Introduction
The latest and greatest refrigerators may seem intimidating and as high-tech as smartphones. However, you may not necessarily need those models. If your old refrigerator does a fine job without increasing your energy bill too much, you should get it repaired by searching for “refrigerator repair near me”. It saves the planet in many ways and saves you a lot of money. If that option isn’t possible, here’s how you can choose the perfect refrigerator for your home:
The Choices
- Choose the right style – Your needs should dictate the style of the fridge instead of the other way around. If the refrigerator purchase is an unplanned emergency and you’re tight on budget, consider getting a top freezer fridge. They are quite common in the market and are known for their cost-effectiveness and affordability. The only disadvantage with this refrigerator is that you have to bend down to take out veggies and other items on the lower shelves. If you have back problems and don’t want to bend for frequently used items, you should consider a bottom-freezer refrigerator. It has the less used freezer compartment at the bottom and other shelves and sections at a more ergonomic height.
If you want easy access to both the refrigerator and freezer and don’t mind spending a bit more, you should go for the side-by-side refrigerator. They are also made wider than other refrigerators and hence will occupy more space in the kitchen. For people who aren’t short on cash and consider aesthetics to be a major deciding factor, the built-in refrigerator is the ideal choice. You get a lot of configurations with these refrigerators since the doors can be customized according to your cabinet’s outer panel for that seamless unified look. If you live in a dorm room or other type of limited or shared living space, mini fridges are a great option. Their small capacity is usually enough for the needs of one person and the compact footprint saves you precious space.
- Choose the right size – The size of your refrigerator depends on the needs and size of your family. Usually, four to six cubic feet of refrigerator space is enough for adults. That means, if you’re a family of four, you’ll want at least 20 cubic feet of refrigerator space. Fortunately, refrigerators come in all kinds of sizes to serve the needs of the market. You’ll find a mini fridge with 5 cubic feet capacity and large French door refrigerators with over 30 cubic feet of capacity. However, you’ll also need to consider the size of your kitchen before you consider the size of the fridge. Get all the measurements of the kitchen around the position you want to place the fridge. You’ll want to make sure that there are at least one or two inches of extra room for the height, width, and depth.
It’s also important to not go overboard with the largest refrigerator on the market if you have a large kitchen. Large refrigerators would use more electricity and that means you pay more down the line apart from the high upfront purchase cost of the refrigerator. You don’t want to pay for refrigerating wasted space inside the fridge. If you’re getting a refrigerator for the garage or some other room, then make sure you get the right measurements and opt for compact models that have a higher probability of fitting inside any space.
- Climate control features – You buy a refrigerator primarily for keeping your food cool. That’s why features focused on hat function should be your top priority. If you like to try new recipes all the time and want to keep ingredients as fresh as possible then you should look for sectional climate control. Refrigerators with this feature have separate sections for storing different meat and veggies and also have gas extractors that prevent your veggies from ripening quickly and also keeps the smell of meat and fish from contaminating other ingredients.
With sectional climate control, you’ll also be able to adjust the temperature and humidity settings for each section. If you are a busy work bee and live off frozen and packed food, you’ll want a refrigerator with advanced defrosting that prevents freezer burn. On the other hand, wine lovers would need a dedicated wine rack in their refrigerator.
- Prioritize storage space – Prioritizing storage space doesn’t mean buying the largest refrigerator you can afford. Instead, you should focus on modularity and how easily you can rearrange the interior compartments and sections to make room for more things. For instance, folding or sliding shelves make it easier for you to store and access tall items. If you’re getting a side-by-side refrigerator, make sure that it has the door-in-door feature. It converts a door to a mini-fridge and lets you access frequented items like condiments and drinks without messing with the fridge and messing with the climate control. Ditch integrated ice-dispensers and icemakers if possible since the drop-down chute eats away precious space.
- Energy efficiency – Energy efficiency is very important for buying any bulky electronic appliance. After the HVAC system cools and heats your home, your refrigerator is the next big energy user. That’s why you shouldn’t settle for anything that has a ton of gimmicky smart features with low energy efficiency. Watch out for the Energy Star label provided by EPA on the refrigerator before your purchase. Look for the large number on the yellow label that tells you about the average estimated yearly operation cost and yearly electricity use. For a more accurate estimate, you can multiply the estimated electricity usage by the electricity rate in your area. For instance, if the average energy costs in your area are about 10 cents and the average electricity consumption mentioned on the label is 500 kWh, then your estimated annual bill would be $50.
Conclusion
This guide should be able to point you towards the perfect refrigerator for your home. Consider the style, size, energy efficiency, and other factors carefully before you buy your new fridge. Otherwise, you can hire a pro for repairing your refrigerator by searching for “refrigerator repair near me”.
