Is a bottom-freezer fridge right for my kitchen?

Is a bottom-freezer fridge the best fit for you, your kitchen and your lifestyle? Find out with our buyer's guide.

Bottom-freezer refrigerators are a popular variant produced by many brands. Also known as bottom-mount refrigerators, these styles offer a variety of benefits.

Their design, which places the freezer compartment at the bottom, is aimed at enhancing convenience.

• Essential buyer considerations include energy rating, exteriors finishing and type of shelves, among others.
• Although the available size options incorporate 500-litre variants, bottom-freezer fridges provide limited space in the freezer compartment.
• This style is therefore not a good fit for anyone intending to stock up bulk frozen food.

Bottom-freezer fridges provide two types of doors, French- and single-door configurations.

The French-door option

The French-door option allows access to one section of the refrigerator at a time. The doors sit side-by-side and require limited space to open wide, making them well suited to smaller kitchens.

The single-door option

Single door configurations allow access to the entire fridge at a time.

Depending on your specific needs, you can choose between single- or dual-freezer drawers.

• A single freezer is great for storing food in one compartment, thus maximizing the available space.
• A dual freezer offers two compartments for easy organization.

Your particular needs or number of users determines the ideal fridge size.

• Manufacturers recommend 200 to 350 litres for at least two people, 350 to 530 litres for three to five people and 450 litres and above for five or more users.

Larger fridges tend to use more energy than smaller ones. You should opt for units with the eco or holiday modes to improve energy efficiency.

Exterior finishes

Exterior finishes are another aspect that you should consider when buying a bottom-freezer refrigerator.

• Stainless steel finishes are more popular, there are still many alternatives available, including the classic white variants.

Controls

Models provide different temperature and humidity controls. Some offer separate controls for fridge and freezer, which is ideal for ensuring optimal operation of the two sections.

Shelves

Adjustable glass shelves provide you with an easy way to clean and flexible storage options. Compared to plastic, glass is great for keeping temperatures low by retaining cold air.

Kind of refrigerant

Units with non-synthetic R600a refrigerant are more environmental friendly when compared to those with hydro-fluorocarbon R134a.

Bottom-freezer refrigerators not only offer convenience but also running efficiency and storage space. This is in addition to great interior layout, aesthetic design and variety in terms physical dimensions.