Buying a fridge freezer - what to look for?

Brendan Burgess

Founder
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I have a noisy fridge freezer and have had it for years. Time for a change.

What should I be looking for?

Stand alone - not integrated.
Fridge on top.
Frost free - is that standard?
Quiet - see below
Energy rating - I see that some are A and others are E. Seems like a big difference.

Quiet
How will I know in the shop if a fridge freezer is quiet or not?
 
Bought that exact Bosch 2 + years ago (looks exactly the same at any rate).

Frustrating design, the freezer bin at the top has a very small retaining back wall which means stuff constantly falling onto the shelf which results in me constantly bending down, searching and retrieving it.

Terrible design.

LED bulb also needed to be replaced.

Bosch is trading on a once great name. Will not be buying again.

Edit- slightly different as mine has an LED display at front.
 
If you opt out of installation, then it may be just to your front door ! When making a purchase, make sure the removal of the old one will be done too ( need to have the old one powered down, emptied , dry before hand ) and that they'll bring the new replacement into the house. As @Fortune mentioned, installation is unpacking & plugging in (they might even leave the packaging with you ! )
 
dB rating, efficiency are the key specs as is of course 50/50, 70/30. Nice to have like door alarms, boost mode etc.

Imo you can’t go far wrong with Bosch. They are the same family as Siemens and Gorenje also, one branded as more expensive, one as cheaper.
 
Brendan Burgess said:
What installation is involved in a fridge if it's free standing? Do you not just plug it in?
Click to expand...
Just plugging it in for a fridge, but some might not be able to manage moving them into position or have support nearby I guess.

Whatever you do, don't plug it in straight away. Let it sit upright for a time to allow to the compressor oil that might have been disturbed during transport to settle. The manual will state how long they recommend.

To keep a fridge running as quietly as possible ensure it is stable (most legs have adjusters) and there is plenty of space for airflow around the coils at the back to let the heat escape.
 
Persia said:
Powercity
Click to expand...

Good point. Is any particular retailer better than the others?
Harvey Norman
DID
Powercity

Update: Seems to be Expert Electrical ...

Customer service and pricing - Power City, D.I.D. or Harvey Norman

Need to get a few large electrical items and just wondering who are the best company to purchase from, from a customer service and pricing point of view? I'm thinking in terms of either Power City, D.I.D. or Harvey Norman. I see there is a very dated thread here but it doesn't include views...
www.askaboutmoney.com
 
As a Landlord and someone who goes through a lot of washing machines etc. I always settle on a make and model then price around to get best deal.

9 times out of 10 I've found Powercity to be the most competitive on price. Others may have a different experience.

Dont forget to register the appliance for warranty, bit of a chore.
 
Brendan Burgess said:
What installation is involved in a fridge if it's free standing? Do you not just plug it in?
Click to expand...
And adjust the screw in feet so that it's leveled properly for your floor and maybe marginally tilted back so that the doors automatically fall closed.

Depending on your preference you might also want to switch the doors so that they are hinged on the left hand side rather than the right - or vice versa.
 
Brendan Burgess said:
Frost free - is that standard?
Click to expand...

If frost free definitely means self-defrosting then it is a must as having to defrost machine yourself is painful.

Of late I have found DID and Harvey Norman best. Some reviews for Power City are very bad.

Friends regularly complain about fingerprints staining the silver version of machines and find themselves constantly wiping away the prints.

I find vegetable box at bottom of fridge very handy for storing stuff.

Ice compartment on doors of fridge seem like a terrible waste of space to me. I know someone who bought one like that and did not get the connection hooked up so making it even more of a waste of space.

Bosch, Siemens are reputable brands and Miele are very good but expensive. Miele say that their machines will last for maybe 20 years. Have found that some of their machines can be double the price of others but any that I have bought have lasted a long time.

Depending on your usage I would have thought 50/50 would be best but if you don't store a lot of frozen stuff then 70/30 might suffice.
 
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