If your fridge is not cooling as well as it used to, or your freezer is developing unusual frost, get it diagnosed first. ADEME recommends considering repair and replacement as two possible options. If you replace the appliance, choose the fridge and freezer capacities to suit your shopping habits, then check access to your kitchen and the annual energy consumption of the model you are considering. A fridge-freezer, a refurbished appliance or two separate appliances can suit different needs, but whichever you choose, you should still carry out these checks.
These symptoms are a reason to investigate the fault before ordering another appliance. ADEME recommends considering repair as well as replacement; it does not suggest that every faulty appliance needs to be replaced.
How often you shop and how much frozen food you keep will determine how much space you need in each compartment. UFC-Que Choisir recommends starting with these habits rather than looking only at the total capacity shown.
A built-in niche, narrow doorway or lift can limit the formats available to you. Measure the space and the entire delivery route before choosing a wide or tall appliance.
First decide whether your current appliance can be repaired, then compare formats based on your storage needs, available space and day-to-day use.
| Priority | What to check | To suit my needs |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnosis | Ask a professional to identify the fault and confirm whether it can be repaired. Check with an accredited repairer whether the work may qualify for the Repair Bonus. | My appliance is not cooling as well as it used to or is developing unusual frost: I want to find out whether it can be repaired before replacing it. ADEME specifically lists these symptoms among the situations to investigate. |
| Storage | Compare the usable fridge and freezer capacities separately. Distinguish a small freezer compartment from space suited to a large stock of frozen food, as recommended by UFC-Que Choisir. | I shop frequently or stock up for one or two weeks; the space I need for frozen food may affect which format suits me. |
| Format | If you need a lot of freezer space, compare a fridge-freezer with two separate appliances. If you choose two appliances, check the space they each need and their annual energy consumption. | If the freezer compartment in a fridge-freezer is too small for my usual needs, I could consider a separate freezer, provided I have room to install it. |
| Installation | Measure the space, the clearance required and the route from the entrance. For a built-in appliance, check the niche dimensions and the installation requirements for the exact model. | A generous capacity is no use if the appliance will not fit through the doors or cannot be installed in my kitchen. |
| Energy consumption | Check the kWh/year figure for the exact model and compare appliances with similar functions and capacities. Look beyond the energy rating at any extra features you will actually use. | I want to take long-term energy consumption into account: ADEME reminds us that fridges and freezers run continuously. |
| Maintenance | Check the cooling system and the defrosting instructions for the relevant compartment. Do not confuse Low Frost with No Frost. | If I find manual defrosting inconvenient, I should check the model’s product information rather than relying on the technology name alone. |
| Second-hand | Check who the seller is and ask for documented details of the appliance’s condition, its dimensions, stated energy consumption and delivery terms. | I could consider a refurbished appliance, but I want to know who is selling it. According to France’s Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity applies in France to second-hand or refurbished goods sold by a business to a private individual, but not to sales between private individuals. |
A larger appliance or one with extra features may use more energy. ADEME reminds us that household refrigeration runs continuously.
Compare the annual energy consumption of appliances with the same function and a capacity suited to your shopping habits, rather than focusing only on capacity or the energy rating.
UFC-Que Choisir points out that a small freezer compartment is not enough if you eat a lot of frozen food. An appliance’s total capacity does not tell you how much space is available for frozen food.
Check the freezer compartment’s capacity and compare it with the amount you usually store.
A large appliance may fit the space you have planned but still not make it through a doorway, corridor or lift. For its 912 mm-wide multi-door model, Samsung specifically recommends checking access points.
Measure the entire route, check the packaged dimensions if they are provided, and arrange for your old appliance to be taken away before delivery.
In France, the legal guarantee of conformity described by the Ministry of the Economy covers second-hand or refurbished goods sold by a business to a private individual; it does not apply to sales between private individuals.
Check the seller’s status and keep any documents describing the appliance and the sale before choosing a second-hand deal.
These examples show why you should compare dimensions and the split between fridge and freezer capacity with your kitchen space. Their specifications do not apply to every appliance from each brand.
According to Bosch’s product information, the freestanding KGN492IAF fridge-freezer offers 311 L of fridge space and 129 L of freezer space.
Electrolux specifies a niche measuring 1780 × 560 × 550 mm for the built-in LNT6NE18S2 fridge-freezer.
Samsung lists the multi-door RF65DG960ESLEF as having a 646 L capacity and a width of 912 mm.
These appliances combine storage for fresh and frozen food. If you decide to replace your current appliance, compare their capacities, dimensions and cooling systems.
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For keeping fresh and frozen food in one appliance, this four-door model offers 467 L of capacity, Total No Frost and an E energy rating. Check its dimensions and kWh/year figure in the product information before choosing this format.
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This 360 L, three-door fridge-freezer combines fresh and frozen food storage. Its name indicates Total No Frost, an E energy rating, Wi-Fi and My Zone. Compare the capacity of each compartment and the dimensions with your actual needs.
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Its stated width of 54 cm may make it worth considering for a narrow kitchen. The model is 176 cm high and has a 262 L capacity, split 70/30. Low Frost does not mean No Frost: check the model’s defrosting instructions.
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This 174 L freestanding model combines fridge and freezer space in a format to consider if your storage needs are modest. Its name indicates Low Frost and a reversible door. Check the space available for frozen food, the dimensions and the kWh/year figure before choosing.
No, not before the fault has been investigated. ADEME lists poor cooling and unusual frost build-up as situations where repair and replacement should both be considered. Ask a professional to diagnose the problem before deciding.
Ask an accredited repairer whether your appliance and the proposed repair are eligible. France’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition explains that, when the bonus applies, the deduction is made directly on the bill; it does not guarantee that every fault can be repaired.
When you buy an equivalent product in France, Service Public Entreprendre says the retailer must take back the old product free of charge, up to the quantity and type sold or replaced. Request collection before placing your order and check the practical arrangements with the seller, particularly for access and delivery.
According to France’s Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity covers a second-hand or refurbished fridge sold by a business to a private individual; it does not apply to sales between private individuals. Check the seller’s status and the appliance description before buying.