Which Refrigerator is Right For Me

 

• The most Important thing at-a-glance: various designs and sizes available
• Devices usually slightly more energy efficient
• Side-by-Sides only for very large households useful
• Selection of substructure-enabled refrigerators is relatively small
• as of March 2021, there is a new EU-energy label

 In the case of cooling you have-in wardrobes spoilt for choice: with and without a freezer compartment, fridge-freezer or Side-by-Side. (Images: amazon.de)

If your 20 year old refrigerator has blessed the Time, or its consumption of your current drives bill to dizzying heights, but even then, if you are setting up your first apartment is a refrigerator purchase.

The market selection is huge, but with a couple of questions – and of course the appropriate answers – you can restrict the circle of eligible cooling quickly restrict. Your kitchen is already the answer to the first question:

Built-in refrigerator or a freestanding model?

If you already have a fitted kitchen, is set the niche for the fridge. It is, in principle, only to the fact that at the time of their selection, the device dimensions are niche compatible.

To make life easier, you should also observe how the furniture can front install. There are two systems: the Schlepptür or a fixed door Assembly. In the case of a fixed door Assembly, the door is tightly screwed to the refrigerator door, in the Schlepptür all depends on hinges. When you Open and Close the doors slide on rails along. Even if a conversion of Schlepptür to a fixed door at about Liebherr appliances is possible, you can save yourself crafts, if you note at the time of purchase the "right" type of installation. Influence on the look of your kitchen towing or a fixed door not in the Other: On the furniture front, no difference can be seen.

The selection in the status of devices is generally larger than in the case of refrigerators for installation. To grab whatever device you have, also depends quite significantly from the existing space. Not every small Apartment, for example, provides space for a massive Side-by-Side refrigerator that is not in the rule, only quite wide but also quite deep - not to mention the fact that the capacity of such a giant can usually exploit only multi-person households really full.

Most of the stand devices now also has impressive looks. From an ugly white block, the blighted, the kitchen, are a lot of models far. The manufacturers offer the most refrigerators in addition to the classic White and also in stainless steel finish (inox). Our tip especially for households with small children: Choose a stainless steel model with anti-finger print, the number of cleaning rags to keep the stakes as low as possible. There are also refrigerator models in bright Red, deep Black and, in particular, in the case of the Retro-refrigerators in the 1950s, optic many pastel shades (light blue, beige, pink, etc.).

Note: If you have a new refrigerator put, can your old device disposal. But how and where? How to explain to you how and what to note.

 Which refrigerator brand do I choose?

Devices stand in comparison is usually a bit more efficient

When it comes to energy efficiency, are free of cabinets of the cooling, on average, still more fuel efficient than their Fitted counterparts. A major reason: you have simply more space for a thick insulation. Recirculation systems and No Frost technology that can be used in devices of both types, but ensure that the Installation of refrigerators for the economy to catch up.

(Full-space)refrigerators without a freezer compartment: to determine the correct size

The most widespread are still simple refrigerators, either with or without a built-in freezer. They are available in various Sizes, ranging from around 80 centimeters in maximum height of up to about 200 centimeters. Built-in appliances are not standardised to a certain height, what is true in the case of prior devices necessarily. The net capacity is moving in two groups of between 100 and 350 liters.

For the evaluation of your own requirements, you can of a rough rule of thumb assume: Single - and Couple-households in need of around 150 litres, for each additional Person, another 60 litres.  A large family household of four persons can be so in need of a good 250 to 300 litres. This information relates only to the pure cooling area.

Refrigerators with the freezer: Terminus Pizza and French fries

If you have no space for a separate freezer, but at any time on your favorite ice cream want to access, a refrigerator with freezer. The built-in Eisfächer have not, however, usually more than 30 litres in volume, in fact, they are usually even less than 20 litres. That's enough only for smaller amounts, for example, one or two packs of ice and a couple of pizzas or packs of frozen vegetables. A big bag of fries can bring the Department to its limits. For Single - or Couple-households may be sufficient for a solution - for larger families or people who cook for the whole week, and their meals serving freeze is a fridge in the freezer compartment, however, simply too small.

In addition, refrigerators with a freezer compartment usually is clearly inefficient, since the insulation of the freezer compartment takes place only inadequately and is always cold from the freezer in the cold room escapes. This, in turn, provides for ice covering on the back wall, and for an increase in energy costs. There are economical exceptions, among other things, of Bauknecht and Liebherr. However, you need to expect significantly higher cost.

Fridge-freezers – what you should know

The KGE36AI42 from Bosch offers plenty of space with low power consumption. 

If you really need a freezer, you should better to a refrigerator-freezer combination attack. This is a freezer on your own door. The freezer volume is added to about 50 to 100 liters (with rare exceptions of up to 120 litres), often in the Form of three to four drawers. Modern devices extract offer systems on telescopic rails.

It is advantageous, if you have a fridge-freezer with No Frost technology select. This saves you a lot of work, because a regular, for most people, rather the hassle of defrosting is eliminated. In addition to this comfort No Frost offers a further advantage: The System prevents thick ice, which would inevitably lead to a higher electricity. Thus, it helps to keep your electricity bill in check. Refrigerator-freezer combinations with and without No Frost, it is mainly as a free-standing, but also as a built-in solutions.

