Frigidaire Top Mount Refrigerator

For many, the fridge is our favorite home appliance, almost like an old friend. We drop in for a visit from time to time, stopping by for a quick snack, a cool drink, or just to see what’s going on. We sometimes even subscribe supernatural powers to the refrigerator, checking inside again and again for that perfect item, hoping that it has ‘magically’ appeared since the last time we looked. The fridge is a good friend indeed unless of course you’re dieting, it’s empty, or you’re the one who’s cooking.

Refrigerators and freezers use up to a sixth of all electricity in a typical American home – consuming more energy than any other household appliance alone. A fridge virtually runs without ceasing for its entire lifespan of close to 20 years for many models! It therefore makes sense to purchase an energy efficient model which could end up saving as much as $280 a year compared to older, inefficient models which may use up to 60% more electricity. The EnergyStar website and label is a good indicator of which products are the most energy efficient, making it easier to narrow down the choices before you even go shopping.

Since a fridge is such a major appliance, occupying such a central place in our lives, homes, and hearts, it pays to make a smart decision when purchasing a new one. We’ve therefore taken the time to supply you with the basic information to help you make the best, most well informed decision. There are a few basic types of refrigerators on the market. Below you will find a description of each one, along with their pros and cons:

Top Mount Refrigerators:

Most American’s grew up with top mount refrigerators, with the freezer on the top and the fridge on the bottom. Until fairly recently they were the most popular type of fridge for no other reason than that’s what was always the most readily available. Until today, the cheapest models are still top mounts—sometimes surprisingly cheaper–and believe it or not, also the least repair prone type of refrigerator. The advantage of top mounts is that the freezer is located at eye level, making it easier to find those rarely used frozen goods, although this is also a disadvantage since the more commonly used fridge is less accessible. For several reasons, top mount refrigerators are becoming less and less popular today in place of the other models, despite their cheaper price.

Bottom Mount Refrigerators:

Bottom-freezer models are clearly more convenient because the more popular refrigerator compartment is located comfortably at eye level, without any need of bending down to get to most items. Although more convenient, bottom mount refrigerators are as much as 1.5 times more expensive than top mount models, making it a difficult comparison. Both top and bottom mount refrigerators are more energy efficient than side by side models by as much as 16%, with bottom mounts beating top mounts by a few percent.

Side by Side Refrigerators:

The popularity of side by side refrigerators has had its time. Although they offer the attraction of through the door ice and water dispensers, as well as larger freezers, the narrow size of the fridge compartment makes for a serious disadvantage. Many times, narrow shelves are too small to hold pizza boxes or baking trays. Furthermore, they are less efficient than top or bottom freezers and may be as much as twice as expensive as top freezer models.

Frigidaire French Door Professional Refrigerator

French Door Refrigerators:

French doo r refrigerators are the most popular model of the day, combining a bottom freezer with a double door, side by side fridge. The double doors are ideal for smaller kitchens or kitchens with an island, allowing for less clearance room for doors, while possessing standard room inside for wide items like pizza boxes. It’s also possible to open one side at a time, to prevent cool air from escaping. Most French door models come with through the door ice and water dispensers as well, making them the best of both worlds for those who can afford them. Nonetheless it should be noted that water and ice dispensers are repair prone and increase the energy use by 14-20%.

Most refrigerators are free standing. A few additional types of refrigerators include:

• Counter depths: These fridges have shallower bodies that come flush with kitchen counters for use in smaller spaces.
• Built-in units: Custom fitted refrigerators are built to fit directly into cabinetry. Since they have no airflow around the unit, they are built with a ventilator on top making them top heavy so that they must be attached to the wall and cannot be removed for cleaning purposes.
• Under Counter Drawers: Under counter drawers are usually only two feet in height and are ideal for decks, bars, or entertainment rooms. Some models come with wine storage capabilities, with two zones for red and white wines or assorted racks.

Once you’ve decided what type of fridge to buy, there are a few more points worth noting:

• It’s obviously important to choose a model with a convenient interior layout, allowing for easy access, and flexible storage.
• Glass shelves are the sturdiest and easiest to clean, although plastic shelves are also fairly durable. Adjustable shelves are a must to make room for oddly shaped or oversized items. Most must be raised by hand while some have a crank system.
• Mini-doors provide easy access to most popularly used items. They also save energy by allowing you to open the main door less frequently.
• It’s important to purchase a fridge that is the right size for your family. Too large a fridge wastes expensive energy while too small means overcrowding.
• A fridge with a manual defrost uses half the energy of an automatic defrost model but obviously has the major drawback that it needs to be defrosted regularly.
• Refrigerators with anti-sweat heaters that prevent condensation consume 5-10% more energy.
• Accessible controls located in the front of the compartment make adjusting the temperature and humidity much easier. Some extras include humidity and temperature controlled drawers for meat and vegetables.
• A fridge with insulation to help dampen the sound of the compressor will be substantially quieter than one without.
• Some models now have digital controls that display the actual temperature of the various compartments of the refrigerator. However, electronic controls and thermometers are likely to fail at some point, which may make it more of a headache than it’s worth.

We hope this helps you make the best possible decision for you and your family. Regardless of what type of fridge you choose, we hope it becomes a life-long friend, stays quiet and is always well stocked!

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