Refrigerators do not come cheap and neither are these important kitchen appliances changed every four to five months. Buying a new refrigerator as such is a big decision, which warrants that you feature in a lot of important factors before finally settling on any one. The decision to buy a new refrigerator may have been necessitated by a host of factors. Maybe your family has grown and your refrigerator is failing to properly take care of your expanding needs. Or maybe, it is hogging energy like anything shooting your electricity bill through the roof. However, the moment you walk into a store or begin your hunt for a new refrigerator on popular e-commerce sites, you are likely to come across a slew of models and brands with different configurations, sizes and features. All this could prove to be too overwhelming for you and confuse the daylights out of you.
But the time is now and we know that. What has brought you here is your need for a detailed explanation of all the aspects to consider before buying a new refrigerator. And we can assure you that you are just going to get that. We’ve created this buying guide to facilitate your decision making process. Here we list in simple details everything that one must know and understand to bring home with confidence the all-important kitchen appliance. These days, refrigerators do so much more than keep our food fresh and our water chilled. It’s a gathering place for preparing family meals. Here are all the aspects you should consider before purchasing a new refrigerator and you’ll be well on your way to buy a good refrigerator and save big in the process.
Capacity of the refrigerator
The capacity of a refrigerator is measured in litres. Refrigerators these days are available in a variety of sizes to take care of your needs. The best way to go about the business and ensure that you bring home an appropriate capacity refrigerator is to factor in the size of your family. This determines the amount of food you will be keeping inside your fridge. For a small family with a single child, a refrigerator of 150 to 250-litre should be sufficient. For a larger family consisting of four to five people, you might want to opt for a 500-litre refrigerator. Opt for 250 to 350-litre fridge if there’s two children in your family. Larger families consisting of six to seven people will of course require a big refrigerator with a capacity of anywhere between 550 to 850 litres.
In addition to the capacity, there are refrigerators having capacity of 40 to 100 litres. Needless to say, you will buy one only if you live alone. Please remember that it is a general guideline and there is no hard and fast rules attached with it. We have listed the capacity and the size of the family to give you a fair idea about what size refrigerator can best fit your needs. Sometimes, you might need refrigerators having higher capacity despite of being living alone or having a small family due to your own living standards and requirements. So it’s always advisable to properly assess your requirements before making a final decision about the capacity.
Look for the ENERGY STAR certification
This is no brainer as ENERGY STAR is the simple choice for saving on your electricity bills, some extra money and of course protecting the environment. After heating gadgets, geysers and air conditioners, refrigerators are most probably the largest consumer of electricity in your house. Advancements made in the technology has ensured that refrigerators today come with much better insulation and compressors. This means they use much less energy than their previous generation counterparts. In fact, a fridge which is seven to ten years old is likely to consume twice as much electricity as a brand new ENERGY STAR certified model. You can save at least a couple of thousands of rupees every year and reduce your carbon footprint as well by bringing in a new refrigerator with a higher star rating.
Space
Another important factor you need to keep in mind is the amount of space available in your house. See the measurements of the refrigerator and see whether you have ample space in your home or kitchen for it. Apart from this, never ignore that need some space for your fridge doors to open, and for this you will need minimum an inch of space both at the top and the back to let the heat escape easily. Sometimes, your door size, the staircase or the shortage of space in the elevator also act as a hindrance to buying a large sized refrigerator.
Opt for a fridge with a Top-Mounted Freezer
Refrigerators in the markets are available with top freezer, bottom freezer, and side-by-side freezer. You should opt for refrigerators with top freezer as they consume the least amount of electricity. And these refrigerators are competitively priced as well.
Looking to buy Double or 2 door refrigerator online in India? Research well about the brands offering double door refrigerators and consider your needs well. Then buy from a brand that meets your requirements the best.
