Sooner or later in the life of every person or family, there comes a time when they need to buy an inexpensive and reliable refrigerator. Any expensive home appliances need careful selection, and the refrigerator is no exception to the rule. Therefore, it is necessary to understand this ocean of freezers.
Content
- Main reasons for buying
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Features of choosing a refrigerator
- Compressor type and their number
- Freezer compartment location
- Refrigerator dimensions
- Defrosting type
- Reliable kitchen helpers
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The best brands of refrigerators
- Side-by-Side Models (Side by Side)
- Additional functions
Main reasons for buying
There are many reasons for buying a new refrigerator, or the first one, if its future owners are a young family. Here are some reasons why you should get a new kitchen assistant:
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The old unit is out of order. As practice shows, the repair of an old device is far from always advisable for reasons of profitability, especially if it has worked for more than a decade. In other words, it can be called like this: the game is not worth the candle.
- The family is about to move, and the old refrigerator simply does not fit into the interior of the new apartment.
- The old apparatus does not suit, because it is morally outdated, uneconomical in terms of energy consumption, and, in addition, has a hopelessly small capacity for freezing and storing food.
- The new apartment has a small kitchen, and the old apparatus is simply not included there. Sometimes it happens that the entrance doors of the current apartment are somewhat narrow in order to bring a refrigerator into it.
It remains only to find out what kind of device the consumer needs, and how to choose it. Remember:
- For a more complete picture of the subject, it is worth spending a certain number of hours on the Internet in order to get acquainted with the reviews for a particular brand (model).
- Ask colleagues, relatives, acquaintances - all those who have recently acquired their new kitchen assistant and find out how he has proven himself.
- Consult managers, sales consultants, and in different household appliances stores. In order not to become a victim of an unnecessary stock or simply not to buy what is stagnant in the store. Many dishonest merchants will try to sell it to you, arguing that this is the notorious "hit of the season", "know-how", etc.
Features of choosing a refrigerator
First of all, you need to decide on the tasks that the consumer sets for the new refrigeration device. A good refrigerator is chosen according to the following parameters:
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Refrigerating compartment capacity. Small refrigeration devices are considered to be those whose volume does not exceed 250 liters. The middle segment is 250-300 liters, the large segment is from 350 liters. When choosing, it should be borne in mind that there must be a certain gap between the stored products, which will ensure normal air circulation.
- Freezer capacity. Here the opinion and needs of consumers are divided: someone needs a small freezer, and someone needs equal to a refrigerator. It all depends on what tasks each individual owner sets for his kitchen assistant. Be sure to pay attention to such a parameter as the usable volume of a particular camera. Appearance - appearance, and volume - volume.
- Number of cameras. The most demanded number of cameras is two. However, enough models have a common door to both chambers (summer cottage) and there are devices that do not have a freezer at all. Three-chamber devices have a so-called freshness preservation zone, which many dream of, but someone simply does not consider it necessary to have one. This chamber is designed for particularly perishable food, where the temperature varies from 0 to 2 degrees Celsius.
- Height of the apparatus. A refrigerator that is too tall can become not very comfortable to use if the owner is not tall. In this case, it is better to take a model that is low and shallow, but wider, if, of course, the footage of the kitchen or the room where it will stand allows.
- Functionality. This indicator directly depends on the number of functions - the more there are, the more expensive the device. You can, of course, save on this, but within reasonable limits.
- Energy saving class. There are three main classes: A, B and C. The most economical - A.
- Control type. The most popular and reliable control for a refrigeration appliance is electromechanical. Electronic control makes it possible to set the temperature regime more accurately. In addition, the electronic display shows the temperature in both chambers, which is an additional comfort of operation, and it looks more solid.
- Noise level. It is not enough pleasure to listen to the hum of a compressor when a person has a small apartment and a kitchen very close, or even a refrigerator is in the living room. In this case, you cannot count on a sound and healthy sleep. The recommended noise level is less than 40 dB.
- Reliability and durability. It never occurs to anyone to buy a freezer for two or three years - it's too expensive a purchase.
- Comfortable operation. There are no trifles in refrigerators to which one could turn a blind eye. Everything is important: the location and material of the shelves, their strength. In addition, the design of the shelves in the door must be reliable and comfortable. The fact of the presence of the door suspension function is very important - some people prefer the left hinge, and some prefer the right one. This is also important in a very small kitchen, where an inconvenient hinge will simply interfere with the owners' movement around the kitchen.
- Colour. This indicator, of course, does not affect the reliability and functionality in any way, but still, after the purchase, few people like looking at the inexpressive metal cabinet in the kitchen. Refrigerators come in a wide variety of colors, and there is no problem finding the color you want. You can even buy a refrigeration device with a pattern on the door - there is such an opportunity too.
- Price. This indicator consists of many of the above parameters. You just need to find a middle ground for yourself.
Compressor type and their number
Most budget models are equipped with only one compressor, more expensive and high quality ones - two.
The advantage of the latter is that one of the cameras if necessary, you can disable, and this gives significant energy savings.
