Buying a Small American Fridge Freezer
An American fridge freezer is the queen of white goods that are used in the domestic kitchen, providing more storage space than your average model and a raft of additional features, including full air circulation to keep freezer compartments frost-free and fancy fruit and vegetable drawers. To make installation easy opt for non-plumbed units that don't require access to your plumbing.
Storage
The good news is that there are many choices when it comes to storage for small American fridge freezers. There are models that come with two large salad crispers, two drawers for the freezer and zones that switch between freezer and refrigerator at just a click. They may also come with separate doors for drinks to keep your favourite wine chilled and available.
Most often, you'll come across American fridge freezers with long cupboard-like doors with the fridge on the right and freezer on the left. They also have side-byside fridges and freezer units. There are also models with a fridge on the top of a freezer drawer or two, also known as French-style refrigerators.
These models may take up a bit more space in your kitchen however they'll provide more space to store your groceries than a standard freestanding model. There are even slim American fridge freezers that are just 70cm in width - ideal for smaller kitchens.
No matter what size you decide to buy, look for a model with a frost-free freezer to save you the trouble of frequently defrosting it manually. american-style fridge freezers come with an option for speed-freezing, which will increase the time of freezing so that food stays fresher for longer. You can find models with adjustable shelves so you can make the most of your space. You should also be aware of the energy efficiency rating of the appliance because it tells you how great it is for the environment and how much it'll cost to run.
Convertible zones
Some fridge freezers, such as the Fridgemaster MS83430FFS have convertible zones. These zones can be changed between fridge and freezer by pressing a button. This is ideal for storing fresh beverages, wine and beer or even a huge batch of ice cream. It is also useful at Christmas when you have plenty of leftovers to freeze and heat.
Samsung's FlexZone compartment is another great feature. You can adjust it to suit different types of food. You can set it to Freeze or Soft Freeze. It can be set to chill, Refrigerate, or Freeze. This is a great way of keeping all your frozen food organized and ready for big dinner parties.
Other handy features include door alarms that will alert you when the fridge or freezer doors have been left open too long, helping to prevent food spoilage. There are models with two cooling systems that divide the freezer and fridge compartments. american style fridge freezer stops dry, cool freezer air dehydrating food items in the fridge and can help to cut energy costs.
Make sure you check the energy rating of the model you are considering before purchasing. The higher the rating is, the more efficient it will be. It's also worth checking out the yellow Energy Guide label to get an estimate of running costs.
Water and ice dispensers
Many American refrigerators feature water and ice dispensers that let you get chilled frozen ice cubes or water at the touch of a button. These are great to have drinks readily available for guests or kids. You can find manual ice makers in the freezer section. Simply fill american-style fridge freezers with ice and turn the dial.
Plumbed American fridge freezers need to be connected to the main water supply, which means they're only suitable if the kitchen is already equipped and you can accommodate them. However, if you're looking to save money or don't have enough space for a plumbed option there are alternatives, like fridges with refillable water jugs that you can top up yourself.
If you like to entertain, then you should look for an American fridge freezer that has an integrated wine cooler which can store up to 28 bottles and is designed to ensure optimal cooling. You can also find models that have a smart door open sensor so you can control and monitor your appliance remotely using Smart ThinQ technology via your smartphone or tablet. Plus, you can find an energy-efficient model with low A+ rating, helping you to reduce your carbon footprint and save on operating costs.
Built-in cameras
Fridge freezers that have cameras are more of a "nice to have more than an essential feature. However they can be useful for those who need to keep track and reduce their food consumption. You can view what's in your fridge without opening the door. This is extremely beneficial for busy families. You can also use the camera to check whether you have forgotten to shut your fridge prior to shopping, for instance.
Samsung offers a selection of fridge freezers that come with cameras, such as the fashionable RS50N3513WW/EU model. It comes with a huge 29-inch touchscreen display that you can use to browse the contents of your fridge, find recipes and place orders for groceries. It's powered by the company's own smart assistant Bixby and can work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant too. You can control it via your tablet or smartphone, and also change the temperature of the fridge remotely.
If you're looking for a less expensive option, look at Hisense's FMN431W20C fridge freezer. It has a huge 550ltr capacity across the freezer and fridge, plus front-mounted water and Ice dispensers. It features no-frost technology that will save you the annual misery of breaking the ice by hand, and LED lighting to help you navigate through the interior space. It's frost-free and EnergyStar accredited, so it should be efficient and cheap to run as well. It doesn't have the flashy cameras of the other Samsung models however, it's still able to keep you well-fed for less money.