Choosing a refrigerator in a store or online can be like deciphering a treasure map… Without ever being able to find it. To find out which capacity, which model, or which energy class to choose, product managers from renowned brands decipher the market offer to help you place an order. It’s up to you to find the household appliance that meets your desires and needs.
Static, stirred, ventilated, no-frost… Class A+, A++, A+++. Combined, American… Keiko? To help you choose your refrigerator according to your way of life and your kitchen, appliance professionals examine the characteristics of the products on the market.
The refrigerator adapts to the fireplace
“The kitchen space is becoming a real living space within the home. Thus, French households are attaching more and more importance to the choice of their refrigerator”, analyzes Thomas Gendron, ‘white goods product manager at Haier. The family situation of the household, therefore, influences the choice of the refrigerator. “Added to this are household consumption habits (weekly shopping with more or less frozen food, etc.), which will also determine the choice of a suitable ตู้แช่ freezer”, underlines Monia Fekih, washing and cold market manager at Brandt.
However, other criteria are also important:
- the dimensions: the refrigerator must respect the space allocated in the kitchen,
- the type of cold: for better conservation,
- innovation: the consumer is looking for an easy-to-use and modular product. “For this, Haier has many innovations such as its 3D handset with 2 freezer drawers with direct access for easy storage”, underlines Thomas Gendron.
- design,
- price: consumers want the best value for money.
Secondary criteria such as energy class, the ice cube and water dispenser on the front, or the “home bar” (quick access area to everyday products) can be taken into account at the time of purchase.
The fridge comes in four sizes
The refrigerator, therefore, adapts to your desires, your way of life, and your kitchen. The dimensions and therefore the format are an important criteria. As a general rule, a single person needs a maximum of 250 liters, a couple with a child will choose a refrigerator from 250 to 330 liters, and families of more than 4 people will aim for a capacity greater than 330 liters.
“On the market, there are products ranging from one door to four doors. The range of multi-door fridge-freezers corresponding to more than two doors is growing: the consumer is looking for innovation and ease of storage.
The best solution for this is to add refrigeration and/or freezer drawers. In 2016, Haier will launch a range of 4-door American refrigerators called the ‘Cube Series’ with a modular ‘flex-zone’ compartment allowing be both a refrigerator and a freezer”, explains Thomas Gendron. Among the models presented, some are free-standing, and others are built-in or integrated. It really depends on each brand. “On the market, there are 85% of possible, against 15% of integrable”, notes Monia Fekih (Brandt). “At Haier, we are only present on the freestanding market”, specifies Thomas Gendron.
- The under-counter refrigerator or mini-bar
The small refrigerator, whether tabletop or mini-bar type, is suitable for single people, small households, or those who like to do their daily food shopping. It is also an ally in small kitchens.
- The tabletop ตู้แช่เย็น refrigerator is intended to slide under the worktop, the height of which generally varies between 85 and 95 cm. With its 50 to 55 cm wide, it is around 100-120 liters of capacity. It can be with or without a freezer: this small compartment keeps food cold (between -6°C and -12°C), but does not allow frozen food to be kept for more than a few days.
We appreciate the 50’s design of the mini-bar fridge … To get away from that of hotel rooms. It is smaller than the under-counter refrigerator by about 15-20 cm. It is used to keep drinks cold, for example, in an office, the TV room, etc.
- The 1-door refrigerator
The single-door refrigerator offers 100% cooling capacity to keep food cold, 250-400 liters on average. The usual width is 60 cm, height 160 cm. It is particularly suitable for large families or people who do their shopping more rarely. It, therefore, does not include a freezer section but can offer a freezer. Place a door from the same collection next to a freezer for a total look.
- The combined and double-door refrigerator
The combined refrigerator has a cooling section and a freezer placed below. It occupies about 1/3 of the overall volume. When the freezer is located at the top, it is called a double-door refrigerator. Freezer capacity drops to 1/4 of full.
Combined and double-door offer total volumes of 250-400 liters. The opening of the two parts is independent of optimized conservation. This type of product is relatively universal and is suitable for average households (1 to 3 people). As with the one-door refrigerator, the conventional width is 60 cm, and the height is 160 cm. Of course, they can be higher.
- The very large volume refrigerator
- The American refrigerator is a voluminous model, which is suitable for large families. You still need to have the space… Since it can be twice as wide as a refrigerator with its two doors side by side (side by side), i.e. 120 cm. And the height breaks records going to more than 2 m! The left compartment is usually assigned to the freezer and the right to the refrigerator.
However, the functionalities of the compartments can be changed to a freezer or refrigerator, depending on the needs of the user (eg Flexi-zone option offered by Haier). “This type of fridge-freezer is often equipped with an ice cube and fresh water dispenser on the front,” says Monia Fekih (Brandt). Its volume varies between 500 and 600 liters.