Most reliable compressor type - inverter. He has all the necessary qualities that will suit everyone: not noisy, economical, reliable and durable. True, if the voltage in the house is unstable, then you need a stabilizer, which costs a lot of money.
Freezer compartment location
For small devices, the freezer is made in the upper part of the body. In this case, the cold goes away faster, since cold air is heavier than warm air, which forces the compressor to turn on more often.
This circumstance is not only leads to excessive consumption of electricity, but also to a decrease in its working resource.
In devices of medium and large sizes, the camera is located at the bottom, which represents an undeniable advantage in terms of ease of use: after all, the owner opens the freezer much less often than the main one, so he does not need to constantly bend over to get food.
Refrigerator dimensions
Not every kitchen can fit a large refrigerator. In addition, this indicator directly depends on the number of consumers who will use it. In small kitchens, as a rule, devices are placed in the size of 60 or 65 cm. A larger kitchen can accommodate an 80 cm wide refrigeration unit.
Refrigerator dimensions characterized by three digits: width, depth and height. The volume of the refrigerator also means a lot. When choosing, this must also be taken into account in order to avoid negative factors: a small volume will not satisfy the needs of the family, and too large will cost more, and consume more electricity.
Defrosting type
There are two types of defrosting systems: No Frost and drip. In the first case, the consumer is relieved of the manual defrosting procedure. In addition, the method is radically different from the second, traditional one: a built-in fan creates air circulation and directs the flow to the evaporator.
Thus, on the back of the device condensation does not collect. The existing heating element is switched on and the ice accumulated on the evaporators is converted into water. As a result, water ends up in a special tray. The air is evenly cooled, its temperature after the consumer has opened the refrigerator, normalizes faster.
This allows the food in the chamber to be stored longer. Cons of No Frost: The refrigerator is noisier than the drip. Dry air in the chamber does not contribute to the preservation of food stored in open containers, trays, etc.
Radiation from such a device has a harmful effect on the human body, and it is not recommended to constantly be in close proximity to it (closer than one meter). However, this misfortune is inherent in other household appliances: an electric kettle, a microwave oven, etc. Such refrigerators are significantly more expensive than drip devices.
A new refrigerator is expensive, and every customer wants this indispensable home assistant to serve, not even for years, but for decades. That is why the right choice is important.
Reliable kitchen helpers
You shouldn't skimp on quality - it is fraught with a waste of money, nerves and leads to prolonged depression. It is better to bypass dubious producers by the seventh verst.
Before targeting a purchase of a particular brand, you need to clarify is there a service in the consumer's city of residence for this company. If not, then acquiring such a brand is tantamount to buying the notorious pig in a poke. In this case, even a minor breakdown threatens to turn into a major problem.
There are many lists and tables that eloquently indicate which refrigerator is better. To be guided by such information is a thankless task, since this information contradicts each other and changes every year, as if there was another technical revolution.
Of course, progress, including technical progress, does not stand still, but still not to the same extent. You just need to know that there are brands and models that have proven themselves better - that's all.
The best brands of refrigerators
Refrigerators of the following brands are most often bought in stores, therefore, these brands have established themselves as reliable:
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Indesit - Italy.
- Liebherr and Bosch - Germany.
- Samsung - Korea.
- Beko - Turkey.
- Danish company Vestfrost.
- Sharp - Japan.
- Atlant - Belarus.
The list is, of course, incomplete. To all of the above, you can add some domestic brands that have won consumer recognition for many decades.
Side-by-Side Models (Side by Side)
This type of refrigeration device deserves special attention. Such devices have many capacious chambers, and they are adjacent. Their width is 90-120 cm, and their height is about 190 cm. Such a refrigerator is needed for a large family. Its features:
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The freezer is located on the side.
- All chambers are large in volume.
- Drawers in all chambers are very capacious, you can store vegetables, fruits and herbs in them.
- These machines are equipped with a No Frost defrosting system.
- Hinged doors, the gaps between them are minimal.
- There is a home mini-bar that allows you to take out drinks and snacks by opening only the bar door.
- You can store large supplies of food: meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, herbs, etc.
- There is a box for storing delicacies.
- White LED backlight.
- The cooling system is multi-flow: each shelf is washed with cooled air.
- Glass shelves.
- Surge protection.
And many other little things that are not immediately noticeable, but create maximum comfort for the consumer.
Of course, it would be more logical to buy refrigeration unit from a famous brandif finances allow. True, it is not at all a fact that such an assistant in the kitchen will work faithfully for 20 years, for example. With the acquisition of even a well-known brand, you may not be lucky - it also happens. However, a little or no known brand is a greater risk of a bad buy.
Additional functions
In addition, one must take into account whether it is worth overpaying for high energy savings - such devices are expensive. Perhaps the consumer does not need a No Frost system refrigerator - this is also extra money.
Many options that exist are simply not listed due to their multitude: climate class, ice maker, antibacterial coating, super freeze, open indication doors, etc.
In a word, you need to choose wisely, taking into account all the nuances and your own finances - this is usually called the "golden mean".
Happy shopping!