Refrigeration is a process where food and beverages are stored at a much lower temperature than that of the room to lower the spread of microbes, thus prolonging the shelf life of that food or beverage. Refrigeration has been used for preserving and storing food since the mid-1700s. In the early 1900s, refrigerators for home use were created. This revolutionized the way people stored and ate food. As a result, food could be bought in bulk and stored for longer durations.

Refrigerators have become a necessity in the modern world and are the number one must-have appliance on wish lists after TVs and mobiles.

Factors to consider before buying a refrigerator

A refrigerator is a big investment and thorough research needs to be done before buying one. The vast variety of choices in the market can make this task challenging. Some of the factors to consider before buying a fridge are as follows:

Family size and food habits

The size of the family will determine the capacity of storage required for the fridge you purchase. For example, a single person will require a smaller refrigerator, while a big family will require a larger fridge. Food habits are also a key factor. For example, a family that consumes large quantities of beverages will need a fridge with adjustable shelves to store milk cartons and juice bottles. If a person buys in bulk and freezes the food, a fridge with a larger freezer is required.

Spatial consideration

Size of the kitchen or room where the fridge will be installed is a key aspect to take into account while buying a refrigerator. The fridge should fit into the room and care should be taken to ensure that the open doors of the fridge do not block any doorways or bump into walls, counters, or other appliances.

Type of fridge

Although refrigerators come in a multitude of variants and with varying features, the basic types of refrigerators can be classified as a top freezer, bottom freezer, French door, and side-by-side. Top and bottom freezer fridges have the freezer compartment positioned on the top and the bottom respectively. The French door fridge has 3 doors of which one is usually the freezer door at the bottom, and the other two doors open outwards to reveal the main compartment of the fridge. The side-by-side is a two-door fridge where the freezer and the main fridge compartment are alongside each other. Refrigerators can also be stand-alone or built into the kitchen shelving.

Budget

The amount of money you decide to invest in a fridge should be fixed before you begin looking for one. This will help in narrowing down your search to models that suit your requirements and also fit into your financial plan.

Mentioned below are some of the popular refrigerators in the market.

LG LFX28968ST French door refrigerator

This is a French door refrigerator with the freezer at the bottom. It is stainless steel, very spacious, and has an especially tall ice and chilled-water dispenser that can fit almost any container under it. The freezer has a large capacity and is split into 3 compartments. The fridge has 4 adjustable shelves of which 3 are slide-out and 1 is a folding one. There is also a spacious crisper for storing fruits and vegetables. The doors have spacious shelves to store juice, milk, ketchup, and more.

GE GSS25GSHSS side-by-side refrigerator

This fridge is 36 inches wide and has a capacity of 25.4 cubic feet. It has a dispenser for ice and filtered water tall enough to fill sizeable containers. The filtration system can remove impurities and trace chemicals. It comes in stainless steel, slate grey, and glossy white or black. This is ideal for a large kitchen and is perfect for a big family. The side-by-side doors contain 1 fresh food compartment and 1 freezer compartment respectively. It has adjustable glass shelves that are spill-proof. It has a spacious crisper for vegetable and fruit storage.

Frigidaire FFTR2021QS top freezer refrigerator

This frost-free, two-door refrigerator has the freezer compartment on top. It is very affordable and also consumes less power. It has a width of 30-inch and 20.3 cubic feet capacity. It features a roomy vegetable crisper, 2 glass shelves, spacious door storage, and an optional ice-maker.

LG LDCS24223 bottom freezer refrigerator

This two-door, frost-free refrigerator has the freezer at the bottom. This enables you to see your stored food at eye-level and avoid bending or stretching to reach it. It has a capacity of 24 cubic feet LED lighting, glass shelves, and a spacious pull-out freezer. It has several bins and drawers to organize your food.