If we try to rank white goods based on how necessary they are in the home, then the refrigerator will definitely take one of the top spots. 

But how well informed are you about its most important features and additional functions, so that you can choose the model that will best meet your needs?

➡ And before we answer all these questions, don’t forget that with purchase through Skroutz you get: 

• Free delivery to your floor (yes, even to the 5th).
• Free returns in case you change your mind.
• 2-year warranty for every eventuality (repair, replacement, or refund) so you can have peace of mind. 
• After-sales support for whatever you need after your purchase.

In short, you buy without stress.

Now, let’s look at everything in detail, so every question gets answered!

1. Type of Refrigerator

During your market research, you may have noticed a wide variety of refrigerator types, each of which can meet different needs and household types. If you don't want to search too much, see the table below and make the ideal choice based on your needs:

Let's now take a detailed look at the different types of refrigerators and what each offers.

❄️ Single-Door Refrigerators for Vacation Homes & Offices

Single-door refrigerators have a single door, behind which both the refrigeration and a - usually - smaller freezer are hidden. They are ideal for use in small households, vacation homes, or bachelor residences, as well as in offices or professional spaces. Such refrigerators offer an economical solution and save space, however, they do not meet large storage needs.

❄️ Mini Bar for guest rooms & rental rooms

Mini bars are small and compact refrigerators, usually placed under counters or in small spaces. They are the ideal solution for extra space or secondary use and fit perfectly in hotels, rental rooms, or guesthouses. They are an economical and simple option, but they cannot meet the basic needs of a household.

❄️ Refrigerators for extra space

Refrigerators exclusively for cooling are suitable for users who store only fresh food or have a separate freezer. They can also be used as an extra solution for households with large cooling needs. They fully utilize the interior space and are usually more energy-efficient, but they do not offer freezing capabilities. For this reason, they are not the main appliance, but an additional solution.

❄️ Double-Door Refrigerators for Students & Small Families

The double-door refrigerators are a classic choice, featuring two doors and are also known as ''top freezer'' as the freezer compartment is located above the cooling compartment, while it is considerably smaller and unified. They are an excellent choice for couples, small families, or students, as they offer practicality at an affordable price. However, they do not have many advanced features, the freezer is not particularly spacious, and access to the maintenance is relatively difficult.

❄️ Refrigerators for the Average Household

Refrigerators are the most common choice, with the freezer section usually located at the bottom and the cooling section at the top. They combine ease of use with sufficient capacity and meet the needs of an average family for food preservation. The freezer is usually divided with the help of drawers, making it easier to organize food, but it is good to keep in mind that it is located at the bottom, which may make access difficult.

❄️ Wardrobe Refrigerators for Large Families

The wardrobe refrigerators are the premium choice, with enormous capacity and multiple functions (e.g., ice maker, screen, smart features, etc.). You can find the Side-by-Side (with 2 doors), which have the freezer on one side and the refrigerator on the other, the French Door (with 3 doors), which usually have two doors at the top and one or more freezer drawers at the bottom, and the Multi-Door (with 4 doors), which typically have 2 doors at the top for cooling and 2 at the bottom for freezing. Wardrobe refrigerators are ideal for large families, but they are more expensive and require a lot of space.

2. Dimensions & capacity

Dimensions are among the first factors that will determine your choice. Depending on the available space you have to place your refrigerator, you should also look for the corresponding dimensions. Width is what plays the most important role. 

• Indicatively, in most cases a refrigerator with a width of 56-60 cm is the safest choice, suitable for most spaces and can meet the needs of an average family (3-4 people). 
• For narrower spots or smaller spaces you can look at refrigerators with a width up to 55 cm that cover the needs of 1-2 people or can be used as an alternative solution in offices, bedrooms, holiday homes etc. Whereas, refrigerators with a width of 61-70 cm are recommended for slightly more spacious kitchens and serve households with greater cooling needs.
• Finally, refrigerators with a width of 71 cm and above are intended for larger homes, where space is not an issue and for large families (more than 4-5 people).

SkroutzTip: When measuring the dimensions of the refrigerator, you should also take into account that free space around it is required so that it can operate efficiently. Specifically, you should allow for free space at a distance of 2.5 cm from each side surface, 5 cm from the back and 10 cm from the top of the refrigerator.

Similarly, you can calculate both the height and the depth, which, although they do not play such a major role, the larger these dimensions are, the more usable space you will usually have in your refrigerator. This available exploitable space inside the appliance is referred to as capacity, which is measured in liters (lt) and although it is a subjective factor, it is very often determined by the limitations of the refrigerator’s external dimensions during kitchen design. 

