Whether you are a professional chef, an exploratory recipe tester or just a hungry person, cooking is an integral part of your daily life. Some people, especially those in smaller households or those with busier work schedules prefer to cook their meals in bulk over the weekend, store them in a refrigerator, and then just reheat their meals every day. Others who have little time to shop for their groceries prefer to buy their veggies and meat in large quantities and stocking them up.
Whichever category you fall under, a common denominator is the fact that we all need refrigeration for our food whether cooked or uncooked. Buying a fridge can be an overwhelming experience especially if one does not know precisely what they are looking for. Different fridges will come with different features so as to satisfy the need of the the user.
Here are the factors to consider when buying a refrigerator.
1. Cost
Cost is a very important component because you need to buy a refrigerator that is within your budget. However, it is better to invest in a good model even if it’s more expensive rather than a cheap one that is not durable in the long run. You are better off topping up the balance for a double door fridge that incorporates some of the latest technologies.
2. Capacity
What are you planning to store? How large is your family? After you have answered these questions, you can be able to determine what size of fridge you want, also the space available in your house will determine which fridge capacity to to buy. Size is mostly determined by the use. A smaller household of two or four people is more likely to require a fridge with a smaller capacity than a larger household. However, if a family is constantly shopping or storing food, then they may, require a refrigerator with a larger capacity. It’s measured in litres or cubic feet.
3. No frost or direct cool
The no-frost refrigerator does not make ice on its walls and is hustle-free as you do not need to get rid of the excess water once the ice is defrosted. Unlike a few years ago when one needed to leave the freezer open for most of the day for it to defrost, most frost fridges today have a defrost button that one can use if the ice on the walls becomes too much. The direct cool refrigerator will make ice on its walls.
4. Energy saving
You do not want to end up with a fridge that consumes energy inefficiently since this leads to high electricity bills, check on the star rating on the energy saving specification list of the fridge, the higher the rating, the more better it is in energy saving.
5. Internal features
It is good to consider if the fridge is designed as a top freezer, bottom freezer, counter-depth, side by side, French door, or mini refrigerator depending on your purpose.
6. Humidity control
Different types of foods will require different levels of humidity, hence, a fridge with this feature is essential.
7. Warranty
A good fridge should offer a warranty spanning over some reasonable time so that in case it fails one can get a replacement or refund.
8. Configuration
It is good to consider if the fridge is designed as a top freezer, bottom freezer, counter-depth, side by side, French door, or mini refrigerator depending on your purpose.
9. Color
This will be to your personal taste, you can choose from stainless steel, white, black etc.
10. Aesthetics
A good should look good and make you a proud owner which will give you the flexibility to either place it in the sitting room, kitchen, or anywhere else.
