Types of refrigeration
Long gone are the days when you had to have a separate fridge and freezer – now you can get combi fridge freezers.
If you have a freezer, then a larder fridge is a great choice. There’s no ice box so you get maximum space for fresh food. A larder fridge also doesn’t need to be defrosted.
If you don’t have a freezer, then go for a fridge with an ice box or built-in freezer compartment. This will let you store small amounts of frozen food or freeze fresh items when they’re nearing their sell-by date.
You’ll then need to consider which fridge size you need, which is answered below, along with your budget.
Once you have this info, you can check out our fridges online or pop in-store, where one of our colleagues will show you a range of fridges that are the right size, with the right features, in the optimum price range for your needs.
Which size fridge you need depends on the size of your family, storage space and budget. The bigger your family, the bigger your fridge will need to be. You’ll also need to measure your available space to see what your kitchen will allow. Do you need a tall, narrow fridge, or a wider, shorter fridge to store under a worktop?
Another aspect to consider is how often you shop. Do you do weekly big-shops, which require more storage? Or grab smaller amounts on the way home from work each day, which require less?
There are a variety of fridge sizes available, to fit your home, shopping habits and family. Once you know what your needs are, and what budget you have, it will make your decision a lot clearer.
Below are the main styles of fridge to choose from.
Types of fridge
The wide choice of fridge freezers on the market can seem a bit overwhelming when it comes time to buy one. But don’t worry, follow our simple advice and you’ll be sure to make the right choice.
Bigger, designed with multiple sections, and often with a built-in water cooler, American-style fridge freezers can be one of the best choices for larger families.
Under-counter fridges are shorter, more compact and can also include flexible storage, Fast Chill and automatic defrost features. They’re a great all-rounder, and work best in smaller houses where space is at a premium.
Tall models let you store more fresh food, and will often have compartments for storing different foods, such as vegetables, raw meat and eggs. Tall fridges also offer a variety of user-friendly features, such as Fast Chill and automatic defrosting, and can be paired with a tall freezer for the ultimate fridge-freezer combo.
Things to consider when buying a fridge
Overcrowding your fridge reduces the airflow and makes the fridge over-work, increasing your energy bills.
Chloe, Currys tech expert
Extra features
Wine racks
A wine rack helps you maximise the rest of your fridge space by keeping those precious bottles of Riesling, rose and Chardonnay securely supported, perfectly chilled and out of the way. If, however, you like to store a larger amount of wine, it may be worth investing in a wine cooler. It will save space in your fridge and give you perfectly chilled wine whenever you want.
Salad crispers
Store your fresh vegetables, salad and fruit in a dedicated drawer that maintains freshness and crispness, keeping nutrients locked in. A salad crisper also helps prevent the transfer of odours between vegetables and other items in the fridge, as well as germs from raw meat and fish.
Reversible doors
With a reversible door hinge, you'll be able to configure your fridge according to the layout of your kitchen. You can open the fridge door to the left or right, so you're not restricted by the position of cupboards and other appliances.
Water or ice dispensers
Some premium fridges feature a water or ice dispenser that lets you enjoy chilled water whenever you like. Dispensers are usually fed by a dedicated, filtered compartment which you can top up manually, though filters must be periodically replaced to ensure optimum freshness. You can also get some water dispensing fridges that connect to the mains water supply.
An upright freezer is the ideal partner for an upright fridge, and are available in a range of heights and widths for optimum storage. They’re great if you have big storage needs but don’t have a lot of floor space, as the storage volume comes from the height of the appliance, as opposed to the width.
Chest freezers let you freeze food in bulk – they're great for large households and help cut down on shopping trips. Go for a chest freezer with a 4-star freezer rating, as it remains colder which means you can safely store food for up to 12 months.
With their top-opening design, some can be installed in a garage, utility room or outbuilding, giving you a great secondary storage option
Types of freezer
Things to consider when buying a freezer
When freezing leftover meals, divide up big batches into smaller portions. It saves time defrosting, and cuts down on waste.
Katrina, Currys tech expert
Extra features
Frost Free
Frost-free freezers prevent icy build up, so you won't need to defrost them – plus you'll have more storage space. This means you can save time and effort, as you won’t have to go through the laborious defrosting process like with static freezers.
Static freezers require manual defrosting periodically to ensure optimum performance and storage conditions.
Star rating
How long you can store frozen food depends on the freezer’s rating, which ranges from 1-star to 4-star. The higher the rating, the colder the freezer and the longer you can store food safely. A 4-star rating means you can safely store food for up to 12 months. Lower ratings are for short-term storage only.
1-star ice box – operates at a minimum temperature of -6 degrees Celsius
2-star ice box – operates at a minimum temperature of -12 degrees Celsius
3-star ice box – operates at a minimum temperature of -18 degrees Celsius
4-star freezer – operates at a minimum temperature of -18 degrees Celsius
Transparent drawers
Transparent drawers let you easily check the amount and condition of your remaining groceries, without having to constantly open drawers and let cold air escape.
Extra-large drawers for larger items
Some freezers have an extra-large drawer or basket for storing large, awkward goods such as Christmas turkeys, large cuts of meat or whole fish.
Ice facilities
Most freezers include ice cube trays, and some tall models even offer twist ice trays and house a convenient and easy-to-use ice dispenser for keeping drinks cool year-round.
Fast Freeze
This ingenious function rapidly lowers the freezer’s temperatures so fresh foods are frozen quicker. Fast freezing locks in nutrients for freshness when defrosting. It's perfect for food that's warmed up on the trip home from the supermarket, or when you need to quickly chill a bottle of wine.
Depending on whether you're a keen collector or regularly serve wine, you'll want to pick a wine cooler that offers ideal storage conditions and maintains the right temperature for instant enjoyment.
