Buying a Small American Fridge Freezer

An american fridge freezer with ice maker fridge freezer is the king of domestic white goods, offering more storage space than the typical model, and a myriad of extra features like full air circulation for frost-free freezer compartments and fancy fruit and veg drawers. For easy installation choose units without plumbing that don't need access to your plumbing.

Stores

The good news is that there are lots of alternatives for storage options for small American fridge freezers. There are models that come with two large salad crispers, two drawers for the freezer and zones that switch from freezer to refrigerator with the touch of a button. They may also come with an additional door to store drinks so that you can keep your favourite wine chilled and available.

You'll usually find American fridge-freezers that have long doors that look like cupboards, the fridge on the left and the freezer on right, or side by side fridge and freezer units. There are models that have a fridge on the top of a freezer drawer or two, which are referred to as French-style refrigerators.

These models can take up a little more space in your kitchen but they'll leave more space to store your groceries than a conventional freestanding model. You can even find slim American fridge freezers that are just 70cm wide - great for kitchens with smaller spaces.

No matter what size you select, look for a model with an unfrosted freezer to spare you the hassle of constantly defrosting it by hand. Some even have a speed-freeze setting that speeds up freezing times, so food stays fresher for a longer period of time. You can also find models with adjustable shelves to ensure that you're making the most out of the available space. You'll also want to take into consideration the energy efficiency rating of the appliance because this tells you how good it is for the environment and how much it will cost to operate.

Convertible zones

Certain fridge freezers, such as the Fridgemaster MS83430FFS, small American fridge freezer feature convertible zones. These zones can be switched between fridge and freezer by pressing a button. This is useful for storing fresh vegetables, keeping wine and beer chilled, or even an entire batch of frozen ice cream. This is especially useful for leftovers from Christmas that you want to freeze and reheat.

Another great feature is to take a look at Samsung's FlexZone compartment that can be adjusted to fit different food items - it can be set to Freeze, Soft Freeze chill, Refrigerate or Chill. This is a great way to keep all frozen food items in order and ready for those big dinner parties.

Other useful features include door alarms that warn you if the refrigerator or freezer doors have been left open too long, helping to avoid food spoilage. There are models with twin cooling systems that separate the fridge and freezer compartments. This stops dry, cool freezer air from drying food in the fridge and can reduce energy costs.

Don't forget to look at the energy efficiency rating of the model you are considering before you buy. The higher the rating the more efficient the model will be. You can also check the yellow Energy Guide label for an estimate of operating costs.

Water and ice dispensers

Many American refrigerator freezers come with dispensers for water and ice so that you can drink chilled water and cubes at the touch of an button. They're great to keep drinks handy for guests or the kids. You can also find models with manual ice makers in the freezer section where you fill a disposable tray and then turn the dial to release crushed ice.

Plumbed American fridge freezers need to be connected to the main water supply, so they're only suitable if your kitchen is already fitted with plumbing that can accommodate them. If you're looking to save money, or don't have enough space to accommodate a plumbed fridge freezer there are alternatives. For example, you can buy refrigerators that have refillable water bottles that you can fill yourself.

If you are a fan of entertaining then you should look for an American fridge freezer with built-in wine coolers that can hold up to 28 bottles and is designed to ensure optimal cooling. It's also possible to find models that have an intelligent door opener which allows you to manage and monitor your appliance remotely with Smart ThinQ technology via your smartphone or tablet. There are also models that have an A+ energy rating that will help you reduce the carbon footprint of your home while saving money on operating costs.

Built-in cameras

Refrigerators with cameras are more of a 'nice to have more than an essential feature. However, they can be helpful for those who need to keep track of their food and cut down on their consumption of food. They let you see the contents of your fridge without opening the door, which can be particularly helpful for busy households. You can also use the camera to check whether you've closed the fridge prior to going out to shop, as an example.

Samsung offers a variety of refrigerator freezers equipped with cameras, such as the fashionable RS50N3513WW/EU model. It has a large touchscreen display that allows you to look through the contents of your fridge, look up recipes and place orders for groceries. It's powered by the company's own smart assistant Bixby and works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant too. You can control it with your tablet or smartphone, and adjust the fridge's temperature settings remotely.

For a less costly option consider Hisense's FMN431W20C refrigerator freezer. It has a 550ltr capacity in both the fridge and freezer. Front-mounted water and Ice dispensers are included. It comes with no-frost technology to save you the annual misery of breaking the ice manually and LED lighting to help navigate the interior space. It is frost-free and EnergyStar accredited, which means it will be efficient to run. It doesn't have the fancy cameras of the above Samsung models however, it's able to keep you well fed for less.