For many Filipino families, the kitchen is the heart of the home. Gatherings are always centered around food and preparing for family and friends that are invited over to share a meal. With all the kwento, laughs, and memories that are shared over lunch, dinner or maybe even merienda, there are usually always leftovers that are stored in the fridge for the next day.
Indeed, the refrigerator is a crucial appliance to any household and is one that should be thought through before purchase. To make sure you’re getting high-quality units, it’s a good idea to best buy refrigerators from reputable appliance stores. Let’s take a look at 5 things to consider before purchasing a fridge.
Energy Consumption
After your aircon and hot water equipment, your refrigerator is probably the next biggest energy consumer in your household. Luckily, there are many models available with energy saving mechanisms such as inverter technology. An inverter refrigerator cools at an optimum level and uses the minimum amount of energy required. This ensures that your items are kept cold without you racking up a high power bill.
Refrigerator Configuration in Relation to Your Food Consumption
There are different types of refrigerator configurations, so the right model depends on your household’s personal needs. Do you do grocery runs every week or try to do a big one that should last for a whole month? Do you tend to buy more frozen or fresh food? Let’s take a look at three variations, so you can decide what makes the most sense for your household.
Top freezer models tend to use the least energy of all refrigerator models and are more often than not the most affordable. They’re also compact, but they may not be ideal if you need a lot of space to store frozen goods. Bottom freezer models, on the other hand, are usually larger than their top freezer counterparts. They work best for households that tend to buy a bulk of their groceries in the frozen section.
Can’t decide between the two? Why not go for side-by-side for the ultimate compromise? These refrigerators are split down the middle, offering a relatively equal amount of space for both your frozen and fresh goods.
Still not satisfied? Maybe pull out all the stops and go for the French door model. This configuration combines the side-by-side and bottom freezer models for a refrigerator that delivers on size, space, and usually all the modern add-ons such as smart features. Do take note though that all these bonuses come with the price to boot.
Before you decide, think about what are the typical items in your grocery cart and how often you go shopping. Your personal needs and frequency as to which you load your fridge will also determine what configuration will work best for you.
Style, Finish, and Fit
A refrigerator is not something you change every season. A good model can last you years, maybe even more than a decade. As such, the style and finishing of your fridge is important. Is it smudge proof or will you constantly have to be polishing it to get fingerprints off? Does it match the rest of your kitchen and the look and feel of your home? It could be an eye sore to have a modern futuristic looking refrigerator that stands out against your country-themed kitchen.
Aside from the design of the refrigerator itself, the fit is also essential. Make sure to take measurements of the space where you’re planning to slot it in to make sure you have enough room for it. Aside from the width, depth is also important. You wouldn’t want a fridge that juts out, especially if it’s slotted between cabinets and countertops. Furthermore, you’ll need to ensure there’s sufficient space to clear when opening it to make sure you have a kitchen that people can still move around easily in.
Refrigerators also don’t just appear in your kitchen. Consider the path to get your new fridge to where it’s supposed to be. The last thing you want is realizing that the perfect one can’t enter your home or condo.
All the Small Details
Easy-to-open drawers, sharp edges, dedicated compartments—these are just some of the little things you should keep in mind before making your purchase. As much as energy, size, and storage are important, so are the finer points that we tend to take for granted. These end up making a big impact once we get around to using the refrigerator every day and noting the key differences between the old and new models. Before making your purchase, read customer reviews if available to see how content others are with the model, and maybe you’ll even pick up on some things you might have initially overlooked.
Added Features That Can Elevate Your Experience
Whether it be an ice maker, water dispenser, or maybe even smart features like a camera, you can decide just how customized or upgraded you want your refrigerator to be. Consider your needs and budget first and foremost. Some might see these as unnecessary add-ons, whereas for others, they could be complete lifesavers.
Refrigerators are arguably one of the most important home appliances you can buy. Since they are built to stand the test of time, do your research and go over the different factors to consider. Finding the balance among function, fashion, and finish should help you find the perfect one to suit your lifestyle.