Households shopping for several days at a time
If you plan your meals, choose a fresh-food capacity that keeps ingredients and leftovers visible. Taking stock before you shop can also help you avoid buying things twice, as recommended by ADEME.
Who is this advice for?
People who freeze portions
If you prepare meals in advance or regularly buy frozen food, assess the freezer capacity separately from the fridge capacity. Check that your containers will fit in the drawers.
Households short on space
In a small kitchen or an alcove, start by checking the installation dimensions and how the doors and drawers open. This can help you choose between a fridge freezer, a built-in model and two separate appliances.
What should you compare?
Start by working out how much space you need for fresh food and frozen portions, then compare this with the space available in your kitchen.
Fridge freezer
Worth considering: if you want to store fresh food and a supply of frozen portions in one appliance.
Limitation: the total capacity does not tell you how much space is allocated to the freezer.
Small freezer compartment
Worth considering: if you mainly buy fresh food and only keep a small amount of frozen food.
Limitation: according to Que Choisir, a small freezer compartment is not enough if you eat a lot of frozen food.
Separate freezer
Worth considering: if you keep a large, regular supply of prepared meals and frozen food.
Limitation: you’ll need to set aside space for it and organise your food between two appliances.
| Priority | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh-food capacity | Compare the usable fridge capacity with the size of your household and how often you shop. Que Choisir gives 100 to 150 L for one person, then around 50 L for each additional person, as a guide only. This is not a minimum that everyone needs to meet. | I want to store several days’ worth of ingredients and leftovers without losing track of what needs using. |
| Freezing | Check the freezer’s usable capacity separately from the total capacity, then look at the size and accessibility of the drawers. If you keep a lot of frozen food, Que Choisir advises against relying on a small freezer compartment alone. | I regularly have meal containers and frozen food to store, so I need compartments where I can put them away and find them again. |
| Installation | Check the appliance or alcove dimensions, the space needed to open the doors and access the drawers. Two separate appliances need two suitable spaces. | If my kitchen is narrow, I need to be able to open the doors and use the storage compartments once the appliance is installed. |
| Storage | Check the adjustable shelves, accessible drawers and lighting on the specific model. ADEME recommends checking what you have in stock before shopping to avoid buying duplicates. | I want to keep ingredients and leftovers separate and see what I already have before I shop again. |
| Temperature | Find out where the coldest area is and what temperature settings are available. Anses recommends keeping this area at 4 °C and avoiding overfilling the fridge so that air can circulate. | After a big shop, I want to be able to put food away without blocking the airflow. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Looking only at the total capacity
Two appliances with a similar total capacity may divide the space differently between the fridge and freezer. This matters particularly if you freeze portions every week.
Compare the usable capacities of both sections separately, then check that the drawers will fit your usual containers.
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Choosing a small freezer compartment for regular use
Que Choisir says that a small freezer compartment is not enough if you eat a lot of frozen food. Prepared portions also take up space.
If you regularly keep this much food in stock, look at the freezer in a fridge freezer or consider where you could put a separate appliance.
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Filling the fridge right to the back of the shelves
According to Anses, overfilling the appliance can restrict airflow.
Leave enough room to put your shopping away without blocking the airflow, and make leftovers easy to spot.
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Treating a freshness claim as a guarantee
Bosch and Liebherr describe compartments with specific temperature or humidity levels, but their features vary by model and compartment.
Check the manual, the actual capacity available and which foods each area is intended for. Keep track of what you have in stock, too.
Brands and ranges to consider
These examples of product ranges highlight features to compare on a specific model; they do not imply that the appliances mentioned are available on Joybuy.
Bosch
Worth considering if you’re looking for a fridge freezer with a clearly stated freezer capacity and storage for large containers.
- Bosch lists a 405 L fridge capacity, a 200 L freezer capacity and a Big Box drawer for the KFN96VPEA.
- These capacities and this drawer apply to the KFN96VPEA, not every Bosch appliance. Check its dimensions before choosing this model, too.
