A fridge is one of the most important appliances in your home, influencing your eating habits and ensuring food hygiene and taste.

Refrigerators are available with different door configurations, with either the doors side-by-side, or with one door on top of the other, or as drawers.

In a top/bottom unit the freezer can be on either the top or the bottom. In a side-by-side configuration the freezer is on one side.

Some are available as built-ins, which can be disguised to look like just another cabinet. Others are the same depth as the countertop to mimic the built-in look.

Prices start at around $300 and can go up to $7000 or more for commercial or built-ins.

Top/Bottom Layout

Capacity (about 25 cubic feet) is not as much as a side-by-side

With the freezer on top you may find yourself bending down a lot to get to items on the lower refrigerator shelves.

A bottom freezer style is becoming more popular as the most accessed area (the fridge at the top) is also the most accessible.

Side-by-Side Layout

Capacity is more than a top/bottom, about 30 cubic feet.

These have narrower double doors, which is important if opening clearance is tight.

Features to look out for

• Reversible hinges (enabling right or left opening doors)
• Automatic defrosting (standard on most models)
• Pull-out, split or solid glass shelves (as an alternative to standard full-width wire shelves)
• Separate temperature or humidity controls on meat and produce compartments
• Automatic ice makers
• In-door ice and water dispensers
• Built-in wine racks
• Rack systems in the freezer section

Freestanding Fridges/Freezers

These appliances are becoming increasingly popular and require a cold water supply. They can be integrated to blend in with your kitchen by installing a top cupboard between two tall end panels.

As with other appliances, services, i.e. water and electrical, should terminate and be connected to the appliance via an adjacent cabinet. Should this not be possible, fit the services as close as possible to the rear wall. If you wish your fridge to lie flush with the adjacent cabinets you will require greater depth matching end panels to achieve the desired effect.

Counter-Depth Fridges/Freezers

Counter-depth refrigerators are reduced depth models of regular refrigerators (by about 5 in.), so only the door extends beyond the kitchen counter.

Most come with features found in full-depth models such as full-depth shelving but with other space-saving ideas.

Built-Under Freestanding Fridges/Freezers

Built-under fridges slide into a space beneath the countertop.

Installation of freestanding built-under fridges and freezers is carried out much the same as for freestanding ones but you need to add just over 3/16ths of an inch to the width of the appliance to leave sufficient space for fitting.

Feet are usually fully height adjustable and fridges or freezers are screwed to the worktop through pre-drilled holes once fitted.

For door fitting, follow the instructions supplied with the appliance. These again, will come with a template and fixings. More manufacturers allow rear leg adjustment from the front of the appliance and this makes for simpler installation.

Built-In Integrated Fridges/Freezers

Integrated built-in fridges/freezers (unlike built-under), are fitted within a furniture housing.

Some manufacturers require the doors of the housing to be fitted to the cabinet prior to fitting the fridge/freezer but recently more rely on fitting the doors direct to the appliance after fitting.

Templates and fixings should be provided and provision is made for fixing through the feet and the top of the appliance once levelling is complete. Ensure that the fridge/freezer is fitted to the correct depth to enable the correct operation of both the cabinet and appliance doors.

Again it is a good rule to avoid services to the rear of the appliance. It may be necessary to adapt the cabinet prior to fitting your built-in appliance as some cabinet manufacturers leave a back fitted to the appliance aperture. This will need to be removed to allow correct fitting of the appliance.

Appliances fitted within a housing require adequate ventilation and this is usually achieved by fitting a ventilator to the plinth.

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ATAG built-in refrigerator the KD8122AF from MAGNA Design Line is perfectly made for the discerning consumer who aspires to a seamless look for their state-of-the-art kitchen. This 196 litre built-in refrigerator will make an excellent choice for open plan kitchens, creating that clean modern look today consumers are looking for. ATAG KD8122AF promotes the best of all worlds – performance, functionality, effortless good looks, and premium ‘A+’ energy efficiency using just 0.4 kW every 24 hours.

The ATAG ATAG built-in refrigerator brings a multitude of other benefits including,
- auto-defrost, for effortless maintenance
- electronic controls for accurate temperature monitoring and control
- FastCool to quickly refrigerate large quantities of food from room temperature
- adjustable, safety-glass shelves with MAGNA design stainless steel trim
- glass shelf with bottle rack for convenient storage
- precisely controlled fresh box for storing meat, fish and dairy produce
- precisely controlled fruit and vegetable fresh box with adjustable humidity
- two lidded compartments in the door
- door compartment with bottle stabiliser
- reversible door for installation convenience
You can buy this built-in refrigerator from ATAG for approximately € 1,100.

