Fridges

Big side-by-side fridge-freezers with chilled water and ice dispensers are a lot more energy-efficient than the large models of old. The trouble is, they don’t compete with vertical models in terms of usable space. That handy ice-and-water dispenser usually reduces the freezer space by around 30%.

The fridge and freezer compartments on side-by-side models are narrower and deeper than in a vertically stacked refrigerator. This will be a problem for anyone who has trouble finding things in the back. The freezers are especially narrow; in one of the models we tested, you couldn’t lie a large pizza flat.

You also need to consider whether a side-by-side fridge-freezer will fit your kitchen, or even through the doors into your house! Will there be room for the doors to open fully? These are big beasts, so check dimensions carefully.

Remember to allow ventilation space on the sides, back and top. Around 5cm is usually sufficient but ask the dealer for the exact requirements. The top can require up to 30cm clearance!

Also, if they have a through-the-door icemaker and water dispenser, you will need to get a plumber to install them.

Top or bottom freezer?

Ultimately, it comes down to your needs and personal preference.

Having the fridge at the top – as found in bottom-mount, French door and double door fridge-freezers – is generally more convenient. You open the fridge door many more times a day than you do the freezer, so it makes sense to have the fridge in the more accessible, upper position.

For people who use wheelchairs, having the freezer at the bottom will make it easier to get food in and out of both compartments.

But fridge-freezers with bottom freezers tend to have cold vegetable crispers, because the crisper sits on top of the freezer (although some models have a small heater under the crisper to overcome this!).

Having the freezer on top – in a top-mount fridge-freezer – can mean the whole appliance performs a little better. But refrigerators with top freezers tend to have warm vegetable crispers, because they sit at the bottom well away from the freezer.

Fridge size and space

There are two main things to think about when buying – what fridge dimensions will fit your kitchen and how much fridge storage will you need.

• We estimate a typical family of four doing its main shopping trip once a week will need 400L to 500L of total storage.
• There are fridge-freezers as small as 170L, but these will only be useful in small apartments or baches. In general, these smaller units do not perform as well as their larger cousins.
• You can get vertically stacked models up to 600L, and side-by-side fridge-freezers with a total of 600L to 800L capacity. But side-by-side models cost a good $1,000 more.

So long as it fits your kitchen space, go for the largest fridge-freezer you can afford. It’s false economy to keep your old fridge to cope with any extra demand. Old refrigerators are much less energy efficient, and one new large model with a bit of spare capacity will almost certainly run for less than an older smaller one. If you must keep the old one, switch it on only when you need it.

If you’re buying a fridge to fit an existing space, remember to check the measurements. Australian-made models and the bigger sizes from all brands may not fit.

Whatever size you buy, check the items you commonly store to see how well they’ll fit. If you like to keep pizzas in the fridge, where will they go? Will you be able to line the door shelves with your usual 3L milk and large juice bottles? If you like whole watermelon in summer, is there enough shelf space?

Interior layout

• Most refrigerators give you the choice of which side the door opens when you buy them or allow you to change it later.

• It’s handy to be able to get all the trays and baskets out without having to open the doors any wider than 90°. Many people put their fridges in a corner, so when the doors are open 90°, they are hard against the wall.

• Side-by-side models don’t offer a choice of the side that the doors open. Also, the doors on this type of fridge-freezer may obstruct access to the fridge drawers and shelves if the doors can’t open beyond 90°.

• Most models have a good range of positions for shelves, but the shelves must be fully removed before they’re reinserted. Many shelves can’t be pulled out unless the door is opened well beyond 90°.

• Solid shelves are an improvement on wire grill shelves. They stop spills dribbling right through the fridge, make spills less likely to begin with by providing a more stable surface and are easier to wipe clean.

• Drawers are easier to load but make it harder to find small items in the bottom. If the door cannot open beyond 90°, you may not be able to pull the drawer out far enough to reach the back.

Multi-drawers

Multi-drawers, often between the fridge and freezer, are separate compartments that regulate humidity like a crisper but have more stable temperatures.

