Oh, how familiar this picture is to us!Tall, slender, handsome men, as if hand-picked! This one is good, that one is beautiful, and the third one is just perfect! And we rush from one to another, and do not know how to choose the one and only, who will become a worthy companion for our life. Yes, yes, do not be surprised: that's right, a companion. Because modern life without it is simply unthinkable. Is it possible to do without it today, without such a necessary (and beloved by all) refrigerator? It is impossible! So we suffer, thinking about how to choose the right refrigerator, because this choice is not just huge, but one can say limitless! Of course, "limitless" is a strong word. After all, we are limited in choice not only by financial capabilities, but also by our own ideas about what a refrigerator for the home should be. And these ideas are often very vague. Therefore, let's decide what requirements this irreplaceable household appliance should meet and how to choose it correctly so that the refrigerator serves us long and faithfully. There are several criteria that determine the choice of a refrigerator: size, model, power, functionality and additional features. Let's start in order.
Dimensions
The dimensions of the refrigerator determine its volume, andthen capacity. The more household members the refrigerator is purchased for, the more weighty it should be. Compact refrigerators are mostly low (up to one meter) single-chamber models with a refrigerator and a freezer. The small size of such models is an excellent advantage for small apartments with a small number of inhabitants. Unlike their predecessors, modern single-chamber refrigerators are in no way inferior to larger models. They are also ergonomic, have a fairly high power and are equipped with a system to prevent ice formation. And the appearance of such babies fully meets modern requirements for the design of household appliances. Larger models reach a height of almost two meters and consist of two chambers (with separate doors): a refrigerator and a freezer. Moreover, the first chamber also has a zero temperature zone (to preserve freshness), and only the freezer needs to be completely defrosted. Such refrigerators can operate from one or two compressors. The first option is considered the most economical, and the second one allows you to defrost one of the chambers, leaving the second one on. Such models are suitable for a small family (three to four people) and for a medium-sized kitchen. These refrigerators are considered the most popular, given the demographic situation and living conditions of most Russians. The largest refrigerators have two hinged doors, are almost two meters high and up to 1.2 m wide. In these models, the chambers are not located one above the other, but next to each other. Therefore, they received the appropriate name: "side-by-side". Such large refrigerators have a separate chamber with zero temperature, a zone with variable humidity, a built-in ice generator, a compartment for cooling drinks (in the door) and a total volume of up to eight hundred liters. These refrigerators were conceived for large and spacious rooms. Therefore, if you are the happy owner of just such a kitchen, then the "side-by-side" refrigerator is your option.
Frost-defrosting
Freezing capacity (freezing power)refrigerator is often indicated directly on its door. The maximum minus temperature of 12 degrees is the lowest power and is marked with two snowflakes. The average degree of maximum freezing is indicated by three snowflakes and is minus 18 degrees. The lowest temperature that can be in the refrigerator is 24 degrees, and this is already four snowflakes. No matter how intensely the refrigerator freezes, it still needs to be defrosted. Modern manufacturers offer us refrigerators with two types of defrosting (the third has not yet been invented): manual and automatic. Manual defrosting does not require explanation, everyone knows that for this you just need to disconnect the refrigerator from the network and let the ice melt. With automatic defrosting, human intervention is not required at all. The condensate inside the refrigerator (on the inner rear wall) defrosts on its own and flows through a special gutter into a tray above the compressor, from where the water simply evaporates.
Architecture
If this word is even applicable to everyday lifeequipment, then this is how you can call the options for the location of the chambers in the refrigerator. If there are two, then there are also two options. In the first case, the freezer is located at the top, in the second - at the bottom of the refrigerator. The upper freezer is suitable for those who often use the freezer, preferring to cook semi-finished products and frozen foods. If the freezer is not used very often, then its “grounded” location will be more convenient, since it does not take up the upper space of the unit, making it convenient to access the refrigeration chamber. However, the question of the location of the chambers is a matter of purely individual preferences and the criterion of the refrigerator architecture is not necessary. Therefore, which refrigerator to choose in this case depends only on your lifestyle, but rather on your diet. Much more important than the location of the chambers in the refrigerator is the location of the refrigerator itself in the kitchen. Therefore, the question of choosing a built-in or free-standing refrigerator arises. Built-in models are certainly more expensive, but they have their undeniable advantages. These are, first of all, noise and heat insulation. The sound from the built-in refrigerator will be much quieter, and there will be no sound resonance from the furniture. Additional thermal insulation for such models is also not required, unlike free-standing refrigerators, which for this reason cannot be pushed close to the wall, furniture or heating battery. The built-in refrigerator can be placed exactly where it is convenient for you. And another advantage of built-in models is complete color and texture harmony with the kitchen facade. Agree that if you want absolute unity of the "face" of all elements of the kitchen, then you simply cannot find a better option than a built-in refrigerator.
Control
This is another optional but important criterion.when choosing a refrigerator. There are only two ways to control a refrigerator: electromechanical and electronic. The first method is the simplest and has been known to everyone for a long time. In this case, the refrigerator is turned on and off by simply pressing a button, and the temperature is regulated by a thermostat with manual control. The digital panel and the control panel are elements of electronic control of the refrigerator. In this case, it becomes possible to remotely control and set the desired temperature with an accuracy of one degree. However, if a refrigerator with electronic control has a digital display, then it also needs a good voltage stabilizer.
Additional functions
In addition to the main function - cooling, freezing and storing food, many modern refrigerator models have additional features. What do manufacturers offer us?
And this is only part of those additional onesrefrigerator features that manufacturers use to attract customers. Do you really need them? Decide for yourself. But keep in mind that the more of these additions, the more expensive the purchase will be.
Cost
In general, the price issue is often the determining factorfactor. You want to get the best possible result at the lowest possible cost. Of course, there are many options: you can choose an inexpensive and simple model (budget), or you can spend a serious amount on an expensive and even elite refrigerator. However, such a purchase is considered large and long-term: the refrigerator is purchased for many years. Therefore, if you do not plan to change housing in the near future and, especially, if your plans include adding to the family, then it is worth spending money on a modern and high-quality model. Remember the wise saying that a miser pays twice, thinking about which refrigerator to choose.
Lifetime and warranty
The price issue is also influenced by the warranty.refrigerator. True, both expensive and more affordable models have a short warranty period: only from one to two years. But the longer the warranty, the higher the price. And the durability of modern refrigerators is quite impressive. Their service life is from ten to twenty years. Provided that it is used properly, the refrigerator will already become “morally outdated”, but will continue to work properly. On the one hand, this is good, but on the other... No, it is good from either side. It is clear that you can’t keep up with technical progress, and the main thing for household appliances is quality. Therefore, if “how to choose a refrigerator for your home” is no longer a question for you, then proceed directly to the choice. And let your newfound companion serve you long and faithfully, as it should. We recommend reading:
