To the question of how to choose a refrigerator, you need to approach carefully, having predetermined the set of necessary parameters. This technique is worth a lot, we buy it not for one year, so the decision must be weighed and well thought out. Noiseless operation, optimal volume and dimensions, economy, usability, suitable design are the list of basic requirements that must be met.
Which refrigerator to choose?
A modern range of cooling technology includes thousands of models in different price categories. It can be single-, double- and multi-compartment refrigerators, freezers, combined models, separately standing and built-in. Among all the variety it is sometimes so difficult to decide which refrigerator is best to choose. You need to build on what is more important to you - to cool or to freeze, how many people in your family, what are the sizes of the kitchen and what your financial possibilities allow.
Two-compartment fridge
The most frequent choice of consumers is a two-chamber model. Its freezing and refrigerating chambers allow storing and freezing the products, and at the same time the two-compartment refrigerator has dimensions that are optimal for installation in the kitchen. As a rule, its height is 1.5-2 m, of which one third or half is occupied by the freezing department, the rest is directly the refrigerator. At the same time, the cameras can be arranged in different ways. The most common model with the bottom location of the freezer, but there are also those where the freezer compartment is located at the top.
Two-door refrigerator
The second name of such an aggregate is Side By Side, that is, "Side by Side". It is a model with swing doors, two, three or more cameras. Such units are of impressive size, and for installation in the kitchen require a lot of space. A two-door refrigerator with a side-mounted freezer is convenient in that the refrigerator and freezer are equally accessible. The more useful the volume of the refrigerator and the wider and the lower its housing, the more clearly the advantages of this arrangement of the cameras before the usual.
Refrigerator without freezer
Such a refrigerator has only a compartment for cooling without the possibility of freezing food. Often, compact, small refrigerators without a freezer become an addition to the main refrigerator or to a separate freezer. The capacity of this equipment can vary between 50-500 liters, and you are free to choose the right amount depending on your needs. The ideal option is how to choose a single-compartment refrigerator - to buy a machine with medium dimensions. A small refrigerator can serve as a mini-bar or be a good assistant in the country.
Built-in kitchen refrigerator
If you want to "hide" the technique in the furniture headset, you need to know which built-in refrigerator is best to choose. First of all, it should fit in size. Most of the embedded models have a width of 54-58 cm and a depth of 53-55 cm. The height can be very different - from 80 cm to 1.5 meters and above. They differ in the type of embedding - they can be fully built-in models, zadekorirovannye under the furniture facade, or with an open front door. The choice depends on your preferences.
How to choose a refrigerator - what to look for?
In addition to the basic characteristics of the refrigerator, such as a defrost system, the number of cameras, external dimensions and internal volume, there are many more nuances that are worth paying attention to when buying. So, how to choose a refrigerator for your home:
- The less noise, the better. This figure depends on the type of compressor. The optimal option is a two-compressor model with a noise level of 21-56 dB. Quietly working refrigerators without compressors, but they have very small dimensions.
- The best shelves are latticed. They allow free movement of air inside the refrigerator, which has a beneficial effect on the freshness of the products.
- In order not to smell, choose models with antibacterial coating of walls or aggregates with antibacterial charcoal filters.
- To save energy, choose models marked A
What should be the temperature in the refrigerator?
Determined with how to choose a good refrigerator for the house, we must carefully approach the issue of its cooling and freezing capabilities. The temperature inside the freezer compartment is determined by the power and degree of freezing. If you need to freeze many products, pay attention to the power figure in kilograms. It can be different - from 4 to 12 kg, depending on the model of technology. These numbers indicate the number of products that the freezer is able to freeze during the day.
Another indicator - the degree of frost, affects the shelf life of products. There are generally accepted standards, according to which freezers are divided into 4 types:
- One star (*) - the freezer cools down to -6 ° C and is able to store products for a week.
- Two asterisks (**) - maximum cold -12 ° С, storage period - a month.
- Three asterisks (***) - cooling to -18 ° C and a shelf life of up to 3 months.
- Four stars (****) - the temperature of freezing below -18 ° C and the possibility of storing products for 6-12 months.
In different zones of the refrigerator, the temperature norms are approximately the following:
- a zone of freshness (there are not in all refrigerators) - from 0 to + 1 ° C, here it is best to store fresh meat and fish, sausages, cheese and dairy products, vegetables, fruits, greens, a zone in the immediate vicinity of the freezer;
- the middle of the refrigerating chamber - from +2 to + 4 ° C, is intended for short-term storage of semi-finished products, cooked meat, fish, confectionery, milk, eggs, sausages, the zone is located after the freshness zone;
- lower shelves and trays - up to + 8 ° C, here you can store vegetables, fruits, root vegetables, pickles.
Refrigeration defrosting systems
All modern models have a mode of automatic defrosting of the refrigerating compartment. Periodic shutdown of the compressor allows the ice accumulated on the rear wall to melt and drain into a special tray, where it evaporates under the influence of heat from the compressor. This system is called a drop. As for the freezer, the defrosting can be either manual or automatic. The second option is a well-known refrigerator with Noe Frost system, and which one to choose will depend on you.
A huge plus of a self-defrosting refrigerator - you can forever forget about manual defrosting. There are also disadvantages - additional noise from the fan inside the freezer and a strong stream of dry air that can dry the food if they are not well packaged. The difference in price between models with manual defrost and the Noë Frost system is there, but it is not so noticeable as it was several years ago.
Volume of the refrigerator
How to choose a refrigerator by volume? This choice must be carried out taking into account the number of household members. It is known that one or two people need a minimum of 180 liters. For a family of 3 people you can buy a refrigerator in 250 liters. Well, for a large family of 5 or more people, an aggregate of 350 liters or more is needed. The volume of the freezer in the refrigerator is also important. Here you need to choose the optimal ratio: if you need a large freezer, you can choose a model with equal volumes of refrigerating and freezing chambers.
What color to choose a refrigerator?
The refrigerator, standing separately, always attracts attention, because in the kitchen it is the main household appliance. Because it is very important, what color refrigerator you choose. Most of the models are in white - this is a classic. On sale there are many coolers of silvery hue. And these two options are the most popular. How to choose a refrigerator for more daring interiors: if desired, you can find models of black , red, golden and other colors.
Which firm to choose a refrigerator?
Today in the shops there is a mass of models from dozens of manufacturers. They are in different price categories depending on those or other parameters. Whatever it was, you need to understand which brand of refrigerator is better to choose, and here is the rating of proven and reliable manufacturers:
- Liebherr;
- Bosch;
- LG;
- Indesit;
- BEKO;
- Samsung;
- Hitachi;
- POZIS;