Decisions, Decisions...
Apr 08 '00
Many people don't realize how important a refrigerator is to them until they have to do without one for a day or theirs only keeps items cool not cold. Whether it's because you're moving or yours gave up the ghost, it is important to have in mind what type of replacement you want. I do believe that all new refrigerators come frost-free, so that should eliminate one of your concerns. There are also a variety of sizes that can be had. You can buy a small apartment sized refrigerator up to a 25 cubic foot. (We purchase an 18.0 cubic foot Amana.)
Do you want
* A side-by-side, where the freezer portion is on one side and the refrigeration portion is on the other side?
or
* Perhaps the freezer portion on the bottom like a chest freezer and the refrigeration portion on the top?
better yet
* The good old stand-by, freezer portion on top and the refrigeration portion on the bottom?
I've had all three. My personal preference is the most widely used freezer on the top.
Why, you ask?
* I personally feel the side-by-side freezer portion is wasted space at the bottom. You put stuff down there that you forget about because you don't make eye contact with it when opening the door each time. The shelves never seem to be wide enough either.
* The bottom portion freezer type, I feel the same way. If you don't see your items at eye level you're liable to forget about them. Of course, this could be argued that seeing the refrigerator portion at eye level would reduce spoilage.
* I am most comfortable with the freezer on the top because I can see most of the items in there at a glance. My refrigerator has clear glass shelves over the crisper section on the bottom, so I do have visibility of my produce.
The next most important decisions are the features you want inside the refrigerator.
When we went shopping the two most important features to us were:
* I wanted see-through glass shelves not the ugly plastic shelves that so many of them come with. You will have to pay a little more for glass shelves though. I felt they would last longer and hold more weight that the plastic ones.
* My husband was more interested in reversible and removable refrigerator and freezer doors. This turned out to be important when we moved from one house to the other and where the refrigerator would fit in the new house.
Other features you might look for:
* The energy efficiency rating. Our Amana refrigerator is designed to be one of the most energy efficient ones available on the market.
* Separate controls or thermostats for freezer and refrigerator.
* Adjustable and removable racks, cantilever shelves and containers (egg storage, crisper storage and dairy storage).
* Humidity Controls on the deli or lunch meat storage and on the crispers.
* Ice Maker.
Lesser features, but some worth considering.
* If so desired, a water and ice dispenser on the outside of the refrigerator.
* Exterior cabinet moisture control for when the humidity is high.
* An alarm that sounds if refrigeration should fall below acceptable levels. (Mine has this feature.)
* Freezer and refrigerator light. (This is the first model I’ve ever had that had a light in the freezer portion which I like.)
* Colors that the refrigerator comes in beside white.
* Last but not least is what kind of warranty your refrigerator has. ( Mine had a 1 year warranty on any part of the refrigerator that fails because of a defect. A five year on any part of the sealed refrigerating system.)
Remember, you must decide what your priorities are in choosing your new refrigerator for your family.
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Member: BJ
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