What Are All The Different Types of Refrigerators

Your refrigerator is one of the most important appliances in your home, in fact, it’s arguably the most important kitchen appliance you’ll get. But few people are prepared for all the variety that comes with buying a refrigerator and I am not just talking about different manufacturers.

Refrigerators come in many different types, for example, should you get a luxury French Door Refrigerator or one of the more common today fridge-freezer combo units? These are the kinds of things you need to think about when it comes to picking a refrigerator.

And narrowing down your options isn’t always simple because there are a lot of things you need to consider. If you have limited room then a fridge-freezer might seem like the best choice but then again both the refrigerator and freeze will be smaller because they’re joined together.

To help you find out which option is best for you I’ve outlined the different types of refrigerators below. You’ve probably heard of a few of them but some might surprise you, so without further ado let’s take a look at the different types of refrigerators in more detail.

Combo Fridge-Freezers

A fridge-freezer is universally the best choice for people on a budget and while some are bulky and large they do take up less room than a separate fridge and freezer. Combo fridge-freezers actually come in two variants as well, top-freezer fridges have the freezer on top and fridge on the bottom while bottom-freezer fridges have the freezer at the bottom.

The location of the fridge and freezer units isn’t the only difference either, a top-freezer fridge will have a larger fridge unit than a bottom-freezer fridge and they are also in general cheaper than top-freezer fridges.

Both combo models are great options for people looking for extra convenience and people who have smaller kitchens. They might not be ideal for larger homes though because they have less room than a separate fridge and freezer would.

Side-By-Side Refrigerators

These kinds of refrigerators are similar to the models we mentioned above but take a more interesting and unusual design. Side-by-side refrigerators literally split the fridge and freezer sections down the middle so they are parallel with each other.

The refrigerator side of the appliance is usually a little wider than the freezer section so you will have a little more fridge space. They are designed to be very narrow while still offering plenty of room for storage and thanks to their more form-fitting design they can fit in smaller spaces more easily.

Another bonus of side-by-side refrigerators is that they typically offer extra bonus features like ice dispensers built into the front doors. However, there are some potentials downsides to them as well for one their narrow design might make fitting larger items in them more difficult and they are typically more expensive than many other kinds of fridge-freezers.

French Door Fridges

If you want to go for maximum style then a French Door Fridge is the one for you! But be warned this comes with a much higher cost, French Door Fridges are in many ways a luxury appliance but if you can afford one they are arguably the best choice when it comes to getting a refrigerator.

French Door Fridges follow a similar design to side-by-side units but there are a few differences for one thing both doors open into the fridge, the freezer is a small unit at the bottom of the appliance and there are two and four-door models available.

Four-door models may also have extra cooling areas inside of them that will help you keep foods at a certain temperature. Their narrow design also means they can be fit into smaller kitchens without issue, overall French Door Fridges are a great choice and they offer the perfect balance of luxury and efficiency but they are usually very expensive.

Compact and Counter Depth Fridges

If you live alone or simply don’t buy much food that needs refrigerating then a compact fridge is going to be the best option for you. These fridges are like smaller versions of a free-standing fridge they usually won’t have any freezing capacity but are ideal for smaller households especially if you want separate fridges and freezers.

Counter depth fridges which are designed to fit in with your kitchen cupboards are very similar to compact fridges although they usually have a little more room. Although as a trade-off counter depth fridges are usually more expensive.

Freezerless Refrigerators

Sometimes called full-standing fridges these appliances offer maximum refrigerating space but they’ll be no freezing capability as a trade-off. Freezerless refrigerators range in price with the more luxurious models being the more expensive, and they are the perfect choice for people who either already have a separate freezer or simply won’t need to freeze their food.

For advice how to get the best performance out of our fridge, please speak with our fridge repair specialists.