Bottom Freezer
This efficient design allows you to park food and cooking ingredients that you don't use frequently lower down in your refrigerator space. The icemaker, however, stays in the top section, allowing you to devote the center of the refrigerator for food items that you need more frequent access to.
Advantages: Bottom freezers usually have drawers that slide out and take up less room when open than the other refrigerator models. All bottom freezer refrigerators put the fresh food section on top for better accessibility. Wide door storage area gives you plenty of room for big bottles, pitchers, and tons of condiments.
Shop Bottom Freezer Refrigerators
Refrigerator Storage Capacity
How big a refrigerator do you need? This depends on a lot of factors (especially the space available in the kitchen), but a general rule is to buy 4 to 6 cubic feet (cu. ft.) of refrigerator space per adult in your home. Always buy a size up to plan for extra contingency room. Full-size refrigerators range anywhere from 10 to 32 cu. ft. This essentially means that if you have a family of four, then buy a refrigerator of 20 cubic feet and above. You can also look for refrigerators with more space designed for the freezer than the refrigerator or vice versa.
Family Size
How many persons will your refrigerator support? Don't just think about your current needs. You have to consider your future capacity requirements. Are you a growing family? Are you using the refrigerator in a commercial space? Do you frequently have guests staying over? A good baseline is that a family of four can manage well with an 18-cubic-foot refrigerator. Each additional person adds up to another two cubic feet.
Measuring the Space
Where do you plan to put the refrigerator? Choosing your new refrigerator is very dependent on determining what size will fit in your kitchen. Always measure the space correctly before you shop. Especially, if you are buying a new fridge which is bigger, measure the entry passage to your home and kitchen. Check if it can fit through doorways. Measure and check tight turns and angles. Ensure there is enough space for the refrigerator's doors to swing open, and always leave a minimum of one-inch clearance around the sides and the back of the refrigerator for adequate airflow. Also, keep in mind that your refrigerator will need close proximity to electrical as well as water lines (depending on the model).
Refrigerator Placement
Counter-Depth
A counter-depth refrigerator refers to a regular, full-size refrigerator but in a size that doesn't jut out beyond your cabinets and kitchen counters. Counter-depth is nothing but the distance between the edge of your kitchen countertops and your back wall. This depth is generally between 24-27" as opposed to the 30" depth (and sometimes more) of a standard model.
Advantages: Balances in with the counter-top and gives you ample space to swing the refrigerator doors wide open without them bumping into something. The fact that the shelves are not deep means you have easier access to food and condiments. But you will need to be strategic about what you store in the refrigerator as it may not hold a lot.
Shop Counter-Depth
Built-In
A built-in refrigerator blends into the surrounding kitchen cabinetry. Its custom fit hides its visage, which lends a high-end, elegant aesthetic to the kitchen. The built-in refrigerator is typically available in a bottom-freezer and side-by-side configuration.
Advantages: Most built-in refrigerators are made with upgraded materials and components. Certain models of Built-in Refrigerators are 'Panel Ready', meaning that they have the ability to have interchangeable custom front panels that can match the aesthetics of your kitchen. These refrigerators also tend to have more luxury features such as a wine cabinet compartment or a touchpad computer system to monitor food usage/expiration.
Shop Built In Refrigerators
Drawer
Similar to built-in refrigerators, drawer refrigerators (as the name suggests) look exactly like cabinet drawers. They blend into the cabinetry completely and offer supreme aesthetics and functionality.
Advantage: Superior space-utilization as these drawer refrigerators can be merged into the cabinetry. They offer ease-of-use as they can be opened like you do any other drawer. You also get a combination of a refrigerator and freezer in the drawer design.
Shop Drawer Refrigerators
Outdoor
Do you like having friends over and hosting barbecues in your backyard? You might want to install a refrigerator out at the back for easier access. However, fluctuating temperatures, intense exposure to sunlight, and changing weather conditions, in general, all necessitate buying a refrigerator built specifically for the outdoors. Just like with any outdoor kitchen appliance, it is important to purchase a refrigerator that is durable, reliable and will perform well for many years to come. Keep in mind where you will place this outdoor refrigerator. Is it a part of an outdoor kitchen island? Will it be on your patio? This will help you decide if you want a compact outdoor refrigerator or a full-sized one. It is also important to make sure your refrigerator is placed in a covered area. The life span of the refrigerator and its performance is affected by direct sunlight or harsh weather condition.
Advantages: Outdoor refrigerators are specifically built to withstand the ever-changing outdoor environment. These refrigerators are usually built with a high-grade stainless-steel exterior and designed to withstand the harsh outdoor environment. These refrigerators typically feature a keyed lock on the front door, which is a useful feature to keep the contents of your refrigerator safe.
Shop Outdoor Refrigerators
Other Refrigerator Styles to Suit Specific Needs
Apart from the long list of options you have already explored, there are additional styles to suit specific situations or needs.
Smart Refrigerators
Many people are opting for smart home appliances these days. And, why not? They are convenient, fun, and really cool. A smart refrigerator connects to your smartphone and lets you do things like look at what's inside of it and send you shopping list reminders or view calendar entries on the refrigerator screen. It can even send you alerts if your refrigerator door has been left open.
Freezerless Refrigerators
As the name suggests, these refrigerators use the entire space inside to cool for refrigeration and not freezing. This is ideal for people who use the refrigerator only to store food temporarily and don't need a freezer function to store food long-term.
Freezers
Do you like preparing your food beforehand? Maybe you like stocking up on bulk foods or pre-cooking all of next week's meals. If that's you, then the freezer in your refrigerator can get pretty crowded. Adding a stand-alone freezer gives an elegant solution to your needs without eating up too much space. You can choose between up-right freezers or chest freezers.
Shop Freezers
Compact Refrigerators
These mini-refrigerators offer all the comfort and functionality of a traditional full-sized refrigerator in a compact way. They are ideal for adding under a bar or beverage center in your home, game rooms, home offices, dorm rooms, bedrooms, and they are even available in an outdoor avatar. Many of them also have a separate small freezer compartment. This ensures that the rest of the refrigerator maintains an even temperature throughout. They come in undercounter or built-in and freestanding avatars. The compact undercounter or built-in refrigerators can be hidden under your cabinetry. Most of the dorm room-friendly designs are freestanding compact refrigerators.
Shop Compact Refrigerators
Wine & Beverage Coolers
Do you often throw parties that require you to cool a lot of beers at once? Are you a wine connoisseur or just beginning to explore wines? Then, this cooler is certainly an essential accessory. It is vital to store your bottles of wine properly to get the most flavor. These compact specialty refrigerators often have glass doors that make them look visually appealing. The glass doors also allow you to take a quick visual inventory on what is inside the refrigerator before you reach in to pick out your choice.
Wine and beverage coolers have two models, built-in or freestanding. Built-in wine coolers are usually placed under the counter in your kitchen. Also, check out our sturdier options of wine coolers for your outdoor kitchen.
Shop Wine and Beverage Coolers
So What's the Verdict?
Premium designs and additional features are great add-ons: things like door-in-door compartments, temperature-adjustable drawers and even see-through panels that let you peer inside without opening the door.
The main question you should ask yourself is, "Which are the non-negotiable features I need in my refrigerator?"
Ask yourself the right questions, shop smart, and take home a refrigerator that will let you (and your food) chill out for years to come!
