How to Choose the Best Refrigerator Style for Your Home

Refrigerators are often the centerpiece of well-designed kitchens. Perhaps it’s because of their enormous size, these essential appliances almost always steal the show. After all, there’s no hiding a refrigerator. That being said, when it’s time to pick out a new one for your kitchen, it’s important to put some real thought into what style refrigerator would look best in your space. On top of this, it’s just as essential to figure out what refrigerator style will serve you and your food storage habits best.

Different style refrigerators are made with different kinds of consumers in mind. When it comes to refrigerators, there really isn’t a “one size fits all” model that will make everyone happy. Fortunately, there are enough unique styles that everyone should be able to find a refrigerator that meets their storage needs.

What Kind of Refrigerator Styles Are There?

As far as refrigerator styles go, there are five main styles that you’ll find on the market if you’re shopping around: top freezer refrigerator, side-by-side refrigerator, bottom freezer refrigerator, French door refrigerator, and mini-refrigerator.

Top-Freezer Refrigerators

The top freezer refrigerator is the most traditional refrigerator on the market. For this reason, top freezer refrigerators are often the most economical choice. Top freezer refrigerators have the freezer section placed at the top of the appliance, with the remaining lower part of the appliance serving as a refrigerator. These fridges are easy to fit into most kitchens, and they can often be adjusted to open from either side, making them a convenient choice for many shoppers.

As far as downsides, top freezer refrigerators often require that users bend down to access the refrigerator portion of the appliance. This can be a pain for taller people, as well as an inconvenience when reaching for something that is stored at the back of a shelf.

Side-by-Side Refrigerators

As its name implies, side-by-side refrigerators split the refrigerator and the freezer down the middle of the appliance, opening from the center outwards. Often, the refrigerator side of the appliance gets a little bit more space than the freezer side. Because of the vertical setup of a side-by-side refrigerator, they boast large amounts of shelf space on the doors themselves. This asset can make organization quite a bit easier in side-by-side refrigerators.

Additionally, side-by-side refrigerators are an excellent pick for shoppers dealing with narrow kitchen spaces, as they can easily fit into most kitchen nooks.

Bottom-Freezer Refrigerators

Bottom freezer refrigerators are quite similar to top freezer refrigerators, only that the freezer and refrigerator sections are flipped. For this reason, bottom freezer refrigerators are often much more convenient because users don’t have to bend down to grab an item from their fridge.

Like top freezer refrigerators, bottom freezer refrigerators are a popular refrigerator style on the market and are similarly priced to top freezer refrigerators. However, unlike top freezer refrigerators which use a swinging door for the freezer section of the fridge, bottom freezer refrigerators use a drawer-style freezer door.

French Door Refrigerators

The French door refrigerator is one of the fancier models of refrigerators. The style combines the refrigerator portion of a side-by-side with the pull-out drawer freezer of a bottom freezer refrigerator. For those with large kitchen spaces, the French door refrigerator is an in-demand appliance. Door shelving, internal shelving, and internal drawers are included in the French door refrigerator, which is intelligently designed to keep you from straining your back and save space.

Additionally, many French door refrigerators save energy because of the two-door approach, Refrigerators loose cold air every time a door is opened, so by having two smaller opening doors instead of one large one, French door refrigerators limit the amount of cold air spilling out.

Mini Refrigerators

Mini refrigerators are popular amongst students because of their small size. If you’re working with a small space, these refrigerators are probably compact enough to fit into it. Because they’re smaller, mini-fridges also use less energy and cost significantly less to purchase. While not a full-size refrigerator, mini-refrigerators are an excellent alternative for those spending on a tight budget.

How to Make Your Decision

Deciding on a refrigerator is something that takes time. Depending on your cooking habits, kitchen space, and budget, you’ll want to carefully evaluate which refrigerator will best serve you.

Resources— PC Richard & Son, Compact Appliance, Boston Appliance

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