Liebherr
Worth considering if you want to compare compartments designed for fresh food and built-in configurations.
- Liebherr describes BioFresh as combining a temperature close to 0 °C with humidity suited to certain foods.
- Compartments and alcove dimensions vary by model. Don’t assume that a model has a particular freezer capacity just because it features BioFresh.
Electrolux
Worth considering if your fitted kitchen requires a built-in fridge freezer.
- For the KNA7CE18S, Electrolux lists an alcove size of 1780 × 560 × 550 mm, with a 186 L fridge capacity and a 62 L freezer capacity.
- If you freeze a lot of portions, compare the KNA7CE18S’s 62 L capacity with the space your containers actually take up.
Samsung
Worth considering if you want to compare fridge freezers in different sizes from a range aimed at the French market.
- Samsung offers fridge freezers with capacities of 344 L and 390 L, among others. The brand describes the RL34C601DSA/EF as a 60 cm-wide model.
- Compare the usable fresh-food and freezer capacities of the model you choose, rather than looking only at its total capacity. According to Samsung, using AI Energy mode requires Wi-Fi and a Samsung account.
Fridge freezers available on Joybuy
These models combine fridge and freezer storage in a single appliance. To choose between them, compare the space for fresh food, the space for frozen portions and the dimensions to make sure the appliance will fit in your kitchen.
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CHiQ JR263LGE, 262 L fridge freezer, Low Frost, black
Worth comparing if you want to store fresh food and frozen portions in one appliance measuring 54 cm wide and 176 cm high. It has a 70/30 split; check the usable capacity of each section and make sure there’s enough room for installation.
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CHiQ JR227LSE, 227 L fridge freezer, silver
This model has a 153 L fridge capacity and a 74 L freezer capacity, so you can compare the two spaces separately. It measures 54 cm wide and has a reversible door; check its other dimensions to make sure it will fit your space. Low Frost does not mean you’ll never need to defrost it.
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Heinrich´s, 253 L fridge freezer, No Frost, stainless steel
The stated capacities are 182 L for the fridge and 71 L for the freezer. LED lighting and No Frost are also included in the product name. Check the overall dimensions and the size of the freezer drawers before choosing your containers.
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COMFEE' RCF470LS2EU(E), 474 L four-door fridge
This four-door model has a stated total capacity of 474 L, a Vario Box and a salad drawer with three temperature settings. If you store lots of frozen portions, check the usable fridge and freezer capacities separately: the total capacity alone doesn’t tell you how the space is divided.
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Comfee' by Midea RCB230BL2EU(E), 174 L fridge freezer
This 174 L black fridge freezer features Low Frost, an adjustable thermostat, LED lighting and a reversible door. If you freeze several meals each week, check that the freezer capacity and compartments will accommodate your portions.
Frequently asked questions
How do I estimate the capacity my household needs?
Use 100 to 150 L for one person, then around 50 L for each additional person, as a guide from Que Choisir rather than a compulsory minimum. Then adjust this according to how often you shop, how much space your fresh food takes up and how many portions you want to freeze.
Is a small freezer compartment enough for meals prepared in advance?
Not if you regularly freeze lots of portions or buy a lot of frozen food: Que Choisir says that a small freezer compartment is not enough if you eat a lot of frozen food. Compare the usable freezer capacity with the dimensions of your containers, then consider a fridge freezer or a separate freezer, depending on the space available.
What should I check after putting away a big shop?
Make sure air can circulate and keep an eye on the temperature in the coldest part of the fridge. Anses recommends keeping this area at 4 °C and advises against overfilling the appliance. Storing food where you can see it also makes it easier to keep track of what you have before your next shop.
Is the energy label enough to help me choose a fridge in France?
No. Check the label, then compare the model’s usable capacities and interior layout, too. The French Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control states that household refrigerating appliances are covered by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2016, which has applied since 1 March 2021.