How to choose a good refrigerator without intrusive Advisory Board

The device and the types of refrigerators

Before going to the store, decide with the place for your future cooler. Measure the snout by means of a roulette (length, width and height) will depend on model type. Consider whether extra space for opening doors enough, whether there is a next outlet.

Refrigerators come in single, double and multi-chamber. Single chamber consists only of the refrigerator compartment. Sometimes inside, for the same door has a small freezer shelf.

The height of the single chamber of the refrigerator, as a rule, does not exceed 150 cm, width and depth - no more than 60 cm.

Who is the greatest demand is for two-compartment refrigerators. They are independent of each other refrigeration and freezing chamber. The first is designed to food storage at a temperature of 5-8 ° C, the second - for freezing.

Capacity of the freezer is designated snowflakes. One snowflake - temperature of about -6 ° C, the products can be stored week. Two snowflakes - temperature of -12 ° C, the food will lie quietly month. Three or more snowflakes indicate that in the freezer -18 ° C and the products can lie there until the year.

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Two-compartment refrigerators are:

1. From the upper freezer compartment (Top). Their depth and width - 60 × 60 cm. The height of 1.5 to 2.5 m.
2. Bottom freezer (Combi). Dimensions are approximately the same.
3. French Door (French door). These models assume a wide (70 cm) at the bottom of the freezer and refrigerator compartment on top of the double.
4. Side-by-Side (American model). Refrigerators and freezers are placed side by side. The width of such coolers may be up to 120 cm. For they height and depth, as a rule, are the same as the "top" and "Combi".

Multichamber (three or more sections) may be of different layout. A feature of these models is the availability of fresh area. There's a special temperature and humidity, to vegetables and herbs have long been both from the garden and fresh meat and fish were chilled, but not frozen.

All modern refrigerators have electromechanical (without fine adjustment) or electronic control. The latter implies the presence of a digital display panel and allows the temperature to exhibit a degree, monitor energy consumption and to set up special programs (for example, "Vacation" or "Superzamorozka").

Some models are connected to Wi-Fi: they can be controlled remotely via gadgets.

main parameters

Second, you need to decide what to purchase, - technical characteristics. In the shop you will only have to select the model corresponding to the specified criteria. Help orient a special sticker on the fridge door.

The volume of the refrigerator

The volume is a common and useful. Under the first refers to the entire space with shelves and drawers. A useful amount is calculated based on the number of products that can accommodate a refrigerator.

To calculate the minimum useful volume, use the following formula:

120 liters per 1 person + 60 liters for each family member.

That is, if you live in three of them, you need a refrigerator with a volume of 240 liters. But it is important to take into consideration the food habits of the family. For example, if you are preparing for the future and a fridge packed semi-finished productsIt is better to take a model with a larger capacity.

type of defrosting

Soviet refrigerators thawed manually disconnected from the wall outlet, the water collected, washed - and then enjoy it. Current models are equipped with a dropping defrosting system ( "weeping wall") or the system No Frost ( "No frost").

1. Drip system: moisture collected on the rear wall of the refrigerator into a special tray and due to compressor heat evaporates. Over time, the walls of the chambers formed by the frost, so the refrigerator at least once in six months, you need to defrost and clean.
2. No Frost system based on the circulation of air in the chambers, the cooling element is placed in a special cell system, where moisture condenses and evaporates. Frost on the walls of the chambers is not formed, so that a regular defrosting is not necessary. But to wash the refrigerator at least once a year is needed.

If the refrigerator is written Full No Frost, this means that the system "frost free" equipped with two cameras.

This system is considered the most perfect, but we should not forget about its disadvantages. Because of the fan reduces the useful volume of the cooling chamber, creates additional noise, and products can zavetritsya, so they are best stored in containers.

climate class

Depending on the conditions of operation is divided into four climatic class.

1. N - operation at a temperature of +16 ° C to +32 ° C. Suitable for most apartments and houses.
2. SN - operation at a temperature of +10 ° C to +32 ° C. If the appliance is to stand in a poorly heated rooms, eg in the basement or on the veranda.
3. ST - operation at a temperature of +18 ° C to +38 ° C. Suitable for areas where it is very hot.
4. T - operating at a temperature of +18 ° C to +43 ° C. For those who live in a very, very hot climates, or if the refrigerator will be in a small room under direct sunlight.

90% of buyers do not pay attention to this parameter and choose the default refrigerators class N or SN. But there is an important caveat.

If the refrigerator breaks and examination will show that the operating conditions do not match the climatic class, the manufacturer's warranty will not work.

