What to look for in a fridge: a buyer’s guide

Food for thought
Tips for choosing your fridge
Pick your dimensions
Aurora’s energy saving tips

This report was kindly supplied by the Australian Consumers Association and shows what to look out for when you’re buying a fridge. You can pay a small fee to view the full version that includes a compare-a-product tool and full details of tests carried out on 37 different fridges at the Australian Consumer’s Association website: www.choice.com.au

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Food for thought

Cyclic defrost or frost-free?

• A frost-free makes noises when it defrosts itself. They tend to be cooler near the air vents.
• A cyclic defrost uses slightly less energy, but any build-up of ice may affect its efficiency. They tend to be warmer up top and cooler at the back of the shelf near the evaporator plate.

(A cyclic defrost refrigerator blows cold air down from the cooling plate. The freezer requires defrosting occasionally. A frost-free has a fan that blows dry, cold air throughout the fridge and freezer compartments. No defrosting is required and temperatures are more stable than a cyclic defrost when doors are constantly opened and closed.)

For ease of use

• Make sure the door opens in the right direction for your kitchen. On some models the doors are reversible.
• Do the handles allow easy door opening and closing?
• Check that the shelves are easy to remove and replace.
• Some shelves are made from moulded plastic or safety glass, which helps confine spills. Some plastic shelves may be less durable.
• If the fridge has to be positioned with the door hinge next to a wall, shelves should be removable when the door is open at 90 degrees.
• Rollers are useful for easy moving. It should also have adjustable feet (or rollers) for levelling the fridge. Four rollers are better than two, provided they have brakes or adjustable feet to secure the fridge in place.
• Look for smooth, easy-to-clean surfaces with no awkward corners or dirt-trapping crevices, and preferably concealed condenser coils, i.e. clean backs.

Getting the temperature right

• The safest way to store fresh food is at temperatures between
  0-4°C. Check the temperature with a fridge thermometer. Crispers shouldn't be too cold either, because some fruits and vegies will be ruined if they freeze.

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Tips for choosing your fridge

Energy, environment and running costs

• Fridges run all the time, so they're big users of energy. Think of the long-term running costs as part of the purchase price of the fridge.
• All fridges on the market are CFC-free, so don't base your purchase decision on "CFC free" labels.
• Check the energy rating label – the more stars and the lower kWh per year, the better.
• Look for a model that uses a hydrocarbon such as butane or pentane as the refrigerant and/or blowing agent for the insulation foam.

Temperature controls

• One control may be easier to use but, because it sets both the freezer and the fresh food compartment, you can't adjust one without affecting the other.
• In most fridges with two controls, one is the thermostat and the second is usually a baffle – a flap that directs the cold air more to either one or the other compartment. This improves your chances of getting the right balance.
• Some electronic fridges have relatively independent temperature management of the two compartments.

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Pick your dimensions

Freezer on the top, bottom, or on the side?

• The fresh food compartment is used more often than the freezer. Having it on top or on the side improves accessibility.
• Side-by-side models can be difficult to reach into and restrict storage options but slide-out shelves can help. The narrow doors intrude less into the kitchen. Side-by-side cabinets can twist unless carefully installed.
• Bottom-mounted freezers often have slide-out baskets instead of shelves, making contents easy to get at. But fridges with bottom-mounted freezers can have crispers that are too cold.

Measuring up

• When measuring up, remember a fridge needs air space around it. Manufacturers’ brochures and manuals will tell you how much space is required.
• Check that the fridge can fit through your doorways before you buy!

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Aurora’s energy saving tips

When you have found the fridge that suits your needs, make sure it runs as economically as possible by following these tips:

• Make sure you adjust fridge legs so the fridge is level. A fridge that is not level may cause the door gasket to seal improperly, letting cold air leak out.
• Replace door seals if cracked or if you feel cold air leaking out. Test for a tight seal by closing the door on a piece of paper. If the paper slides out easily, so will the air!
• Freezers operate most efficiently when moderately full. When your freezer is not full, freeze jugs of water.
• The more airspace in a fridge, the more power it will use to keep the airspace cool. Fill spaces with containers of water, but do no overload because it will prevent cold air from circulating.
• Choose a cool position for your fridge/freezer. Keep it away from direct sunlight or an oven.

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