Start by estimating the genuinely useful capacity for fresh and frozen food, then check the overall dimensions and interior layout. A fridge freezer is often suitable when your frozen-food needs are moderate, while a multi-door fridge freezer, American-style fridge freezer or separate freezer is mainly worthwhile for large food reserves, a sufficiently spacious kitchen or a long-term need for extra freezer capacity.
You store several days’ worth of fresh food, drinks and prepared meals: choose a useful capacity that suits your household rather than relying solely on the appliance’s external size. UFC-Que Choisir recommends taking into account how often you shop and how much space you need for frozen food.
Start by checking the freezer’s capacity and layout. In a 2024 CSA survey for UNILET, carried out in France among 1,004 adults, 74% of respondents said they ate frozen vegetables and 56% said they ate them every week.
A multi-door or American-style fridge freezer can make it easier to store large shops, but you must check the dimensions, weight, delivery access and energy label before choosing this type of appliance.
First compare the useful capacity of each compartment, then check the installation requirements and the interior layout of the exact model.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Useful capacity | Compare the total capacity and net capacities of the fridge and freezer. UFC-Que Choisir suggests using 100 to 150 l for one person as a guide, followed by around 50 l for each additional person. | I want to store several days’ worth of shopping without buying an unnecessarily large appliance. Capacity should also account for the prepared meals, drinks and fresh food we normally keep at home. |
| Freezing capacity | Check the freezer’s capacity in litres, the number of drawers and the space available for large packs. No Frost can make maintenance easier, but it does not replace having enough capacity. | I want to avoid filling the freezer to capacity after a large shop. In the 2024 CSA survey for UNILET, 74% of the 1,004 adults surveyed said they ate frozen vegetables, while 56% said they ate them every week. |
| Interior layout | Examine the shelves, bins, drawers and removable elements of the model. The multi-door appliances described by UFC-Que Choisir combine two fridge doors with one or more freezer drawers. | I prefer to be able to see my food and separate different categories without having to move stacks of products. Access for large packs matters just as much as the stated capacity. |
| Installation and energy | Measure the width, depth, height, door clearance and delivery route. Compare the energy label for appliances of a similar type and capacity, and check the climate class for the intended room. | I want an appliance that genuinely fits in the kitchen and whose electricity use is appropriate for its capacity. This check is particularly important for an American-style or multi-door fridge freezer. |
A large total capacity may conceal a freezer section that is too small for households that often buy frozen food. A traditional fridge freezer generally allocates more space to the fridge than to the freezer.
Make a note of what is currently missing from each section, then compare the separate useful capacities listed on the exact model’s product information.
Both types can take up a lot of space. UFC-Que Choisir states that an American-style fridge freezer can be close to 1 m wide and weigh more than 100 kg; some multi-door models require similar precautions.
Measure the space, doors, corridors, stairs or lift, as well as the clearance needed to open the doors and allow ventilation.
In its testing protocol, UFC-Que Choisir states that American-style fridge freezers do not perform better than traditional fridge freezers for food preservation, freezing or temperature stability, while using more energy.
Choose this type only when its capacity, layout and the available space justify its size; compare the energy label and net capacities of each compartment.
The climate class specifies the ambient temperature range in which the appliance is designed to operate normally. A cold garage, utility room or very warm kitchen may affect your choice of model.
Record the room’s minimum and maximum temperatures, then check the climate class in the manual or on the technical data sheet.
Worth comparing for a family fridge freezer or for complementing a fridge with an upright freezer. According to Bosch Home Appliances France, the KGN39VLCT fridge freezer includes Total NoFrost and two separate cooling circuits, while the GSN36AICM offers 334 l of useful freezer capacity.
A brand to consider when comparing multi-door models. LG France presents the GML643PZ6F with 517 l, Total No Frost, Door Cooling+ and a fresh-food zone, while the range includes different capacities depending on the model.
Worth considering for a large-capacity American-style model. Samsung France presents the RS80F64KEF with 640 l, full fan-assisted cooling and energy class E.
A brand to compare when a large separate freezer capacity is the priority. Liebherr France states that the FNd 7026 Plus NoFrost offers 311 l and that its range includes freestanding freezers with more than 300 l of capacity.
These Joybuy options include multi-door and large-capacity fridges for households that want to divide their shopping between fresh and frozen food.
Image unavailable
Suitable for households looking for a large capacity for fresh and frozen food in a single appliance.
Check that its dimensions of 177.6 × 81.7 × 71.5 cm, weight of 102.5 kg and ventilation clearances are suitable for your kitchen and delivery route.
Image unavailable
A large-capacity option for organising fresh and frozen food when you do larger shops less often.
Check the dimensions, weight, door clearance and the exact configuration required for the filtered-water dispenser.
Image unavailable
This type is designed for households that need plenty of space for large shops and frozen food.
Before buying, check the dimensions, weight, ventilation clearances, climate class and annual energy consumption of the model.
Image unavailable
Worth considering when independent access to each compartment makes it easier to organise a large shop.
Measure the width of 838 mm, depth of 653 mm and height of 1775 mm, then check the net capacities assigned to each compartment.
Image unavailable
A family storage option for keeping several days’ worth of shopping in a large-capacity appliance.
The model offers Total No Frost, 289 kWh/year and an SN-T climate class from 10 to 43 °C; also check the dimensions, separate capacities and interior layout.
Use UFC-Que Choisir’s guideline as a starting point: 100 to 150 l for one person, followed by around 50 l for each additional person. Then adjust this according to how often you do large shops, the fresh food and prepared meals you keep and, above all, the freezer capacity you need.
No. A multi-door model can make access easier with its two fridge doors and freezer drawers, but it can be just as heavy and bulky as an American-style fridge freezer. For weekly shopping with moderate freezer use, a correctly sized fridge freezer may be enough.
Add an upright freezer when the freezer in your fridge freezer is regularly filled to capacity with frozen food or home-cooked meals, and when you have a suitable dedicated space. Check its useful capacity, noise level, energy consumption and installation space; the Bosch and Liebherr models mentioned offer 334 l and 311 l of useful freezer capacity respectively.
No Frost is primarily a convenience and maintenance feature: the Bosch and Liebherr product information mentioned states that it eliminates the need for manual defrosting or limits frost in the freezer. It does not replace checking the useful capacity, noise level, temperature and energy label.
Domestic refrigeration appliances are subject to European eco-design and energy-labelling requirements, according to the European Commission. Compare the class and information on the labels of appliances with a similar type and capacity, rather than comparing the class letter of a small fridge freezer with that of a very large American-style model.