Guidelines for Refrigerator Choices

Home

About Us

Services

Need a new refrigerator? Capacity, doors, shelves, measurements, bottom or top freezer, in door dispensers, the list goes on! What all should you consider? A need a new refrigeratorrefrigerator is a large investment that one should not take lightly, so here are some thoughts to help you make the best choice:

Size

Are you constrained by a size, meaning that space in which the refrigerator is supposed to sit? Make certain you carefully measure. Don't just take the width and height-the depth is also important. Maybe you need the counterdepth only. Also, think about the space surrounding it-is there an island across from it that may only allow a certain door clearance?

Doors

There are side-by-side, top and bottom, left or right opening. Maybe you have a short reach or bad back and one would have more advantages over the other. There are basically three choices. The two-door, top-freezer design is the best seller. First time buyers and rental property owners purchase them because they are normally in the lower price range. Another choice is the bottom-freezer units. They are nice for taller people as they put the area that is used the most--fresh food-- at eye level. The side-by-side refrigerators have narrow doors, which might work best if there is a clearance problem with an island. If you use a lot of frozen food, dinners, pizza, ice cream, then the freezer and its location may be an important consideration. Side-by-side refrigerators generally do offer more storage capacity. But if you entertain often and have wide trays or large servings of food that need to be refrigerated, maybe the side-by-side isn't the right choice for you.

Overall Capacity/Freezer Space

Calculating volume of an object can aid in the decision of whether or not to purchase a certain size of something. A refrigerator is sold by the contents it can hold, in cubic feet. For example, if you don't have children and not planning any in the near future, you don't need a refrigerator that is larger than 22 cubic feet. As a matter of fact, today refrigerators have made the best to utilize every inch of space, and a 19 cubic feet refrigerator could be perfectly adequate. However, if family or friends come over often, maybe you need something larger. If you have a family of 3 or more, you will need to have something much larger. With a really large family or a lot of entertaining, you have to look at the 25 - 28 c.f. refrigerators. For freezer storage, as previously noted, if you buy lots of frozen foods or in bulk, make certain the freezer space is ample enough, and there are shelves so you don't have to move everything around to find what you're looking for.

Routine Maintenance

I had a refrigerator with lights that could not be changed without prying off the plastic backing of the interior. Needless to say, when the light burned-out, it stayed that way indefinitely. Also make certain the refrigerator coils are easily accessed, as they should be routinely cleaned as it helps your refrigerator run more efficiently.

Energy Use

Compare the energy guides on the refrigerators-paying higher energy bills will add to your initial cost. Also, your personal use will affect the cost: maybe that optional outside dispenser will make more sense in the long run, versus opening and closing the refrigerator 50 times a day.

Shelving

Cleaning out the refrigerator is probably not high on the list of things you like to do. Check for shelves and bins that are easy to remove and clean. Sliding shelves might be important to reach items towards the back. Adjustable shelves are also great to accommodate taller items.

Ice Maker & In-Door Dispensers

Though generally this option costs more, in the long run, if you have children, it might be more cost effective than opening and closing the refrigerator door all of the time. An icemaker is great if you entertain frequently.

Color & Texture

Colors and stainless steel may cost more, but on the other hand, it may matter for resale or other aesthetic reasons. I knew someone who left a beautiful new refrigerator behind when she moved as she felt that fingerprints and smudges showed up too quickly on that model.

Noise Factors

All appliances make noise and they aren't all equal. It might not matter or it may be very important, depending on where it's located and how much it might affect you. If your kitchen is part of the main living areas of your home, you might be glad you thought about this.

Finally, after you've reviewed the guidelines, make a list of priorities-so that you can separate the important, "essentials" from the category of "nice to have" options. That will help you keep your budget focused on the most important features.

<< Back to resources