How to shop for a refrigerator

When shopping for a refrigerator, many buyers get overwhelmed by the wide variety of fridges available in the market.

To help you out, here are some of the questions you need to ask yourself before you go out shopping for a new fridge.

1.) How much space do I have for a refrigerator?
There is a fridge for every kitchen, big or small. Start by measuring the height, width and depth of the space for your fridge and use the dimensions to search for the design that best suits you.

The following are some of the designs to consider:

(i) Compact refrigerator – This is ideal for small spaces.

(ii) Top freezer refrigerator – This is the standard fridge design and it tends to be cheaper and more energy efficient compared to other styles of refrigerators.

(iii) Bottom freezer refrigerator – This design puts the freezer at your feet; making the rest of the refrigerator easier to access.

(iv) Side by side refrigerator – This fridge has doors that open from the centre allowing you to preserve items at the most accessible level. It has modern features such as water dispensers and high tech digital controls. However, it is less energy efficient compared to other designs.

2. What refrigerator features are most important to me?
Today’s refrigerators come with so many features, some of which you may never use. Check the catalogues to identify the features that are most important to you.

Do you need a built-in water dispenser? Do you need to program the temperature of your refrigerator? These are some of the questions you need to ask yourself.

3.) Is the fridge energy efficient?
The last thing you want is a refrigerator that drains your bank account. Check the label attached to the fridge and look at the kWh per year to compare the energy consumption of various models.

Be sure to compare models of similar sizes as bigger models consume more electricity than smaller models.

4.) What size of fridge do I need?
The answer to this question depends on the size of your family. Fridge capacity can range from nine to 30 cubit feet – with a family of three requiring about 10 to 12 cubit feet. Each additional member of the family requires an extra cubic feet.

5.) What is the warranty for this fridge?
Most refrigerators come with a 1-year warranty and a 5-year warranty on the sealed system. Be sure to ask the seller to explain to you the warranty terms on the fridge.

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