How to Choose the Right Refrigerator

Whether you’re planning a kitchen renovation or are simply upgrading your appliance, choosing a new refrigerator can be a little overwhelming. With the choice of styles, sizes, and prices, it can be difficult to find the right refrigerator for your kitchen. A refrigerator needs to reflect how your family uses your kitchen and provide adequate space for fresh and frozen foods. So, here is a brief guide to choose the right refrigerator for your kitchen.

Consider the Refrigerator Style

There are a number of refrigerator styles to choose from. These include:

• Top Freezer: These models position the freezer compartment at eye level and tend to offer wide refrigerator shelves. This makes it easier to store larger trays of food and access items in the back of the shelves.
• Bottom Freezer: This is the most popular style and places the refrigerator at chest or waist level. Since the refrigerator is typically opened up to ten times more frequently than the freezer, the higher refrigerator position is far more convenient.
• Side by Side: This type of model has a freezer to the left and the refrigerator to the right. A side by side refrigerator requires less space for door swing clearance, making it ideal for a kitchen layout where there is an island or narrow walkway.
• French Door: This is the fastest growing style in the industry. It has a bottom freezer layout, but with side by side French doors that open from the center. This symmetrical styling allows for easier installation, and there is less door clearance required. Additionally, the wide shelves provide space to easily store larger trays.

The choice of refrigerator style will depend greatly on your kitchen layout and personal preferences. If your new refrigerator will be situated in an area with limited door swing space, a side by side or French door style is likely to be the best choice. If door swing space is not restricted, you may prefer the convenience and space offered with another refrigerator style.

Look for Innovative Features

Once you’ve decided on the style that is best suited to your kitchen layout, you will need to consider what features would be needed for your family. These days, it is easy to find innovative features on new refrigerators, beyond basic ice makers. There are chilling drawers that bring air from the freezer directly into sealed refrigerator compartments. This allows items to be quickly chilled, so you can take a warm can of soda and have it ice cold in just 15 minutes.

Another innovative feature is a dual compressor. This separately cools the freezer and refrigerator to preserve food for longer as the natural moisture of the food is retained more effectively. You may also find that gallon storage door bins could be advantageous in your kitchen. If you frequently buy large juice or milk jugs or cartons, these can be stored in the door to create more shelf space.

There are also aesthetic features that can create a more sophisticated look. Hidden hinges extend the door height to cover the hinges for a built-in look. You can also create a seamless, sleek aesthetic by installing a cabinet depth model that aligns with your cabinetry.

Confirm Your Sizing

Finally, you need to confirm the sizing for your new refrigerator. It is common to not properly measure the space for appliances, and this can cause massive problems. There are no standard sizes for refrigerators, but if you have an opening of 70” high and 36” wide, you will find that there are lots of models to choose from. Remember that you will need to allow an inch of clearance on all sides of the refrigerator for proper ventilation.

No kitchen is considered complete without a refrigerator, but your family may require more than a basic unit. It is worth considering the wide range of choices available to find the model best suited to your kitchen and family.

This online collection of refrigerators is available to help you explore a myriad of fantastic products, or you can speak to a home appliance specialist for further help.