| When it comes to buying a new refrigerator, or | | | | Getting the right size is important. If your fridge on |
| refrigerator-freezer combination, there are a number | | | | average is not at least two thirds full, or your freezer |
| of factors that need to be considered before you | | | | at least three quarters full, it's probably too big for your |
| make your purchase. Factors that will, influence the | | | | needs. A refrigerator that's too big and not kept filled |
| best buy for you are in three broad categories: | | | | wastes energy and costs more to run. A fridge that's |
| The environment where the appliance is to be installed | | | | too small has you constantly rearranging food to make |
| The load you will place on the appliance | | | | it all fit, which results in wastage of energy because of |
| The total cost of owning and operating the appliance. | | | | long periods the door is open and wasted time. |
| At au you can compare a great range of appliances, | | | | Also consider the load from the point of view of the |
| and assess them according to their specifications, | | | | shelving capacity of the unit. If you're simply stocking it |
| brands, prices and vendors. | | | | with large quantities of packaged food, you may need |
| Fridges & Freezers | | | | only small crisper capacity. On the other hand if fresh |
| The environment | | | | vegetables and fruit are a large party of your pantry, |
| Most kitchens have a refrigerator, but not all are | | | | then you need a unit with substantial crisper capacity. |
| located in the kitchen. Before you make a decision | | | | Shelf adjustments and strength are important. Flimsily |
| about the appliance, you need to measure the space it | | | | constructed plastic shelving cannot withstand heavy |
| will occupy. Make sure you measure the available | | | | loads, especially door shelving. You need also to be |
| width, height and depth, taking into account the space | | | | able to adjust shelving heights to suit the kinds of |
| available for opening the refrigerator doors. Remember | | | | foods you are putting in the unit. |
| that fridges generate heat on the outside in order to | | | | The less time a fridge door remains open, the less |
| cool the inside the cabinet, therefore there needs to be | | | | energy it will consume. Therefore a fridge/freezer with |
| adequate space around the unit to allow the heat to | | | | easy access is easier to stock, and easier to use |
| dissipate. If it is to be enclosed within a cavity, be sure | | | | things you need quickly. The temperature control is |
| there is ventilation available through the top of the | | | | how you manage the load of your fridge. Make sure |
| cavity. You can choose a refrigerator to be modelled | | | | you know where the thermostat control is located and |
| to reflect and enhance the décor of the kitchen into | | | | how it is adjusted, this will help you manage the load of |
| which it is being installed. | | | | the unit for efficient energy use and constant |
| There are a number of basic design differences that | | | | temperature. |
| you can consider. Each different design has an impact | | | | Cost |
| on how it fits into your environment as well as other | | | | Here are a couple of facts that you may not be |
| aspects of the unit. | | | | aware of. A typical refrigerator uses between 600 |
| Single compartment refrigerators | | | | and 900-kilowatt hours of electricity per year, which |
| Single compartment refrigerators are units with only | | | | makes it the single most expensive appliance in many |
| fresh food space and no freezer compartment. They | | | | households, making up 20% or more of the total |
| are generally automatic defrost units. | | | | residential electricity consumption. Nearly all households |
| Single door refrigerators | | | | have at least one refrigerator and about 30% own |
| Single door refrigerators have a small freezer | | | | two. Nearly 60% of households own a separate |
| compartment built into the main cabinet. These are | | | | freezer. So, it's not just the cost of the refrigerator |
| usually manual defrost and are often referred to as | | | | that's important, it's also the cost of owning it. |
| small bar refrigerators. | | | | The working life of most fridges is in the order of ten |
| Cyclic defrost refrigerator/freezers | | | | years. This is not to say that fridges can continue to |
| Cyclic defrost refrigerator/freezers are generally two | | | | work satisfactorily for longer, nor that some a poorly |
| door units in which the freezer unit is manually | | | | manufactured and give up the ghost after seven |
| defrosted, but the fresh food compartment defrosts | | | | years. However a quick calculation of ten years of |
