To store fresh food, leftovers and portions for freezing, start by comparing the space allocated to each compartment in a fridge-freezer. A simple freezer compartment isn’t suitable for freezing prepared meals. If frozen portions regularly take up all the space in your fridge-freezer, consider a separate freezer, provided you have room for two appliances. Total capacity isn’t the only thing to consider: check the drawers, shelves and dimensions of your containers too.
If you prepare meals to freeze for several days, look for a proper freezer compartment with drawers that fit your containers. The Ministry of Agriculture distinguishes this from simply storing food that is already frozen in a freezer compartment.
If you rarely freeze meals you’ve made yourself, start by looking at the fridge space available: shelf height, easy access to leftovers and room for fresh shopping. For this kind of use, the internal layout matters more than the total capacity on its own.
After a big shop or a batch-cooking session, compare the freezer space in a large fridge-freezer with that of a separate appliance. Measure how much room you’ll need and check that the drawers will fit your portions.
Your choice of format depends first on what you plan to freeze, then on how much space you need for fresh food and containers of leftovers.
Consider it: if you want to keep fresh food, leftovers and frozen portions in one appliance.
Bear in mind: the freezer section may not have enough room if you batch-cook often, even when the total capacity looks sufficient.
Consider it: if you occasionally store small amounts of food that’s already frozen, but don’t freeze meals you’ve made yourself.
Limit: according to the Ministry of Agriculture, a freezer compartment is for storing frozen food, not for freezing food.
Consider it: if your frozen portions and shopping regularly fill the freezer in your fridge-freezer.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to measure space for both appliances and check each one’s annual energy consumption.
| Priority | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh food storage | Compare the fridge capacity in litres separately from the freezer capacity. Check shelf heights, drawers and the coldest zone indicated in the manual. | I want to find my leftover containers easily, without stacking them behind fresh shopping. |
| Freezing meals | Know the difference between a freezer and a simple freezer compartment: the Ministry of Agriculture says the latter isn’t for freezing food. Check the type of compartment, its drawers and whether there’s room for your portions. | I need to be able to freeze meals I’ve prepared in advance, not just store them alongside food that’s already frozen. |
| Capacity and installation | Measure the space and allow enough clearance to open the doors. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 100 to 150 L for one person, then 50 L per additional person as a guide to usable capacity; adjust this to suit your shopping and containers. | I need room for a week’s shopping and my containers, without choosing an appliance based on total capacity alone. |
| Temperature and use | Find the temperature controls and look for tests covering the addition of shopping or food to freeze, where available. The Ministry of Agriculture recommends setting the fridge to +4 °C and the freezer to -18 °C. | At home, the doors are opened often and new shopping arrives regularly. I want to be able to adjust the temperature and store food according to the manual. |
| Energy label and noise | The EU energy label shows the annual energy consumption in kWh, storage volumes and noise emissions, among other details. Compare these figures across appliances with a similar format and capacity. | In an open-plan kitchen, the stated noise level matters to me just as much as the space in each compartment. |
A household that plans to freeze its own meals could end up choosing a compartment designed only to store food that’s already frozen. The Ministry of Agriculture distinguishes between a freezer compartment and a freezer.
Before you buy, make sure the compartment you choose can freeze food and has enough room for your portions.
A fridge-freezer may offer plenty of fridge space but too few freezer drawers for prepared meals.
Compare the capacity of each compartment in litres, then check the shape of the drawers and the space between the shelves against the containers you normally use.
Frost-management technology alone won’t tell you how much room there is in the drawers or how the appliance performs when you add new shopping.
Check the technology on the exact model and, if possible, look for comparable tests of cooling and freezing performance.
The rating letter alone won’t tell you how much space is for fresh or frozen food, or how noisy the appliance is. The EU energy label shows these details separately.
For appliances with a similar capacity and format, also check the annual energy consumption in kWh, storage volumes and noise emissions.
These ranges and models are examples to help you compare specific layouts; they don’t necessarily reflect the features of every appliance from a brand.
Worth considering for its fridge-freezers, which feature VitaFresh zones on selected models.
Worth considering if the layout of the fridge-freezer and its stated noise level are important to you.
Worth considering among the frost-free fridge-freezers available from Samsung France.
Worth considering if you’re looking at a separate freezer with drawers to keep portions organised.
These five fridge-freezers combine fridge and freezer space in one appliance. To choose between them, compare how the capacity is split and check that your containers will fit in the compartments. If you freeze lots of meals, keep a separate freezer in mind too.
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Worth comparing if you store both fresh shopping and frozen portions. The stated total capacity is 440 L; check how it’s split between the two compartments, whether there’s room for your containers and what clearance is needed for installation.
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Its three doors may suit a household that wants to store shopping and portions separately. The model name lists Total No Frost, My Zone, Wi-Fi and an E rating; check the space in each compartment and the dimensions of your containers.
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Its stated width of 54 cm is worth considering if space is tight. The model name lists a 70/30 split, a height of 176 cm and Low Frost; check the capacity of each compartment, the depth and the clearance needed to open the doors.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a 54 cm-wide fridge-freezer for leftovers and portions to freeze. The model name lists 153 L of fridge space, 74 L of freezer space, a 4-star compartment, Low Frost and an E rating; check that the shelves and drawers will fit your containers.
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Compare its stated total capacity of 174 L with the amount of leftovers and portions you usually store. The model name lists Low Frost, an adjustable thermostat and a reversible door; check the capacity of each compartment, the internal dimensions and the clearance needed for installation.
No. The Ministry of Agriculture distinguishes between a freezer compartment, which stores food that’s already frozen, and a freezer, which lets you freeze food. If you prepare portions to freeze, check that the appliance has a proper freezer compartment suited to this purpose.
As well as the energy rating, compare annual energy consumption in kWh, storage volumes and noise emissions. The European Commission says these details appear on the labels for fridges and freezers. For prepared meals, pay particular attention to the space allocated to each compartment.
The Ministry of Agriculture recommends +4 °C for the fridge and -18 °C for the freezer. Check the manual too, so you can identify the coldest zone in your model and store food accordingly.
No. Even if this feature addresses frost build-up on the model you choose, it won’t tell you whether the drawers will fit your portions or the shelves will suit your containers. Check the internal layout and, if available, look for comparable tests covering the addition of shopping and freezing food.