Imagine a camera-equipped fridge freezer that lets you look inside it using your phone — even when you're out shopping at the supermarket. Stop imagining. The future is here!

Smart fridges are seriously cool bits of tech. With all sorts of cutting-edge features and Wi-Fi-enabled functions, they’re here to make your home life even simpler.

In this article, we're going explain exactly what internet-connected refrigerators are and how they stack up against standard fridge freezers. Plus, we'll list loads of smart fridge perks to help make that big kitchen upgrade decision a little easier for you.

What is a smart fridge?

Smart fridges are, you guessed it… pretty clever. With neat features like touchscreens, built-in cameras, and Wi-Fi connectivity for pairing up with your phone and other smart home tech — smart fridges are able to provide a variety of everyday benefits.

They’re generally more expensive than standard fridge freezers, but they can save you money in the long run by using less energy and keeping your food fresher for longer so there's less waste.

Benefits of smart fridges

We've covered a couple of key smart fridge features already, but here's all the coolest stuff they can do:

More energy-efficient than ever

Smart fridge freezers have tech that makes them more energy-efficient than most traditional models. Take the LG GSXV90MCAE for example. You can knock twice on its InstaView glass panel to see what's inside without opening the door, meaning you can decide what you want and quickly grab it with less cold air escaping.

Better still, if you download LG’s Smart ThinQ app, the fridge will ping you if you’ve accidentally left the door open. And you can even adjust the inside temperature using the app — handy when you want to make your groceries extra-cold on hot days.

To learn more about LG smart fridge tech, read our article: Stay fresh with the LG Instaview Door-in-Door Smart Fridge Freezer

Enhanced functionality with touchscreens

Some of the best smart refrigerators feature built-in touchscreens that help you manage your food and keep on top of day-to-day chores. And they’re especially useful if you live in a big family household.

The Samsung RF65DG9H0EB1EU is one such fridge. It uses an Ai Vision camera to scan and keep track of when fresh food items are added or taken out, so you can keep a food list on the screen and tag items so you know when to use them by.

It'll also give you recipe ideas and instructions on-screen based on what you have inside. Plus, it’ll create shopping lists and send them straight to your phone with the SmartThings app, so you’ll never get home from a supermarket trip and kick yourself for forgetting something!

What's more, you can forget about sticking paper reminders and school reports to this fridge. That's because the touchscreen can help keep the whole family connected, with a calendar letting everyone stay in the loop with each other's schedules. You can add reminders and share shopping lists too. And if you get bored while cooking? Just play some background music or a video from the YouTube app.

Perfect, frost-free storage conditions

Smart fridge freezers can regulate their temperature to ensure your food stays fresher for longer. They can defrost themselves too, which means you won't have to take everything out to chip away those frustrating icy build-ups every few weeks.

The Bosch KFN96APEAG smart fridge freezer not only has NoFrost tech, but also a VitaFresh XXL 0°C drawer that ensures the perfect conditions for storing your meat, fish, fruit, and veg. It'll keep them all fresh and rich in vitamins for up to twice as long as a standard fridge.

Better still, the unit features FreshSense sensors which always monitor and control the fridge and freezer temperatures. Making sure that your food stays consistently chilled even on a warm summer day. And then with the Home Connect app, you can remotely control the fridge's settings and even its lighting from your phone or tablet.

Extra fridge or freezer space when you need it

Some Wi-Fi fridge freezers come with adjustable storage spaces that can be used as either a fridge or freezer. Like the Samsung Series 9 RF65DG960ESREU, which comes with a versatile Smart Convertible Zone.

With just the push of a button, this drawer switches from being a refrigerator to a freezer, and back again. So, if you've stocked up on too much prosecco for the summer BBQ, just create a new refrigerated section to cram it all in. Or if you've cooked too much for dinner, put it onto freezer mode and open up more space to store your leftovers.

How’s this for an added bonus: you can even switch your Zone over using the SmartThings app on your phone. So, if you’re on your way home from the shops, you can have your extra fridge or freezer space ready for when you get back.

Convenience of voice and phone controls

Smart home apps let you control your smart fridge’s settings without having to press any buttons or adjust any dials. And if you have a fridge freezer with cameras fitted inside, you can even check whether you need more milk while you’re at the supermarket — just by using an app on your smartphone. It’s like getting a live feed from your fridge!

With the ThinQ app for LG smart fridges like the InstaView GSXV91BSAE, you can even use your voice to “turn on express freeze”. Or with premium Samsung smart fridges, you can ask the built-in Bixby voice assistant to show you what's inside the fridge, what the weather's like outside, or to play music from your favourite streaming service.

Any more questions?

Now that you know all about smart refrigerators, learn more about how to upgrade your kitchen with smart tech. Or find out why food freezes in your refrigerator (and how to stop it).