For a weekly shop and regular frozen food, start by working out how much space you need in each compartment. A fridge freezer may be enough if its capacities suit what you buy. If you often run out of room, consider a more spacious model. If your current fridge already meets your needs for fresh food, a separate freezer could provide extra space for frozen food, provided you have a suitable second spot for it. Then check the dimensions, door clearance, ventilation requirements in the manual, kWh/year and noise level.
If you put away lots of fresh food in one go, check how much room is left once the fridge is full and how quickly the model returns to temperature. Que Choisir includes a full weekly shop in its fridge freezer testing protocol.
The freezer’s capacity matters just as much as the total volume. Check the drawer layout too, especially if you store multipacks or home-cooked meals.
Compare the appliance’s footprint and stated noise level, then measure the delivery route, door clearance and the space required around it according to the manual.
Consider this if: you want fresh and frozen food in one appliance, and both compartments have enough room for your usual shop.
Trade-off: the total capacity doesn’t tell you how much space is reserved for the freezer.
Consider this if: you regularly run out of room for fresh food and prepared meals, but still want an integrated freezer.
Trade-off: check that the height, width and depth will fit in your kitchen and along the delivery route.
Consider this if: you need a large total capacity with several storage zones and have enough room for the appliance.
Trade-off: check how the capacity is split between fresh and frozen food. A high total capacity alone may not meet your needs.
Consider this if: your current fridge already has enough room for fresh food, but you need more space for frozen food.
Trade-off: you’ll need a second spot for it, a power supply and room for its energy consumption in your budget.
| Criteria | What to check | How it suits my needs |
|---|---|---|
| Space in each compartment | Compare the usable capacity of the fridge and freezer separately, in litres. Check the size and layout of the drawers too. | I need to put away my shopping without running short of room for either fresh or frozen food. |
| Freezing fresh food | If you regularly freeze meals, check the stated freezing capacity in kg/24 h. Don’t confuse it with storage capacity. | I sometimes prepare several portions to freeze on the same day, on top of the frozen food I already store. |
| Installation | Measure the height, width and depth, delivery access and door clearance. Follow the manual’s requirements for clearance and airflow; Electrolux recommends leaving space for air to circulate around the appliance. | A large appliance needs to fit all the way through to my kitchen and have enough room for its doors to open once installed. |
| Temperature stability | For the exact model, look for tests that assess cooling after loading and when doors are opened. Que Choisir’s testing protocol includes a full weekly shop simulation. | After doing the shop, I fill the fridge in one go and then open it several times. |
| Energy use and noise | Compare kWh/year and the stated noise level in dB(A) for appliances with a similar capacity and format. The French Ministry of the Economy says that the energy label shows annual consumption in kWh. | Energy use adds up over time. I also pay attention to noise in an open-plan kitchen. |
A large capacity doesn’t tell you how much room is available for frozen food. Que Choisir recommends taking into account how often you shop and how much frozen food you eat.
Make a list of what you usually bring home from a shop, then compare the capacity of each compartment and the usable space in the drawers.
Samsung France lists the multi-door RF65DG960ESL as 912 mm wide. Make sure that measurement also works for your access route and door clearance.
Check the delivery route, the final position and the clearances required in the manual for the model you choose.
If an appliance won’t fit through the access route or can’t be installed in the planned spot, you may need to rearrange the delivery or your kitchen layout.
The rating letter alone doesn’t tell you the annual energy use of appliances with different capacities. The French Ministry of the Economy says the energy label also shows a figure in kWh/year.
Compare the kWh/year with each compartment’s capacity, and look at appliances in similar formats.
This feature alone doesn’t tell you how a model performs after a full shop. Que Choisir includes this kind of loading in its testing protocol.
If temperature stability is important to you, look for test results for the exact model number.
Models to consider if you’re deciding between a fridge freezer and a separate upright freezer.
A multi-door model to consider if your household needs a large capacity and has suitable space.
Multi-door formats to consider if interior organisation matters when putting away your shopping.
This selection includes fridge freezers and a side-by-side model, so you can compare different amounts of storage for fresh and frozen food.
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This fridge freezer combines storage for fresh and frozen food, making it suitable for shopping that needs to last several days. The product title lists a total capacity of 360 L, Total No Frost, an E rating, Wi-Fi and My Zone. Compare the capacity of each compartment with what you buy, and check the dimensions and clearances required in the manual.
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This fridge freezer has a total capacity of 316 L, which you can compare with the space you need for fresh and frozen food. Its product title lists a D rating and Total No Frost. Check the capacity of each compartment and the stated noise level, particularly if you have an open-plan kitchen.
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Its stated width of 54 cm is worth considering if space is tight. The product title specifies a height of 176 cm, a 70/30 split and Low Frost. Check that the freezer has enough space for your shopping and that you can still allow for the required installation clearances.
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This side-by-side format offers plenty of storage for fresh and frozen food, provided you have a suitable space for it. Its product title lists 333 L of fridge capacity, 192 L of freezer capacity, 37 dB and an E rating. Measure your access route and check the full dimensions and kWh/year before choosing.
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The stated capacities make it easy to compare this fridge freezer with the way you usually shop. Its product title lists 182 L of fridge capacity, 71 L of freezer capacity, 39 dB and No Frost. Check the dimensions and kWh/year before deciding if this format is right for you.
Que Choisir suggests allowing 100 to 150 L for one person, then an extra 50 L for each additional person. If your household regularly buys frozen food, compare the freezer capacity separately too: the total capacity alone won’t tell you how much freezer space you have.
Measure the space, delivery route and room needed to open the doors, then follow the clearances specified in the model’s manual. Electrolux recommends leaving space for air to circulate around a fridge freezer.
Anses recommends keeping the coldest part of the fridge between 0 and +4 °C. Check the appliance’s temperature and find this area so you can store the food that needs to be kept there.
No. No Frost is a feature, not a measure of how well a model maintains its temperature after being loaded. To compare temperature stability, look for tests of the exact model number. Que Choisir’s testing protocol includes a full weekly shop, for example.