When it comes to refrigerators, there are a lot of options to choose from. The problem essentially begins once you start asking yourself questions like –
What do I need in my refrigerator?
How big of a refrigerator should I get if I live alone?
How big of a refrigerator should I get if we are a family of 4?
Buying home appliances is not easy, but the thing is, home appliances often last for years on end. Sometimes even more than 10 years. They are rather considered an investment, and unlike televisions that are upgrading basically each year, refrigerators and washing machines and such more or less remain the same with only minor upgrades to their capabilities. This means that if you purchase the right appliance from the get-go, chances are you would be able to make use of it for a very long time.
So, let us look at the things that really matter while choosing a refrigerator.
What to look at while buying a refrigerator?
Capacity and Size
The first thing you should check is the capacity of the refrigerator. Generally speaking, the more people you have, the bigger your refrigerator should be. That said, do not think that if you are living alone you can make do with a mini refrigerator. Refrigerators are especially required during the summer months and if you get something that has less capacity and therefore reduced cooling potential, you would find the appliance to be worthless during the intense heat.
On an average, a 190L refrigerator proves the best bet if you are living alone. The 180L refrigerators leave much to be desired and often fail at high temperatures, or due to overstuffing.
A 270L-290L is perfect for a family of 3-4 people and works incredibly well with couples. Anything beyond that is simply your personal preference.
Bigger refrigerators also come with multiple door settings. Double door refrigerators with doors stacked one over the other take up less space and provide a huge capacity to store food. Side-by-side refrigerators take up a lot of space while multiplying the capacity to store food by a huge margin as well.
Smaller refrigerators usually have a single door with the refrigeration unit on the top of the appliance. It is often useful to measure any prospective refrigerator to the space you have available wherever you wish to put it.
Energy consumption
When it comes to electricity bills, everybody wants a more efficient appliance. You can surely get a refrigerator that could potentially reduce your electricity bills, but that often comes at a marked up initial cost.
Inverter refrigerators, or rather inverter appliances are potent and modern machines that have a reduced energy consumption. This is not only good for your wallet, but also the environment. Inverter refrigerators might be a little more expensive than regular refrigerators, but you get the opportunity to make up that initial mark up by paying less on bills in the long run.
Features and Functions
Modern refrigerators do a lot more than you can imagine. It is still about effective cold storage, but the add-on features that modern refrigerators show up with are seriously something to brag about.
From rapid freezing, to touch screen displays, add-on chiller compartments, eco-mode to save more electricity, and even preparing your grocery list for your next bout at the supermarket. Yes, the capacities of a refrigerator have certainly changed over the past few years.
If you are looking for a refrigerator that is adamant about making your life easier, the price tag on such an appliance is also predictably high. But, what you get for that top buck is seriously an advantage over the regular refrigerators that just keep your food cool and preserved.
Brand and Price
Now, refrigerators come in all shapes and sizes. Naturally, their price margins fluctuate accordingly as well. The best part of the whole equation is that there are multiple competing brands as well. This makes life a little easier for the consumer as you can find multiple products with incredible features at a lower cost than other brands.
Brands like Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, Haier, and Panasonic are definitely some of the strongest manufacturers in the market. At the same time, you can also find emerging brands in the market with much more affordable products.
The top brands often compete with each other and bring out incredible appliances on a yearly basis. Samsung has some of the best refrigerators in India, with LG and Haier often outselling most other brands. Samsung especially, has a lot of credibility in the market and for every price margin, you can find the best Samsung refrigerator in India.
Their price varies according to how big the appliance is and the feature availability. Inverter models also drive up the price, whereas brand also proves a major contributor. Refrigerators are often priced according to their capacity. So a higher capacity model with more features is bound to be more expensive. The materials used in the making also make a difference. Plastic bodied refrigerators tend to be much cheaper than the scratch-resistant, stainless steel models.
Conclusion
Whether you are living alone, or with a family, a refrigerator is something that you must have in this day and age. Finding the best refrigerator in India might not be an easy task, but once you have proper insight on it, things get rather easy. Simply keep in mind how much capacity and features you would need, and the budget you are carrying, and try and get a proper appliance instead of a makeshift refrigerator. You will thank yourself later.