How Best American Fridge Freezers Can Be Your Next Big Obsession

Buying a Small American Fridge Freezer

An American fridge freezer is the queen of domestic white goods, offering more storage space than your average model and a raft of extra features such as full air circulation for freezer compartments that are frost-free and fancy 0@ fruit and veg drawers. Look for non-plumbed models that do not require access for your plumbing for easy installation.

Storage

There are many storage options for small American refrigerator freezers. There are models that have two large salad crispers, two drawers for freezers and zones that are able to switch from freezer to refrigerator with the push of a button. They can also have an additional door to store drinks so that you can keep your wine chilled and on hand.

You'll typically find American refrigerator-freezers with long, doors that resemble cupboards, with the fridge on the left and freezer on the right, or a side-by-side fridge and freezer units. You may also find models that have a refrigerator on top of a freezer drawer or two, known as French-style refrigerators.

These models may take up a bit more space in your kitchen but they'll leave more space for your grocery items than a traditional freestanding model. There are even slim American fridge freezers that are just 70cm wide - great for kitchens with smaller spaces.

Whatever size you select, look for a model with a frost-free freezer to save you the hassle of constantly defrosting by hand. Some even have a speed-freeze setting that boosts freezing times which means food stays fresher longer. There are models that have adjustable shelves so you can make the most of your space. You'll also need to consider the energy efficiency rating of the appliance, as it will let you know how efficient it is for the environment and the cost to operate.

Convertible zones

Certain fridge freezers, like the Fridgemaster MS83430FFS come with convertible zones which can be switched from freezer to fridge and back again with the click of an button. This can be great for storing fresh veg or keeping beer and wine chilled, or even an enormous batch of frozen ice cream. It can also be useful at Christmas when you have lots of leftovers to freeze and reheat.

Another great feature is to check out Samsung's FlexZone compartment that you can adjust to suit various food types. It can be set to Freeze, Soft Freeze and Chill, or even Refrigerate. This is a great method of keeping all your frozen food organised and ready for big dinner parties.

Door alarms are an additional useful feature that will help you avoid food spoilage here by notifying you if your fridge or freezer door is open for too long. You can also find models with two cooling systems that divide the freezer and fridge compartments. This prevents cool, dry freezer air dehydrating food items in the fridge, and can cut down on energy costs.

When you purchase make sure you check the energy rating. The higher the rating the more efficient the model will be. You can also look at the yellow Energy Guide label for an estimate of operating costs.

Water and ice dispensers

Many American refrigerators feature water and dispensers for ice that let you access chilled filtered ice cubes or water at the push of an button. They're great if you like to have drinks available for guests or kids. There are manual ice makers for the freezer section. Simply fill the tray that is removable with ice and turn the dial.

Plumbed American refrigerator freezers must be connected to the main water supply, which means they're only suitable if your kitchen is already installed and you can accommodate them. If you want to save money, or don't have enough room for a refrigerator freezer with a plumbed connection There are other options. For example you can buy refrigerators that have refillable water bottles that you fill yourself.

If you enjoy entertaining, then consider an American fridge freezer with an integrated wine cooler that can hold up to 28 bottles and is designed to provide optimal cooling. There are also models that have a smart sensor that detects the moment that the door is opened. This allows you to control and monitor your appliance remotely with Smart ThinQ via your smartphone or tablet. You can also find an energy-efficient model with a low A+ rating, allowing you to reduce your carbon footprint while saving money on running expenses.

Built-in cameras

Refrigerators with cameras are more of a 'nice to have rather than a necessity. However, they can be helpful for those who wish to keep track and reduce their consumption of food. They let you see what's in the fridge without opening the door, which is particularly helpful for busy households. You can also use the camera to check the fridge if you didn't close your fridge before you go shopping, for example.

Samsung offers a range of fridge freezers that have cameras, including the stylish RS50N3513WW/EU. It comes with a huge 29-inch touchscreen display, which allows you to look at the contents of your fridge, get ideas for recipes and even order groceries. It is powered by Bixby, the intelligent assistant of the brand. It can also be used with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. You can control it with your smartphone or tablet and also adjust the temperature settings of the fridge remotely.

For a budget-friendly alternative consider Hisense's FMN431W20C refrigerator freezer. It's got a huge 550ltr capacity across the fridge and freezer along with front-mounted water as well as Ice dispensers. It features no-frost technology that will help you avoid the hassle of breaking frozen ice by hand. It also has LED lighting to help you navigate through the interior space. It is frost-free and EnergyStar certified, which means it will be efficient to run. It doesn't have the fancy cameras of the previous Samsung models however it can keep you well fed at a lower cost.