Living alone with space under the worktop
If height is limited and you don’t buy much frozen food, consider a tabletop fridge. Compare its fridge capacity with your usual shopping and check how much room its small freezer compartment offers.
Which size is right for you?
Renter who sometimes buys frozen food
A slim freestanding appliance may suit you, as long as you check how much space it actually has for frozen food. UFC-Que Choisir says three stars indicate food can be kept at −18 °C, while four stars also allow fresh food to be frozen.
Small household that freezes meals in advance
A fridge-freezer with a separate freezer can make it easier to store fresh shopping and food for freezing, provided its height, depth and door clearance work in your kitchen.
What should you check before choosing?
Start with the space available, then consider how much of your shopping needs to be kept chilled or frozen.
Tabletop fridge
Consider this if: the height under your worktop is the main constraint and you only buy frozen food occasionally.
The trade-off: the small freezer compartment may limit how much you can store, even if it has a four-star rating.
Single-door fridge with freezer compartment
Consider this if: most of your shopping is fresh and you only need a small amount of freezer space.
The trade-off: the presence of a ‘freezer’ tells you neither its capacity nor its star rating.
Compact fridge-freezer
Consider this if: you regularly buy frozen food or freeze meals in advance.
The trade-off: a narrow appliance isn’t necessarily short. For example, the Candy CCG1S 518EWX is 179.4 cm tall, according to Candy France.
| Factor | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Compare the appliance’s overall width, height and depth with the space available and the route into your home. Allow enough room for the door to open and follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions. | I need to be able to install the appliance and open its door without blocking the way around my small kitchen. |
| Fridge capacity | Check the fridge capacity in litres separately from the total capacity. UFC-Que Choisir suggests an average of 100 to 150 L for one person, plus 50 L for each additional person. | If I shop for several days at a time or cook in advance, I’ll check how much room there is for fresh food rather than just looking at the headline capacity. |
| Freezing | Check the freezer compartment’s capacity in litres and its star rating. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between three stars for keeping food at −18 °C and four stars for also freezing fresh food. | A few occasional frozen items won’t take up as much room as regular frozen shopping or meals I want to freeze. |
| Living space | Compare the stated noise levels of the models you’re considering. For food safety, Anses recommends checking the temperature regularly and aiming for 4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge. | In a room where I sleep or work, the appliance’s noise matters just as much as being able to store food without overfilling the fridge. |
| Energy use | Check the annual energy consumption in kWh on the label for the exact model, as well as its energy rating. | I want to compare appliances that I can actually fit, rather than guessing their energy use from their size alone. |
What mistakes should you avoid?
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Looking only at the total capacity
Two appliances with a similar total capacity can have different amounts of space in the fridge and freezer. The Beko France product details for the RDSA240K40WN and Candy France details for the CCG1S 518EWX give freezer capacities of 46 L and 64 L respectively.
Compare each capacity separately with the kind of food you usually buy.
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Assuming all freezer compartments are the same
UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between keeping food at −18 °C in a three-star compartment and freezing fresh food in a four-star one. However, the star rating doesn’t tell you how much food you’ll be able to fit inside.
Check both the star rating and the capacity. If you freeze your own meals, also check the exact model’s freezing capacity.
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Measuring the width and nothing else
A narrow appliance can still be tall: Hisense France lists the RB343D4WDE as 55 cm wide and 180 cm tall.
Measure the depth and height too, as well as the route into your kitchen and the space needed to open the door.
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Forgetting about noise and temperature in a studio flat
In a single-room home, the stated noise level can help you choose between models. Keeping food safely chilled also means monitoring the temperature: Anses recommends 4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge.
Compare the noise level of the exact model, then check the temperature regularly once it’s installed.
Which branded models should you compare?
These models show the differences in size and capacity split. Their specifications apply to the models listed, not to every appliance from each brand.
Beko
Beko France’s range includes the TSE1285N tabletop fridge and the slim, two-door RDSA240K40WN fridge-freezer.
- According to Beko France, the TSE1285N offers 101 L of fridge space and a 13 L, four-star freezer compartment, and is 54 cm wide.
- The RDSA240K40WN has 177 L of fridge space and 46 L of freezer space, and is also 54 cm wide. Make sure its other dimensions suit your available space too.
Candy
Candy France offers slim, freestanding fridge-freezers for kitchens where there’s room for a taller appliance.
- According to Candy France, the CCG1S 518EWX is 54.5 cm wide and deep, with 186 L of fridge space and 64 L of freezer space.
- At 179.4 cm tall, you’ll need to check that it fits in your chosen spot and can be brought into your home.
Hisense
The RB343D4WDE is a freestanding fridge-freezer that illustrates the trade-off between width and height.
- Hisense France lists a total capacity of 268 L and a width of 55 cm.
- At 180 cm tall, this model won’t suit every small kitchen.
Compact fridge-freezers on Joybuy
These two fridge-freezers offer separate spaces for fresh and frozen food. Compare their dimensions with your kitchen before choosing between their different capacities.
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Comfee' RCB169WH2(E), 174 L fridge-freezer
Consider this fridge-freezer if you want to keep fresh food separate from frozen food and have enough height for it. The product title lists a height of 150 cm, a four-star freezer, Low Frost technology, a reversible door and a stated noise level of 39 dB. Check the full dimensions and the clearance needed for installation.
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CHiQ JR227LSE, 227 L silver fridge-freezer
This model has 153 L of fridge space and 74 L of freezer space, so compare these capacities with how much fresh and frozen food you usually buy. The product title lists a width of 54 cm, a four-star freezer, Low Frost technology and a reversible door. Check its height and depth, and make sure there’s enough room to get it into your home before buying.
Frequently asked questions
What fridge capacity should one person look for?
UFC-Que Choisir suggests an average usable capacity of 100 to 150 L for one person, plus 50 L for each additional person. Tailor your choice to how often you shop, and compare the fridge capacity separately from the freezer capacity.
Is a freezer compartment enough to store frozen food?
That depends on its star rating and capacity, not just the word ‘freezer’. According to UFC-Que Choisir, three stars indicate that food can be kept at −18 °C, while four stars also allow fresh food to be frozen. Then check that the compartment is large enough for your shopping.
What temperature should I check in the fridge and freezer?
Anses recommends checking the fridge regularly and aiming for 4 °C in its coldest part. It explains that freezing food at home at −18 °C stops bacteria from multiplying, but most micro-organisms survive.
What should I do with my old fridge in France?
When replacing an appliance, ADEME says you can hand your old refrigeration appliance to the retailer or delivery driver. You can also take it to the electrical and electronic equipment collection area at a household waste recycling centre.