First, choose a fridge that will fit in your home. Then pick a size with enough fridge and freezer capacity for your shopping habits. A compact fridge suits limited space and a mainly fresh-food shop. A fridge with a freezer compartment works if you only buy frozen food occasionally, while a fridge-freezer gives you a separate compartment for regular frozen-food shopping. A multi-door model needs to justify the space it takes up with a genuine need for extra capacity. Then compare the energy rating and kWh/year figures of models with similar capacities.
A compact fridge is worth considering if ceiling height is limited and you mainly store fresh food. Que Choisir recommends this type for studio flats. Still, measure the space, delivery route and door clearance before choosing a model.
Compare the space for fresh and frozen food separately. If the small freezer compartment in a fridge with one door doesn’t suit your shopping habits, consider a fridge-freezer with a separate freezer compartment.
A multi-door fridge can meet a need for substantial storage, provided you have room to install it and will make good use of its capacity. Check its dimensions, compartment capacities and annual energy consumption rather than choosing based on the number of doors alone.
The right size depends both on the space available and on how much food you need to keep chilled or frozen.
Worth considering: for a studio flat or where ceiling height is very limited, and you mainly need space for fresh food.
Keep in mind: its compact size means less storage space and doesn’t guarantee enough freezer capacity.
Worth considering: if an integrated freezer compartment is enough for the occasional frozen-food shop.
Keep in mind: check the freezer compartment’s capacity and specifications before using it as a replacement for a separate freezer.
Worth considering: if your regular shop includes both fresh and frozen food that needs to be stored in separate compartments.
Keep in mind: the overall height doesn’t tell you how much space each compartment offers; check their capacities separately.
Worth considering: for a large kitchen, if your household genuinely needs a lot of storage space.
Keep in mind: it may be too bulky for a small kitchen; check the specific model’s kWh/year figure too.
| What to consider | What to check | Based on my needs |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | Measure the height, width and depth, as well as the delivery route. Check the manual for clearance requirements, installation type and door swing. | The door needs to open in my kitchen without hitting a cupboard or blocking access to the drawers. |
| Capacity and freezing | Compare fridge and freezer capacities in litres separately. For a freezer compartment, also check its freezing specifications; the European Commission’s public EPREL database lists compartment capacities separately. | I mainly shop for fresh food, or I also keep frozen food from one week to the next. These habits call for different compartment layouts. |
| Energy consumption | Check the energy rating and kWh/year figure for the exact model. ADEME recommends using the energy label as a guide; compare appliances with similar sizes, capacities and installation types. | I want to take electricity use into account without assuming that a smaller appliance always uses less energy. |
| What’s already in the property | Check which appliances are already there and that they work, then consult the manual for the installation requirements of the model you’re considering. The CAF recommends checking what equipment is provided in your first home. | Before buying, I want to know what’s already installed and what I actually still need to get. |
An appliance may fit in the space but block a drawer from opening or lack the clearance needed for installation according to its manual. Whirlpool specifies 5 cm above and 10 cm behind its freestanding fridges; these measurements don’t replace the instructions for the model you choose.
Also measure the delivery route and check any recess, ventilation requirements, hinges and door swing in the documentation for the model you’re considering.
A small integrated freezer compartment and a separate freezer compartment won’t suit the same frozen-food shopping habits. The total capacity alone doesn’t show how space is divided between the two uses.
Think about a typical week’s shopping, then compare the fridge and freezer capacities listed for each model.
An energy rating on its own isn’t enough to compare the annual consumption of appliances with different capacities. The European Commission’s public EPREL database lists details including the capacity and annual energy consumption of registered models.
Check both the rating and the kWh/year figure, comparing appliances with similar sizes, capacities and installation types.
These brand notes can help you decide what to check. They’re no substitute for reading the product information and manual for the model you choose.
Liebherr’s French range includes table-top fridges. Its buying guide also encourages you to consider your need for fridge space separately from your need for freezer space.
Whirlpool France offers a range that includes single-door fridges, fridge-freezers and multi-door models.
Bosch Home Appliances recommends checking the instructions for your model before installing a fridge-freezer.
These models showcase two options for your new home: fridge-freezers and multi-door appliances. First choose the format that suits your kitchen and shopping habits, then check the product information and manual for the model you select.
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Worth considering if you’d like to store fresh and frozen food in separate compartments. The model name lists 360 L, Total No Frost, energy rating E, Wi-Fi and My Zone. Check the capacity of each compartment and the installation clearances in the product documentation.
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This fridge-freezer is worth considering if you regularly shop for both fresh and frozen food. Its name lists 333 L, energy rating C and the NatureFRESH, DoorCooling+ and LinearCooling+ technologies. Check how the capacity is divided and confirm the dimensions in the model documentation.
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This format is for households whose storage needs and available space justify a multi-door appliance. The model name lists 467 L, Total No Frost and energy rating E. Check the fridge and freezer capacities, door clearance and required installation clearances.
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This larger model is worth considering in relation to your kitchen space and how much food you actually store. Its name lists 591 L and energy rating E. Check the dimensions, clearances and capacity of each compartment based on its configuration.
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This format may suit you if you need plenty of storage and have enough room for delivery and installation. Its name lists 488 L and energy rating E. Check the manual for door clearance, installation clearances and any connection requirements for the advertised features.
Measure the height, width and depth of the space, then check the delivery route, socket location, door clearance and installation type. Whirlpool recommends 5 cm above and 10 cm behind its freestanding fridges. For any model, and especially an integrated one, follow the dimensions and clearance requirements in its own manual.
It may be enough for occasional use if its specifications suit the food you want to store. If you buy frozen food regularly, compare its capacity and freezing specifications with those of a fridge-freezer that has a separate compartment. The French Ministry of Agriculture gives −18 °C as the reference temperature for frozen storage.
Compare the energy rating and annual consumption in kWh across fridges with similar capacities, sizes and installation types. To check the declared specifications of a specific model, the European Commission’s public EPREL database lists details including its dimensions, compartment capacities and annual energy consumption.
It could be, provided you can check its condition, dimensions, operation and energy consumption information before deciding. The CAF also advises asking for the original receipt and checking the applicable warranty terms, especially when buying from a private seller.