Buying Guide for Double Door Refrigerators: Things That You Must Know
By TSG Desk | Updated May 13, 2024, 9:12 PM IST
Are you planning for a double-door refrigerator for your house but don’t know how to choose the best? Then worry no more, as we are here to help you make a smart and informed decision with this buying guide. This will help you learn about the various features that a refrigerator has to offer and the different factors that you need to consider before buying a refrigerator.
In today's time, refrigerators have become a necessity. From keeping your food and drinks cold to keeping your fruits and vegetables fresh, refrigerators are a must-have item in everyone’s household. But there are so many options available on the market that finding the right one can be a little difficult. There are many things to consider before purchasing one: the size of the refrigerator, the capacity, and various features. Do you live in a single condo and are looking for a compact fridge? Or are you living with your entire family in a big house and looking for a fridge that caters to all of their needs? Picking a refrigerator that caters to your unique needs could be daunting. Here is everything that you need to know about a double-door refrigerator before you go make a decision
Types of Double Door Refrigerators:
First thing first! Let’s know about the different types of double-door refrigerators.
Top Freezer Refrigerator
Refrigerators that have a freezer on the top section are called top freezer refrigerators. When you think about fridges, this design is the one that comes to mind. Keeping all our frozen goods at the top, with this refrigerator is super affordable and will make a great addition to your house.
Bottom Freezer Refrigerator
Now, the bottom freezer refrigerator is the exact opposite of the top, with the freezer being at the bottom of the fridge. So, if you're looking for something where you have somewhat easier access to your fresh goods, then a bottom-freezer unit could be ideal for you.
Side-by-Side Refrigerator
A side-by-side refrigerator has two doors that open vertically i.e. side by side. One side is a freezer, while the other is a refrigerator. Most side-by-side refrigerators usually have two doors but there are some that will have 3 doors. This model allows you to organize your food in a much better manner.
Which Refrigerator Size Is Right for Your Needs?
When we talk about double door refrigerators, there are a variety of different sizes available in the market. The one that is best for you depends on the number of people that are there in your household.
Factors to Consider Before Buying a Double Door Refrigerator:
Capacity
The number of groceries that one can store in their fridge depends on the capacity of the refrigerator. You must pick a refrigerator depending on the needs of your family. Refrigerators with large capacities will consume a large amount of energy and, thus, cost more money. It also takes up a lot of space in your kitchen. So, you must consider the capacity before getting a refrigerator.
BEE Star Rating (Bureau of Energy Efficiency)
Refrigerators are one of the few appliances that consume energy 24/7, which is why it is important for you to get a refrigerator that is energy efficient. The easiest way to do this is by checking out the BEE rating of the refrigerator you’re buying. The number of stars on the label indicates how effective the refrigerator is. So, a refrigerator with a high BEE star rating will cost you more money, which is why it is important to look at the BEE star rating of any fridge.
Number of shelves
The number of shelves a fridge has can make or break a buying decision. It is always nice to go for a fridge that has multiple shelves; that way, you can easily store a variety of things in those compartments. It is a bonus if these shelves happen to be adjustable shelves, as they allow you to make space for tall things or many containers. Look for spill-proof glass shelves that are easy to clean. Thus, go for a design that matches all your needs.
Style
There are a lot of factors that need to be considered before getting a fridge and one such factor is the style of your refrigerator. Consider the overall appearance of your kitchen. See if a beautiful refrigerator with a stainless-steel finish complements your house or whether you want to go for something more traditional. So always consider the style of the refrigerator before buying one.
Budget
Big fridge, big price! Double-door refrigerators are amazing, but they can be far more expensive than necessary. Think about the space you actually use. A small refrigerator will keep your food fresh and save you money. So, make sure that you go for a fridge that matches all your requirements and falls within your budget.
Warranty
A double-door fridge makes a great addition to your house, providing you with excellent capacity to keep your food cool and fresh. But they can cost a lot, so it is natural that you would want to take extra precautions when it comes to these appliances. This is where the warranty comes in. Go for a brand that offers you a longer warranty period; this way, you will know that if one day your fridge has any issues, it will be under warranty and can easily be repaired or replaced without any extra hassle.
