How do you choose the best type of refrigerator?
Consider budget, family size, your available space and the types of food you need to store.
Here are some suggestions for each of these considerations including options from New Home Furniture.
- Budget
If you’re looking for a lower entry price-point, you can find some classic food storage options with select top freezer and bottom freezer refrigerators that still offer features like optional interior ice makers, adjustable door bins, and freezer temperature controls. If you are in search of more advanced features to help with food storage and daily meal prep, consider French door and side-by-side models. You’ll find features such as exterior ice and water and dual ice makers.
- Family size
Smaller families can find top and bottom freezer options in smaller sizes to meet their needs. Large families, or ones that often entertain might consider French door or side-by-side models for more options with larger capacities. French door refrigerators feature refrigerated exterior drawers for easy access to snacks and the ability to adjust temperature controls and dividers based on what you’re storing. Oversized built-in fridges are a good option for very large households. Under counter refrigerators can also offer some extra overflow storage or a specialized place to store beverages.
3. Food storage needs:
Another important factor when deciding between types of refrigerators is the food storage needs of your family. For instance, if you often store a lot of fresh produce, you will want to purchase a refrigerator that has enough specially designed drawers for optimal produce storage. Select a bottom freezer refrigerators have the Produce Preserver to help keep your fruits and vegetables in the ideal environment. Dairy products and meat also have different storage requirements. While shopping for a refrigerator you will want to make sure that it has drawers and spaces designed for convenient storage of these items. Adjustable or removable shelves help you customize your refrigerator’s layout to fit the different items you’ll store over time. Make room for a whole turkey on holidays, or create more separation for different kinds of snacks during the week.
What is the best way to compare different types of refrigerators?
- Size
French door and side-by-side models tend to offer larger capacities with top or bottom freezer fridges offering more compact options. Explore our guide to refrigerator sizes and dimensions to learn more.
- Style
Choose a top freezer fridge if you want a classic style, or go for a French door if you’re looking for something more modern. For a premium look, consider a built-in installation or counter-depth fridge.
- Space
Side-by-side refrigerators may offer a little more freezer storage compared to other fridges. French door along with top and bottom freezer refrigerators provide wide cavities but you’ll have to choose whether you want fresh food or frozen at eye level.
- Organization options
Look for the kinds of shelves and storage compartments or bins you’ll use the most. A fridge featuring adjustable storage options will let you customize the layout for your needs. Get help organizing your fridge to help keep your food fresh.
- Features
A top or bottom freezer fridge with a streamlined set of features can still provide excellent cold storage. If you’re looking for some additional options like exterior ice and water, specialized temperature zones and spill-proof shelves, look to French door and side-by-side models.
- Finishes
Most refrigerators are available in white, black and stainless steel. Black stainless steel is another finish option that offers an updated take on a classic finish. New Home Furniture also offers select models featuring a fingerprint resistant stainless finish that resists smudges and easily wipes clean.
Types of Fridges
- Bottom Freezer
A bottom freezer fridge is the most common in household in that the freezer will be on the bottom. Some of these freezers will be drawers and others will open the same way that the fridge opens with a door on a hinge. Some people find that these drawers are much easier when you are looking to store larger items.
The problem with the bottom freezer fridges is that they are harder to organize. Since you have to stack the food on top of each other, you may often forget what you have stored in there.
- Top Freezer
A top freezer is what many people consider to be a traditional refrigerator. With a top freezer, you will have access to the freezer at eye level and it will be easy to fit quite a bit into the freezer. The only downside to the top freezer is that the bottom of the fridge can end up being a bit more difficult to reach.
This is why you will often see drawers on the bottom of the top freezer refrigerator.
- Smart/Bespoke Refrigerator
A smart refrigerator is the way that almost all refrigerators are moving. Depending on how smart the fridge is, there could be options that have an LCD screen on the door or an app that has some programmability. The smart refrigerator takes a bit of time to get used to, but it is something that everyone can learn how to use.
Some smart refrigerators can even tell you when it is time to purchase your next round of groceries.
- Refrigerator with Ice and Water
One of the many refrigerator features that you can choose is to have ice and water in the door. Everyone should consume plenty of water during their day, and to have a fridge that gives you easy access to water and ice is going to be really smart. The water in the door has a filter that will help to make sure it stays fresh and clean tasting for years to come.
Many of these refrigerators will give you access to different types of ice, both crushed and cubed
- Insta View Door Refrigerator
The insta view door makes it so that your refrigerator looks like a nice clean finished panel, but when you press the door panel, a visual of the inside of your fridge pops up. This is a nice choice when it comes to energy savings. When your kids want to stand there and look for a snack for six minutes, they can do so without ever having to open the door.
This functionality and technology in refrigerators continue to push towards increased energy efficiency.
- Two Drawer Freezer Design
Many refrigerators have a bottom freezer drawer. However, there are some that have two freezer drawers. Having the two drawer’s makes quite a bit of sense as it will make it so that you can easily keep your deep freeze products in the very bottom, and the everyday items in the next drawer up. The top of the refrigerator is the part where you keep your regular items.
These drawers are not all that large individually, but if you organize them right, you can get a lot of food in there.
Conclusion
Finding a refrigerator of the best quality can be time consuming. With all of the options that you have to choose from, you will have to spend some time narrowing down what it is you are looking for.
Hopefully, this list has helped you to see what there is out there and what could work best for you. The most common types of refrigerators are the side by side or top and bottom full size.
Although these are the ones that you will see in the majority of kitchens out there, they are not the only things that exist on the market. Regardless of your unique kitchen needs, chances are there is a refrigerator to suit your needs and you can find them all at New Home Furniture.
