Buyers Guide - Refrigerators

Refrigerator Buyer Guide | ShopClues.com

Refrigerator Buyer Guide

With abundant features and types, buying a refrigerator can be a tough task. This Guide will familiarize you with appropriate specifications to make the right purchase.

Consider the following points while buying a refrigerator:

Capacity: How many people are going to use a refrigerator?
Type: Will a double door or a 4-door refrigerator suffice my consumption habits?
Energy Rating: How can you save more with higher BEE energy rating appliance?
Freezer Size: Do you stock up on monthly quota of frozen food?

Capacity

Selection of a refrigerator depends on the net capacity or storage volume as it represents the usable space. Following infograph will assist in proper decision making:

Select Capacity

100 Ltr and Below 101 Ltr – 200 Ltr 201 Ltr - 300 Ltr 301 Ltr - 400 Ltr 401 Ltr - 500 Ltr 501 Ltr. & Above

Refrigerator Placement

Whether a kitchen is L-shaped or has a Galley Layout, correct placement of a refrigerator is vital. Points to keep in mind before placing a refrigerator:

Ensure easy opening and closing of door
Leave adequate space around the appliance for heat circulation
Avoid keeping a microwave or gas stove near a refrigerator

Energy Rating

It is always a good call to invest in a refrigerator with high energy efficiency and less carbon footprint.

Refrigerators with higher energy efficiency will cost more.
Buy smart by investing in a mid-size refrigerator that consumes less energy.
Refrigerator with Invertor Compressor or Smart Inverter Technology saves 20% on the Electricity Bill.
Look for the year on the label as star ratings change periodically when standards improve. A BEE 5 star rated model in 2015 may be equivalent to BEE 3/4 star model in 2016

Annual electricity usage against respective star rating and capacities of refrigerators.

200 Ltrs Single Door	300 Ltrs Double Door	450 Ltrs Side-by-side Door	660 Ltrs French Door
250 units/yr	445 units/yr	500 units/yr	600 units/yr
200 units/yr	250 units/yr	800 units/yr	900 units/yr

Select Energy Star Rating

1 Star 2 Star 3 Star 4 Star 5 Star

Types of Refrigerator

First and the foremost important step in selecting a refrigerator is to get yourself acquainted with the types available in the market. Generally, the refrigerators are differentiated according to the number of compartments.

Other Popular Types:

Wine Cooler

Designed for Keeping Wine and Other Alcohol/Non-Alcohol Bottles
Single Door Refrigerator
Can hold up to 9 Bottles at a Time
See-through Glass Door
Consumes Energy Equivalent to a Single Door Refrigerator

Pigeon Pair Refrigerator

Separate Towers for Freezer and Refrigerator Compartments
Vast Amount of Storage for Both the Sections
Can be Kept in Separate Places

Select Types of Refrigerator

Single Door Multi Deep Freezer Side by Side

Cooling Options

	Direct Cooling	Frost-free Cooling
General	Entry-level cooling type where the compartment is cooled through natural convection. These refrigerators have no fans for circulation of cool air which leads to uneven cooling.	Refrigerator compartment is cooled by circulating cool air through fans. This process eliminates formation of ice outside freezer chamber which in turn ensures even cooling.
Specifications	Energy Efficient Highly Efficient Freezer Affordable Manual Defrosting	No formation of Ice Outside Freezer Even Cooling No Defrosting Required Low Energy efficiency
Cooling	Natural Convection	Cool Air is Circulated Through Fans
Food Preservation	Small Duration	Long Duration
Defrosting	Manual	Not required
Energy Efficiency	High	Low

Features to Consider

Some of the features to be considered are as follows:

Shelves and Bins

For smart organisation, a refrigerator is provided with adjustable shelves and bins.
Tempered glass, wired, and acrylic shelves can be adjusted according to the requirement.
Oversized door bins ensure that the shelf space doesn't get acquired.