For example, if the kitchen layout is such that it does not allow the installation of a refrigerator wider than 60 cm, then it is particularly difficult to obtain a refrigerator with a total capacity of 500 lt and above. Therefore, the limitations in the refrigerator’s dimensions also impose limitations on its capacity.

At Skroutz you will find the cooling and freezing capacity separately, as well as the total capacity of the appliance, so you can choose the values that suit your needs.

3. Placement | Built-in or Freestanding?

Built-in refrigerators are those refrigerators that can be "hidden" within the design of the rest of the kitchen, taking on the appearance of the cabinets, while on the other hand, freestanding refrigerators do not require any special construction and can be placed anywhere we desire in the space.

Built-in refrigerators generally have lower performance than their freestanding counterparts, due to the limited ventilation within the construction where they are placed, and they are always smaller (in capacity) than the corresponding freestanding ones that could be placed in the same spot. This is due to the space occupied by the built-in casing and the distance required to exist internally, between it and the appliance.

SkroutzTip: Choose a built-in refrigerator for aesthetic reasons, in case you want a home with a minimal aesthetic for example, but also for practical reasons, such as space saving.

4. Cooling technology

Cooling technology plays an important role both in the appliance's performance and longevity over time, as well as in the ease of refrigerator maintenance. You can find everything from very simple refrigerators, usually older models, with static cooling, which require manual defrosting, to refrigerators with NoFrost and Total NoFrost technologies, which guarantee even temperature distribution and no ice at all.

5. Energy label

The energy label is one of the most important factors (if not the most important one) when buying a refrigerator (as well as any other electrical appliance), as it shows how much electricity it will consume, and therefore the long-term costs you will have. By nature, the refrigerator consumes the most electricity in a household, since it is the only electrical appliance that works continuously, almost throughout the entire year. Therefore, its efficient operation, in terms of electricity consumption, is expected to be a key selection criterion.

The energy label, therefore, is a mandatory marking that shows:

• How efficient a refrigerator is
• What its annual energy consumption is
• The size and capacity for cooling and freezing
• Its noise level

Since 2021, the new EU energy label has been simplified and applies to all major appliances.

⬇ Below you can learn everything about refrigerator energy labels and how to decode them:

6. Climate Zone

The temperature conditions prevailing in the area where the refrigerator is placed are critical for its smooth and efficient operation. Refrigerators are designed to operate efficiently within a specific range of temperatures. The range of temperatures within which the refrigerator is expected to cool food adequately, without consuming additional energy, is described by the climate zone. Different needs exist for more northern countries with lower temperatures compared to southern regions with more heat or tropical climate.

* Greece belongs to countries with a subtropical climate. Therefore, look for a refrigerator that has the ST indication.

It should be noted that most devices feature a combination of the above climate zones, which means they can be placed in more spaces and are ideal for different climates, offering corresponding performance.

7. Additional features

The evolution of technology in the refrigerator sector has resulted in them being equipped with additional functions and features. Let’s take a look at some that may interest you:

Design

• Cold water dispenser: This function supports the supply of cold water through a suitable outlet (tap) on the exterior side of the refrigerator door. This feature must be further distinguished into two categories depending on how the refrigerator is supplied with water. There are models that can be connected directly to the water supply. In this way, they become fully autonomous in terms of cold water supply. The remaining models that have a cold water dispenser are supplied through a suitable container located on the inner side of the door. A disadvantage in this case is the need to refill the container at regular intervals, which partially eliminates the advantage of maintaining the temperature inside the refrigerator. 
• Ice cube dispenser: This function supports the creation and dispensing of ice through a suitable outlet on the exterior side of the refrigerator door. It is similar to the "cold water" function in terms of the ways water is supplied to the appliance and the advantages/disadvantages it presents. It should be noted that some models support both ice cube production and crushed ice production.
• Mini bar in the door: Refrigerators equipped with a mini bar can cool various items such as glasses, bottles, etc. in an autonomous compartment in a shorter time than if they were placed inside the appliance. 
• Reversible door opening: Although most models support changing the door opening direction, this feature should not be taken for granted. An incorrect calculation regarding the placement of the refrigerator in your space, combined with the inability to change the opening direction, can result in the refrigerator door opening only partially, making the appliance difficult to use.

Smart functions

• Wi-Fi: More and more household appliances can now connect to smartphones via Wi-Fi, offering more capabilities as well as remote operation.

Don't forget! By considering the above individual characteristics and combining those that suit your needs, you can arrive at the ideal choice for you. Before deciding, you can also take a look at other users' reviews to see their opinions and experiences, which can help you reach a final decision much more easily.

Discover, also, the guide to the best refrigerators on Skroutz, as well as our new category with display and stock refrigerators, at the best prices!