Things To Keep In Mind Before Upgrading To A New Refrigerator This Summer

While buying a fridge may demand detailed research to discover the perfect fit, we feel that some parameters are fundamental to taking your first steps into the buying process.

(Representational Image)

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The parameters of selecting an ideal product are subjective to the requirements of an individual buyer like the size of the family, available kitchen space, and budget of the household. However, when it comes to heavy appliances, customers need to keep a wide variety of things in mind to ensure that the product is worth the initial and subsequent investment until its shelf life. While buying a fridge may need detailed research to find the perfect fit, we feel that certain parameters are quintessential to taking your first steps into the buying process.

Some of the most important features would be the capability of the fridge to keep your food items fresh and healthy, moisture control, efficient cooling, airflow regulation, and maximum cost and energy savings. These features allow the fridge to protect the family from risks of food contamination or spoilage while keeping the maintenance charges and electricity consumption at their lowest.

Moreover, you can also choose the size of the fridge based on the space available in your kitchen and the number of members in the family. The type of refrigerator will also be dependent on the weather conditions in which it operated for optimum cooling of food and perishables. In conversation with ABP Live, Voltas Beko shared top tips to keep in mind before upgrading to a new refrigerator this year.

Select the variant that fits your kitchen best: Due to the unique demands of the customers in this category, the market offers a wide variety of refrigerators from single-door cooling refrigerators to double-door, top-mounted freezers to bottom-mounted refrigerators, side-by-side refrigerators, and French Door refrigerators.  Besides, the refrigerators also vary based on fridge capacity, fridge space, the kind of defrosting being offered, the type of refrigerators - in terms of size and the way they are built, energy rating, the type of compressors and additional features offered - such as water/ice dispensers, toughened glass shelves, convertible fridges, adjustable shelving, voltage stabilizer and more.

The best way to find your ideal refrigerator would be to analyze the size of your family, and the daily consumption and storage of food at your house. A single-door refrigerator is best suited for a family of 1-2 persons while large families can select between a double-door, high-frost, or side-by-side refrigerator for great cooling and convenient storage of food.  

In addition, it is important to choose a refrigerator with a freezer size that best suits your requirement for packaged dairy and ready-to-eat foods. Due to the daily bustle of life, it is possible that an individual will need a larger or smaller freezer size in the same category as a refrigerator. 

Cost of the appliance: A cost of a refrigerator can vary anywhere from INR 12,500 to INR 1,40,000 based on the type of model and features required by a household. Direct cooling single-door refrigerators are available at affordable prices for small families and can cost a customer anywhere between INR 12,500 to INR 25,000. Double-door fridges are available between INR 19,000 to INR 60,000, depending on the advanced features required by the customer. The side-by-side and other high-end refrigerators can cost the customer around INR 45,000 to 100,000 and are great for families that stock larger quantities of food items for consumption. If you are a food connoisseur, you can choose the fridge that perfectly complements your love for food. 

If you are on a tight budget and saving for a high-end product, you can avail high-quality refrigerators with advanced tech features by using exciting EMI offers and discounts during the summer season!

Energy consumption of the product: While selecting your ideal product, you must pay close attention to the star ratings given to the product by BEE. We always encourage our customers to choose products with a star rating, ranging from 2 to 5 stars, for maximum energy savings. As a refrigerator uses energy throughout the day unlike other appliances, it is imperative to select a product with Smart Inverter Motor. This would help keep the operations seamless causing minimum wear and tear and lost lasting cooling experience. You can save up to 70% of energy if you select a fridge that offers a durable inverter motor, compressor, and stabilizer.

To make the most out of your refrigerator if it is important to ensure that you maintain it well and follow all guidelines in the handbook. Some of the key hacks to make your fridge last longer will be to avoid storing hot/warm food and to avoid tampering with the temperature of the unit. Moreover, it is important to keep adequate space between two items to enable a seamless flow of ventilation in the refrigerator. You must ensure regular cleaning of the shelves and dispose of expired items from the shelves for a clean ambiance. You can also carefully adjust cooling based on the weather outside and not hesitate to reach out to the brand’s helpline for any queries.