Can you imagine a life without appliances? There are still people who have known that time. A period when having devices of this type at home was a luxury or simply impossible. Fortunately, today you can choose them and even access them easily. One of the most important is the refrigerator. It allows you to preserve food and enjoy both food and cold drinks.
According to the Organization of Consumers and Users, OCU, the average life of these appliances is between 10 and 12 years. Has your “fridge” reached this age? Do you want to have a better model? Did you just move? No matter what your case is, it is worth knowing what they offer you and what the best options are. Luckily, with this shopping guide, you can fulfill this purpose.
Refrigerator: Which is the best of 2021
Can you imagine life without appliances? There are still people who have known that time. A period when having devices of this type at home was a luxury or simply impossible. Fortunately, today you can choose them and even access them easily. One of the most important is the refrigerator. It allows you to preserve food and enjoy both food and cold drinks.
According to the Organization of Consumers and Users, OCU, the average life of these appliances is between 10 and 12 years. Has your “fridge” reached this age? Do you want to have a better model? Did you just move? No matter what your case is, it is worth knowing what they offer you and what the best options are. Luckily, with this shopping guide, you can fulfill this purpose.
The most important facts
- Storing certain foods in the refrigerator is vital to keep them fresh for longer. Also, avoid that meat and fish, which are not consumed at the moment, become products that put your health at risk.
- It is necessary to find the most suitable model and use it correctly. Misuse can contribute to higher energy expenditure and also to food not being kept in the right conditions. In this guide, you will discover very practical tips to help you avoid these situations.
- Do you know what capacity your refrigerator should have? Would you like to discover its climate class or how it can be your most profitable purchase in the medium term? So, don’t miss our section “Purchase criteria”.
The best refrigerators on the market: our recommendations
Many are the options that you can find in the market. Refrigerators with a unique design even those that are very economical. Do you want to buy a “fridge”, but don’t know which one to choose? This section, prepared by your friends at MONEDEROSMART, will help you get to know the best ones. Are you ready?
Best compact refrigerator
Are you a lover of compact refrigerators? If your answer is yes, choose the Danby DAR044A4BDD-3. It has an interior capacity of 4.4 cubic feet. It weighs 60.5 pounds. It measures 20.9 x 20.7 x 32.7 inches.
Meets Energy Star requirements. Has 2 full-width shelves. It has an automatic defrosting function. Its installation is independent. It has a voltage of 120 V.
The best cheapest refrigerator
Do you want to find an inexpensive refrigerator? The WHS – 87LB1 from MIDEA is your best option. Get it at an estimated price of $ 130. It weighs 37.9 pounds. It measures 17.5 x 20.1 x 24.8 pounds.
Its temperature adjustment ranges are -2 to 2 ° Celsius. It has adjustable legs, as well as a reversible door. It is Energy Star certified. Its capacity is 20 cubic feet.
The best-selling refrigerator
This is one of the best sellers on the market. It weighs 68.3 pounds. It measures 17.3 x 18.9 x 33.3 inches. It has a capacity of 3.2 cubic feet. Its door will allow you to see your favorite drinks.
It has three chrome shelves. These are adjustable and removable. You can store up to 120 cans of soda or beer. It has a powerful 120V cooling system. Plus, it’s super quiet.
The best comfortable and practical refrigerator
The best thing about the Danby DAR044A6DDB is its comfort and practicality. It has a reversible door hinge. Thus, you can open it from the left or right side. It weighs 65 pounds. It measures 21.3 x 20.8 x 33.1 inches.
It has two shelves and a half tempered glass. Its cover is scratch resistant. It features an ergonomic chrome handle with a rubber grip. Its interior is illuminated by a white LED light.
Buying Guide: What You Should Know About A Refrigerator
Have you found the refrigerator you need in the previous section? Regardless of your answer, we advise you to continue reading this article. With it, you will be able to assess the necessary issues so that you can make the best decision. Well, this is not something to be taken lightly, as this appliance will be with you for years.
The French door refrigerator is one of the best sellers in the United States for its large capacity to store food. (Source: Filimonov: 94664738 / 123rf.com)
What kind of refrigerators can you find?
