Which refrigerator is right for your family?

When purchasing a new refrigerator some people are sometimes swayed by slick advertising for the latest model, or a deal on whatever shiny new fridge the showroom has on special offer. It's always good to know what options are available but what really matters is whether the refrigerator is suitable for your needs. Thinking about how you use your refrigerator will identify which model will be most appropriate for your needs.

Table top, built-in, or free standing?

A free standing refrigerator will normally cost you more to purchase than a table top model but it will also hold a lot more food. Think about how much you buy each week. Will your weekly shopping fit into a small table top refrigerator, or will you require something larger to accommodate all of your purchases? If you are buying your new refrigerator as part of an entire kitchen refit then it can be tempting to purchase a built-in model that matches your new kitchen units. If you do opt for a built-in model then check carefully exactly how much storage space you will have in the refrigerator. Built-in refrigerators are frequently narrower than free standing models, this might not be a problem, but if you need to store wider boxes in a chilled environment check your dimensions carefully.

What about a freezer compartment?

Many refrigerators will come with a small built-in freezer compartment. Whether this is a useful feature will depend on whether you regularly need to keep frozen items close at hand in the kitchen, and if you have easy access to a larger freezer when you need it. If you do opt for a refrigerator with a freezer compartment then think carefully about whether you want that compartment to be at the top or bottom of the refrigerator. For some owners the location of the compartment may not be a concern, but if any refrigerator users suffer from mobility issues then bending down regularly to access the fridge could be a real issue. In most cases the freezer compartment is better situated at the bottom of the refrigerator as it will be accessed less often than the main refrigerator. A freezer compartment located at the top of the refrigerator forces you to bend lower every time you want to access the refrigerated section.

Taking stock of the way you will use your refrigerator every week is the best way to ensure that you purchase the right refrigerator for your family, and that your new refrigerator will satisfy your needs for many years to come.