Being separate from the main fridge compartment means humidity in the drawers can be controlled more accurately, slowing the ripening process and keeping produce fresh for longer. Some multi-drawers also have separate temperature controls. This means you can store a wider range of foods or, if the temperature goes low enough, use it as a freezer.

Exterior finish

Whiteware isn’t just white anymore! Stainless steel is also now a popular finish, although it’s prone to fingerprints and marks – look for a matte or ‘fingerprint-resistant’ stainless-steel finish to avoid constant cleaning. And the colour palette doesn’t stop there. Black, red and other coloured models can be found, although they usually command a premium price.

Other features to consider

• Alarms or self-closing feature: Most fridge-freezers now have an alarm that sounds when the door has been left open for too long. However, these alarms are often only on the fridge compartment, not the freezer. When and how long the alarm sounds also varies. A classic method for ensuring your fridge door would close was to slightly elevate the front of the refrigerator, so gravity closed the door for you. Most fridges now include a self-closing feature where the doors have weights built-in to them, so they automatically close on their own.
• Chillers: These are genuinely useful and ideal for super cooling drinks. They provide cooler storage (just above 0°C) than the rest of the fridge, so are great for storing meat and fish. They also prevent the food in the chiller dripping onto other food and contaminating it. Some models have a separate control for the chiller.
• Crisper: We measure the humidity in the crisper, which provides a guide to how well unwrapped vegetables will stay fresh. Crispers need to have a lid that seals properly, so the humidity is contained. Some refrigerators have a humidity control so you can get it just right.
• Adjustable rollers or feet: The body of the fridge-freezer must be perfectly level and square. The size and width of large models mean they can easily distort, and then the doors may not seal properly. You may need to adjust the levels on all four corners to get the balance right. Rollers (with brakes!) make it much easier to pull the fridge out for cleaning.
• Butter conditioners: These used to be a standard feature of New Zealand fridges, but they seem to have gone the way of the dinosaurs. We think that’s a good thing. Butter conditioners lower a fridge’s energy efficiency, and don’t necessarily keep butter at a useful temperature anyway. If you want to keep butter a bit warmer, use the dairy compartment in the door.
• Containers: Side-by-side fridge-freezers tend to have more self-enclosed containers than vertical models. These make fridge storage tidy (and more hygienic), but also take up space and can make access a bit harder.
• Can dispenser: Not a very common feature, but we like it! A can dispenser is a handy wire under-shelf rack partitioned into three rows: you take a can from the front and the rest roll forward. New Zealand beer cans (330mL) and soft drink cans (355mL) will fit, but the slightly larger Aussie beer cans (375mL) won’t.
• Separate vegetable drawers: Having a third compartment can make access to the vegies more convenient. But unless the drawer has an airtight lid, it will not function as a proper vegetable crisper. Vegetables not in a crisper should be wrapped before storing: the easiest option is to use the bags supplied by supermarkets in the vegetable section.

What temperature should your fridge be?

Your fridge should be cold enough to keep your food fresh and your freezer cold enough to keep food from spoiling. But what’s the correct temperature for each compartment?

Below are the ideal temperatures for the main compartments of your fridge. A variation of 1°C in the fridge and a few degrees in the freezer isn’t terrible, but these are the temperatures you should be aiming to achieve.

• Fridge: 3°C
• Freezer:  -18°C, but -12°C to -15°C is acceptable for short-term storage (about 2 weeks)
• Chiller drawer: 0°C
• Door: 3°C

Some fridge-freezers may have flexi-zone compartments where you can set the temperature to a wide range of options. These zones are great as food overflow storage areas, if you’re having a party and need to chill more food than normal.

Note that not all fridge controls give temperatures in Celsius. Some have graduated settings (e.g., 1 to 6 on a dial) and you’ll need to consult the manual to decipher how to set these.

How to measure your fridge temperature

One of the easiest ways to monitor temperatures is to buy a specific fridge thermometer that lives in your refrigerator, so you can see the temperature every time you open the door.