The type and number of compressors

Allocate absorption, thermoelectric and compressor cooling systems. First, though silent, but not very popular among domestic consumers, as they require a lot of energy and have a number of other disadvantages.

Most household refrigerators are equipped with a single compressor, working simultaneously on refrigerators and freezers. Do not turn off the camera alone, but modern models have the option to "Leave": the refrigerator compartment with a working freezer goes into economy mode.

The two-compressor models of the refrigerator compartment and freezer completely autonomous, each with its own temperature. Two compressors are usually equipped with two-chamber refrigerators with premium and Side-by-Side.

Compressors are linear (on / off - switch on / off) and the inverter. The latter, thanks to a special converter current, working time, but with different capacity. Inverter compressors is less noisy and wear out and allow save electricity. Their disadvantage is the sensitivity to voltage drops.

Noise level

The type and the number of compressors is dependent noise emitted by a refrigerator.

This option is especially important if the unit is not placed in the kitchen and in the living room or the kitchen combined with living room.

Recommended level refrigerator noise - 40 dB.

Energy efficiency

Refrigerator is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is therefore important to choose the most cost-effective option.

Energy class is determined based on the nominal and the actual energy consumption and is denoted by Latin letters.

Nominal value - how much should theoretically consume this type of unit (100%). Then measured how much light picks up this or that particular model. If less than 55% of the nominal value is assigned to class A if 75% - B 75% to 90% - C, 90-100% - D, 100-110% - E and so on.

The most efficient electrical appliances are labeled A and A +, A or A +++ ++. Such refrigerators consume a minimum of energy at the expense of high-quality insulation and modern compressors.

But energy efficiency class does not answer the question of exactly how much energy is to eat in the refrigerator year or month. To find out, you need to look at a different value in the data sheet: consumption kWh / year.

The annual number of kilowatt-hours must be multiplied by the cost per kWh in your area. So you know how much it will cost you to use a specific refrigerator.

Useful and useless options

Sales assistants in shops have little to say on the basic parameters of the equipment, but enthusiastically talk about the additional. They try to convince us that without such a sensor, or the sensor device is simply useless. It is not by chance.

Additional features make the refrigerator more expensive.

Let's see what bells and whistles are in refrigerators and which ones are really useful.

1. antibacterial. The walls of the cooling chamber are covered with silver ions that inhibit bacterial growth. It looks like a marketing gimmick: if you maintain a clean, not any ions needed in the refrigerator.
2. carbon filter. Rides the air inside the refrigerating chamber and absorbs odors (not to be confused with the separate flavoring). Not required if you do not give zalozhivatsya products and strong-smelling place into containers.
3. Indicator open door. If it is not closed or not closed properly, a beep is emitted. Useful if a family has children or the elderly, who are often casually slapping refrigerator.
4. Standalone cold preservation. When the light is switched off, the products remain fresh for a long time. Useful if the region are frequent power outages.
5. Superzamorozka. This mode, in which the temperature in the freezer briefly lowered to -24-28 ° C. The advertisement states that the rapid freezing can save the maximum amount of useful components in products. In fact, it just saves time. A similar function is for cooling chambers: can rapidly cool a bottle of wine.
6. Cold water inlet. The implemented budget models as follows: in a special tank in the door manually filled with water and permanently cooled. So all of this is easy to replace the usual pitcher of water in the refrigerator. In the premium models, the water is supplied directly from the mains. But it is much more expensive.
7. ice machine. The water in the cells for the ice can also be filled manually or automatically. It also affects the price. But first you need to understand how often you frosts ice for drinks and if you can not do conventional silicone molds in the freezer.

More on that note

So, you have decided on the basic characteristics and pleasant options. We came to the store and find the desired model. More on that note?

1. What kind of lighting inside the refrigerator? Practical if the halogen bulb and are not located at the rear and on the sides. So you always make out the contents of the refrigerator, even if the shelves lined with dense food.
2. What made the shelves? Glass shelves the most practical: durable, easy to clean, do not interfere with the review. Conveniently, if there is a bending of the shelf or freezer is arranged on the principle designer. Changing the location of the shelves can be placed even an overall dish.
3. Whether doors are outweighed by the other side? Useful, if you think to make a permutation.
4. Is there a door handle? If the refrigerator is standing in the aisle, you'll hang for it.
5. whether seals on the doors resilient? If the tire is coarse, the door will adhere tightly.
6. Do you have a refrigerator wheels? At least two. Their presence greatly simplifies transportation.
7. No scratches on whether the body? Any flaws - a reason to take an instance from a warehouse or to demand a discount.

After becoming acquainted with the characteristics and inspection, you can safely go to the cashier.