Buying a Small American Fridge Freezer
An American fridge freezer is the queen of domestic white goods, offering more storage space than your typical fridge and a host of additional features, including full air circulation for freezer compartments that are frost-free and fancy zero-across fruit and vegetable drawers. For easy installation opt for non-plumbed units that don't require access to plumbing.
Storage
The good news is that there are lots of options for storage for small American fridge freezers. There are models that come with two large salad crispers, two drawers for the freezer and zones that can switch from freezer to refrigerator at the touch of a button. You can also purchase a separate drink door to keep your favorite wine chilled.
You'll usually find American fridge-freezers that have long doors that resemble cupboards, with the fridge on the left and the freezer on right, or a side-by-side fridge and freezer units. There are models with a fridge on top of a freezer drawer or two, referred to as French-style refrigerators.
These models will take up more space in your home however, you'll have more space to store your food items. There are even slim American fridge freezers that are only 70cm wide, which is perfect for kitchens with smaller spaces.
No matter what size you select, look for a model with a frost-free freezer to save you the hassle of constantly defrosting the freezer by hand. Some models even have a speed-freeze setting that speeds up freezing times and ensures that food stays fresher for a longer period of time. You can also find models with adjustable shelves to ensure you're making the most of your space. The energy rating will also tell you how efficient the appliance is and how much it will cost to run.
Convertible zones
Some fridge freezers, such as the Fridgemaster MS83430FFS, have convertible zones. These zones can be switched between freezer and fridge at the touch a button. This is great for storing fresh veg or keeping beer and wine chilled, or perhaps an enormous batch of ice cream. It is also useful at Christmas, when you have lots of leftovers to freeze and heat.
Another great feature is to look into Samsung's FlexZone compartment that can be adjusted to accommodate various food types. It can be set to Freeze or Soft Freeze and Chill, or even Refrigerate. This can be the perfect way to store all frozen food items in order and ready for big dinner celebrations.
Other handy features include door alarms that notify you if the doors to the freezer or fridge have been left open for too long, which can help stop food spoilage. There are models with twin cooling american freezer fridge systems that separate freezer and fridge compartments. This stops dry, cool freezer air from drying food in the fridge and helps cut down on the energy consumption.
Make sure to check the energy efficiency rating of your chosen model before you buy. The higher the rating is, the more efficient it is. You can also examine the yellow Energy Guide label for an estimate of operating costs.
Water and ice dispensers
Many American refrigerators feature water and dispensers for ice that let you get chilled water or filtered ice cubes at the push of a button. They are great for keeping drinks available for guests or children. You can find manual ice makers that are suitable for the freezer section. Simply fill the tray with ice and turn the dial.
Plumbed American fridge freezers must be connected to the main water supply, which means they're only suitable if the kitchen is already fitted with plumbing that can accommodate them. If you want to save money, or you do not have enough space for a plumbed fridge freezer there are alternatives. For instance you can buy a refrigerator that has refillable water bottles that you can fill yourself.
If you love to entertain then you should look for an American refrigerator freezer that comes with built-in wine coolers that can store up to 28 bottles. It is designed for optimal cooling. There are also models that feature an intelligent door opener which allows you to manage and monitor your appliance remotely using Smart ThinQ technology via your smartphone or tablet. Additionally, you can find models that are energy efficient and have a low A+ rating that will allow you to cut your carbon footprint and save on operating expenses.
Built-in cameras
Refrigerator freezers with cameras are a nice to have' rather than essential feature, but they can be useful for people who like to keep track of food supplies and reduce over-consumption. You can see what is in your fridge without having to open the door. This can be very useful for busy families. You can also make use of the camera to determine whether you've closed the fridge before leaving for shopping, for example.
Samsung offers a range of fridge freezers with cameras, such as the fashionable model RS50N3513WW/EU. It has a large 29-inch touchscreen, which you can use to browse the contents of your fridge as well as get recipes and place orders for groceries. It's powered by the company's own smart assistant Bixby and works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant too. You can control it using your tablet or smartphone and also alter the temperature settings of your fridge remotely.
For a less costly option, look at Hisense's FMN431W20C fridge freezer. It can hold 550ltr in both the fridge and freezer. Front-mounted water and ice dispensers are included. It features no-frost technology that will save you the annual misery of chipping away the ice manually and LED lighting to help you navigate through the interior space. It's frost-free and EnergyStar certified, which means it will be efficient and cheap to run. It doesn't have the fancy cameras of the previous Samsung models however it can keep you well-fed for less.