| automatically using either natural warming of the | | | | 20% of your household electricity consumption will |
| cabinet during the 'off cycle', or a small electric heater | | | | soon tell you how much it will cost over its life. So how |
| on the refrigerator evaporator. | | | | do you make a choice that will result in the lowest |
| Frost-free refrigerators | | | | cost? Use the energy rating star system. |
| Frost-free refrigerators are generally two door models | | | | Every major refrigerator and freezer manufacturer |
| that have automatic defrost in both the freezer and | | | | has their goods tested by Standards Australia and |
| fresh food compartments. Well-designed frost-free | | | | Standards New Zealand and are regulated for energy |
| refrigerators can have a lower energy use than cyclic | | | | labelling in Australia. They are also regulated for MEPS |
| defrost models of the same size | | | | (minimum efficiency standards). The results of these |
| Vertical/Upright freezers | | | | tests are published and a label is attached to the |
| Vertical/Upright freezers are front-opening door | | | | product advising of that unit's performance. This |
| freezers allowing contents to be accessed and loaded | | | | performance rating is given a 'star' rating, which |
| quickly, thus minimising the time that the door is open. | | | | enables you to compare different energy consumption |
| Chest freezers | | | | levels of different brands, capacities and types of |
| Chest freezers have a top opening lid and are | | | | refrigerator/freezers. You can use au to make this |
| generally more economical than vertical freezers but | | | | comparison very easily. |
| less convenient to use, and are manual defrost. | | | | Summary |
| Within the two-door category, units are available with | | | | The following points are a quick summary of the things |
| top freezer compartments, bottom freezer | | | | that will help you buy the right refrigerator/freezer for |
| compartments or as side-by-side units. Generally | | | | your situation. Use au to make comparisons between |
| speaking, top of bottom door freezers are more | | | | makes and models of specifications, energy ratings, |
| energy efficient than side-by-side units, which are also | | | | price and vendors. |
| limited in shelf-width space. Side-by-side fridges | | | | Generally, larger refrigerators consume more energy. |
| however, do offer some benefits in kitchens with | | | | A model that is too large will waste space and energy; |
| limited space because the doors are not as wide as | | | | too small could mean extra trips to supermarket and |
| doors on top or bottom door freezer units. You can | | | | inconvenience, and inefficient use of the cabinet. |
| search au to compare the prices and performance | | | | It is generally cheaper to run one large refrigerator than |
| specifications of these different model combinations. | | | | two small ones. However, a quick check of the energy |
| The load | | | | consumption on the label will give you accurate |
| The load you place on the appliance affects how | | | | comparison. |
| effective it is as a refrigerator, and how much it costs | | | | Top or bottom freezer units are generally more |
| you in the long run. It all boils down to size. What | | | | efficient than side-by-side units. You can check the |
| capacity refrigerator should you buy? To answer that | | | | stars and the energy consumption to compare. |
| question, you need to consider what-and how much of | | | | Automatic ice-makers and through-the-door |
| it-you will put into it. So let's look at size first. | | | | dispensers will increase both the energy use (typically |
| Small refrigerators are typically 200 litres to 280 litres, | | | | 100 to 150 kilowatt hours/year) and the purchase price, |
| medium 280 litres to 400 litres, large from 400 litres to | | | | but may add convenience and reduce energy |
| 560 litres and extra large from 560 litres to 800 litres. | | | | wastage by not having the door opened as frequently. |
| Depending on the lifestyle you lead and how often you | | | | Manual defrost models use less energy than frost-free |
| shop for fresh foods, two people need around 220 | | | | models, but only if they are defrosted regularly enough |
| litres to 280 litres of refrigerator capacity. For each | | | | to remain energy efficient. |
| additional person, add another 30 litres. A family of four | | | | If two different sized refrigerators use the same |
| therefore, should consider a refrigerator/freezer | | | | amount of energy, the larger model can be considered |
| capacity of something in the order of 300 litres to 360 | | | | more efficient because it keeps more space cold with |
| litres. You can search au for refrigerators of different | | | | same amount of electricity. |
| capacities. | | | | |