Buying a Small American Fridge Freezer

An American fridge freezer is the queen of white goods that are used in the domestic kitchen, providing more storage space than your average model and a raft of extra features such as full air circulation to keep freezer compartments frost-free and fancy fruit and vegetable drawers. For easy installation choose units without plumbing that don't need access to your plumbing.

Storage

There are plenty of storage options for small American refrigerator freezers. There are models with two large salad crispers, two drawers for the freezer and zones that switch from refrigerator to freezer at the push of a button. You can also purchase a separate drink door to keep your favorite wine chilled.

Typically, you'll see American fridge freezers that have long doors that resemble cupboards, with the fridge on the right side and the freezer on the left, or side-by-side refrigerators and freezer units. There are models with a fridge on the top of a drawer with a freezer or two, also known as French-style refrigerators.

These models will take up more space in your home but you'll also have more space to store your food items. There are slim narrow american fridge freezer refrigerator freezers that measure just 70cm in width, perfect for small kitchens.

Look for a frost free freezer, regardless of size. This will prevent you from having to defrost it manually. Some models have an option for speed-freezing, which extends the time for freezing so that food stays fresher longer. There are models with adjustable shelves to make the most of your space. You'll also need to factor in the energy efficiency rating of the appliance, as it will tell you how green it is for the environment and what it will cost to run.

Convertible zones

Certain fridge freezers, such as the Fridgemaster MS83430FFS, have convertible zones. These zones can be switched between freezer and fridge by pressing a button. This is great for storing fresh food, wine, and beer or even a huge batch of ice-cream. This is especially useful for Christmas leftovers that you want to freeze and then heat.

Samsung's FlexZone compartment is another fantastic feature. It can be adjusted to suit different types of food. You can set it to Freeze or Soft Freeze. It can be set to chill or Refrigerate, or Freeze. This is a great method to keep all your frozen food organised and ready for big dinner parties.

Other useful features include door alarms that will alert you when the doors to the fridge or freezer were left open for too long, helping avoid food spoilage. You can also find models with two cooling systems that separate freezer and fridge compartments. This stops dry, cool freezer air from drying food items in the fridge, and can help to cut the cost of energy.

Before you buy, don't forget about the energy rating. The higher the rating is, the more efficient it is. You can also examine the yellow Energy Guide label for an estimate of operating costs.

Ice and water dispensers

Many American refrigerators are equipped with water and dispensers for ice that let you get chilled purified ice cubes and small American fridge freezer water at the touch of a button. They're great if you like to have drinks in the fridge for guests or children. There are also models with manual ice makers in the freezer section, where you simply fill a removable tray and twist the dial to release crushed ice.

Plumbed American refrigerator freezers must be connected to the mains water supply, so they're only suitable for use if your kitchen is already set up with plumbing that can accommodate them. If you're looking to save money, or you don't have enough room for a fridge freezer that is plumbed, there are other options. For example you can purchase refrigerators that have refillable water bottles that you fill yourself.

If you are a fan of entertaining, then choose an American fridge freezer that has an integrated wine chiller. It can accommodate up to 28 bottles of wine and is designed to provide the best cooling. There are also models that have sensors that sense when the door is opened. This lets you manage and monitor your appliance remotely via Smart ThinQ via your smartphone or tablet. You can also find models with an A+ energy rating that will assist you in reducing the carbon footprint of your home while saving money on running expenses.

Built-in cameras

The refrigerator freezers that come with cameras are a 'nice to have' and not an essential feature however they can be beneficial for those who prefer to keep track of their food supplies and cut down on over-consumption. They allow you to see what's in your fridge without opening the door, which can be especially useful for families with busy schedules. You can also make use of the camera to determine whether you've closed the fridge before going out to shop, for instance.

Samsung offers a range of refrigerator freezers equipped with cameras, including the sleek model RS50N3513WW/EU. It has a large 29-inch touchscreen display that you can use to view the contents of your fridge as well as get recipe ideas and order groceries. It's powered by the company's own smart assistant Bixby and can work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant too. You can control it via your tablet or smartphone, and also change the temperature of the fridge remotely.

For a budget-friendly alternative check out Hisense's FMN431W20C refrigerator freezer. It's got a huge 550ltr capacity across the freezer and fridge, plus front-mounted water and ice dispensers. It has no-frost technology to save you the annual misery of removing the ice manually and LED lighting that makes it easier to navigate the interior space. It's frost free and EnergyStar accredited, so it should be economical and efficient to run too. It doesn't have the flashy cameras of the previous Samsung models however, it's able to keep you well-fed with less expense.