Choose based on what you’re actually short of between food shops: space for fresh food, room for frozen portions or simply a clearer way to organise everything. A fridge freezer suits households that regularly use both compartments. An additional freezer may be worth considering if your current appliance has enough room for fresh food, provided you’re happy to make space for another appliance and cover its extra energy use. If food is often forgotten or bought twice, try organising your existing appliance more effectively first.
The space that matters depends less on the advertised total capacity than on the food you need to store and how easily your household can find it between food shops.
If food gets lost at the back of the fridge or ends up being bought twice, first check whether the shelves, drawers and door balconies fit your containers while keeping food in view. ADEME recommends keeping track of what you have and organising your fridge regularly to help reduce waste.
If batch-cooked meals regularly fill the freezer, compare its capacity separately from the fridge’s. The shape of the drawers and how easy they are to access also matter when you need to find portions after several food shops.
If the main problem is food being forgotten, take stock and reorganise the different areas before deciding whether to replace your appliance. This follows ADEME’s advice to monitor food waste and adjust your habits. However, it won’t create extra space if a compartment is already too small.
Identify which compartment fills up between food shops before comparing net capacities, then check whether its layout suits the food you usually store.
Worth considering if: you mainly buy fresh food and only freeze food occasionally.
Bear in mind: freezer space may be limited if you build up a stock of prepared portions.
Worth considering if: you regularly use both fresh and frozen food in one appliance.
Bear in mind: the split between the two compartments may not suit you if you freeze a lot of food.
Worth considering if: your current fridge has enough room for fresh food, but not for portions and other food you want to freeze.
Bear in mind: another appliance takes up space and uses electricity continuously.
Worth trying if: duplicate purchases and forgotten food seem to be mainly down to stock that’s difficult to keep track of.
Limitation: reorganising won’t solve a capacity problem that persists between food shops.
| Criterion | What to check before buying | Shoppers this may apply to |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility of fresh food | Compare the fridge’s net capacity and access to shelves and drawers with the containers you usually use. | When fresh food disappears behind the rest of my shopping, I want to be able to spot it before buying more. Around 28% of consumers would make this a priority. |
| Space for frozen meals | Check the freezer’s net capacity and the shape of its drawers against the portions you prepare. | If I cook several meals in advance, I need to store the portions without losing track of what’s left. This would be the top priority for around 28% of consumers. |
| Using your current appliance | After organising your food and noting what’s left after each food shop, check whether a compartment is still short of space. | My appliance still works: before replacing it, I want to know whether keeping it better organised would be enough. Around 22% of consumers would put this question first. |
| Energy use and durability | Compare the energy labels of models with similar capacities and uses; check durability information when it’s available. | For an appliance that runs continuously, I want to consider its electricity use and how long it will last, without overlooking the space I need for my food shop. Around 22% of consumers would put this criterion first. |
ADEME recommends using the energy label to compare appliances and points out that fridges and freezers run continuously. However, this comparison doesn’t replace checking the capacity of each compartment: two appliances with a similar total capacity may suit different storage habits.
A large advertised capacity can hide a freezer that’s too small for your portions, or leave less room than you’d like for fresh food.
Think about what you typically buy, then compare the net capacity of each compartment and the shape of the drawers, bins and shelves.
A feature related to freezer maintenance won’t replace keeping track of your food or storing it where you can see it. Features vary between models.
Check the feature on the specific model, but prioritise available space and easy access to your food first.
A separate freezer can hold more portions, but it needs a place to go, uses electricity and requires a system for finding stored food.
Make sure freezer space is what you’re short of, then check the installation space, energy label and how you’ll keep track of what’s stored.
Clearance requirements and installation options depend on the specific model. A feature advertised for one model won’t necessarily be available across every appliance from the same brand.
Measure the space and check the installation instructions for your chosen model before ordering.
These examples show why it’s important to check the specific model rather than assume every appliance from a brand has the same features.
Worth considering if you want to compare the storage and temperature control features of a specific fridge freezer.
Worth considering if you’re comparing fridge freezer configurations and looking for No Frost on a particular model.
These Joybuy models combine refrigeration and freezing in one appliance. If you plan your food shops, check the space allocated to fresh and frozen food, the interior layout and the room needed for installation for each model.
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Worth considering if you want one appliance for food shops that include both fresh and frozen food.
Advertised total capacity of 467 L, four doors, Total No Frost and energy rating E.
Check the compartment layout, the model’s interior configuration and the clearance needed for installation.
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Worth considering if you want to store fresh and frozen food in one fridge freezer.
Advertised total capacity of 368 L and energy rating E.
Compare the space in each compartment separately against your storage habits, and check the ventilation clearance requirements.
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Worth considering if you regularly store both fresh food and frozen portions.
Advertised total capacity of 355 L, Total No Frost and energy rating C.
Check the net capacity of each compartment and measure the space before choosing.
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Worth considering if your usual food shop needs space for both fresh food and frozen items.
Advertised total capacity of 495 L and energy rating E.
Check the exact layout and installation clearance requirements. If you plan to use the dispenser, also confirm its connection requirements.
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Worth considering if you want to store fresh and frozen food in one fridge freezer and compare the space available for each.
Advertised total capacity of 282 L and energy rating E.
Make sure the fridge compartment can hold your usual food shop and that the installation space meets the ventilation requirements.
No. No Frost doesn’t replace keeping food in view or checking what you have before you shop. Bosch describes this feature on some models as a way to avoid manually defrosting the freezer; check whether it’s included on the model you’re considering.
The public European EPREL database lets you view information about models sold in the European Union that carry an energy label. Search for the exact model number: appliances in the same range can have different features.
It depends on the model and its installation instructions. Bosch lists Perfect Fit for the KGN36VLED, but this doesn’t apply to other fridge freezers. Check the dimensions and clearances specified for the model you choose.
Start by organising your food and keeping track over several food shops of what you’re actually short of: space for fresh food, frozen portions or simply better visibility. ADEME recommends monitoring the food you have and what gets wasted so you can adjust your habits. If a compartment is still too small, compare the capacities of new appliances against that need.