Or if you have an infrared thermometer handy, you can test the temperature of a bottle of water that has been kept in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Alternatively, you can place an old-school non-digital thermometer in your fridge inside a glass of water (be careful if it’s a mercury thermometer, as these are dangerous if they leak). You’ll need to leave the thermometer at least 2 hours to get a good idea of the temperature.

For more on fridge and freezer temperatures and how to manage them, see our article on how to keep the right temperature in your fridge and freezer.

Smart fridges

There’s a plethora of smart devices now that connect to the internet, allowing you to control them remotely. But how can a fridge be smart?

Here’s some of the things a smart fridge will let you do.

• Monitor and change temperatures: this allows you to monitor the temperatures in the fridge and freezer, and make adjustments remotely as needed.

• See inside the fridge: some models have a camera inside the fridge that lets you see inside. So, if you’re at the supermarket and aren’t sure if you have enough milk, you can check.

• Access the smart ‘tablet’: some models also have a tablet-style interface on the front of the fridge with features such as a calendar, notes and recipe viewer. Accessing this feature remotely lets you check the family calendar (and dinner requests) while out and about.

Noise

Your fridge is one of the few household appliances that is always running. This means a loud one can become a major annoyance.

Over our many years of testing, we’ve analysed noise readings for household appliances, including dishwashers, washing machines and vacuum cleaners. Fridges were the quietest, with an average running noise of 33dBA. That’s almost as quiet as a cat purring.

The decibel scale is logarithmic, not linear, so a sound difference of 10dBA will sound like double the noise. This means a 30dBA refrigerator will sound twice as loud as a 20dBA model, while a 40dBA fridge will sound four times louder. Most people will only notice a difference of 5dBA or greater, so two fridges with noise readings 3dBA apart will sound about the same.

Here are some of the common noise levels of household appliances.

• 30dBA – fridges (equivalent to a whisper).
• 40dBA – dishwashers (equivalent to running water).
• 50dBA – clothes dryers and dehumidifiers (equivalent to moderate rainfall).
• 60dBA – washing machines (equivalent to normal conversation or a television).
• 70dBA – vacuum cleaners (equivalent to a dull roar).

The design and layout of your home will affect how noisy you’ll find a fridge. Sound waves are dispersed by objects, which will muffle the sound. This means open-plan areas do little to minimise a fridge’s noise. A refrigerator with walls or cabinetry at its back and sides will be quieter, as these help deflect the sound.

Buying second-hand fridge

Before buying any second-hand appliance, check it still works. Don’t just trust the seller! For a fridge or freezer that means inspecting it in person, if possible. Ask the seller to leave it running for at least 12 hours beforehand, so you can check temperatures. If you can’t see it running before buying, reconsider the purchase.

Does it suit your space and needs?

• Measure the space in your kitchen and the doorways leading there to make sure the fridge will fit. And remember you’ll need about 5cm of space on the sides and back and 30cm on top for ventilation (check what the manufacturer recommends).

• Is the door hinged on the correct side for your kitchen? If not, maybe it’s reversible? You can look up the manual online to find out.

• Check that what the seller is telling you matches the manual for that model.

• Does it have enough shelves and drawers for your household?

Do your research

• If the listing doesn’t state the fridge’s brand or model name, scrutinise the photos. Look for an energy rating sticker, which will state the model’s name.

• Search the manufacturer’s website for information on the model, such as its manual, installation guide or product information sheet.

• Check out our test results for older models (set the filter to include discontinued models on our fridges test page), including their specifications and features. While these results are from when the model was first tested, and performance can decrease with age, we expect that a second-hand fridge less than 10-years-old and kept in good condition should still perform comparably with the results.

• Can’t see the model on our website? You can still check out older models’ energy efficiency on the GenLess Efficient Appliance Calculator.

Hands-on checks

• Make sure the fridge or freezer turns on.

