You may be ready to make the move to Balmoral. Your old refrigerator? Not so much. If you’re ready to upgrade, we’ve got some tips and trends to help you get the perfect fridge.
How Big?
Before you shop, decide how much space you have and need. Measure several times to ensure you pick a refrigerator that will fit in its allotted space. You should be able to easily swing the doors open. Leave a minimum of 1-inch clearance around the sides and the back of the refrigerator for adequate airflow. How many people live in your house? In general, you need 4 to 6 cubic feet of refrigerator space per adult in your home (maybe a little more if you have teen boys). That works out to 18 to 20 cubic feet for a family of four.
French Door or Side by Side?
The two most popular design choices are French door and side-by-side. Both are similar in that they have two doors on top and a freezer underneath. French door refrigerators are narrower, making them great for smaller kitchen spaces. They tend to be a little more energy efficient as the small-swing doors ensure cold air stays. Side-by-side models are wider but also offer more segmented storage space. If you store a lot of frozen dinners, this model might be ideal.
Top or Bottom?
Do you want the freezer on the top or the bottom? Models with the freezer on top are good for small spaces and make great overflow refrigerators. Models with bottom freezers usually have drawers that slide out, so you don’t have to worry about doors banging nearby cupboards. The refrigerator section is easily accessible and usually has wider doors so you can store more.
Glass Door or Solid?
The latest trend in refrigerators is transparent food storage. This can be a glass door or an in-fridge camera and touchscreen. Either allows you to see what’s in the fridge without opening the door and letting the cold air out. This keeps your food fresher longer. If you don’t want anyone (including you) seeing what the inside of your refrigerator looks like, opt for a solid door. In 2023, refrigerators are expected to be more colorful so you can add a splash of color to your kitchen décor.
Ice Maker?
Most refrigerators come with built-in ice makers, but 2023 is the year most will get an upgrade. Instead of oval-shaped cubes, many are making ice “pebbles.” These round cubes look great in cocktails and melt more slowly than other shapes. Many newer models make more ice than before and do it much faster.
To Filter or Not to Filter?
Have you ever wondered why there are separate drawers for your fruits and vegetables? Ethylene. It’s a natural plant hormone given off by fruits to encourage ripening. It also causes vegetables to rot. Some manufacturers have begun offering refrigerators with filters that remove ethylene and other unwanted gasses. Your food stays fresher. As a side benefit, the filters also prevent pungent odors from seeping into other food stuffs.
A Smarter Refrigerator?
Coming soon to a fridge near you is artificial intelligence. AI-powered models will be able to keep inventory of what’s in the fridge and alert you when you are running out. It can alert you when food is going bad, suggest recipes and generate shopping lists. It will also be able to notify you when something needs to be fixed.
