Are you on the hunt for a new refrigerator but are juggling between options, then here are the top 20 features that we have explained to help you make the right choice. Or, you might have recently purchased a new fridge but are finding it difficult to understand the concepts and technologies. Every new refrigerator feature is designed to make your life simpler and to preserve your food for a longer time. You just need to find the right one that suits your requirements. Commuting to work daily and spending the rest of the day completing other household chores leaves us with less time to research. We understand your situation and hence we’ve come up with this article to clear all your doubts. You will find all the refrigerator features explained in the simplest way here.
Related: Best Refrigerator in UAE – Types, Features, Price Compared [2023]
Top 20 Refrigerator Features Listed
Cooking fresh meals every single time is not possible especially if you’re commuting to work every day. Cooking and storing food in the refrigerator is such a blessing. You can just come home, heat the food and have it. Wow! We have penned down thetop 20 refrigerator features in one place; all that you need to do is scroll through and read. You don’t have to go anywhere else.
1. Frost-free
Any refrigerator that comes with the frost-free feature makes use of a defrosting mechanism. This mechanism helps to prevent frost buildup on the freezer compartment, unlike manual defrosting. Thus, you save time, as well as, effort since you don’t need to defrost manually.
2. Energy Star
This is one of the most essential refrigerator features among the top 20 listed. Energy Star indicates that the refrigerator has passed the energy-efficiency guidelines set by energystar.gov. Refrigerators that are energy star certified offer high-performance features like high-efficiency compressors. This, in turn, uses less energy since it creates less heat. So, you save a lot on your electricity bills. Additionally, Energy Star refrigerators improve insulation. This helps the food to stay cold.
3. French door
In French door refrigerators, the freezer drawer/compartment is located at the bottom which means it is bottom-mounted. They have a continuous refrigerator space on top that can be accessed through two doors. To make this easier to understand, the fridge compartment located on top has two side-by-side doors that open outwards. This creative innovation helps you to access all the shelves without any hassle.
4. Inverter Technology
Refrigerators equipped with the inverter technology generate low noise, unlike conventional refrigerators. Secondly, refrigerators with inverter technology are also more energy-saving because of their precise temperature control feature. Based on the surrounding temperature, operating mode, and temperature variation, these refrigerators adjust the compressor speed automatically (low and high) when you open and close the fridge door. Besides saving energy, this feature also increases the lifespan of the refrigerator.
5. Multi-door
As the name says, multi-door refrigerators have multiple compartments, generally, three or more. Firstly, this allows you to store various food items without worrying about running out of storage. So, you can organize your vegetables, fruits, frozen foods, other groceries and ingredients easily. This ensures your food remains fresh for a longer time. Secondly, multi-door refrigerators also enable separate temperature control. Multi-door refrigerators are ideal for larger households consisting of several family members.
6. Counter depth
What is counter depth? This is a feature most people ask about. We are here to answer it for you. Well, counter depth refers to the distance between the front of your kitchen countertops and your back wall. Counter depth refrigerators are creatively designed to align with your kitchen countertops. Since these refrigerators provide a seamless and built-in look, they blend well with urban homes. Generally, these are 24-30 inches deep which helps them line up with the end of your cabinets and fit appropriately. Additionally, they are also wider and taller compared to traditional refrigerators.
7. Bottom mount freezer
Refrigerators with bottom mount freezers are preferred by mid-size and large families who are more into eating frozen foods since they offer better storage facilities for processed and frozen items. The freezer compartment is located at the bottom while the fridge (fresh food) compartment is located on top. This design helps you to store more food in the freezer and organize food in the fridge (fresh food) compartment in a better way. Additionally, it also enables you to access frequently used items easily from the fridge (fresh food) compartment above.
8. Side-by-side
Side-by-side refrigerators look classic as the freezer and fridge compartments are arranged next to each other in a top-to-bottom fashion. They have vertical doors and are wider. One side serves as a freezer compartment and the other side serves as a fridge compartment. Generally, the fridge compartment is larger than the freezer compartment. However, this may differ from brand to brand.
9. Adjustable shelves
The shelves present in your fridge are adjustable in order to suit personal storage requirements. Moving these shelves up or down helps to fit food items of different heights. Plus point is that it helps to create additional space for larger food items. Moreover, it also helps to store similar food items together. This, in turn, will help you to locate the item that you need quickly.
10. Top mount freezer
Well, in top mount freezer refrigerators, the freezer compartment is located on top while the fridge (fresh food) compartment is located below. Generally, top mount freezers are more energy-efficient and affordable compared to bottom mount freezers. Note that the freezer compartment is smaller than the fridge (fresh food) compartment in these types of refrigerators.
11. Ice and water dispenser
The ice and water dispenser is one of the most interesting features available in a refrigerator since it dispenses ice cubes and chilled water. However, they can be of two types. Some refrigerators come with an internal ice and water dispenser. As the name says, this dispenser is located inside the refrigerator, right on top. You can only access it by opening the door. On the other hand, an external water dispenser dispenses ice cubes and/or chilled water through the refrigerator door itself, so you don’t need to open the refrigerator door.
Most often, these types of refrigerators provide crushed ice as well. Nowadays, most refrigerators come with an external ice and water dispenser for added convenience. It’s always better to check before you buy.
