Choosing a Kitchen Refrigerator
Not all members in a family cook, however, everyone uses the refrigerator. Read the suggestions below carefully before shopping for a refrigerator. Energy efficiency, capacity, interior design and style are four critical features we have to take into consideration.
Energy Efficiency:
Generally speaking, a refrigerator is a major purchase and would cost a lot in consuming electricity. Nevertheless, thanks to technology the refrigerators made recently are about 70% more energy efficient than the ones made 25 years ago. If you are considering remodeling your kitchen, acquiring a modern refrigerator would be a smart and economic choice. Remember to choose the refrigerators with ENERGY STAR label. They could save at least 15% more electricity than federal standard ones.
Capacity:
The capacity of a refrigerator may be the most important feature among all. The larger the refrigerator you have, the less frequency you need to rearrange food in the refrigerator. A 20 to 25 cubic feet refrigerator should meet the need for a family with 2 children. Keep in mind that the refrigerator would operate the most efficiently by being 70% full.
Interior Design:
A good interior design in a refrigerator not only keeps the food fresh, but also bring the convenience to your family. Here are some popular features we recommend for you to research:
- * Spill-proof glass shelves
- * Adjustable height shelves or flexible space shelves or elevator shelves
- * Through-the-door ice
- * Water dispensers
- * Adjustable storage bins and crispers
- * Glide-out baskets or shelves
- * Multi-temperature controlling for different kinds of food
- * Two humidity controlled crispers to keep vegetables fresh
Style:
Basically there are 4 kinds of styles to choose. They are top-mount, bottom-mount, side-by-side and compact refrigerators. In top-mount refrigerator designs the freezer compartment is on top while bottom-mount one has it below. Side-by-side freezers and refrigerators are adjacent.
How to choose between these styles depends on what you need. Side-by-side refrigerators save space but consumes the most electricity among them. Top-mount refrigerators save slightly more energy than bottom-mount ones. Bottom-mount refrigerators might be ideal for people who rarely use their freezers. Compact refrigerators are ideal for small spaces such as a studio apratment or dorm rooms. Do not forget to choose a stylish appearance to fit your kitchen.
Before you make up your mind, be sure the space you are going to place the refrigerator in is big enough to accommodate the refrigerator of your choice. Also, make sure that the clearance of your doors or the pathway is big enough for moving the refrigerator. The last but not the least, check the warranty of the refrigerator. A good warranty will help to make you carefree in the kitchen.