If you plan your shopping and prepare meals in advance, start by working out how much space you need for chilled and frozen food separately. A fridge freezer is suitable if you mainly store fresh food and a few frozen items, while a larger model or separate freezer is better for regularly storing larger quantities. UFC-Que Choisir gives a general guide of 100 to 150 L for one person, plus 50 L for each additional person; adjust this to suit your containers and how often you shop. Also check that the shelves make your prepared meals easy to see and reach: no feature can replace regularly organising your food.
The right size depends less on whether a model is labelled ‘family-sized’ and more on what actually fills its compartments between shops.
If you keep food containers, opened ingredients and leftovers chilled, check the usable space on the shelves and in the drawers. You should be able to find prepared meals without moving everything in the fridge.
When several days’ worth of shopping arrives at once, compare the usable fridge and freezer capacities separately. This split matters more than the total capacity alone when you need to fit fresh food, large packs and frozen items.
If batch-cooked meals and frozen food make up most of your supplies, start by looking at the freezer’s capacity and layout. Consider a separate appliance if freezing is your main requirement.
Start by dividing your needs between fresh food and frozen portions, then compare the internal dimensions with the dishes you usually use. UFC-Que Choisir offers a guide to capacity per person, but how often you shop and what you store can change how much space you need.
| Feature | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge capacity | Compare the fridge’s usable capacity in litres with the space your dishes and containers take up in the days after you shop. | I prepare several meals and want to store fresh food without stacking containers so high that I forget about them. Fridge capacity would be the top priority for around 31% of the consumers concerned. |
| Storage and visibility | Check the adjustable shelf heights and depth, access to the drawers, and the lighting with your usual containers in place. | When leftovers get pushed to the back of the fridge, I want to spot them before my next shop. Around 31% of the consumers concerned would put food visibility at the heart of their choice. |
| Freezer space | Check the freezer’s usable capacity separately and make sure the drawers can hold your portions and dishes. | I batch-cook or regularly buy frozen food, so I need space to sort portions without cramming them in. Freezer capacity would be the main priority for around 23% of the consumers concerned. |
| Energy, noise and maintenance | Compare energy information for similar-sized models; also check the noise level and how each compartment is defrosted. | Once I have enough space, I want to compare appliances based on everyday use, especially in an open-plan kitchen or if I want to avoid manual defrosting. Around 15% of the consumers concerned would prioritise these factors. |
If fresh food regularly fills the shelves, consider a fridge freezer with more fridge space or a larger model that suits your kitchen. If frozen portions take priority, compare the freezer capacity of fridge freezers with the space a separate freezer would need. Then check the exact model for features such as fresh-food zones, door alarms and No Frost: having these features does not guarantee that your food will be better organised.
Two fridge freezers with a similar total capacity can offer different amounts of space for fresh and frozen food. A large capacity figure also does not tell you whether your dishes will fit on the shelves.
Compare the usable litres in each compartment, then check the internal layout against the containers and dishes you use.
More litres will not automatically make leftovers easier to see. If containers build up behind other food, the problem may be shelf access rather than capacity.
Before choosing a different size, work out what is genuinely overflowing and what is simply hard to see or reach. Also measure the space available in your kitchen and check that the doors can open fully.
A door alarm, a fresh-food zone and automatic defrosting are separate features. For example, Electrolux lists an alarm on the KNS3SE18S, but its freezer needs to be defrosted manually.
For the model you are considering, check the cooling and defrosting systems for each compartment, as well as whether it actually has the features you want.
Brands describe some zones as suitable for particular types of food, but this does not guarantee that you will eat leftovers that are out of sight. ADEME also recommends checking your food supplies and regularly organising your fridge.
Choose compartments to suit the food you store in them, and keep meals you need to use up in an easy-to-check area.
These models illustrate features to compare on specific products; they do not represent every model in each brand’s range.
Worth considering if you want a fridge freezer with clearly specified fridge and freezer capacities.
Worth considering if separate compartments for certain fresh foods would suit the way you organise your fridge.
Worth considering if the cooling system and dedicated drawers are among your priorities.
Worth considering if you are looking for an integrated fridge freezer with a door alarm.
These models give you the chance to compare fridge freezers and higher-capacity fridges for shopping that needs to last several days. Check how the capacity is split between compartments and measure the internal dimensions before choosing: the advertised total capacity alone does not confirm that your dishes and portions will fit.
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Worth considering if you divide your shopping between fresh food and portions to freeze. The advertised capacity is 330 L; check how the space is split between compartments and whether your containers will fit on the shelves.
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If you shop less often, check whether the fridge section can hold your prepared meals while leaving enough room for frozen food. The model has a total capacity of 390 L and energy class C; also compare its overall dimensions and usable shelf space.
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Consider this if your shopping and prepared meals regularly take up a lot of space, provided a four-door design suits your kitchen. The product description lists a capacity of 467 L, Total No Frost and energy class E; check how the capacity is divided, how the doors open and whether your dishes will fit.
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If you want to split your shopping between fresh and frozen food, check how much space each compartment offers for your containers. The advertised total capacity is 344 L and the energy class is E; also check access to the shelves and drawers.
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Worth considering if fresh food regularly takes up a lot of space between shops. This freestanding fridge freezer has an advertised total capacity of 437 L and energy class E; check the freezer capacity, available width and defrosting system before choosing.
Compare the usable fridge and freezer capacities separately, then make a note of what overflows after your next shop: prepared meals, vegetables or frozen portions. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 100 to 150 L for one person, plus 50 L for each additional person, as a starting point. Adjust this to your habits rather than treating it as a fixed target.
Consider one if prepared portions and frozen food regularly fill your freezer, while the fridge section already meets your needs. Compare the freezer capacity you actually need with the space available for an extra appliance and its energy information.
No. Consider one mainly in terms of the foods it is designed for, without sacrificing the space you need for your containers. Liebherr and Whirlpool describe dedicated zones on some models; check their dimensions and stated uses instead of assuming they are suitable for all your prepared meals.
No. Whirlpool describes No Frost as a way to limit frost build-up, but this feature does not make leftovers easier to see. Check which compartment it applies to on the specific model, and keep checking your food supplies regularly, as ADEME advises.
Compare energy information for appliances whose size and usable capacity meet your needs, rather than choosing based on the letter rating alone. ADEME recommends using the energy label to help guide your choice. Also check the overall dimensions and internal layout, which the rating does not describe.