refrigerators, the second will focus on the important factors for choosing a refrigerator, and the third will give you some tips about purchasing a refrigerator.

Before we begin, we want to point that refrigerators are no longer an accessory, but a necessity. People in the old days came up with different ways to preserve food, but these methods are no longer useful because of the big advancement in the Tech World. We advise you to make the wise decision in accordance with what you should consider when buying a refrigerator.

Types of Refrigerator:

Refrigerators are divided into 6 main types all depending on two factors: the presence of a freezer and how the door opens. And each type is available in different sizes and dimensions, and so we first begin with choosing the correct type and then choosing the correct size.

Upper-freezer refrigerators:

This is the classical type of refrigerators, and the most widespread and common. The freezer is on the upper part of the fridge with a door for each one and the way they open differs from one brand to another. Some open from the right side and some from the left. This type is perfect for small places and it is available in different sizes.

This type was first manufactured back in 1940 and is considered affordable for everyone. Even though it is suitable for small places, we advise you to measure the space you want to put the fridge in and make sure it fits and you can open the doors.

As mentioned before, it has small dimensions and wide inner drawers as well as being the cheapest type.

This type is perfect for people who shop with a tight budget (people who do not want to store a large amount of food and drinks).

Lower-freezer refrigerators:

This type does not differ from the upper-freezer refrigerators except for the location of the freezer. In this type the freezer is below the fridge and it is perfect for people who use the freezer a lot and want it to stay within their eye level.  The freezer is available in different options: you can either choose the standard door (that opens from the right or left side depending on the brand) or as drawers that you pull out.

This type is perfect for people who use the freezer to store foods and beverages in which it provides a bigger storage space.

Freezer-less Refrigerators:

This type is similar in design to the previous two types but it comes without a freezer and so all the space is for the fridge.

This type is good for people who have a separate freezer and want a bigger space to preserve food without cooling. It is also good for people who store a lot of fresh foods in the fridge.

Side-By-Side Refrigerators:

This type has two doors instead of one and it usually opens from the middle.

The fridge in this type is on one side and the freezer is on the other, and usually the fridge is on the left side leaving the right side to the freezer. There are certain very limited brands who manufacture this fridge without a freezer leaving both sides as fridges.

This is suitable for medium sized spaces and does not occupy a large area when opening the doors (no need to worry about extra door space).

Many of the manufacturing companies add a Thru-the-door ice and water dispenser.

This type is more expensive that the other three types, and you can have different designs, but we presented the common type with smaller doors.

When buying this type you need to check the internal size because they might be small when it comes to the width and so you cannot store large food items.

French Door Refrigerators:

French door refrigerator is the fridge with most different designs. Generally, they have the design of a Side-By-Side refrigerators and lower-freezer refrigerators.

The upper part is a side to side fridge (with doors in the middle), and the lower part is the freezer. It is special as it has an elegant design and combines the benefits of two types of refrigerators.

There are other designs all concerning the doors; you might find French refrigerators with 4 doors in the fridge part and 2 drawers for the freezer part. Each design has a different price but generally this type is the most expensive.

It offers a large storing place and so it is suitable for large families and large places. They sometimes come with a thru-the-door ice and water dispenser just like side-by-side refrigerators.

Compact Refrigerators:

This type is the smallest and it has a small door. Some have a small cubic freezer inside. It is perfect for offices, dorm rooms, bedroom, and very small areas.

It is not expensive but is not suitable for families as it has a very limited storage area.

After listing the different types, we will now tell you about the general rules you have to consider when buying a fridge.

General Tips for Choosing a Home Refrigerator

Choosing a fridge is based on two important factors: storage capacity and fridge space (area where you will put the fridge in).

• Buying a fridge with the appropriate storage capacity: this depends on the number of family members; average families (between 2 – 6 people) can buy an 18 – 25 square feet fridge. Bigger families require larger space. The biggest fridge is a 31 square feet, and it is available at limited stores. You can determine the appropriate storage capacity by:
  • For every adult member you need a minimal 4 – 6 square feet from the fridge.
  • For newlyweds who do not cook all the time, you need a fridge with 12 – 16 square feet.
  • For an average family of four, you need a minimal of 20 square feet.
• Buying a fridge with the correct dimensions: once you determine the storage capacity, you have to measure the dimensions of the place you want to put the fridge in your kitchen: length, height, and width. Mostly the fridge’s dimensions are: height 173 cm (68 US inches), and width between 76 cm (30 inch) and 91 cm (36 inch). After taking the measurements accurately make sure you leave enough space for the fridge’s doors and leave a 5 cm around the fridge for ventilation (better to keep more behind it).

After these rules, we are left with our advice to you!

Labeb’s Advice for Choosing a Fridge

Below is a list of tips for helping you make a smart decision:

• Decide what type of fridge you want to buy that fulfills your needs.
• Determine the storage capacity of the fridge you want. The average size is between 18 - 25 square feet. Note that it also depends on the number of family members; large families need big refrigerators with an average of 5 square feet for each adult.
• Measure the dimensions of the place you will put the fridge in. Take into consideration the fridges doors and ventilation. Check the measurements of the fridge when you are at the store.
• Measure the kitchen door and make sure the fridge can fit through it. Also, check if there is a plug next to the place you want to put the fridge in.
• Determine your budget. This will help you choose a type. The upper freezer fridge is the cheapest and the most expensive is the French door fridge.
• Determine any additional features you want in the fridge such as: thru-the-door ice and water dispenser, internal air filters (for ventilation), changing shelf heights, and the possibility of putting cans and bottles in the door.

Summary

Refrigerators are available in many different types and shapes, and so choosing a suitable refrigerator is no longer considered an easy task. There are some practical steps you can follow before going to the store which will save you time and effort. This is what we provided through this article.

Refrigerators can be divided into six main types: upper-freezer, lower-freezer, freezer-less, side-by-side, French door, and compact (office refrigerator).

Each of these types has different features which we explained in the first part of this article.

Determining the type, the storage capacity of the fridge (take into consideration the number of family members where each adult needs an average of 5 square feet), and the dimensions of the place you will put the fridge in and the refrigerator itself (note that you should leave at least 5 – 10 cm around the fridge for ventilation) are the main points to consider when purchasing a refrigerator.

There are benefits for each type, but many families, especially in the Arab World, prefer upper-freezer refrigerators (the classical type) because it is cheaper than other types (except for compact fridges).

Other features include: managing the shelves height, having water and ice dispenser, and number of ventilation filters to keep the air clean for the preserved foods and beverages.

Choosing a refrigerator is not an easy task but just like always, we present you to this guide to help you make the correct decision, while choosing what meets your needs.