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Steel S.p.A. has introduced large, 90cm wide side by side refrigerator to match its popular Genesi and Ascot ranges as well as stainless steel range hoods.

Just like Genesi ranges, the new refrigerators are characterised by bold and contemporary designs. Their style and flair compliment the whole atmosphere of the kitchen and offer matching colours and the latest technology. Whether you choose stainless steel or a more colourful look, the refrigerator will become the focal point for the design led kitchen. And of course, such side by side refrigerator encompasses many advanced features, including all electronic function controls, double circulation fanning, no frost systems, rapid freezing and defrosting and an ‘A’ energy rating. You can now match the colour and design of your range cooker, refrigerator and cooker hood in style and colour, perfect for your modern contemporary kitchen.

The side by side refrigerator to match with Ascot ranges and hoods, brings more subtle and traditional design, perfectly suited for custom or country style kitchen. An Ascot refrigerator with a choice of colours enhances the style of your kitchen and brings about the more traditional feel you are looking for, whilst including all the latest features for a modern kitchen. Made to the same exacting standards and incorporating the same advanced technology, side by side Ascot refrigerators have three trim options and come in chrome, brass or bronze finish.

The main features of Steel S.p.A. refrigerators at a glance include,
- 603 litre total capacity
- 377 litre refrigerator capacity
- 226 litre freezer capacity
- outside ice/water dispenser
- electronic temperature control
- double air circulation fan
- no frost system
- rapid freezing or defrost process
- humidity regulation system
- 6 tempered glass shelves
- 5 drawers
- special supports for bottle storage
- open door alarm
- upper stainless steel compartment

Other side by side refrigerators,
Britannia Nebraska side by side refrigerators
Side by side refrigerator review
American style fridge freezer
Side by side refrigerator with frameless glass front
Ilve side by side refrigerator
Stoves Accolade side by side refrigerator
Whirlpool side by side refrigerator
Bosch Linea side by side refrigerator

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Nice looking 66-bottle Frigidaire wine cooler with 11 wire shelves, electronic controls, interior light and reversible 4-layer glass door. Single zone wine cooler maintains temperature between 7°C and 18°C, and humidity above 60%, creating perfect conditions for long term wine storage. External electronic display with clock allows you to manipulate numerous smart features Frigidaire incorporated into this wine cooler, including temperature alarm, open door alarm, drinks chill alarm and holiday mode. Not available in North or South America. Contact your local Frigidaire dealer about wine cooler price, but expect to spend around 500 €.

Previously,
Frigidaire range
Frigidaire cooktop
Frigidaire refrigerator
Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer

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The Latitude refrigerator was developed with consumers’ needs in mind, offering 10 percent more space in the refrigeration compartment compared to similar size models while maintaining the same external dimensions. With 27 cu. ft. of capacity, the Latitude refrigerator is expansive, boasting the industry’s most usable interior refrigeration space based on shelf and door bin surface area, including deeper door bins, extra shelf space and an easy-to-access in-door ice maker with removable bucket. The Latitude refrigerator also includes an option to drop the refrigerator and/or freezer temperature to accommodate new food additions, all while garnering an ENERGY STAR qualification.

A recent survey commissioned by Whirlpool Corporation found that 53 percent of adults believe the refrigerator is the appliance that uses the
most energy in their home on a day-to-day basis. However, according to ENERGY STAR, a new ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerator saves enough energy to light the average household for more than 4.5 months (when replacing a refrigerator bought before 1990).

“We know that consumers want more room in their refrigerators to help manage the varying tastes of their families. With that in mind, we have designed the Latitude refrigerator to not only hold several jugs of juice and milk in each door bin, but to help make consumers’ daily lives just a little bit easier with smart solutions like an exterior dual pad dispenser with measured fill. It gives consumers the ability to dispense the exact amount of water needed for a recipe or morning coffee,” said Carolyn Torres, Whirlpool refrigeration brand manager. “Even with the added interior space and intuitive features, such as a power outage alert, the Latitude refrigerator helps conserve energy and saves money on utility bills, without sacrificing performance.”

The Latitude refrigerator brings consumers’ kitchens several innovative
features, including dispensing an exact amount of water, measured in cups, liters or ounces with a rotating faucet that allows consumers the ability to fill tall and odd-shaped containers with ease; a power outage alert that notifies consumers that there has been a power outage and the duration so they know whether or not food is safe to eat; and, the Fast Cool option, which immediately drops refrigerator and/or freezer temperatures to accommodate new food.

