Fridge Freezer Buying Guide

Size and capacity of the fridge

Whatever the type of fridge you go for, here are some important things to look out for:

Most fridges are designed to fit under your worktops, but if you have the room in a larger kitchen you might want to invest in a tall larder fridge. Fridge sizes are measured in litres, the capacity of a fridge is a good indication of the amount you'll be able to store inside it - so make sure you check this before you buy. A tall separate fridge is ideal for larger families and it means that you can take advantage of all the supermarket deals!

Built-in or freestanding fridge?

If you want your kitchen to have a seamless appearance, a built-in fridge/freezer is a great idea. You can get it fully integrated into your kitchen with the same style door as your kitchen units so that it will blend in perfectly. Alternatively, a freestanding fridge is great if you might want to move it around in the future, or you want a bigger fridge than you can fit under your worktop and is the best option for those on a tight budget.

Useful fridge features

Look out for our refrigerators that have an icebox where you can store your ice cubes and some frozen goods,but this is not a replacement for a separate freezer as they are not as energy efficient. If you want more space for chilled goods you might want to choose a larder, which is purely a fridge without a freezer compartment.

Usable storage, such as egg trays and removable shelves made from glass that you can wipe down easily will help you make the most of your fridge, while an auto-defrost function will help stop ice building up at the back of your fridge and ensure its optimum performance. A temperature warning light is another good feature - it'll let you know if your fridge or freezer is getting too warm to stop your food from going off. All our models will take the largest milk cartons as standard.

To buy the right freezer you need to take a range of factors into account, including the space you have in your kitchen, and how many people you a regularly catering for.

Built-in or freestanding freezer?

Depending on your style of kitchen and the size of freezer you need, you will either want to choose a built-in freezer or a freestanding one. A built-in one is more stylish, and will be integrated into the rest of your kitchen for that built in look that is so popular today. A freestanding one is better if you want to be able to move your freezer if you need to.

Generally built in models are more expensive as they are manufactured in a different way and need to circulate the air around your kitchen units.

Handy freezer features

When choosing your new freezer, look out for models with fast freeze control. It's perfect when you've just been shopping and want to keep the produce in tip top condition as the freezer senses automatically when the temperature has risen and freezes food quickly, making it last longer and taste better. A freezer with a thermometer on the outside is also a good choice as it makes it easier to keep an eye on the temperature.

A great option for many families, a fridge/freezer combines both appliances, one on top of the other. They're fantastic for kitchens where space is at a premium and you need a good amount of both fridge and freezer capacity.

Size and capacity

Combined fridge/freezers come in a number of different sizes and styles to suit your kitchen - all our combination fridge/freezers are upright and tall. Again, the number of litres capacity of the fridge/freezer will tell you how much you can store inside.

Built-in or freestanding?

Because fridge-freezers are normally quite tall, they can't be installed under the work surface. They can still be built into your kitchen and we have a range of both freestanding and integrated to best suit your kitchen needs.

Useful features

When you're choosing a fridge/freezer, keep an eye out for some of the really helpful features available, including frost-free protection, which circulates air around the fridge to stop ice building up. This means that you are less likely to have to scrape ice off your food. With less build up of ice in your freezer, there will be more room for storage. Many new fridge/freezers now have antibacterial surfaces - plastic or glass shelves with built-in protection against germs that kills bacteria on contact for extra hygiene. Other features include digital temperature displays, electronic displays, and storage compartments.

Make sure you check the measurements of the appliance before ordering to make sure that it fits in the chosen space and remember that integrated appliances will need to have furniture doors fitting (not supplied) to create that built in look.

All our integrated fridges and freezers have reversible doors so you can choose which way your appliance opens. They also require door furniture however this means that you can fit your fridge or freezer perfectly into your current units with a seamless finish.