A refrigerator is a device that produces cold and is used to preserve food. In the market, there are different types of models created to meet different needs. If you want to know them, this table will make you discover them and find out about their characteristics.
Refrigerator type | Type of doors | Principal functions | Highlight |
---|---|---|---|
Of a door | It has a vertical door. | It works as a fridge and has no freezer. | They are useful if you have a freezer. |
Two-door | It has two vertical doors, one above the other. | Upstairs is the freezer and downstairs the “fridge.” | Less and less is used. |
Bus | It has two vertical doors, one above the other. | The fridge is on top and the freezer is on the bottom. | They offer interesting prices and features. |
American people | It has two vertical doors. | The freezer is on the left and the fridge is on the right. | They usually have a water dispenser. |
French door | Two vertical doors. | The freezer area is located under the doors. | The freezer can be with doors or drawers. In addition, it is one of the best sellers in the US. |
4-door | It has two doors up and two down. | It’s like a double van. | It can be confused with the one with French doors. |
In what other ways is a “fridge” known in Latin America?
Spanish is a rich language due to the different lexical variants it has in terms of a concept. And this word is not exempt from it. The following table will help you to know the terms used in Latin America to refer to this appliance:
Finished | Country in which it is used |
---|---|
Frigidaire | Cuba (Its colloquial use is due to the fact that this was the first brand of refrigerators). |
Cold | Cuba, Chile. |
Refrigerator | Argentina and Uruguay. |
Fridge | Dominican Republic, Colombia, Caribbean Countries, Venezuela. |
Fridge | Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico (usually abbreviated as “refri”), Venezuela. |
Refrigerator | Costa Rica, Nicaragua (also abbreviated as “refri”), Ecuador, Honduras, Peru. |
What is the ideal temperature for the refrigerator to have?
A refrigerator is a device that produces cold and is used to preserve food.
(Source: Om: 25864226 / 123rf.com)
Where is it better to place the refrigerator?
How should you order the refrigerator?
Put each food in its proper place to make the most of your fridge. Remember that not everyone has the same need for cold. In addition, you will prevent smells and flavors from mixing. If the order is not correct, the food may lose properties and stay fresh for less time. So, check out these tips.
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- Door. It is the least cold place in the entire refrigerator. That place is suitable for eggs, drinks of all kinds and sauces.
- Top part. It is perfect for storing food leftovers, open products that do not need too cold and that will be consumed in the next few days.
- Central part. After the door, it is the least cold part of the refrigerator. You can place products that need less low temperatures, for example, sausages, cheeses or yoghurts.
- Bottom part. It is the coldest area and, therefore, you should put the meat and fish, never more than two days raw. This type of food must be stored in some type of container, so you will avoid contaminating each other.
- Drawers. They are intended for fruits and vegetables. There are some models that have special drawers for meat and fish, but do not put the vegetables in them. Keep in mind that the latter do not need such low temperatures and can harm them.
- Freezer. It can be made up of shelves and drawers. Try to sort the foods by type. That is, put all the fish in one drawer and the ice cream in another, for example. Try to always mark the freezing date.
Why is the French door “fridge” the best seller in the US?
Check that the temperature of your refrigerator is adequate.
(Source: lightfieldstudios: 102323747 / 123rf.com)
Is it essential that the refrigerator be No Frost ?
Remember when you always had to defrost the refrigerator? You will have to do it if you bet on a model with a cyclical system. In this case, layers of ice form in the freezer that you must remove manually. The No Frost system , thanks to the cold air that constantly flows through the appliance, prevents the appearance of the dreaded frost.
At first, the No Frost system is the most suitable, since it avoids having to defrost the refrigerator. However, it does have some drawbacks. A third possibility would be to bet on a hybrid model, which combines the best of the two previous ones. We have prepared the following table so you can see the pros and cons of the three options.
System | Advantage | Disadvantages |
---|---|---|
No frost | You do not have to defrost the appliance, the freezing is faster and has higher quality. | Food must be well packaged so that it does not dry out. |
Cyclical system | Food does not dry out as with the No Frost system . | The freezer part must be defrosted. |
Hybrid | They do not dry out food or form ice. | There are not many models of this type. |
How to make the most of your refrigerator?
