A refrigerator is a significant purchase and with so many options available it becomes confusing to pick the right one. If you don’t pick the right refrigerator, you’ll have to live with the consequences for several years, if not a decade or longer. Buying a large appliance like a refrigerator isn’t something you do every day, a little forethought can go a long way. And to make things easy here we have listed some common mistakes to avoid while buying a refrigerator.
Also Read: Refrigerator Buying Guide In India 2022
Mistakes To Avoid When Buying A Refrigerator
1. Forgetting to check the dimensions
Regardless of the refrigerator style, you select, if you fail to select a proper size you are making a huge mistake. And this is the most common mistake that one should avoid while buying a refrigerator.
Make sure to check if your new refrigerator will fit in the same space as your old refrigerator. The easiest way to do so is to take measurements of your old refrigerator. Then you can compare them with the new refrigerator you intend to buy. Or if you have a built-in space inside your kitchen then make sure to measure the width and depth of that area and pick the fridge that can fit in.
For optimal performance of your refrigerator make sure to have about 2-3 inches empty space around the refrigerator. This will keep the ventilation in check and will make sure the heat generated by the compressor dissipates properly.
It is also important to measure the entrances as well, including the front door, hallways, basement doors, stairs etc. Predict the route a delivery person will travel to prevent any unforeseen problems or difficulties. And make sure the refrigerator that you are planning to buy can be transported to your home via stairs. This is usually not a problem but it’s better to check this as well.
2. Buying the Wrong Refrigerator Style
Although it might not be apparent at first, your choice of refrigerator style goes beyond satisfying your aesthetic preferences. Picking the right refrigerator style will prevent you from making a costly mistake. Here, we’ll review a few.
Since just one of the vertical doors in the refrigerator compartment is typically opened at a time; French door refrigerators use less energy than other variants. When you need to recover or replace something, they also occupy less space on each side of the appliance. The storage space for frozen foods may be lessened if your freezer drawer has an ice dispenser, which is a drawback.
Side-By-Side refrigerators have more inner space in the freezer sections and are perfect for storing large goods. These refrigerators don’t need as much room on either side of the appliance for door outswings as French door versions. This alternative has the disadvantage that its narrow compartments could make organizing difficult because bigger things like pizza boxes and food trays might not fit on the shelves.
Bottom-freezer refrigerators provide a more practical organization since the fridge section is reachable without putting undue strain on your neck and back, but the freezer drawer at the bottom is not. The opposite issue arises with top-freezer refrigerators since you would need to bend down to access the most accessible space.
3. Not Buying an Energy Efficient Refrigerator
One mistake that most people make is failing to take long-term energy efficiency into account. Always pick a refrigerator that has a higher BEE Star Rating. And don’t fall for those one or two-star Refrigerators that are slightly cheaper, as you might save 10% on your investment right now. But in the long run, you will end up paying significantly more in terms of electricity bills.
Therefore, when purchasing a refrigerator, inquire about the energy efficiency from the sales executive or check the BEE Star Rating label. The BEE star rating provides consumers with the idea of how much energy the refrigerator saves up for them. If a refrigerator has a 2-star BEE rating that means it is not much energy efficient. But if the refrigerator comes with a four or five-star rating then it means it will save a lot of your money.
Another thing to consider is that Inverter technology compressors typically consume less energy than conventional compressors. So a 3-Star refrigerator with an inverter compressor will be much more energy efficient that a 3-star refrigerator with a conventional compressor.
Also Read: Inverter Technology In Refrigerators Explained
4. Discounting colour and finish
It’s important to consider the fridge’s appearance before choosing it. A refrigerator’s (or other major appliances) appearance can significantly affect a room’s decor in addition to its features and operations. If you chose poorly, your refrigerator may not match the style of the rest of your kitchen, giving it a random, even cluttered appearance.
You might decide that your new refrigerator should match the colour (and texture) of other appliances nearby depending on the aesthetic you’re looking for. You may choose a refrigerator with bold colours or a retro-inspired design instead.
It is important to go for neutral colours and patterns that can blend in easily with your interior. These days we mostly see steel finish or matter black refrigerators as these can match everyone’s style. And with higher-end variants, you will see only these options, while on the mid-range refrigerators you still can see those floral designs that you need to decide if they match your style.
5. Pay attention to Storage and Capacity
When purchasing a refrigerator, capacity is one of the most important factors to consider. If you are someone living alone and not with a family of 4 then a refrigerator with a capacity in the range of 350 litres is suitable. For a nuclear household, a double-door refrigerator with a capacity of 250–300 litres would be ideal. A refrigerator with a capacity of at least 400 litres would be required for a large family with more than 6 people.
The ideal use case for a refrigerator is to keep vegetables, milk, prepared meals, fish, meat, and fresh produce for a week. And the above-mentioned estimated capacity for different family sizes is according to that. But an extended use case of refrigerators can be to store multiple types of preserved foods, sauces, drinks, wine, and a lot more pantry items. For those, the estimated litre capacity would increase. Whatever the use case is, about 70% of your refrigerator’s capacity should ideally be used. This guarantees adequate air circulation inside the compartments.
Also Read: Top 10 Refrigerator Maintenance Tips
6. Not Knowing Where Water Outlets Are
We all know that refrigerators require electricity (i.e., an electrical outlet) to function; but it’s important to keep in mind that refrigerators with built-in ice makers and water dispensers also require a water source to function. Although a fridge with a water dispenser can be manually supplied with water by filling the reservoir. It is most practical to attach a refrigerator that features a water purification system directly to a water outlet tap.
To begin with, look in the area where the refrigerator would go, this will give you an idea to locate the water supply line. Simply connect the water supply valve to the refrigerator valve if there is one already placed behind your refrigerator. So it is important to check if water inlet pipes are accessible to your refrigerator if you plan to get one that features water purification.
Also read: 5 Best Double Door Refrigerators In India
