If you need one appliance to fit your groceries, leftovers and prepared portions, start by comparing the space for fresh and frozen food in a fridge-freezer. If your fridge already meets your needs but your frozen food regularly overflows, consider a separate freezer. An upright model makes it easy to organise food in drawers, while a chest freezer needs more floor space and a system for finding what you need.
If you cook several portions and keep leftovers, think about how much space you need for upcoming meals in the fridge and how much for food you plan to freeze. Check whether your containers will be easy to see and take out, too.
A full shop puts storage space and cooling performance to the test. Compare the capacity of each compartment and the internal layout. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol, for example, assesses how fridge-freezers perform after a weekly shop has been put away.
If your fridge still meets your needs but frozen portions or shopping are starting to pile up, it may be worth considering a separate freezer. According to Bosch’s guide, an upright freezer’s drawers make it easier to separate food, while a chest freezer has fewer dividers and needs a system for organising its contents.
Start by working out how much of your food needs to stay fresh and how much will be frozen, then compare this with the space available at home. The European energy label shows the storage volumes, energy consumption and noise emissions of the appliances it covers.
Consider this if: you need both compartments but don’t want to add a separate freezer.
Things to weigh up: whether it’s a fridge-freezer with the freezer at the top or bottom, make sure there’s enough room for each use.
Consider this if: you need extra space for frozen portions that you’ll take out often.
What you’ll need: space for a second appliance as well as your fridge.
Consider this if: you store frozen food in batches and have enough floor space.
What you’ll need: categories or an inventory to help you find items in a space with few dividers, as Bosch explains.
| What to compare | What to check | How it fits my needs |
|---|---|---|
| Space for fresh and frozen food | Compare the litres for each compartment on the European energy label. Check how much usable space the shelves, drawers and containers actually leave. | I keep leftovers for upcoming meals, but I also freeze portions. The total capacity doesn’t tell me how much space is available for each use. |
| Adding a shop | For a big shop, look at test results for cooling performance after loading and freezing a fresh load, where available. UFC-Que Choisir includes these situations in its testing protocol. | I often bring all my shopping home at once. I want to be able to put it away without assuming that the energy rating alone tells me how the appliance will perform when loaded. |
| Energy use and noise | On the European energy label, compare annual consumption in kWh, the efficiency class and noise emissions for appliances with similar formats and capacities. | As ADEME points out, an appliance that runs all the time needs to suit my usual food supplies. I’ll also check the noise level for the specific model if it’s going in an open-plan kitchen. |
| Access to frozen food | Check the number and layout of the drawers or compartments. For a chest freezer, consider the floor space it needs and how you’ll organise batches of food. Bosch notes that it has fewer dividers than an upright model. | If I often take out a specific portion, I want to find it without moving everything else. For food stored in batches, I can use baskets and keep an inventory. |
| Installation | Check the appliance dimensions, the route to its intended position, the ventilation clearances and the setup instructions for your chosen model. | I need to be able to install the appliance where I plan to use it, without finding out on delivery that there isn’t enough room to open the door or follow the instructions. |
Two fridge-freezers with a similar total capacity may divide the space between fresh and frozen food differently. The compartment for prepared portions may not offer the right amount of room for your needs.
Make two lists of what you usually store, then compare the separate compartment capacities and the layout of the model you’re considering.
Bosch’s guide describes a chest freezer as having fewer dividers than an upright model. Without a system, it can be less convenient to find an older portion among food stored in batches.
Check the floor space available and plan to use baskets, categories or an inventory. If you often reach for individual portions, compare the drawers in an upright freezer, too.
Whirlpool describes No Frost as a fan-assisted cooling technology that helps limit ice build-up. However, this feature doesn’t tell you how the capacity is divided or how easy it is to organise meals.
First check the available space, drawers and dimensions. Then compare the defrosting feature, energy consumption and noise level of the model.
Delivery alone doesn’t tell you what services are available for your old and new appliances. The Joybuy listing for the Bosch KGN33NLEB, for example, lists installation, disconnection and removal as separate services.
Before ordering, check which services are available at your address, access to your home and the installation instructions. For the Bosch KGN33NLEB, the listing also says to leave the appliance upright for at least four hours before plugging it in.
These ranges offer useful points of comparison for different formats and features, but specifications vary by model.
Bosch offers fridge-freezers and freezers in France, including freestanding fridge-freezers with the freezer at the bottom and upright freezers.
Beko’s range in France includes fridges, fridge-freezers and appliances in a variety of capacities.
Whirlpool offers larder fridges and No Frost fridge-freezers in a range of sizes and capacities.
This selection includes fridge-freezers for keeping fresh and frozen food in one appliance, as well as an upright freezer to add extra frozen storage. Compare the internal layout and overall size to suit your meals and shopping habits.
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This model combines fridge and freezer storage in one appliance. Before choosing it for your leftovers and portions, compare the space in each compartment with the amount you usually store, and check the ventilation clearances specified for the KGN33NLEB.
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This energy class E fridge-freezer offers both fresh and frozen storage in a multi-door design. If you’re planning for shopping and prepared meals, check how much space is available in each compartment and the dimensions needed for installation, rather than focusing only on the total capacity of 467 L.
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At 176 cm tall, this fridge-freezer is worth considering if you want fresh and frozen storage in one appliance. Its description indicates a 70/30 split, so check that it suits the portions you plan to freeze. Low Frost doesn’t mean you’ll never need to defrost it manually.
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This standalone freezer could complement a fridge if frozen portions are taking up more space. The product description lists three drawers for separating your food. Check the dimensions and where you plan to put it before opting for a second appliance.
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The stated capacity split is worth considering if you prioritise fridge space but still want a compartment for frozen portions. The product description lists No Frost and LED lighting. Check that 71 L of freezer space is enough for the food you usually store.
Make separate lists of what you’ll keep fresh and what you plan to freeze, including shopping, meal containers, leftovers and bulk purchases. Then compare the capacity of each compartment on the European energy label and check that the layout works for your containers.
Yes, if its freezer compartment can hold your usual portions and makes them easy to find. If it regularly overflows while the fridge still meets your needs, a separate freezer could be a more direct solution to the lack of space.
An upright freezer suits food that you organise and access regularly, drawer by drawer. According to Bosch’s guide, a chest freezer has fewer dividers and takes up more floor space. Consider one if you store food in batches and can organise it so you can find what you need.
For the fridges and freezers covered, the European energy label shows details including the efficiency class, energy consumption, storage volumes and noise emissions. Compare energy consumption and noise across appliances of a similar format and capacity, while also checking how much space is available for each use.
Check the dimensions of the route into your home, the services available at your address, whether your old appliance can be taken away and the setup instructions for your chosen model. Delivery, disconnection and installation may be listed separately, as shown on the Joybuy listing for the Bosch KGN33NLEB.