In addition to what you’ve seen so far, we want to give you a few tips to make the most of your “fridge.” These are some ideas that will help you not only at the time of purchase but will also help the device last longer. Do you want to know them? We are very sure that these will help you to have excellent results. So take note of these ideas.
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- Stainless steel. If you bet on a model of this material, make it anti-fingerprint. Otherwise, you will go crazy cleaning.
- Ventilation. Remove the dust from the vents so that the device uses less energy.
- Doors. Always look for reversible door models. Thus, you can adapt the appliance to your current home or to changes that may occur in the future.
- Loss of energy. Do not keep the doors open for long. In this way, you will prevent it from heating up and using more energy.
- Specific drawers. Try to have drawers with temperature control and specific for meat and fish.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of refrigerators?
Capacity
The capacity of your refrigerator must be correct for the people who live in your home. At first, if it’s too big, the problem will be that you will waste energy if you don’t fill it up. But if it is very small, it will force you to buy more often and you may have space problems. Do you want to know the most suitable value? Take a look at this table.
Number of people | Liters |
---|---|
1-2 | 150-200 |
2-3 | 200-250 |
4 | 250-300 |
5 or more | + 300 |
Energy consumption
There are seven energy efficiency classifications: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Appliances older than 10 years usually have a rating of at most D. Fortunately, there are practically no appliances on the market today that are are not class A. An A + model consumes 20% less than an A, an A ++ 40% and an A +++ 60% less as well.
Think that in most household appliances, consumption is important, but in a refrigerator, it is more. In fact, according to the OCU, it is the device that consumes the most. The reason is that it is running day and night and always at a similar rate. Choose an A +++ model, in this way, you will reduce the investment. The time it takes to do it will depend on the model.
OCUOrganization of consumers and users
Climatic class
Another of the characteristics that you must analyze is the climatic class. It is an important aspect, since it defines the ambient temperature at which the appliance operates at maximum performance. Other questions are better known, but this fact does not make it less relevant and you can find the data in the technical sheet. Follow the recommendations in this table.
Climatic class | Environmental temperature |
---|---|
SN (Extended temperate) | Between 10 and 32 degrees |
N (Temperate) | Between 16 and 32 degrees |
ST (Subtropical) | Between 16 and 38 degrees |
T (Tropical) | Between 16 and 43 degrees |
SN-T (Temperate extended tropical) | Between 10 and 43 degrees |
Stars
Surely you have noticed the stars that appear in the “refresh”. You may know that they serve to show its ability to freeze. But do you know what each of them means? As it is a very important aspect, we have decided to include the following table in our buying guide. Thus, you will be clear about which device you should buy according to your needs.
Stars | What does it mean |
---|---|
Starless | Keep foods that are already frozen for up to 3 days. |
* | It reaches -6º C and keeps food that is already frozen for 7 days. |
** | It reaches -12º C and preserves food that is already frozen for 15 days. |
*** | It reaches -18º C and keeps food that is already frozen for 3 months. |
**** | It reaches -24º C and keeps food frozen for 1 year. They are suitable for freezing at home. |
Dimensions
It is important that you take into account the measurements of the refrigerator, so you can know if its size is optimal for your kitchen space. Do not forget the dimensions of the doors, which you will have to go through to reach your destination and those of the elevator. If you overlook this aspect, you may have trouble getting the device into your home.
Summary
Our journey to help you find the best refrigerator is coming to an end. Luckily, you already know all the aspects that you must analyze to find the most suitable appliance for you. Now, you know that you must take into account the size of your kitchen or how many are at home. Maintaining order is vital and you have seen a few tips to achieve it.
You have also discovered sometimes unknown characteristics. After reading this article, you will be able to explain what the stars in the refrigerators mean or why the climate class is so important. Do not forget some details that will help you make the most of your device, put them into practice. If you do, you will make a great purchase.
How did you find our advice and the information presented in this guide? If you liked it, do not hesitate to leave us your comment or share it with your friends or family. See you until next time!