A refrigerator is a necessity for almost every family. Nowadays, refrigerators do so much more than just keeping food fresh, and it’s important to understand some features before making decisions since it is usually not cheap. Most people are confused when it comes to choosing a refrigerator because they are not professional in this area. Mostly, people will only consider the brand, appearance, and price. Of course, these should also be considered, but there are many other indicators you need to consider. The purpose of this article is to provide a complete, practical, and reliable guide to buying. Even if you don’t know anything about refrigerators, after reading this article you will have a general idea of how to buy a suitable refrigerator.

Here is the list of aspects you need to know while buying a refrigerator.

1. Materials (exterior & interior) 
2. Capacity 
3. Types 
4. Compressors 
5. Energy rating 
6. Defrosting

 Materials：

The cabinet and door are made of aluminum or steel sheet metal that is sometimes pre-painted, it is better to choose those materials that are easy to clean and scratch-free. My suggestion here is stainless steel might be a good choice, and this type of refrigerator is super popular in the market. But not all stainless-steel refrigerators are scratch-free, so you need to ask the customer service. Some stainless-steel surface is not easy to clean, but don’t worry because I have posted an article to teach you how to make your stainless-steel shining again!

Capacity:

Generally, the larger the capacity, the higher the price. However, the concept of liters might be unclear for most people, in other words, even the refrigerator has indicated the capacity, it is still unclear what capacity is suitable for you. One key factor that can be used as a measurement is the size of your family as this determines the amount of food you will be keeping inside your fridge. The following picture shows the equivalent relationship between a family member and refrigerator capacity.

The picture above is just an estimation of the amount of food that is required by different sizes of families. However, sometimes you might require a higher capacity despite not having many family members, so it’s always advisable to consider your requirements in detail before deciding the capacity. 

Types:

There are many types of refrigerators in the market, and each type has its own profits. Next, I will provide some popular refrigerators for you guys. 

- Mini fridge:

A mini-fridge is not a replacement for a regular-size refrigerator. Most commonly, they come in handy in places where there is not enough space to keep a conventional refrigerator. For instance, they are super suitable for studio apartments or dorm rooms. 

The above picture is SMAD mini fridge with a lock, adjustable shelves, and reversible door.

- Single door refrigerator:

As the name suggests, these refrigerators have just one door. Compare with a mini fridge, this kind of refrigerator has a larger capacity. These are the most economical options available out there, and apart from fridge space, even offer modest freezer space. 

The above picture is SMAD reversible single-door refrigerator. Surprisingly, this SMAD refrigerator has a freezer box to keep frozen food temporarily.

- Two doors refrigerator:

This type of refrigerator features two doors, one on top of the other. Commonly, the upper compartment is reserved for the freezer, the lower one is the refrigerator compartment. So, you will have more space for freezing use. The capacity of the double door is larger than the above two refrigerators. According to the picture above, it is suitable for those families with four people. Besides the larger capacity, these refrigerators have more functions such as auto-defrost.

The above picture is SMAD top mount freezer refrigerator. The finish type of this refrigerator is stainless steel which makes it look sleek and easy to clean.

- French door refrigerator:

French door refrigerators are the latest trend in refrigerator design. These refrigerators have two refrigerator doors that open outward, with the split in the middle. They can open individually or both together. The idea is that by opening both, you are opening the entire space – making everything clearly visible. 

Most French door refrigerators come with one or two freezer drawers on the bottom. This is handy, as most people access the refrigerator more frequently. And the larger bottom freezer drawers allow for more organized space. 

The above picture is SMAD counter depth French door refrigerator with an auto ice maker. This refrigerator has a large capacity and many practical functions. Keep things tidy and easy to find with a full-width pantry drawer, individually controlled crisper drawers and premium interior LED lighting.

Energy rating:

Source: SMAD Energy Guide of single door refrigerator.

The energy rating of a refrigerator indicates the efficiency when it is working. It is not only about money-saving, but also about the health issue and environmental protection. Therefore, energy rating is a vital indicator when you purchase a refrigerator. One easy way to check the energy rating is to check the estimated yearly energy cost as well as yearly electricity use which are indicated on the energy guide. 

Compressor:

The compressor can be regarded as the core of a refrigerator because it is responsible for maintaining the temperatures inside the fridge. Commonly, smaller fridges usually come with general compressors, while medium and large-sized refrigerators ship with inverter compressors. 

Defrosting: Direct cool vs Frost free

The name frost-free tells us that there is no need to defrost by yourself, and the refrigerator will do it for you. Refrigerators with the frost-free method do not allow ice to form inside the compartments and hence do not subject your food to freeze burn. However, these kinds of refrigerators are more expensive than direct cooling refrigerators and consume more electricity due to their usage of fans. 

In the case of direct cooling, the circulation is handled through natural convection, without any external help.