Choose according to the portions you plan to refrigerate or freeze, then check the usable capacity of each compartment and how easy it is to reach your food. A fridge-freezer may be enough if its freezer can hold your portions between meal-prep sessions. A dedicated freezer is better suited to larger frozen-storage needs, while a larger fridge is mainly useful if you’re short on space for fresh food. If your current capacity is sufficient but it’s hard to find your portions, try reorganising them first.
If you need to keep your meals frozen until your next meal-prep session, compare the space available in a fridge-freezer’s freezer compartment with that in a dedicated appliance. The total capacity of a fridge-freezer doesn’t tell you how much space its freezer section alone offers.
For fresh ingredients and meals you plan to eat soon, check the net fridge capacity, shelves and coldest part of the appliance. Anses also recommends not overfilling your fridge so that air can circulate.
Look at the layout of the drawers or baskets, how much room your containers take up and how easy it is to reach stored food. Also compare the appliance’s dimensions and energy consumption before adding another appliance that will run continuously.
First, work out whether your main concern is freezer space, access to your portions, temperature control or finding room for an additional appliance.
| What to consider | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Freezer capacity | Net capacity of the freezer compartment, in L; space for the containers you plan to use. | If you prepare several portions to freeze, you’ll need to store them until your next meal-prep session. Around 36% of consumers make this capacity their priority. |
| Access and storage | Upright or chest format; size and layout of the drawers or baskets. | When portions start to pile up, you’ll want to find the one you need without moving everything else. Access and storage come before other considerations for around 29% of consumers. |
| Temperature control | Where to find the coldest part, temperature settings and air circulation. | When refrigerating food that needs careful handling, you’ll want to monitor the coldest part of the fridge without blocking airflow. This is the main priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Energy use and space | Annual energy consumption shown on the product information sheet, dimensions and space needed for installation. | If you add another appliance, you’ll need to find space for it and factor in that it runs continuously. Around 14% of consumers consider this trade-off first. |
For temperature settings, Anses recommends keeping the coldest part of the fridge at 4 °C for food that needs careful handling, and says domestic freezers should be set to -18 °C. These guidelines alone won’t tell you what capacity or layout will suit your meal prep.
The freezer compartment may account for only a small part of the total capacity. For example, Electrolux lists 62 L of freezer capacity out of the KNT6ME18S4 built-in fridge-freezer’s 248 L total net capacity.
Compare the net capacities of the two compartments separately and check that your containers will fit in the drawers of the model you’re considering.
Anses advises against overfilling the fridge so that air can circulate. A larger compartment doesn’t remove the need to organise your meals and ingredients.
Check the manual to find the coldest part and plan your storage so that air can circulate.
NoFrost is designed to prevent frost build-up, while an alarm, where included, alerts you to a situation specified by the manufacturer. Neither feature replaces checking that food is being stored correctly.
Check the features of the specific model and whether you can monitor 4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge and -18 °C for domestic freezing, in line with Anses guidelines.
ADEME points out that fridges and freezers run continuously, and that choosing a larger appliance or more equipment than you need can increase energy consumption.
Compare the annual energy consumption of the models you’re considering, measure the space available and check the installation and old-appliance collection arrangements before ordering.
The range includes fridge-freezers, including built-in models, worth considering if you’re short on space for fresh and frozen food.
The brand’s dedicated freezers come in a range of capacities and storage layouts.
Built-in fridge-freezers are worth considering if your home has a suitably sized cabinet space.
These two models are options if you’re looking for a dedicated freezer for pre-prepared portions. If you’re mainly short on space for fresh food, compare the fridge capacity of an appliance designed for that purpose instead.
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Worth considering if you want a separate freezer with several storage compartments to keep your portions apart.
The product name lists a capacity of 161 L, three freezer drawers, an LED display, an alarm and a temperature range of -14 °C to -22 °C. Check the manual for the -18 °C setting, the usable dimensions of the drawers and the space needed for installation.
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Consider this if a 99 L chest freezer is big enough for your portions and you can easily reach its contents in the space you have available.
The product name lists an adjustable thermostat, a removable basket and a sliding lid. Before choosing this model, check the internal dimensions, defrosting requirements and whether it can be set to -18 °C.
Anses recommends monitoring 4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge for food that needs careful handling. Don’t assume that the temperature is the same throughout the whole compartment. Check the manual to find this area and see what temperature settings are available on your model.
No. NoFrost relates to defrosting on models that include the feature. To store your portions, also check the net capacity, access to the storage compartments, the appliance’s dimensions and its temperature specifications.
Compare the annual energy consumption shown on the energy label, and choose appliances of a similar type and capacity to make sense of the difference. ADEME points out that fridges and freezers run continuously, and that the size of the appliance is an important part of this decision.
For goods sold by a business to an individual in France, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity applies, according to information from the Ministry of the Economy. Contact the seller and describe exactly how the appliance you received differs from its description. This legal guarantee is separate from any commercial warranty that may be offered.