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Refrigeration is broken down into three basic categories: Refrigerators, Freezers and Wine Coolers. All units are available as standard freestanding, as well as builtin types. Built-in units are available as framed and overlay models.
The versatility of built-in type refrigerators is the reason for their popularity. They are available in both overlay and panelled models. The panelled models have a standard handle and metal trim which accepts a ¼” panel (a thicker panel can be installed as long as the edges are milled to ¼” to fit the trim package). Overlay models allow you to attach a cabinet panel to the front of the unit that effectively makes the refrigerator disppear into the cabinetry. One properly installed will not appear to be a fridge as even the door handles match the cabinetry handles. One advantage of builtin units is the fact that they do not protrude past the cabinets. It is important if doing renovations or building a new home to get detailed specifications for the units you are installing to ensure the cabinets and kitchen design is able to accommodate the units, and if panelling or overlaying a model the panels can be made properly.
The choice of a refrigerator and freezer is affected by space constraints, lifestyle of the purchaser, number of people living in the home. Choices are also affected by the type of home, the desired finished asthetics of the kitchen, as well as the value of the home and the length of time one plans to live in the home. Finally the budget will affect ones choices as well as whether you are paying for the appliances outright or financing them. You need to know a few things in order to purchase a refrigerator or freezer. How big is the space? Be sure and measure the actual opening or know from your kitchen designer the maximum space alotted for the unit. You would be surprised how many people go to buy a fridge only to be asked how big the space is and the purchaser never thought to measure and says about “so high.” What color do you want it to be? This is most important when matching other appliances.
Refrigerators (fridges) are fall into basically two sub-categories Fridge/Freezer units and All Fridge units. The most common refrigerators sold are integrated fridge/freezer units. Typically the freezer is about 1/3 the total unit capacity. For the sake of simplicity I will refer to these units as refrigerators. Standard refrigerators come in top freezer, bottom freezer, side by side, and drawer type units. The units are available as standard free standing, counter depth and built-in. Units with water and ice dispensers require a ¼” water line to them. If connecting the water supply to a reverse osmosis unit the line must be plastic to prevent leeching of the copper from a copper water line into the water.
Refrigerator technology has advance substantially. They use less than a 1/3 the power of 20 year old models. Some of today’s models have dual thermastats, this is important to ensure the best temperature control in both the fridge and freezer compartments. Ideally you want a freezer primary thermastat as it I the most accurate control. To determine whether a refrigerator is fridge primary or freezer primary, the unit must be plugged in. Which ever control causes the compressor to kick in will be the primary control. The reason freezer primary is better is that cold air from the freezer will move to the fridge compartment until the fridge has reached the desired temperature without causing the compressor to kick in unnecessarily. Freezer primary units have more consistent temperature control whick minimizes freezer burn and maximizes food life.
Crispers on better units have rubber seals to seal in humidity. Be sure to check the back of the crisper as many manufacturers only put seals on the front, which alone is not sufficient to seal in the humidity. Humidity and temperature controls are necessary on a crisper to ensure items, especially meat and produce, last the longest. Some manufacturers go so far as to have cold air ducts into the crisper units to maximize the freshness of the items. Crispers also have vents to allow control of humidity, however in order to work properly they require two vents across from one another. Two vents work in that they allow air to travel in and out of a crisper similar to two windows opened across from one another in a room permits air movement. Just as opeing one window makes no difference in a room so one vent really makes little difference in a crisper. Shelving has changed. Many better fridges have sealed shelves so spills don’t go thru the whole fridge and make for easier clean up. There are always a few gimmicks to sell. The crank shelf and the pullout shelf are the current gimmicks. Only if shelf movement is smooth will it not result in spills. Don’t fall for gimmicks.
Compressors have changed substantially over the years. They have become smaller and lighter which results in lower energy usage. The down side to that is the life of the compressor is shortened as they run more often for longer periods in some cases never shutting off. They can be louder as well. A word of caution when placing a fridge or freezer in an unheated room, the room must be at least 50 degrees Farenheit to prevent damage to the unit from occuring. The smaller compressors can handle the lower temperatures the old monster compressors could handle. Nor even an old fridge should be in a room that is below freezing as the self-defrost system will be destroyed, and the unit will no longer work properly. A fridge must located in an environment warm enough to allow the water to move without freezing in the system.
