Replacing an Old Refrigerator? Take These Features into Consideration

Been wanting to replace your old fridge? If yes, then what’s stopping you to make the move?

As a refrigerator age, it will need more repairs and consume more energy to operate. That’s why buying a new one will help you save more money. 

Replacing a decades-old refrigerator also allows you to pick an advanced model that’s energy-efficient at the same. In short, doing so frees you from the troublesome and costly repairs, as well as the high electric bills.

So if you’ve been facing high electricity bills and tired of doing repairs, it’s high time to bid goodbye to your 10-year-old (or older) fridge. Invest in a new one and you will be thankful later.

Things to Consider When Buying a Fridge

Door Style

You will know that you own an old refrigerator if yours has a single door. But don’t you know that frequent opening and closing of the fridge can cost you?

Leaving the door open while you put your stash or pick a snack is costing you. In fact, there’s a study that says opening and closing a fridge door wastes 50 to 120kWh a year. 

This is where choosing the ideal door style comes in handy. Refrigerators with French doors are a popular choice because they make it easier to gain access to food items without needing to open the rest of the fridge.

Other refrigerator types such as side-by-side, top mount and bottom mount freezer also offer similar advantages. Each of them provides different conveniences like quick and separate access to frozen foods.

Drawers

If you’re a meticulous type of person who wants everything neatly organised, refrigerators with transparent drawers suit you. 

This fridge type now exists and serves its purpose exquisitely. It features full-width access drawers, which allow for easy access to stash and sufficient space to keep trays of food.

Some refrigerators even have transparent drawers that let you see the contents without opening everything. Awesome, right? You no longer need to root around the drawers just to find where the carrot or potato is.

Not only that. These drawers are usually climate-controlled; you can adjust the temperature and humidity of each drawer according to the cooling needs of the foods you keep in it.

Shelves

A refrigerator with flexible or adjustable shelves deserves a place in your kitchen. It’s a big yes for it saves you some precious space as well.

Need we say more? Well, sliding shelves are likewise designed for convenience. They let you access items that are placed further in the fridge. You can simply pull a shelf in and out to easily reach whatever stash you want.

Adjustable compartments have the same functionality. They also make it less challenging to see what you’re getting and let you make room for other items. 

Additionally, most shelves are now designed with lips at the end; this feature ensures that spillages don’t get to the bottom parts of your fridge.

Lighting

If you think lighting isn’t an important buying factor, you’re mistaken. You must pick a fridge that gives out sufficient light.

Mid-range freezer refrigerators today come with halogen lighting, which has a lifespan of 2,000 hours, compared to 1,000 for a conventional bulb. This technology is 36% brighter and 20% more energy efficient than the conventional light bulbs engineered in old school fridge.

Some refrigerators come with LED lighting. These bulbs use 75% less energy, have a huge lifespan of 50,000 hours, can achieve full brightness than others.

With the above lighting technology, you can maintain your fridge’s temperature and keep the light cool to touch whilst reducing energy costs.

Auto Defrost/Frost-Free

When buying this essential home appliance, it’s also crucial to take the touch displays and other controls into account. 

A perfect smart control example is auto defrost. Though it’s a common function, having this in your new refrigerator can make defrosting hassle-free. This works by melting the frost and then draining the liquid.

Also called frost-free, this freezer-specific function circulates air to prevent ice build-up. It works independently from your fridge and maximises the potential freezing space. However, refrigerators with this advanced technology entail a higher price.

Just treat this feature as a reward to yourself. You can relax, drink your coffee, or do other things while the fridge defrosts itself.  

Time to Ditch Your Old Fridge!

Your old-age refrigerator needs to rest. It has served you for years and its compressor has probably grown tired performing its function. Plus, your high electricity bill implies that you should get a new one.

Once you’re fully decided to ditch your ancient fridge, take the above features in consideration. Examine if your desired refrigerators touch these buying factors before buying it.