Features to Look for While Buying a Refrigerator:
Water/Ice Dispenser
If you want a quick way to fill your glass or bottle with water or want to quickly add some ice to your drink, then go for a fridge that comes with a water/ice dispenser feature. With this, you will automatically be able to get water or ice without having to open your fridge door and actually fetch your bottle or the ice tray. It has a tank inside that will keep the water or ice in it so that it is ready for you to use whenever you’d like. It is also easy to maintain, so you don't have to worry about spending too much time looking after it.
Direct Cool or Frost Free
All refrigerators require cool air to circulate to keep the food chilled. While looking for a fridge, you will come across 2 features: direct cooling and frost-free. Direct cool technology circulates cool air from within the fridge. While it keeps your fridge cool, the cooling is distributed unevenly, which can result in the formation of ice in compartments that receive most of the air. And since it doesn't have any auto-clean feature, you will manually have to defrost the ice from time-to-time to maintain the fridge. These refrigerators are cost- and energy-efficient, but you must sometimes defrost them.
Refrigerators with frost-free technology circulate air evenly to all compartments of the refrigerator. It relies on electric fans for even circulation, which prevents frosting. This makes sure that you have more space to store your food, as there will be no ice taking up space. These refrigerators are easy to maintain, and you won't need to defrost any ice. However, they are slightly more expensive and consume more energy as compared to refrigerators with deep-cool technology.
Compressor
It is the most important part of any refrigerator; you can even call it the heart of a refrigerator. A compressor circulates the refrigerant throughout the system, increasing pressure in the warm area of the circuit and making the refrigerant hot. You will usually find 2 types of compressors while looking for a fridge: traditional and inverted compressors.
A traditional compressor will run at a high speed, maintain the speed at a constant rate, and run until optimum cooling is achieved. It won't stop even if there is a loss of cooling and will only turn off when it reaches a certain temperature, only to start again when the temperature starts to dip.
Whereas an inverter compressor runs at a variable speed, thus offering better cooling as compared to a fridge with a traditional compressor, it starts at a low speed and gradually increases as there is a loss of cooling.
Additional Features
Besides your normal features, many refrigerators offer a variety of different features. All of this depends on brand to brand. Many manufacturers have come up with a variety of new features. For example, there are some refrigerators that offer 'Convertible Modes' that allow you to change chilling zones based on your preferences, altering the fridge, freezer, or both. A 'Deodorizer' function that helps remove unwanted odours caused by germs and bacteria from the air circulation in the refrigerator. These are just some examples; there are many such features that can be very useful; it all depends on what you are looking for.
Should you get a Smart Refrigerator?
Before we discuss whether you should get a smart fridge, let's discuss what a smart refrigerator is. A smart refrigerator integrates modern technology and internet connectivity into the normal functions of a fridge. Now, it is not necessary for you to have a smart refrigerator in your house. A normal refrigerator also works just fine. Smart refrigerators are more expensive as compared to your regular refrigerators, so if you have a particular budget set for this appliance, then getting a smart refrigerator is not that important. However, if you’re looking for a fridge that has new features using smart technology, then this product is made just for you.
These refrigerators are packed with amazing features that make daily tasks feel like a breeze and are designed to make life easy for you. So, if you are willing to pay a little extra to get a product filled with interesting features that will make cooking a convenience for you, then a smart refrigerator is something you should consider purchasing for your house.
What Does a Smart Refrigerator Do?
Now you must be wondering how a refrigerator will make life easy for you? Well to answer that here are some features a smart refrigerator has that will help you with your daily tasks:
Touchscreen Interface:
Just like how touchscreen phones have made life easy for us, similarly, these smart refrigerators come with a touchscreen interface. With this, you can access multiple features with just one button, which helps you save time while you’re in the kitchen.
Inventory management
Has this ever happened to you that you want to make a specific recipe and just as you open the fridge, you realise you don’t have the main ingredient, which you were super sure was there in the fridge? Well, you don't have to worry about that happening again, as many smart refrigerators come with a feature that sends an alert when you are running short on food. This way, you can keep track of all your food items and make sure that you never run out of any ingredients.
Interior Camera:
Some smart refrigerators have a built-in camera in them. With this feature, you can easily see the inside of your refrigerator from wherever you want to use your phone. This helps you keep track of all the items that are in your fridge. So, you will never have to do guesswork on whether you’re running low on a particular item when you're out grocery shopping.