The Latitude refrigerator is available in white, black, stainless steel and Satina finish with an MSRP starting at $2,599.

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The new compact 24 bottle wine cellars from Ellemme come in 5 models with electronic controls and LCD displays – Cubic, Soft, Lounge, Future and Luxe. The highest quality materials include maple, oak, leather, stainless steel, Anti UV double glass. LED light subtly illuminates all 24 bottles. Ellemme. Previously, Ellemme winebag.

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This high-quality small wine refrigerator is dual zone Caso Duet with 12 bottle capacity, 6 for red and 6 for white wine. Caso equipped this small refrigerator with blue LED temperature displays for each zone, separate LED lights, 4 shelves and stainless steel door with large glass window so you can delight yourself with a sight of few fine bottles. Thanks to the two separate cooling systems, you have individual temperature adjustment for each zone between 7°C and 18°C. The small wine refrigerator is also whisper quiet with noise levels not exceeding 25 dBA. Measuring just 53W x 34W x 50D cm, Caso Duet 12 sells for € 230.

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Bosch revamped its iconic Classic refrigerator, redesigning the interior and adding new colours. With its compact and pudgy shape, rounded corners and the distinctive chrome handle, Bosch Classic refrigerator is a fascinating blend of old world charisma that is never out of fashion, and modern technology. Since 1949, this fridge has been reinventing itself, surviving ever changing design trends by taking into account the changing needs and desires of consumers.

The interior of the relaunched ‘A+’ energy rated Bosch Classic has everything that makes up modern refrigerators from Bosch. Anti-bacterial protection throughout the fridge, transparent drawers, spacious compartments, large vegetable tray, bottle rack, a four-star freezer compartment with ice cube tray, three height-adjustable safety glass shelves and a flexible interior door design with 5 bins. The bright halogen lamps provide comfortable, glare-free lighting. Available in black, white, cappuccino, red or quartz for around 1,750 €.

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This convenient one bottle chiller has adjustable temperature range from 5°C to 50°C and is also ideal for keeping your wine warm. Caso Wine Control unit has LED display, knob temperature control, and wine holder with aluminum interior and soft rubber pads. Horizontal and vertical position, low noise. Price is € 80. Caso.

Other one bottle wine chillers,
Single bottle wine cooler
Single bottle wine chiller and warmer
Waeco wine mini cooler
Waring Pro wine chiller

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Thanks to updates to federal energy appliance standards, all of today’s major home appliances do use much less energy. If you’ve got a product you use often like a refrigerator, washing machine or other major home appliance that is 10 to 15 years old or more, you’ll probably offset the purchase price of a new one by saving enough money on its energy use in the coming years.

I know it might not seem to make a lot of sense, especially in today’s economy, to replace a major appliance that seems to be working well just because it’s old. But this could cut monthly utility bills substantially.

Just like the purchase price of a new car is actually what you pay the dealer to buy it, pay the mechanic over time to maintain it, and pay the gas station over time to fuel it, appliances also need to be viewed as having the same types of actual costs.

A new refrigerator, for example, that carries the government’s ENERGY STAR designation showing that it greatly exceeds current minimum standards will probably save $1,000 or more over its lifetime compared to an older model.

The yellow EnergyGuide labels that come with major appliances show the estimated annual energy consumption of the model and other information regarding its energy efficiency. They also show where the appliance fits into the range of energy consumption of comparable products.

Most new appliances probably will last for many years, and energy-efficient models will continue to pay you back with lower energy costs over their lifetimes.

Check out the ENERGY STAR Web site that gives information on special offers, sales tax exemptions or credits, rebates and other discounts on energy-efficient products in your area at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction rebate.rebate—locator.

You also ought to look around your home to see how many products you’ve got plugged into electrical outlets. About 20 percent of the average family’s utility bill goes toward powering these home appliances. It’ll help you appreciate the importance of buying efficient products.

One shopping tip that can help save money is to buy only the features you need. If you figure a certain-sized refrigerator is best for your family, don’t be tempted to get a bigger one. Will you use the through-the-door water dispenser or the ice maker? If so, they can be great features. If not, they add not only to the purchase price but to the unit’s energy use as well.

The bottom line is simple. When buying an appliance for your home, keep in mind that the cost of the energy to operate it over its lifetime will very likely be more than you’re paying for it. Purchasing an energy-efficient model makes a lot of sense.

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