Looking at buying a refrigerator, but not sure how to get started? Confused about jargon or unsure about “just the right amount or type of refrigerator” to buy then read on to discover some great tips on buying refrigerators.

Refrigerator Best Buy Tips Explained

Q. What are the types of refrigerators? How do I choose between them?

Ans: There are two main types of refrigerators:

Direct Cool:

• Popular capacity points are: 50 ltr, 100 ltr, 175 ltr, 180 ltr, 210 ltr, 250 ltr, 300 ltr

• Direct Cool refrigerators are mostly single – door.

• These come with a top mounted freezer.

Frost Free:

• Popular capacity points are: 200 ltr, 230 ltr, 260 ltr, 300 ltr, 350 ltr, 400 ltr, 450 ltr

• Frost free refrigerators are mostly two doors, though three and four door models are also available.

• These refrigerators can have a top-mounted or a bottom-mounted freezer.

Both “Direct Cool” and “Frost Free” refrigerators are available in a wide range of colors. The most popular ones currently are the premium metallic finishes, as well as two color ones.

Consider the following points of comparison between the direct cool and frost free and choose as per the benefits you seek:

Direct Cool:

Air circulation: Natural air convection system
Temperature Controls: Manual
Defrosting & Disposal: Manual defrosting and displaying of defrost water
Attainable freezer temperature: Approximately – 10 °Celsius
Benefits: Economical, low power consumption, cooling retention in event of power failure

Frost – Free:

Air circulation: Forced air circulation current
Temperature Controls: Electronic
Defrosting & Disposal: Auto defrosting and auto evaporation of defrost water
Attainable freezer temperature: Approximately – 24 °Celsius
Benefits: Uniform cooling, no ice/frost formation, auto-defrost/cooling

How does one determine the ideal capacity requirement of the refrigerator?

Ans: Consider the following important points to determine what capacity would best suit your requirements:

1. Size of the family

2. Food shopping habits for instance, if you are a weekend shopper, you’ll need more space to stock up food.

3. Type of food preferred for instance, you would need a refrigerator with a higher capacity if you need to stock non-vegetarian food.

4. Take a look at the interiors of the refrigerator, the width and height between the shelves, and make sure it is adequate to store the utensils that you use to store your food. If not, then you should look for a larger capacity.

Thumb Rule:

“A family of two needs 160 to 200 liters of fresh food space. Add 20 liters for every additional member”