Recipe Suggestions:
With the help of AI, many smart refrigerators have a feature that allows them to offer recipe suggestions. It even considers ingredients available in your refrigerator and suggests recipes that use those recipes.
Voice Control:
There are some smart refrigerators available on the market that come with voice control. You can use this to control the various features that the fridge has to offer. This feature is very useful when you are busy with cooking and have your hands occupied.
Entertainment Feature:
Besides offering features that make cooking easy for you, many smart refrigerators also have entertainment features. With these features, you can stream music or play your favorite YouTube video. So, get ready to dance to your favorite tunes while cooking a delicious meal.
Conclusion
Choosing a double-door fridge is not easy; many things must be considered: the size of the fridge, the fridge's, its capacity, energy consumption, features, and more. It is very easy for someone to get confused when you have so many options to choose from. At the end of the day, all you need to keep in mind is your own needs. Get a refrigerator that best matches your requirements, whether you’re looking for a refrigerator for your condo or want something that fulfills the needs of your entire family.
If you’re still confused about which fridge to go for, here is a list of 7 of the best double-door fridges that will make a perfect addition to your house:
FAQs
How to choose a good fridge?
There are many things that you need to consider before buying a double-door refrigerator. You need to consider the size of the fridge. Choose a fridge based on your family size. If you have a small family (1-2 people), then go for a fridge around 10-15 cubic feet, or if you have a large family (more than 5 people), go for a double-door refrigerator of 23 cubic feet or more. You also need to consider the BEE star rating of the refrigerator and any additional features it has to offer, as well as the brand warranty.
Which is better direct cool or frost free?
Both direct cool and frost-free technology work just fine; you just need to decide which one to choose based on your needs. If you are looking for a refrigerator that is cost-efficient and conserves energy, then you should go for a fridge with direct-cool technology. The only drawback of this is that it can cause the formation of ice on different parts of the fridge, so you will need to defrost from time to time. But if you don't want a fridge that requires you to defrost ice, then you should go for a fridge with frost-free technology. The only difference is that it will cost more than a fridge with direct cooling technology.
What to avoid when buying a refrigerator?
Here is a list of all the things that you should avoid while buying a refrigerator:
Types of Double Door Refrigerators:
First thing first! Let’s know about the different types of double-door refrigerators.
Top Freezer Refrigerator
Refrigerators that have a freezer on the top section are called top freezer refrigerators. When you think about fridges, this design is the one that comes to mind. Keeping all our frozen goods at the top, with this refrigerator is super affordable and will make a great addition to your house.
Bottom Freezer Refrigerator
Now, the bottom freezer refrigerator is the exact opposite of the top, with the freezer being at the bottom of the fridge. So, if you're looking for something where you have somewhat easier access to your fresh goods, then a bottom-freezer unit could be ideal for you.
Side-by-Side Refrigerator
A side-by-side refrigerator has two doors that open vertically i.e. side by side. One side is a freezer, while the other is a refrigerator. Most side-by-side refrigerators usually have two doors but there are some that will have 3 doors. This model allows you to organize your food in a much better manner.
Which Refrigerator Size Is Right for Your Needs?
When we talk about double door refrigerators, there are a variety of different sizes available in the market. The one that is best for you depends on the number of people that are there in your household.
- If you have 1-2 people in your house, then a small double door fridge, around 10-15 cubic feet is just the thing you need.
- If you have 3-4 people in your house, then an average-size double-door fridge, around 18-22 cubic feet, will be perfect for you.
- If you have more than 5 people in your house, a double-door refrigerator of 23 cubic feet or more will be perfect for a large family like yours.
Factors to Consider Before Buying a Double Door Refrigerator:
Capacity
The number of groceries that one can store in their fridge depends on the capacity of the refrigerator. You must pick a refrigerator depending on the needs of your family. Refrigerators with large capacities will consume a large amount of energy and, thus, cost more money. It also takes up a lot of space in your kitchen. So, you must consider the capacity before getting a refrigerator.
BEE Star Rating (Bureau of Energy Efficiency)
Refrigerators are one of the few appliances that consume energy 24/7, which is why it is important for you to get a refrigerator that is energy efficient. The easiest way to do this is by checking out the BEE rating of the refrigerator you’re buying. The number of stars on the label indicates how effective the refrigerator is. So, a refrigerator with a high BEE star rating will cost you more money, which is why it is important to look at the BEE star rating of any fridge.
