For a few days’ worth of shopping, start by working out how much space you need for fresh and frozen food. A fridge freezer keeps both in the kitchen, while a separate freezer makes sense if your batch-cooked portions regularly exceed the freezer space available. A multi-door model can meet the need for extra capacity, provided it fits in your kitchen and can be brought in through the delivery route. If you’re installing an appliance outside the kitchen, also check that its stated ambient temperature range covers the conditions in that space.
If you prepare several meals in advance, consider how much space you’ll need for frozen food and how easy it will be to find each portion. A drawer freezer and a chest freezer don’t offer the same level of access to food.
If fresh food takes up a lot of room between shops, look at the fridge capacity separately from the freezer capacity. The appliance’s total capacity alone won’t tell you how that space is divided.
When space is limited, the appliance’s dimensions matter just as much as its capacity. A compact model may suit limited or supplementary storage, but it might not hold a full week’s shop.
Start with whatever usually takes up the most space in your home, then check the dimensions and where you plan to put the appliance. Que Choisir highlights the different fridge formats, as well as the choice between an upright and a chest freezer, based on capacity, access and available space.
| Criterion | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Balance of fresh and frozen food | Compare the usable capacity of each compartment, rather than looking at the total capacity alone. | If my shopping fills both the fridge and the freezer, I’m looking for a suitable balance in a single appliance; around 36% of consumers would put this balance at the top of their list. |
| Extra freezer capacity | Check the usable capacity and how the space is arranged, whether in drawers or baskets. | When I build up a supply of batch-cooked portions, I want to store them and find them easily without overcrowding the fridge freezer. Dedicated extra freezer space would be a priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Capacity for fresh food | Check the fridge capacity, as well as the appliance’s width and depth. | Between big shops, I need enough room for fresh food; around 21% of consumers would make this their main requirement. |
| Space and location | Measure the available space. If the appliance will be outside the kitchen, check the model’s stated ambient temperature range. | If my kitchen is narrow or the appliance needs to go in another room, I first need to find a model that suits the space. For around 14% of consumers, this would take priority over capacity. |
A large overall capacity can hide a freezer that’s too small for your batch-cooked portions, or a fridge section that doesn’t have enough room for your shopping.
Compare the usable capacity of each compartment separately with the food you usually store.
The Bosch KFN96VPEA featured by Bosch is 90,5 cm wide and 73,1 cm deep. These dimensions for this particular model show why the route to your kitchen matters just as much as the final location.
Measure the doorways and corridors, the available space and the clearance needed to open the appliance you’re considering.
The permitted ambient temperature depends on the model. The European Commission’s EPREL database lists the declared limits for the appliances included in it; the limits for one model don’t apply to another.
Compare the temperatures in the room, including its coldest and warmest periods, with the range stated for your chosen model.
Food stored at the bottom of a chest freezer is less accessible than food in the drawers of an upright freezer.
If you often take out portions, consider an upright model. For a chest freezer, check that the baskets and internal layout suit the way you’ll use it.
The range includes fridge freezers and multi-door models, so you can explore how fresh and frozen food can be stored in a single appliance.
The range includes upright freezers to consider if you want drawer access to your portions.
Some chest freezers in the range are worth considering if you want separate storage for frozen food.
The range’s built-in fridge freezers are worth considering when the installation space has specific dimensions.
This selection of Joybuy models includes fridge freezers for keeping fresh and frozen food in one appliance, as well as a chest freezer for separate storage when you already have enough fridge space for fresh food.
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Worth considering if you want to store fresh and frozen food in one 440 l fridge freezer. Check the space allocated to each compartment, as well as the delivery route and clearance for the doors; the total capacity alone won’t answer these questions.
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This fridge freezer combines fresh and frozen food storage in a single appliance. Before choosing it for batch cooking, compare the freezer capacity with your needs. Also check the full dimensions to make sure it will fit in your kitchen.
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Its stated width of 54 cm may suit a kitchen where space is limited and shopping needs are modest. The product title lists 153 l of fridge capacity and 74 l of freezer capacity. It also mentions a reversible door and Low Frost technology. Check the height, depth and required clearances before buying.
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This fridge freezer lets you store fresh and frozen food in one appliance. If you batch-cook lots of portions to freeze, check the freezer compartment’s capacity rather than relying on the total capacity of 282 l stated in the title.
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This chest freezer can provide separate storage for frozen food if you already have a fridge for fresh food. The product title lists a removable basket and switchable fridge and freezer modes, so you can’t use both modes at the same time. Check how easy it is to reach food at the bottom, and the ambient temperature range if you plan to install it outside the kitchen.
Add one if you regularly run out of freezer space for batch-cooked portions and frozen food, while your fridge already meets your needs for fresh food. An upright freezer makes it easier to access food in drawers; a chest freezer takes more organisation to find items stored at the bottom.
Yes, provided the room’s temperature stays within the ambient range stated for your chosen model. Check the appliance documentation or its listing in the European Commission’s EPREL database, then compare the stated limits with the temperatures in the room, including the highest and lowest.
The energy label and the European Commission’s EPREL database provide the declared information for the models listed. Compare the models you’re interested in, and check the capacity of each compartment separately to make sure it suits your shopping needs.
In France, the Ministry for Ecological Transition describes like-for-like take-back in store when you buy a product of the same type. Ask the retailer how to arrange collection of your old fridge or freezer, especially if you’re having your new appliance delivered.