Refrigerator buying guide
Refrigerator buying guide 2020: Here's how to select the best refrigerator for your home based on your household’s needs and budget.
Whether you are a bachelor or living in a joint family, you always need a refrigerator. But zeroing in on the right one for you is not easy. There are many aspects to consider from the size to door style, energy efficiency, brand and price. Here is a refrigerator buying guide that will help you find the right fridge for your budget and needs.
Consider the cost
Price is, of course, an important criterion in deciding a new fridge. Start with an estimate of how much you want to spend. A basic single door refrigerator can cost in the range of Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000, while side-by-side options are north of Rs 65,000. This is a long-term investment, so the budget should take that into consideration.
Study the size
Before you consider buying a fridge, make sure you know what size will fit in your kitchen, especially if it has a modular design. A fridge’s capacity is listed in litres. For larger families, a bigger fridge makes more sense, even if it costs more. If you are a single person and living in a rented room, there is the option of a mini-fridge.
Shop for door style
Once you figure out the size of your kitchen and determine the spot to place the fridge, it’s time to choose the right door style and type of fridge you want to get. There are primarily six types of refrigerators: Single door, Double door, Triple door, Mini, Side-by-Side, French Door.
Single door: The most common type of refrigerator, this model is for a single person or a family of two. These fridges have only one door for the refrigerator and the freezer. They are smaller in size and have an average capacity of between 165 and 280 litres. Given the small size, single-door refrigerators have limited shelves. In terms of cooling technology, most single-door refrigerators come with a manual defrosting freezer where you have to press a button manually to defrost the ice. Single-door refrigerators cost anywhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000, depending on the features on offer.
Top brands: Samsung, LG, Haier, Whirlpool, Panasonic. Double door
(Top freezer/bottom freezer): They are the most popular type of fridge, where the freezer is situated above the main fresh-food storage compartment. A double-door fridge has more space and is therefore aimed at households with four members. Double-door refrigerators usually come with a capacity of 235415 litres. Compared to a single-door fridge, double-door refrigerators need more energy to function. However, thanks to energy-efficient star ratings, you can choose double door refrigerators that consume less power. Unlike single-door refrigerators, double-door refrigerators are frostfree. This technology allows for even distribution of cool air inside the fridge by electric fans. Simply put, there is no formation of ice, and there is no need for defrosting. Doubledoor refrigerators cost anywhere between Rs 20,000 and Rs 45,000.
Top brands: Samsung, LG, Haier, Whirlpool, Godrej, Panasonic
Side-by-side: Side-by-side refrigerators are split in half with the freezer on the left and the fridge on the right. They don’t come cheap, though. The cost is anywhere between Rs 65,000 and Rs 267,100. The sideby-side refrigerator design allows you to place food items at eye-level in both the fridge and freezer, so you don’t have to reach or bend over to get them. Side-by-side refrigerators are spacious and come with numerous adjustable deep shelves and bins. They are big with enough capacity for a household of six or seven. Most side-by-side refrigerators usually come with a capacity of 531-700 litres. Also, side-by-side units have built-in ice and water dispensers. One of the biggest disadvantages of a side-by-side refrigerator is its size. These units are commonly wider than standard refrigerators, making them less than ideal for small kitchens. Top brands: Samsung, LG, Haier, Hitachi
Smart fridge: As the name suggests, a smart fridge is connected to the internet through Wi-Fi as well as provide additional features that aren’t available on the standard fridge. For instance, Samsung’s The Family Hub is a smart fridge with a giant touchscreen and builtin food-recognition technology. The fridge can recognise what kind of food you’ve stored inside, control internal temperature and even makes a shopping list. The high-end fridge also supports voice recognition and comes with several apps. Such smart refrigerators cost over Rs 250,000, making ideal for upscale homes.
Top brands: Samsung, Haier
There's no denying the fact that a refrigerator in today's time is a must-have in every household. From storing cooked food to stashing raw food ingredients - refrigerator has a wide usage. Alongside, it helps keep food fresh for long; hence, you can buy/cook food and store for more than a day and save your time and reduce workload too. If you look for refrigerators in the market, you will find a variety of options that vary as per your budget and purpose - single door, double door and side-by-side refrigerators.
We bring you 4 double door refrigerator options that will help you chose the right fit for your kitchen. Read on.
Whirlpool 292 L 2 Star Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator with Glass Door
This refrigerator by Whirlpool comes with a 6th sense deepfreeze technology that prevents cold air from escaping when you open the door.
Godrej 231 L 1 Star Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator
Godrej brings this double door refrigerator option that comes with a built-in air vent that ensures allaround cooling. It is also known to have wide shelf space to store your food easily.
Haier 258 L 3 Star Inverter FrostFree Double Door Refrigerator
Another option of double door refrigerator, it is known to have twin inverter technology that prevents current fluctuation. This refrigerator by Haier also helps retain low temperature for better cooling.
Samsung 253L 3 Star Inverter FrostFree Double Door Refrigerator
An ideal refrigerator option for a family with maximum four members, this double door refrigerator by Samsung comes with toughened glass shelves that can be used to store food in larger amount without any worries of crack on the shelves.
LG Electronics (LG) is helping consumers realize their dream kitchens with the unveiling of new refrigerator models at IFA 2020: improved InstaView™ Door-in-Door™ refrigerator with UVnano, updated LG Fridge and Freezer pair and latest InstaView ThinQ™ refrigerator. Adding to an already comprehensive list of features, these new kitchen appliance models demonstrate LG’s commitment to giving consumers more choice and helping them to live their best hygienic, culinary lives.