First, choose an appliance with enough usable fridge and freezer space for your usual stock-up shop, and make sure it can be delivered and installed without obstructing the doors. A fridge freezer is a good choice when space is tight; a multi-door model offers storage divided into sections, while an American-style fridge freezer needs careful consideration of its dimensions and energy consumption.
If you put away fresh food, prepared meals and frozen food all at once, compare the space in each compartment rather than looking at the total capacity alone. UFC-Que Choisir includes a weekly shop in its fridge freezer testing protocol.
Your chosen capacity needs to be compatible with the delivery route, the space available and the doors’ opening arc. Measure hallways, corners and any lift too: Samsung recommends checking that the packaged appliance will fit through.
If your kitchen is open-plan or close to a living area, check the stated noise level as well as annual energy consumption. Both figures appear on the energy label, but the noise you hear also depends on the installation and your home.
Consider it: when kitchen width is limited but you still need a separate freezer for your supplies.
The trade-off: there needs to be enough space in each compartment for your household shop, even if the appliance fits the available space.
Consider it: if keeping fresh food, prepared meals and frozen food in separate compartments makes it easier to put your shop away.
The trade-off: having several doors does not guarantee that the drawers and shelves will fit the containers you usually use.
Consider it: if you need plenty of storage space and separate, side-by-side access to both compartments suits your routine.
The trade-off: UFC-Que Choisir highlights their large footprint and generally higher energy consumption than standard fridges.
| Feature | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and storage | Compare the usable fridge and freezer capacities separately, then look at the layout of the shelves and drawers. | When my shop fills both compartments, I want to put away my supplies without sacrificing space for fresh food. Around 33% of consumers prioritise well-balanced storage space. |
| Installation and delivery | Measure the space and delivery route; check how far the doors open and the clearances specified in the manual. | If access is narrow, I need to be able to get the appliance in and open its doors once it’s installed. This is a priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Energy and noise | Check the kWh/year and dB(A) figures on the energy label, comparing appliances of a similar size and capacity. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to account for the appliance running continuously without overlooking the need for a quiet space. Around 20% of consumers put energy use and noise first. |
| Cooling and maintenance | Check the defrosting system and, if test results are available, how the model performs after a full shop is added. | When I load a lot of food at once, I want to know how quickly it returns to the target temperature and whether it needs defrosting. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
Two appliances with a similar total capacity can offer very different amounts of space for fresh and frozen food. Usable capacity for each compartment is one of the details to compare on the energy label.
Think about the supplies you usually keep, then compare the usable litres and layout of each compartment separately.
An appliance that fits its intended space may still be difficult to get through a doorway, hallway or lift. Samsung recommends checking that these access points can accommodate the packaged appliance.
Measure the entire route and check the packaged dimensions if they are available, as well as the space needed to open the doors once the appliance is installed.
If the packaged appliance won’t fit, the delivery may need to be rearranged.
Frost-free cooling helps limit ice build-up, but this feature alone does not tell you about energy use or how the model performs after a large shop is added.
Also compare the energy label and, where available, independent tests measuring the temperature after adding a shop. UFC-Que Choisir includes this scenario in its testing protocol.
In France, the DGCCRF distinguishes between optional commercial warranties and statutory guarantees: one does not replace the others.
Before taking out an extended warranty, check how much extra cover it actually provides, its exclusions and the service arrangements on offer.
The French range includes fridge freezers and multi-door models, giving you several formats to compare to suit your available space.
Its multi-door models are worth considering if several storage zones suit the way your household organises its shop.
The French range includes fridge freezers, side-by-side models and multi-door appliances, with different storage layouts to choose from.
These Joybuy models include multi-door options, a model described as American-style and fridge freezers. Compare their stated capacities with the supplies you usually keep, then check that your preferred style will fit through the delivery route and can be installed in your home.
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Worth considering if you’d like to divide your shop between several fridge and freezer compartments.
The model title lists four doors, Total No Frost and energy rating E. Check that the doors can open fully in your kitchen: they’re listed as non-reversible.
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Worth comparing if your priority is to keep fresh and frozen food separate in a multi-door appliance.
The model is listed with energy rating E. If you want to avoid manual defrosting, check its defrosting system before buying.
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Consider it if you need plenty of storage space and have enough room for delivery and to open the appliance’s doors.
The model is listed with energy rating E. Check its dimensions along the delivery route, and confirm its defrosting system if ease of maintenance is a key consideration.
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Worth considering if a fridge freezer better suits the width of your available space and its capacity is enough for your weekly supplies.
The model is listed with energy rating E. Compare the space for fresh and frozen food separately, and check the noise level if your kitchen opens onto a living area.
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Worth comparing if you need a fridge freezer with room for larger supplies in both compartments.
The model is listed with energy rating E. Its freezer needs to be defrosted manually, so bear this maintenance in mind when choosing.
Start with the amount of food you usually buy, and compare the usable fridge and freezer capacities separately. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 100 to 150 L for one person, plus 50 L for each additional person. Use this as a starting point and adjust it to suit the space your fresh and frozen food takes up.
No: its larger size is only useful if the internal layout suits the food you keep and the appliance can be delivered and installed. UFC-Que Choisir says an American-style model generally needs to be close to 1 m wide and around 75 to 80 cm deep. Its guide also describes these models as generally more energy-intensive than standard fridges.
Check the kWh/year and dB(A) figures on the energy label, ideally for appliances of a similar size and capacity. The European Commission also lets you look up key model specifications in its EPREL database. However, the stated noise level alone cannot predict how loud an appliance will seem in your home.
No: No Frost relates in particular to ice build-up, not to every aspect of a model’s cooling performance. If this matters to you, look for tests that check what happens when food is added and how quickly the appliance returns to its target temperature, such as those included in UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol.
No: according to the DGCCRF, a commercial warranty is optional and is additional to statutory guarantees. The Ministry of the Economy states that the legal guarantee of conformity can be claimed for two years on a new or second-hand product. So check what the extended warranty actually covers before taking it out.