12. Smart technology
Well, refrigerators equipped with smart technology are known as smart refrigerators. They come with several features that give you peace of mind and help you relax. Firstly, smart refrigerators enable you to see which food items are inside them without opening the door. Yes, this is possible if you purchase a smart refrigerator with a window that is transparent enough for you to see what food is inside. Smart refrigerators with built-in cameras are also available. These help you to check what food is inside the fridge through an app on your phone. Besides Wi-Fi connectivity, these refrigerators come with advanced features like voice control and touch screens which help you to monitor and control the refrigerator remotely.
For instance, if you’re at the grocery store and can’t remember if you have tomatoes left in the refrigerator, then a smart refrigerator will save you. Through an app, you can check the inside of your refrigerator to see if you have tomatoes or not. This saves you from going back home and checking the same. Some smart refrigerators also enable you to respond to messages through the refrigerator door. While some allow you to check the weather. Additionally, you can save digital reminders on the app instead of putting up calendar reminders and paper notes with magnets on the refrigerator. You see, this is one of the most exciting refrigerator features among the top 20.
13. Convertible refrigerators
As the name says, convertible refrigerators can convert the freezer compartment into the fridge (fresh food) compartment and vice-versa. How is this possible, you ask? Well, it performs this conversion by adjusting the temperature settings accordingly. So, if you’re someone who is more into frozen foods and your deep freezer is mostly occupied, then a convertible refrigerator is the best option. It will convert the fridge compartment into the freezer compartment. On the other hand, if you’re not into eating meat or ice creams much, then this technology can convert the freezer compartment into the fridge compartment.
Due to their functionality, convertible refrigerators are classified as multi-purpose. In some models, the entire refrigerator unit changes from freezer to fridge and vice versa and then back again to its normal mode to fulfil the user’s requirement. However, most convertible refrigerators require manual defrosting.
14. Door alarms
When excess warm air filtration gets inside a refrigerator, the internal temperature increases rapidly. This is not good for your refrigerator as well as for the food stored inside. That’s when the door alarm also known as door alert feature comes to your rescue. This feature ensures maximum food preservation by notifying you through a beeping signal if the door has been left ajar for 3 or more minutes. For those not familiar with the term ajar, it means that the refrigerator door is partly open (neither entirely closed nor entirely open). This technology prevents your food from getting spoilt and also wastage of energy.
In some brands, the door alarm will beep after 90 seconds. So, this differs from brand to brand. Note that the alarm will stop only when the door(s) is closed.
15. Dual cooling
Dual cooling also known as Twin cooling system controls the freezer and the fridge compartments independently. In other words, refrigerators with dual cooling have two separate cooling systems (evaporators) for the freezer and fridge compartments. This not only promotes optimal food preservation but also enables independent temperature control. Therefore, it maintains the desired temperature in both compartments. Additionally, dual cooling also prevents ice build-up in the freezer.
16. Quick chill/Freezing
Another interesting one among the top 20 refrigerator features, the Quick Chill feature is capable of rapidly cooling or freezing your beverages, groceries, and other food items. It boosts the freezing speed by dropping the freezer to its coldest temperature. This feature is a blessing if you have guests at home, especially surprise visits. You can instantly cool the drink and offer it to them so your guests are happy and you are too. Also, if you’ve just reached home and desperately want to have something chilled to beat the heat, the Quick Chill feature will do it for you. Its instant action reduces waiting time.
Freezing also known as Quick freeze or Fast freeze helps in keeping every food item inside the fridge fresh and healthy for a longer duration. Activating this feature will give you the best results in terms of freezing fresh food. It ensures that it retains the nutrients, taste, freshness, and texture of the food.
17. Quiet operation
This feature refers to all those refrigerators that are designed to be quiet while running/operating. In other words, they make less noise or no noise at all. Vibration is also minimized. This is due to vapour absorption refrigeration that consists of a generator, condenser absorber, evaporator, and rectifier instead of a compressor.
18. Extended warranties
Opting for an extended warranty gives you additional coverage to maintain, repair or replace your refrigerator beyond the standard warranty period. An extended warranty is optional; depends on you whether you want to purchase it or not. However, it is always safer to opt for it. If you don’t opt for it, then you could be in serious trouble if your appliance goes out within the initial warranty period. The parts and accessories will drill a hole in your pocket.
19. Retro/vintage style
Coming to the aesthetics of a refrigerator, where they feature a retro or vintage design is what the retro/vintage style is about. Most often, they have rounded edges, come in bold colours, and feature chrome accents. All these features contribute to adding a stylish look and feel to your urban kitchen.
20. Freshness features
As the name says, these are a group of features that are creatively designed to promote the freshness of all the food items stored in the refrigerator for prolonged periods. Some of these freshness features include air purifiers, humidity-controlled drawers, and anti-bacterial coatings.
Refrigerator: The Key to Preserving Food
We hope you found this article useful and were able to understand all the top 20 refrigerator features. If yes, then you’re good to go. Now you know exactly what you need; what type of refrigerator suits your requirements. And if you already have a recently purchased refrigerator then you know which food item to store in which compartment and also what the other refrigerator parts mean. HAPPY REFRIGERATION!