Side-by-Side refrigerators – best for big households

Just something for large households. The GSL361ICEZ from LG offers gigantic 663 liters of volume. 

If there is a number greater can, you can also to the largest class of attack: the Side-by-Side refrigerators. These giants offer a total of often more than 500 litres of useable volume, of which alone 300 to 350 litres are attributable to the cooling area. The freezer can be found here, either - as in the case of refrigerator-freezer-refrigerators - bottom (French Door models) or behind one of two doors (usually left).

In particular, "American refrigerators" with No Frost and A++ or even A+++ are now quite energy efficient. Provided that you take advantage of its capacities to the full. Because nothing is so inefficient as a well-cooled, empty fridge.

Our tip is therefore to Think carefully about whether you need huge space and gizmos, such as ice and water dispenser really. In many cases, a fridge-freezer is likely to be sufficient combination.

Refrigerators in the Test: pay attention To what test magazines, such as, for example, the Stiftung Warentest?

Refrigerators belong, fortunately, to household appliances, which are legal and tested often. The Stiftung Warentest for example, brings out every year a large comparison test with numerous refrigerator models.

Small, cheap, good: Bomann model makes a lot of right. 

In the current Test from the beginning of 2020, was rated by the Tester 20 freestanding refrigerators, including 15 full-room cooling cabinets of various heights, as well as five refrigerators with integrated freezer compartment. In the case of the high-aufgeschossenen cooling to 1.89 cm height of a model by Bosch, Liebherr and Siemens had to restrict the front.

If you only have a small under the kitchen worktop, under the sliding fridge need or space for such a model, then you can go to the cheap Bomann VS 2195 attack, the in-class test victory won.

The small refrigerators with integrated freezer compartment, it had cabinets, due to its less favourable energy efficiency harder. In addition, only convinced the Test model of the Liebherr TP 1434 Comfort, with a very good cooling performance.

In the Test of 2019 auditors fridge-freezer combinations in its sights, both freestanding as well as built-in models. At Bosch, the sparkling wine will have popped corks, The company secured a test win in the refrigerated cabinets as well as built-in appliances. Also other models in the house were on the front line.

The winner of the test in 2019 (KGE49VW4A and KIS87AD40)- had, in particular, with excellent cooling capacity and a constant storage temperature. Also, the devices do not perform their services quietly, are power-hungry and convince with a good cooling performance. With the handling you will have no problems.

Also in 2018, it made the test models of Bosch well. The refrigerator-freezer combos from Liebherr-sections in the Test , however, a Nuance better.

In the Test of 2017 focused the tester on, large and small, Built-in refrigerators and stand-alone devices. Siemens, Bosch, Liebherr and Neff delivered the Best in the Test.

Over all the refrigerator types and test magazine across Bosch and Liebherr stand out as top dogs. On average, Grundig, Haier, LG and Samsung points, but often vigorously, with the testers.

Interesting: A particularly high level of buyer satisfaction, the cooling achieve, of all things, cabinets of the "Billigheim". Refrigerators from Amica and Exquisite are the customer an average of four out of five stars value. All the same, Also Bosch, Siemens, Grundig, Hisense, Samsung and LG to collect four or more stars. Liebherr has in the buyer reviews in a difficult position. Apparently, the buyers expect, given the often high price of significantly more.

New EU Label for refrigerators as of March 2021

If you buy a new refrigerator, you will be fluttering when you unpack it, probably, already, the new Label counter. 1. November 2020, the Supplement is in addition to the old EU energy Label is mandatory. In the stationary and Online-trade, the new energy label must not, before 1. March 2021 on, the refrigerators are glued within a very short transition period of 14 working days, it must be mounted rapidly, while the old EU Label is at the same time in retirement.

Refrigerators and other large electrical devices will in future be divided into classes from A to G.

Today A+++, only C is declared, tomorrow, maybe?

It is possible. In particular, in the area of the so-called White goods, including refrigerators and freezers, and washing machines , or dishwashers - that is, the current Label no longer very meaningful, since almost all models at least the second-best energy efficiency class A++ to achieve. Anyway, it is allowed to be sold in Europe, no fridge, more in the trade, which is weaker than A+ classified.

Just within the currently best energy efficiency class A+++ however, there are significant differences in the consumption. These are on the custom Label is now transparent. Because the new Label not only depicts the current state of the art, but can be a buffer for future product improvements. So no device will initially be with the new energy efficiency class A excellent.

What is new on the refrigerator energy label in 2021?

Each Label comes with a QR-Code provided. After scanning, you can get according to deutschland-machts-effizient.de on your Smartphone or Tablet, "additional (non-commercial) product information".

The refrigerators are divided, as already mentioned, starting in March 2021 in the classes A to G. Then follows, in the centre the indication of the energy consumption in kilowatt-hour (kWh) per year.

Including be - as before - the usable volume of refrigerators and a freezer compartment (in liters) separated by; the Pictograms for Freezing and Cooling effect, modern, fresh.

Also, the volume in decibels (dB) is still displayed. New: The Label assigns the decibels in a "noise class" a. The scale goes from A to D. Especially in One-room apartments or open plan living, this arrangement is kitchens a helpful contribution, because, there are still some real Brummer. The majority of modern refrigerators behaves acoustically rather inconspicuous.