Number of shelves
The number of shelves a fridge has can make or break a buying decision. It is always nice to go for a fridge that has multiple shelves; that way, you can easily store a variety of things in those compartments. It is a bonus if these shelves happen to be adjustable shelves, as they allow you to make space for tall things or many containers. Look for spill-proof glass shelves that are easy to clean. Thus, go for a design that matches all your needs.
Style
There are a lot of factors that need to be considered before getting a fridge and one such factor is the style of your refrigerator. Consider the overall appearance of your kitchen. See if a beautiful refrigerator with a stainless-steel finish complements your house or whether you want to go for something more traditional. So always consider the style of the refrigerator before buying one.
Budget
Big fridge, big price! Double-door refrigerators are amazing, but they can be far more expensive than necessary. Think about the space you actually use. A small refrigerator will keep your food fresh and save you money. So, make sure that you go for a fridge that matches all your requirements and falls within your budget.
Warranty
A double-door fridge makes a great addition to your house, providing you with excellent capacity to keep your food cool and fresh. But they can cost a lot, so it is natural that you would want to take extra precautions when it comes to these appliances. This is where the warranty comes in. Go for a brand that offers you a longer warranty period; this way, you will know that if one day your fridge has any issues, it will be under warranty and can easily be repaired or replaced without any extra hassle.
Features to Look for While Buying a Refrigerator:
Water/Ice Dispenser
If you want a quick way to fill your glass or bottle with water or want to quickly add some ice to your drink, then go for a fridge that comes with a water/ice dispenser feature. With this, you will automatically be able to get water or ice without having to open your fridge door and actually fetch your bottle or the ice tray. It has a tank inside that will keep the water or ice in it so that it is ready for you to use whenever you’d like. It is also easy to maintain, so you don't have to worry about spending too much time looking after it.
Direct Cool or Frost Free
All refrigerators require cool air to circulate to keep the food chilled. While looking for a fridge, you will come across 2 features: direct cooling and frost-free. Direct cool technology circulates cool air from within the fridge. While it keeps your fridge cool, the cooling is distributed unevenly, which can result in the formation of ice in compartments that receive most of the air. And since it doesn't have any auto-clean feature, you will manually have to defrost the ice from time-to-time to maintain the fridge. These refrigerators are cost- and energy-efficient, but you must sometimes defrost them.
Refrigerators with frost-free technology circulate air evenly to all compartments of the refrigerator. It relies on electric fans for even circulation, which prevents frosting. This makes sure that you have more space to store your food, as there will be no ice taking up space. These refrigerators are easy to maintain, and you won't need to defrost any ice. However, they are slightly more expensive and consume more energy as compared to refrigerators with deep-cool technology.
Compressor
It is the most important part of any refrigerator; you can even call it the heart of a refrigerator. A compressor circulates the refrigerant throughout the system, increasing pressure in the warm area of the circuit and making the refrigerant hot. You will usually find 2 types of compressors while looking for a fridge: traditional and inverted compressors.
A traditional compressor will run at a high speed, maintain the speed at a constant rate, and run until optimum cooling is achieved. It won't stop even if there is a loss of cooling and will only turn off when it reaches a certain temperature, only to start again when the temperature starts to dip.
Whereas an inverter compressor runs at a variable speed, thus offering better cooling as compared to a fridge with a traditional compressor, it starts at a low speed and gradually increases as there is a loss of cooling.
Additional Features
Besides your normal features, many refrigerators offer a variety of different features. All of this depends on brand to brand. Many manufacturers have come up with a variety of new features. For example, there are some refrigerators that offer 'Convertible Modes' that allow you to change chilling zones based on your preferences, altering the fridge, freezer, or both. A 'Deodorizer' function that helps remove unwanted odours caused by germs and bacteria from the air circulation in the refrigerator. These are just some examples; there are many such features that can be very useful; it all depends on what you are looking for.
Should you get a Smart Refrigerator?