• Check the door or lid seal is intact and creates a good seal when shut. Put a torch inside it, so you can see if light shines through the seal or try opening the door with your little finger (using very light pressure). If it’s easy to open, then the seals are getting old. While seals can be easily replaced, it can be a sign the appliance has been poorly maintained.

• Make sure the interior is in good nick and doesn’t smell too bad. Only buy if it looks well cared for.

• Look for stains, both inside and outside. These could indicate a leak.

• Look for cracks in chest freezers – this can be a safety issue when the appliance is off and the ice melts.

• Check the shelves and baskets aren’t cracked or buckled. These are replaceable (check the manufacturer’s website, Trade Me, your local op-shop or landfill shop), but the older a fridge or freezer is, the harder it is to find spare parts.

• Listen for excessive sounds or vibrations.

• Check the lights, ice and water dispensers, and temperature controls work.

• Check the sides and back are in good order. Dents could potentially affect the motor or compressor.

• If it’s a frost-free model, see if there’s an excessive build-up of ice. This can indicate a drainage issue.

• If you can, check the temperature (we suggest using an infrared thermometer). You want the fridge to be 3°C and the freezer -18°C. Check the temperature is consistent throughout the compartments (but note that the dairy compartment is likely to be warmer).

Questions to ask the seller

• Why are they selling it?

• Is there anything wrong with it?

• How old is it?

• Has it ever been repaired?

• Are they the original owner? If so, do they have the receipt?

Refrigerant gases

Refrigerant gases are what keep fridges and freezers cool. One group of gases that was once common in fridges is fluorocarbons (CFCs, HFCs and HCFCs), but these are nasty ozone-depleting substances and active greenhouse gases. Most new fridges use hydrocarbon R600a (also called isobutane), which is more environmentally friendly and energy efficient than fluorocarbons.

Most fridges have a sticker or metal plate, generally on the back, stating the model’s name and refrigerant gas. If you want a more environmentally friendly model, then look for one using R600a gas.

Safety first

The refrigerants in fridges are combustible, meaning they can catch fire. While this isn’t an issue during everyday use, it’s important to remember when you’re moving a fridge or freezer. Failing to transport one properly could mean it catches on fire when it’s turned back on because the gas hasn’t had a chance to equalise. Make sure to transport the fridge or freezer upright, as this helps keep the gas where it needs to be.

If you have to move the appliance on its side, try to keep it on an angle. Once moved, sit it upright for about 24 hours (this may vary by manufacturer, so check the manual) before turning it on – this gives the gas time to settle.

Your rights if things go wrong

Bought something and want to take it back? Here's what you need to know about your rights.

Consumer members can contact our Consumer Advice Line for help. Our advisers will talk you through your rights.

Buying new

If a product you buy is faulty or not of acceptable quality, you don’t have to put up with it. The Consumer Guarantees Act has got you covered – you don’t need a warranty. Here's more about how you can get a refund, repair or replacement for a faulty product.

Buying used

What are your consumer rights when purchasing a used fridge or freezer? It depends on the seller. If you’re buying from a second-hand dealer (including those listed as ‘In-trade’ on Trade Me) and discover it’s faulty, you're covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act.  It should be of acceptable quality, fit for purpose and match the description. However, if you’re dealing with a private seller, you’re not covered by the act. Here's more info about your rights when buying second-hand goods.

The Energy Rating Label has a scale of stars to show how energy efficient a particular model of an appliance is, compared to other models of the same size or capacity.

More stars = more energy efficient.

The energy consumption figure is in kilowatt-hours (kWh), and you can use this figure and the cost (tariff) from your latest power bill to calculate how much a model will cost to run.

Lower kWh = cheaper to run.

Fridge and freezer annual energy consumption in kWh is based on standards testing and assumes the appliance is on 24 hours a day.

You should only compare star ratings of fridges or freezers with the same or similar capacities.

There are now two fridge and freezer energy rating labels, using different standards and with different ratings. For more information on energy ratings and how to use them, see our Energy rating labels explained article.