Buying a Small American Fridge Freezer

An American fridge freezer is the queen of domestic white goods, offering more storage space than the average model and a raft of additional features like full air circulation for freezer compartments that are frost-free and fancy fruit and veg drawers. Look for non-plumbed models that do not require access to the plumbing for a simple installation.

Storage

There are numerous storage options for small American refrigerator freezers. You can find models with two freezer drawers as well as large salad crispers, and zones that can change from freezer to fridge with the push of a button. You can also purchase an additional door for drinks to keep your favorite wine chilled.

Most often, you'll come across American refrigerator freezers that feature long doors that resemble cupboards, with the fridge on the right and freezer on the left, or Best American fridge freezers side-by-side fridge and freezer units. There are also French-style refrigerators, with the fridge stacked on the top of one or more freezer drawers.

These models might take up a bit more space in your kitchen but they'll leave more room for your groceries than a standard freestanding model. You can even find slim American fridge freezers that are just 70cm in width - ideal for kitchens with smaller spaces.

Whatever size you decide to buy, look for a an frost-free freezer to avoid you the hassle of frequently defrosting the freezer by hand. Certain models come with the option of fast-freezing, which can increase the time to freeze so that food stays fresher longer. You can also find models with adjustable shelves to ensure you're making the most of the available space. You'll also want to be aware of the energy efficiency of the appliance since it tells you how great it is for the environment as well as how much it will cost to operate.

Convertible zones

Some fridge freezers like the Fridgemaster MS83430FFS come with convertible zones that can be changed between fridge and freezer and back again with the click of the button. This can be useful for storing fresh vegetables as well as keeping beer and wine chilled, or even an enormous batch of Ice cream. It's also useful at Christmas when there are plenty of leftovers to freeze and heat.

For another fantastic feature, check out Samsung's FlexZone compartment, which can be adjusted to accommodate different food types. It can be set to Freeze or Soft Freeze and Chill, or even Refrigerate. This is a great method of keeping your frozen food in order and ready for big dinner parties.

Other handy features include door alarms that will alert you when the doors to the freezer or fridge were left open for too long, helping prevent food spoilage. You can also find models with twin cooling systems that separate the fridge and freezer compartments. This keeps the cold, dry air that comes in the freezer from causing drying of food items in the fridge. It also helps to save energy.

Before buying be sure to check the energy rating. The higher the rating, the more efficient it is. It's also worthwhile to check the yellow Energy Guide label to get an estimate of the running costs.

Water and ice dispensers

Many American refrigerators feature water and dispensers for ice that let you access chilled water or filtered ice cubes at the touch of an button. They're great to keep drinks handy for guests or the kids. You can find manual ice makers in the freezer section. Simply fill the tray with ice and turn the dial.

Plumbed American fridge freezers need to be connected to the mains water supply, so they're only suitable if the kitchen is already fitted with plumbing that can accommodate them. If you want to save money, or don't have enough space to accommodate a refrigerator freezer with a plumbed connection, best american fridge freezers there are other options. For instance you can purchase a refrigerator that has refillable water bottles that you can fill yourself.

If you like to entertain it is best american fridge freezers to choose an American fridge freezer that has a built-in wine chiller. It can hold up to 28 bottles of wine and is designed to provide maximum cooling. You can also find models with a smart sensor that detects the moment that the door is opened. This allows you to manage and monitor your appliance remotely with Smart ThinQ via your smartphone or tablet. You can also find models with an A+ energy rating which can aid in reducing your carbon footprint and save money on running costs.

Built-in cameras

Fridge freezers that have cameras are more of a 'nice to have feature than an essential one. However they can be useful for those who want to track their food consumption and reduce their food consumption. They allow you to see the contents of your fridge without opening the door, which is particularly helpful for busy households. You can use the camera to determine whether you have forgotten to shut your fridge before going shopping, for instance.

Samsung offers a variety of fridge freezers that come with cameras, including the elegant RS50N3513WW/EU. It has a large touchscreen display that allows you to view the contents of your fridge, find recipes, and even order groceries. It's powered by the brand's own smart assistant Bixby and is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant too. You can control the temperature of your fridge remotely using your smartphone or tablet.

For a less costly option, look at Hisense's FMN431W20C fridge freezer. It's got a huge 550ltr capacity across the freezer and fridge, plus front-mounted water and Ice dispensers. It comes with no-frost, which will save you from the annual pain of chipping ice away by hand and LED lighting to facilitate navigation inside. It's frost-free and EnergyStar accredited, so it should be cost-effective and economical to run as well. It might not have the fancy cameras that Samsung models do, but it's still a good choice. Samsung models have, but you can still enjoy a large amount of food at a lower cost.