Before we discuss whether you should get a smart fridge, let's discuss what a smart refrigerator is. A smart refrigerator integrates modern technology and internet connectivity into the normal functions of a fridge. Now, it is not necessary for you to have a smart refrigerator in your house. A normal refrigerator also works just fine. Smart refrigerators are more expensive as compared to your regular refrigerators, so if you have a particular budget set for this appliance, then getting a smart refrigerator is not that important. However, if you’re looking for a fridge that has new features using smart technology, then this product is made just for you.
These refrigerators are packed with amazing features that make daily tasks feel like a breeze and are designed to make life easy for you. So, if you are willing to pay a little extra to get a product filled with interesting features that will make cooking a convenience for you, then a smart refrigerator is something you should consider purchasing for your house.
What Does a Smart Refrigerator Do?
Now you must be wondering how a refrigerator will make life easy for you? Well to answer that here are some features a smart refrigerator has that will help you with your daily tasks:
Touchscreen Interface:
Just like how touchscreen phones have made life easy for us, similarly, these smart refrigerators come with a touchscreen interface. With this, you can access multiple features with just one button, which helps you save time while you’re in the kitchen.
Inventory management
Has this ever happened to you that you want to make a specific recipe and just as you open the fridge, you realise you don’t have the main ingredient, which you were super sure was there in the fridge? Well, you don't have to worry about that happening again, as many smart refrigerators come with a feature that sends an alert when you are running short on food. This way, you can keep track of all your food items and make sure that you never run out of any ingredients.
Interior Camera:
Some smart refrigerators have a built-in camera in them. With this feature, you can easily see the inside of your refrigerator from wherever you want to use your phone. This helps you keep track of all the items that are in your fridge. So, you will never have to do guesswork on whether you’re running low on a particular item when you're out grocery shopping.
Recipe Suggestions:
With the help of AI, many smart refrigerators have a feature that allows them to offer recipe suggestions. It even considers ingredients available in your refrigerator and suggests recipes that use those recipes.
Voice Control:
There are some smart refrigerators available on the market that come with voice control. You can use this to control the various features that the fridge has to offer. This feature is very useful when you are busy with cooking and have your hands occupied.
Entertainment Feature:
Besides offering features that make cooking easy for you, many smart refrigerators also have entertainment features. With these features, you can stream music or play your favorite YouTube video. So, get ready to dance to your favorite tunes while cooking a delicious meal.
Conclusion
Choosing a double-door fridge is not easy; many things must be considered: the size of the fridge, the fridge's, its capacity, energy consumption, features, and more. It is very easy for someone to get confused when you have so many options to choose from. At the end of the day, all you need to keep in mind is your own needs. Get a refrigerator that best matches your requirements, whether you’re looking for a refrigerator for your condo or want something that fulfills the needs of your entire family.
If you’re still confused about which fridge to go for, here is a list of 7 of the best double-door fridges that will make a perfect addition to your house:
- Samsung 236 L Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator
- LG 242 Smart Inverter Double Door Refrigerator
- Samsung 256 L Digital Inverter with Display Double Door Refrigerator
- LG 322 Smart Inverter Double Door Refrigerator
- Whirlpool 235 Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator
- Godrej 223 Nano Shield Technology Double Door Refrigerator
FAQs
How to choose a good fridge?
There are many things that you need to consider before buying a double-door refrigerator. You need to consider the size of the fridge. Choose a fridge based on your family size. If you have a small family (1-2 people), then go for a fridge around 10-15 cubic feet, or if you have a large family (more than 5 people), go for a double-door refrigerator of 23 cubic feet or more. You also need to consider the BEE star rating of the refrigerator and any additional features it has to offer, as well as the brand warranty.
Which is better direct cool or frost free?
Both direct cool and frost-free technology work just fine; you just need to decide which one to choose based on your needs. If you are looking for a refrigerator that is cost-efficient and conserves energy, then you should go for a fridge with direct-cool technology. The only drawback of this is that it can cause the formation of ice on different parts of the fridge, so you will need to defrost from time to time. But if you don't want a fridge that requires you to defrost ice, then you should go for a fridge with frost-free technology. The only difference is that it will cost more than a fridge with direct cooling technology.
What to avoid when buying a refrigerator?
Here is a list of all the things that you should avoid while buying a refrigerator:
- Don’t buy a fridge that is of the wrong size
- Don’t look for a fridge without making a budget
- Don't buy just for a brand
- Always consider the energy cost, don't go for a refrigerator without keeping the energy consumption in mind
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