Planning to buy a new refrigerator and don’t know what you should look for in a refrigerator?
Shifting to a new place and needing to buy a new refrigerator?
Got married and have to set up your new house, looking for some suggestions for buying a refrigerator?
To all the above questions this article is the answer. In this article I’ll be sharing all the features you should look for in a refrigerator before buying so that you don’t regret it later.
Table of Contents
Refrigerator Buying Guide
#1. Fix your budget
Planning never lets you fail, so is the case with buying any big item. Before heading on to buy the refrigerator you should, first of all, decide your budget. This will help you as you will not end up spending too much money.
A basic single-door refrigerator may cost between ₹9000 to ₹15000. The cost will start going up with features; the more the features, the higher would be the cost.
#2. Capacity you need
Conventionally, Litres is used to measure the capacity of all the refrigerators. You may choose depending on your need or your family size. If you have a small family of 2-4 members then you may go for refrigerator capacity ranging from 160 – 250 L.
But if you have a big family with 4-5 members then you may go for a refrigerator with a capacity of around 250 – 500 L.
However, there are refrigerators available in the market with a capacity of 40-100 L. If you are living alone then you may opt for them as well.
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#3. Size of your kitchen
When buying a refrigerator you should mandatorily consider the size of your kitchen or the cabinet, in case of a fully modular kitchen, where you are supposed to place the refrigerator. One more thing to consider is the number of persons in your family.
#5. Type of Door
Refrigerators are available with different types of doors –
Single Door
Single door refrigerators are the basic ones with one door that incorporate the fridge and the freezer. They are the most economical options offering a capacity ranging from 150 to 250 L. Majorly single door refrigerators feature direct cool technology with reciprocatory compressors.
Some advanced refrigerators now come with auto-defrost mode but many still need manual defrosting. You might need to spend ₹9000 to ₹15000 for a single door refrigerator.
You may check out the following options
- Whirlpool 200 L 3 Star Single Door Refrigerator
- Samsung 198 L 3 Star Inverter Direct Cool Single Door Refrigerator
Double door
Double door refrigerators are advanced versions of single door refrigerators. You get a separate door for the freezer and refrigerator. Usually, the upper door is for the freezer and the lower door is for fridge utility. Double door refrigerators are taller than single door refrigerators.
You can get a capacity ranging from 250 L to 350 L in double-door refrigerators. Other than capacity the benefit of double doors is that you get a good freezer space. To buy a double door refrigerator you might need to spend ₹15000 to as much as ₹45000 depending on the capacity and features of the refrigerator.
Some of the best options available are
- Whirlpool 265 L 3 Star Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator.
- LG 260L 3 Star Smart Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator
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Triple door
Triple door refrigerators feature three doors – one for the freezer, one for the refrigerator, and one for vegetables and fruits. These refrigerators are taller than usual though slimmer as well. If your floor space is less than you may go for these refrigerators.
You get a capacity of 250 to 500 L in triple door refrigerators. You might need to spend ₹24000 to ₹65000 to buy triple door refrigerators.
One of the option for triple door refrigerators
French door
French door refrigerators are one of the luxurious refrigerators. They are spacious with a big double door compartment for food, on top. The freezer of French-door refrigerators is located at the bottom and has a single door. These refrigerators look classy and have more space than other refrigerators.
French door refrigerators come with a capacity range of 500L to 950L. These refrigerators prove to be a great choice for a big family (if budget is not an issue). Buying a French-door refrigerator might cost ₹65000 – ₹200000 approx.
You can check out
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Mini
Mini refrigerators are small in size with a capacity of up to 100L. They are good for basic cooling needs. Mini refrigerators come with and without freezer space. A mini-fridge might cost up to ₹10000 depending on the capacity of the fridge.
Some of the options available are
Side-by-Side doors
A side-by-side refrigerator has two doors side by side – one door is for the freezer and the other is for fridge space. The freezer side is smaller than the fridge side. They are one of the most advanced refrigerators.
You can get them in capacities from 550L to 850L. You can get a side-by-side refrigerator after spending ₹55000 – ₹200000 approximately.
You can checkout
- LG 668 L Inverter Linear Frost Free Side-by-Side Refrigerator
- Bosch 661 L Frost Free Side-by-Side Refrigerator
#6. Star ratings
Energy efficiency is one of the major concerns for all of us and while buying a refrigerator we can check star ratings. These star ratings tell us about how efficient the appliances are. The more the stars the more efficient the appliances are.
Hence you should always check the ratings before buying a refrigerator. A refrigerator with 4 or 5 ratings is the most efficient in saving energy.
#7. Shelves
You can find two types of shelves in a refrigerator
- Wired
Traditional refrigerators had wired shelves, but some of the refrigerators still come with wired shelves. Wired shelves are not that convenient to use as they are not good for holding vessels with small bases. And if you accidentally spilled anything then it will drip all the way down to the bottom spoiling everything underneath.
- Toughened glass
Nowadays refrigerators come with toughened glass shelves, these shelves are more feasible as they are able to hold any type of vessel and keep the fridge clean even if you spill anything on one shelf as it will not drip.
#8. Some additional features
- Option of converting
In modern refrigerators, you get a feature that lets you convert the freezer into a fridge. You get a panel at the door of the refrigerator from where you can select according to your needs.
- Water and ice dispenser
Some advanced refrigerators come with a water/ice dispenser that allows you to get the cold water or ice without opening the fridge. Just press a button and have the ice or cold water in your glass. No need to take out a water bottle from the fridge anymore if you want cold water.
#9. What’s in the name
When choosing a refrigerator you should consider the brand as well. It might sound odd but yes you should check the brand ratings and reviews. A lot of local brands are present in the market that are giving advanced features at low cost but the life of their product might not be good. So, it is important to check the brand ratings before buying.
You can go for
- Whirlpool
- LG
- Samsung
- Godrej
- Bosch
#10. Warranty
Warranty is very important when you are buying any appliance. Always check the warranty carefully and ask if you can get an extended warranty for the refrigerator. However, the extended warranty is never free but it is worth paying some extra amount as it will safeguard you from unnecessary expenses.
Final Words
Buying a refrigerator is a big responsibility as it is a huge investment. So, you should buy it from a reliable supplier as well as consider all the points before buying so that you don’t end up buying the wrong product.
You can check out the given refrigerators Bosch 661 L Frost Free Side-by-Side Refrigerator or Whirlpool 265 L 3 Star Inverter Frost-Free Double Door Refrigerator.
