For a studio flat, a table-top fridge may be a good fit if its fresh-food capacity and any freezer compartment are enough for your shopping. If you regularly buy frozen food, consider a fridge-freezer and compare the fresh-food and freezer capacities separately. A large single-door fridge prioritises fresh food, while a multi-door model needs more space. Whatever you choose, check that it will fit along the delivery route, follow the ventilation guidance in the manual and compare the chosen model’s annual energy consumption.
Limited space may point you towards a table-top fridge, especially if it needs to fit under a worktop. Que Choisir suggests 100 to 150 l for one person. Check the model’s capacity, that it can be brought into your home and its ventilation requirements.
If your shopping regularly includes frozen food, a fridge-freezer lets you compare the space for fresh food and frozen food separately. A small freezer compartment may not provide enough storage for your needs.
A multi-door fridge-freezer can offer more room for a larger shop, provided it fits in your kitchen and can be brought all the way in. For example, Samsung lists its RM70F63NER as 912 mm wide.
Consider it: when limited under-worktop height or a compact space narrows your options, and you tend to buy smaller shops.
Bear in mind: capacity is limited. Check whether the model has a freezer compartment and whether it’s big enough for your needs.
Consider it: if you want plenty of space for fresh food and don’t need a freezer in the same appliance.
Bear in mind: larger models take up more room, and without a freezer compartment they won’t meet your needs if you regularly store frozen food.
Consider it: if your shopping for several days includes both fresh and frozen food.
Bear in mind: the total capacity is split between two uses, so compare the capacity in litres of each compartment.
Consider it: if you need plenty of storage and your kitchen can accommodate a wide, deep appliance.
Bear in mind: check that the packaged appliance will fit along the delivery route, that the doors can open fully and that you can meet the clearance requirements in the manual.
| Criterion | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh-food capacity | Compare usable capacity in litres with your shopping habits and household size. Que Choisir suggests 100 to 150 l for one person, then a further 50 l for each additional person. | I buy small shops for myself, or I need to store several people’s shopping for a few days. |
| Freezer capacity | Check the freezer capacity separately from the fresh-food capacity. See whether it’s a small freezer compartment or a separate freezer. | I regularly buy frozen food, so freezer space matters as much as space for fresh food. |
| Overall dimensions | Measure the height, width and depth, as well as the delivery route and the space needed to open the doors. Follow the manual’s ventilation guidance for your model; Bosch recommends at least 200 cm² of clear space behind and beneath its appliances. | My fridge needs to fit into my home and be installed correctly, not just fit in the space I’ve set aside for it. |
| Energy use and noise | Compare the annual energy consumption on the energy label for appliances of a similar size and capacity. Check the stated noise level too. | In a studio flat or open-plan kitchen, I pay attention to noise as well as energy use. |
| Replacing an appliance | Before ordering, confirm the dimensions of the packaged appliance, the delivery arrangements and whether your old fridge can be taken away. | I’m replacing an appliance and need to arrange for the old one to be removed without finding out too late that the new one won’t fit. |
Two appliances with different amounts of space for fresh and frozen food won’t suit the same shopping habits. A small freezer compartment may be too limited if you regularly buy frozen food.
Compare the usable capacity of each compartment and choose a balance that suits what you actually store.
An appliance may fit in its intended space but not through a doorway, up a staircase or along a hallway. It also needs the clearances specified in the manual.
Before ordering, check the packaged dimensions, the entire delivery route, the door opening and the model’s ventilation requirements.
If the appliance won’t fit along the delivery route, delivery or removal of your old appliance could be more complicated.
A table-top fridge and a multi-door fridge-freezer don’t offer the same amount of storage, so the energy rating alone won’t tell you which one suits your needs.
Compare appliances with similar capacities and formats, then check their stated annual energy consumption, compartment capacities and noise levels.
If your old fridge is still in place, its removal needs to be arranged at the same time as the new one’s delivery.
Before ordering, confirm the delivery slot, how collection is arranged and what you need to do to prepare your old appliance.
Bosch offers table-top, single-door and fridge-freezer models, so you can compare a range of formats from the same brand.
The brand offers, among other options, single-door fridges and fridge-freezers with a separate freezer compartment.
Beko offers fridge-freezers in a range of usable capacities to suit different household sizes.
Samsung offers multi-door models to consider if your kitchen can accommodate a wide appliance.
These models combine refrigeration and freezing, with different capacities and installation options. Whether you live in a studio flat or shop for several days at a time, check how the space is divided between compartments and how much room you have available.
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Worth considering if you want to store fresh and frozen food in a kitchen where width is a key factor. This model is listed as 54 cm wide and 176 cm tall, with a 70/30 split. Check that the space in each compartment suits your shopping habits, and allow for the dimensions required for delivery.
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Its three doors and stated 360 l capacity are worth considering if you shop for several days at a time. The model is listed with Total No Frost, an E energy rating, Wi-Fi and My Zone. Check the dimensions and the space allocated to each compartment before choosing.
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Its stated capacity of 467 l may suit a household that buys a lot of food at a time. This model is listed with Total No Frost and an E energy rating. Compare its fresh-food and freezer capacities, then check its overall dimensions and the delivery route.
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For a compact kitchen where you also need space for frozen food, this model offers 153 l of fridge capacity and 74 l of freezer capacity in a width of 54 cm. Its door is reversible and its freezer uses Low Frost technology. Check that the door can open as needed in your kitchen, allow for the required clearances and check the model’s annual energy consumption on its label.
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This single-door model with a freezer compartment at the top is designed for a fitted kitchen with a compatible housing unit, rather than a space for a freestanding appliance. It has a stated capacity of 188 l and an E energy rating. Check the built-in dimensions and whether the freezer compartment is large enough for the frozen food you buy.
Measure the height, width and depth of the space, then check every part of the route to the kitchen, including doorways, stairs and lifts. Also check that the doors can open fully and allow for the ventilation clearances specified in the model’s manual.
Not necessarily. If frozen food is a regular part of your shopping, compare the usable capacity of a separate freezer compartment in a fridge-freezer. Que Choisir distinguishes this need from the one a simple freezer compartment is designed to meet.
Check the annual energy consumption on each model’s energy label, taking its format and usable capacity into account. The energy rating doesn’t replace comparing the available capacity in litres. If the appliance will be in a living space, check the noise level too.
Under the French decree of 8 October 2014, the used appliance must be collected from the place of use when the new appliance is delivered there, subject to the conditions of this take-back requirement. Before ordering, confirm the delivery slot and how to prepare the old appliance with the retailer.