Your refrigerator is one of the most used appliances in your house. It runs every hour of every day, year after year, keeping your foods safe and healthy for your family. Choosing the right and Best refrigerator is essential to maintaining a consistent supply of healthy and nutritious food, as well as keeping your energy bills low.
Fortunately, with so many different styles of refrigerators available, you should have no problem finding the right model for your family.
Here are five key steps to choosing the best refrigerator to fit your needs:
Choose the Right Size and Design
Refrigerators come in all different sizes. If you have a small kitchen, you can get a compact model to fit your space. If you have a larger kitchen, you have the freedom to choose whatever refrigerator has the design and features you want. When choosing the right size, it is important to consider both the size of your kitchen and the size that will give you the storage capacity you need.
Start by measuring the space where you want to put your refrigerator. If you have a small kitchen, you may not have much choice. Who may already mark out space for you? In many cases, the refrigerator will be sandwiched between two cabinets or between a cabinet and a wall. If you don’t take measurements and choose the right size refrigerator, there is a high risk that the model you buy won’t fit the space. You don’t want to deal with having to return your refrigerator and picking out a new model.
When choosing your refrigerator, you must also consider the capacity for food storage, which is determined by both size and design. The most common style has a small freezer on top with the refrigerator on the bottom. However, this provides only a very small space for freezing foods. Other styles include a large drawer for the best refrigerator on the bottom, a French-style (with a draw on the bottom but double doors on the top), and a side-by-side refrigerator and freezer.
Also Read: What to do if Your Refrigerator Leaking Water
Each style offers its benefits. It is important that you think through how much food you need to store at one time and whether you will need most of that space for freezing foods or keeping them fresh. For example, if you have a large family, you may want more room for refrigerator space but plenty of freezer room. If you leave alone, you may save money by downsizing the capacity.
Consider the Cost
You may decide that having an oversized, French-style refrigerator would suit your family’s needs best, but you may not have the budget to afford such a model. Refrigerators can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. It would help if you found a model that fits your budget.
You don’t necessarily have to sacrifice the size or features you need because you don’t have more to spend. You can find a way to afford the right refrigerator by doing some smart shopping. For example, shopping for appliances on a tax-free weekend can save you more than $100, depending on how much the best refrigerator costs. Comparison shopping can also help you find the best deal on a refrigerator. Some retailers will even honour the prices of their competitors.
You can also consider buying an open or refurbished refrigerator to save several hundred dollars.
Know the Energy Use
Not all refrigerator models are energy efficient. Like some cars are gas guzzlers, some refrigerators consume a lot of electricity. Over time, that energy use can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars.
When evaluating your choices, make sure you know how much energy each refrigerator uses. Energy Star appliances include the amount of energy the refrigerator uses and an estimate of the energy savings for a year compared with traditional models.
When considering the cost of the best refrigerator, also consider energy usage. An inexpensive refrigerator could end up costing you much more over time.
Evaluate the Features
A basic refrigerator may give you the option to adjust the temperature but not much else. Other models may include many more features, such as icemakers, water coolers, drawers with individual temperature control or even a television in the door.
When considering the best refrigerator’s cost, it is also important to evaluate the features it offers. A fully loaded model will cost a little more than a basic model. When comparing prices, you must be comparing “apples to apples.”
Check the Warranty
A quality model refrigerator will last you many years without needing service. However, anything can go wrong at any time. You can’t take your chances. Make sure you get a warranty that will cover major repairs. Without it, you could be out hundreds of dollars on a service call, or you could have to pay for a total replacement.
Some manufacturers offer a limited warranty with purchase, but you may have to buy a warranty from the retailer. The optional warranty or protection plan is well worth the investment. You may spend a couple of hundred dollars, but you could save yourself thousands if the best refrigerator starts to have problems.
Also, keep in mind that accidents can cause your best refrigerator problems. You don’t have to own a poor-quality model to face repairs. Power surges, flooding and any number of other issues could cause damage to your refrigerator. Make sure you are protected with the right warranty.
Choosing the right refrigerator will give you the performance you want for many years to come. Use these handy tips to help you find the best refrigerator to meet your needs and your budget. Of course, shopping is all fun. Take your time and find the very best model you can afford. You’ll love seeing your new refrigerator each time you walk into your kitchen.