To keep groceries and prepared meals fresh for several days, start by working out how much space you really need for fresh food and frozen items. A small fridge may suit you if you shop little and often and freeze very little. A fridge-freezer combines both compartments in one appliance, while separate appliances are worth considering if you regularly freeze large quantities and have room for them.
Compare the usable space in each compartment with your usual weekly shop, allowing room for meal-prep containers too. UFC-Que Choisir includes a weekly shop in its fridge-freezer testing protocol. Adding lots of food also tests how well an appliance can maintain a suitable temperature.
Separate the portions you plan to keep in the fridge from those you intend to freeze. For this kind of use, the capacity of each compartment and the space in its drawers matter more than the total capacity shown on its own.
Measure the space where the appliance will go, as well as the clearance needed to open its doors. Check the manual for ventilation requirements and make sure the model’s specified ambient temperature range is suitable for the room.
Consider this: if your kitchen is very small, you shop frequently and you only freeze food occasionally.
Trade-off: compare its storage capacity and any freezer compartment with the groceries and portions you actually need to keep.
Consider this: if you store both fresh and frozen food but don’t have room for two appliances.
Trade-off: the capacity is split between compartments. A suitable total capacity can still mean one compartment is too small for your portions or groceries.
Consider this: if you regularly freeze large quantities and have space for a separate freezer.
Trade-off: you’ll need to allow for the space, ventilation and ongoing energy use of both appliances.
Once you’ve chosen a setup, start with your containers and the space available, then compare the features of models that could suit your needs.
| Consideration | What to check | For my needs |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and storage | Compare the usable capacity of the fridge and freezer separately. Check the shelf layout and whether the available dimensions will accommodate your containers and dishes. | My groceries need to fit alongside my prepared meals, without the frozen food compartment taking up space needed for fresh food. |
| Temperature | Check how the temperature is set and controlled, and leave room for air to circulate inside. Anses recommends monitoring a temperature of 4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge. | After a big shop, I want to be able to store perishable food in the right area without overfilling the appliance. |
| Energy and noise | Check the kWh/year figure and noise level for the exact model. Compare energy use between appliances with similar layouts and usable capacities, rather than looking at their energy ratings in isolation. | Noise matters in an open-plan kitchen too. ADEME points out that fridges and freezers run continuously, and that choosing a model that’s too large can increase energy use. |
| Installation | Measure the height, width and depth, the delivery route and the space needed to open the doors. Check the manual for ventilation requirements and make sure the model’s ambient temperature range suits the room. | I need to be able to open the doors and install the appliance in line with its manual, whether it’s going in an alcove, a warm kitchen or a utility room. |
With a fridge-freezer, a large total capacity doesn’t tell you how much room there is for chilled dishes or frozen portions. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol also assesses how well the appliance cools after a weekly shop.
Compare the usable capacity in each compartment and check that your containers, dishes and bags of frozen food will fit in the spaces provided.
An alcove that fits the appliance’s external dimensions may still be unsuitable if the doors can’t open properly or the required ventilation isn’t provided. Installation requirements vary from model to model.
Measure the space and access route, then check the manual for clearance, door opening and the permitted ambient temperature range.
ADEME points out that cooling appliances run continuously, and that choosing an oversized appliance or having more equipment than you need can increase electricity use.
Work out how much space you need for groceries and portions, then compare the kWh/year figures for appliances with similar capacities and layouts.
How you organise the contents matters just as much as the stated capacity. Anses advises against overfilling the fridge so that air can circulate inside.
Leave space around the food and monitor the temperature in the coldest area, where Anses recommends 4 °C.
These examples highlight features to compare on specific models. They don’t represent every range from these brands or the products featured below.
The KGN33NWEB is an example of a freestanding fridge-freezer with separate capacities listed for the fridge and freezer.
The French range includes both freestanding and built-in fridge-freezers, so the type of installation is a useful first way to narrow down your options.
The built-in KNR7TE75S shows why it’s important to check the required niche dimensions before choosing a model.
These five fridge-freezers combine refrigeration and freezing in one appliance. Compare their total capacity with the containers you usually use, then check how the space is divided between compartments and the installation requirements for the model you’re interested in.
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Consider how much room this four-door design takes up alongside your groceries and frozen portions. The model name lists a total capacity of 467 L, Total No Frost and an E rating. Check how the capacity is split between compartments and allow enough space to open the doors.
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If your weekly shop includes both fresh and frozen food, check that each compartment can hold the quantities you need, rather than relying on the total capacity alone. This fridge-freezer is listed with a total capacity of 390 L and a C rating. Check the manual for the required installation clearances too.
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If you alternate between dishes to keep chilled and portions to freeze, look at the usable space in each section and how the drawers are arranged. This model is listed with a total capacity of 360 L, Total No Frost, an E rating and My Zone. Check the space needed for installation too.
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For storing groceries over several days, compare the space for fresh food with the space for frozen items. The model name lists a total capacity of 344 L and a D rating. Check the energy label and manual to compare energy use and confirm the installation requirements.
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Its stated width of 54 cm may be worth considering for a narrow space, provided there’s also enough room for the doors to open and for ventilation. The model is listed with a total capacity of 262 L and a Low Frost freezer. Allow for occasional manual defrosting.
Take stock of what actually fills your compartments: vegetables, bottles, dishes, containers and frozen food, then check how much space each needs. UFC-Que Choisir gives an average guide of 100 to 150 L for one person and 50 L for each additional person, but also recommends considering how often you shop. Use this as a guide, not a substitute for checking your own quantities and containers.
Anses recommends monitoring 4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge. Check your model’s manual to find this area, and avoid overfilling the fridge so air can circulate.
No. As Electrolux Support France points out, ventilation requirements are listed in the manual or installation guide for each model. Also check that the doors can open fully and that the appliance’s permitted ambient temperature range suits the room, especially if you plan to install it in a utility room or a warm space.
No. Start by checking how much fridge and freezer space you need. If defrosting is an important consideration for you, check the maintenance requirements for the model you’re looking at. The CHiQ JR263LGE Low Frost, for example, requires occasional manual defrosting.
Take it to an appropriate collection point for electrical and electronic equipment rather than putting it out with general waste. The Ministry for the Ecological Transition points out that this equipment may contain components with environmental implications as well as recyclable materials. Ask the retailer or a collection point how to hand it in.