For a shop that needs to last several days, a fridge-freezer is a good fit if the capacity of both its fridge and freezer meets your household’s needs. If you need more space in both compartments, consider a multi-door model, provided you have room to install it. If you’re simply running out of freezer space, a separate or additional freezer may be a better option. Que Choisir recommends taking your shopping habits and frozen food consumption into account. Then compare the dimensions, noise levels and kWh/year of the models you’re considering.
If most of your shopping goes in the fridge, look for a fridge-freezer with enough freezer space for your usual supplies too. Que Choisir recommends choosing a size that suits how often you shop and how much frozen food you eat.
Check the freezer capacity separately from the total capacity. Que Choisir describes a typical fridge-freezer of around 300 l as having roughly two-thirds of its space for refrigeration and one-third for freezing. This split may not suit households with a large stock of frozen food.
A multi-door model may offer more room in both compartments, but make sure you can install it. Check the exact model’s width, depth and door clearance before choosing it for its capacity.
Consider it: if your household mainly needs fridge space and the freezer can hold your usual shopping.
Drawback: the total capacity may look right, even if the freezer section is too small.
Consider it: if you need more room for both fresh and frozen food, and your kitchen can accommodate the model you choose.
Drawback: its width and depth may make delivery, installation or moving around the kitchen more difficult.
Consider it: if you want to choose two separate appliances and set the fridge and freezer capacities independently.
Drawback: you’ll need space for both and should compare their annual energy consumption.
Consider it: if your current fridge has enough space for fresh food, but you regularly run out of room for frozen food.
Drawback: as ADEME points out, a second appliance takes up space and runs continuously.
| What to consider | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Compartment capacity | Compare fridge and freezer capacity in litres separately. Que Choisir suggests 100 to 150 l as a starting point for one person, plus around 50 l for each additional person. Adjust this guide to suit your shopping habits. | I shop for several days at a time, so I need room for fresh food without reducing my frozen food storage to a bare minimum. |
| Size | Check the height, width and depth, door clearance and delivery route. Measure the model you’ve chosen, as dimensions vary even within the same format. | A large appliance needs to fit in my kitchen and still be easy to use with the doors open. |
| Energy and noise | Compare the kWh/year and stated noise levels of appliances with a similar configuration and capacity. ADEME points out that fridges and freezers run continuously. Que Choisir gives less than 40 dB(A) as a guide for the quietest fridges. | My kitchen opens onto a living area, or I want to keep an eye on the energy use of an appliance that stays on all year round. |
| Maintenance and location | Check whether the model has No Frost, then consult its documentation and information about after-sales service and parts. If you plan to keep a freezer outside the kitchen, also check the ambient temperatures permitted in its manual. | I’d like to minimise defrosting, but above all I want an appliance that suits its location and comes with clear maintenance information. |
According to the Que Choisir guide, around a third of the capacity of a typical fridge-freezer is given over to freezing. So even if the total capacity seems sufficient, there may not be enough room for frequent frozen food shops.
Compare the capacity of each compartment with what you usually buy and how much you want to keep in storage.
A large multi-door model may fit in the space available but still leave too little room to open the doors or move around. The Samsung RF65DG9H0EB1 featured by Samsung France measures 72.3 cm wide and 91.2 cm deep.
Measure the space, access points and delivery route, then check the clearance required for your chosen model.
No Frost is a maintenance feature; it doesn’t tell you whether the capacity, dimensions or energy consumption will suit your household.
First check the compartments, installation requirements, kWh/year and noise level. Then consider extra features in light of how you’ll use them.
Whether a freezer can run in a garage or another unheated room depends on the model and its operating conditions. A feature advertised for some Liebherr freezers won’t necessarily apply to every appliance.
Check the climate class and the manual for the exact model before deciding where to put it.
Remember to factor in the freezer’s electricity consumption as well as that of your existing refrigeration appliance.
These models illustrate different configurations and dimensions. Their inclusion here does not indicate whether they’re available further down the page.
The KGN36NLEA freestanding fridge-freezer is an example of a 60 cm-wide option for households looking to stick to this size.
The CBNc 5223 is a fridge-freezer that’s close to 60 cm wide. It’s worth considering if this width and its stated noise level are important to you.
The RF65DG9H0EB1 multi-door model is an example of a configuration for households with greater capacity needs, provided there’s room in the kitchen.
This selection includes fridge-freezers, a multi-door model and a side-by-side model, so you can compare options for different shopping habits and freezer needs. For each appliance, check that the space in each compartment suits the way you shop.
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Consider this fridge-freezer if you want to keep fresh and frozen food in one appliance. The model name indicates a total capacity of 330 l, No Frost and a noise level of 35 dB. Compare the capacity of each compartment with your usual storage needs and check the clearance required for installation.
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This three-door fridge-freezer is an option for storing your regular shopping and frozen food in one appliance. The model name indicates a capacity of 360 l, Total No Frost, an E rating and Wi-Fi. Check how the capacity is divided between compartments and make sure you have enough room, particularly for its depth.
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This four-door model may be worth considering if you need plenty of space for fresh and frozen food. The model name indicates a capacity of 467 l, Total No Frost and an E rating. Check the capacity of each compartment, the dimensions and the door clearance before choosing this format.
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Its stated width of 54 cm may be worth considering if kitchen space is limited, as long as its freezer capacity meets your needs. The model name indicates a total capacity of 262 l, a 70/30 split, a height of 176 cm and Low Frost. Check the freezer’s exact capacity and the defrosting instructions.
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Its stated total capacity of 444 l may appeal if you buy a lot at once, but that alone doesn’t tell you how much room there is for frozen food. The model name indicates frost-free operation, a noise level of 40 dB and an E rating. Check the capacity of each compartment and the dimensions before planning its installation.
Start with the amount of fresh and frozen food your household actually needs, rather than looking at the total capacity alone. Que Choisir suggests 100 to 150 l as a guide for one person, plus around 50 l for each additional person. Adjust this if you shop for one or two weeks at a time or keep a lot of frozen food.
Consider a multi-door model if you regularly need more room for both fresh and frozen food, and its dimensions allow for delivery, installation and opening the doors. Compare the capacity of each compartment and the model’s kWh/year. A higher total capacity won’t resolve these practical considerations on its own.
An additional freezer may be a good option if your current fridge has enough room for fresh food and your only problem is storing frozen food. Check where you’ll put it, the ambient temperatures permitted for the model and its annual energy consumption. ADEME points out that both types of appliance run continuously.
Compare energy consumption in kWh/year, compartment capacities and noise information for appliances with a similar type and capacity. The European Commission’s public EPREL database can be used to check the dimensions, annual energy consumption and stated capacities of refrigeration appliances.
No. Fridges aren’t included in the list of product categories subject to the index, published by the French Ministry of the Economy in August 2026. For the model you’re considering, check its documentation and information about after-sales service and parts instead. The absence of an index doesn’t mean anything is wrong.