Doors have changed some in that milk can now be stored on the door. This however means that some space is lost in the fresh food compartment. Milk on the door sounds good but unless the manufacturer has addressed the door temperature milk will sour quicker than if left in the fresh food compartment. This is because the door temperature is a few degrees warmer, fluctuating more due to the opening and closing of the door. Some manufacturers have addressed this by adding special a compartment, which have their own air duct forcing cool air into them. Others have air ducts that force air down the front of the door ensuring it keeps cool.
Top freezer refrigerators are the most energy efficient due to the physics of the design. Since cold air falls and hot air rises a top freezer unit require minimal energy to move the air up and down relying mostly on the natural air currents. Some units are also available with water and ice dispensers. They are the least expensive you will find feature for feature.
The bottom freezer refrigerator has a door or drawer at the bottom that is the freezer section. While not quite as energy efficient due to the physics of the design they are very popular. With the drawer units you can see what is at the back of the freezer simply by pulling out the drawer which is the reason for their appeal. Some units are also available with water and ice dispensers. The only disadvantage is ice cream and other frozen treats re at the level of small children.
The side-by-side refrigerator units contain freezer on the left, and fridge on the right. They are the largest of all fridges. They range from 20-30 cubic feet and can be from 33”-48” wide. Side-by-side refrigerator units typically come with water and ice dispenser. Surprisingly for their size they have the less usuable space when compared to othe styles of same dimensions. This is due to the narrow width of the fridge compartment. I always ask a customer to visualize there cuurent fridge contents inside the unit and then add left overs from a holiday meal. Statistically about 70% of people who purchase a side-by side do not like them after having had them for a while due to the poor use of interior space.
All fridges are becoming popular due to the massive amount of usable space for food storage. They have the added advantage of being very temperature controlled as well as very energy efficient. All fridges come in a variety of styles including standard 17cubic foot units with either glass, or wire shelves. Sub-Zero, the top manufactuer of consumer refrigeration products, also produces all fridges in a large built in type, as well as a pair of undercabinet drawers.
All freezers have been standard for years as both chest and upright models. An upright model does not hold the same capacity of food as the same size chest freezer due to what I call the spillage factor. A chest freezer can be filled right to the top where as you can’t fill an upright to the very front as items will spill out. Chest freezers come in a variety of sizes from 5-25 cubic feet. Upright freezers come in 4-20cubic foot units. The advantages of an upright are the smaller footprint as well as the fact you don’t have to dig all the way to the bottom to find an item. Sub-zero also produces freezer drawer units. Upright Freezers are available in freestanding, built-in and drawer units. Freezers achieve the best energy efficiency when they are at least half full.
Wine coolers are becoming more popular not just in the bar, but in the kitchen. They are available in undercounter, freestanding and built-in units. Don’t be fooled, for a wine cooler to properly store wine of different types, they must have two separate sealed compartments with two separate controls. While other units may be adequate only a unit with separate compartments can keep wine optimally.
Are all fridges/freezers created equally? Sub-Zero may seem to have a very high price tag. The price however reflects several things. Sub-Zero units have the most stringent quality control. They have the best temperature control as well as the highest energy efficiency. Sub-Zero Units have the most versatility and styles to choose from. The Warranty is the best in the market. If you can afford one and it meets your priorities it is well worth the investment, as they will add to the value of the home when selling. They are absolutely the best fridge money can buy. In many of Sub-zeros units they utilize two compressors, one for freshfood and one for freezer. This eliminates odor transfer and humidity transfer, which minimizes the need for defrosting. The tubing in the fridge is copper, while all other manufacturers have gone to steel or aluminum tubing in the cooling systems. Copper joints are less prone to come apart and as such the system is more reliable. Each unit is tested prior to being crated which the temperture cycle chart kept on file at Sub-Zero. Each unit is hand assembled on the line rather than robot assembly. The freezer compartment has a metal liner which holds the cold better than the plastic liners of less expensive units. Also the fresh food compartment has an aliminum liner rather than plastic for the same reasons. Aluminum is used in the fresh food compartment due to the higher humidity in the compartment. If scratched aluminum will not rust. Sub-Zero units utilize electronic temperature sensors to ensure the temperature is maintained with in a very tight range. This control translates to much longer food life, especially produce.
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