The humble refrigerator has been keeping our groceries cold for more than 100 years. Having recently been voted as one of our most important appliances, we realise that it’s an item that many of us couldn’t live without. Therefore it can be a little overwhelming when your fridge breaks down and needs to be quickly replaced.

In todays market we are blessed with many different refrigerator brands, but this can be confusing when making a choice. So to make your purchase easier, our team at Mako Air have listed their top tips on buying a new refrigerator.

1.SIZE – Refrigerators come in a wide range of sizes. Before buying your new refrigerator it’s important that you measure the space where it is going to make sure it fits. Some fridge doors also have left sided hinges and some have right sided hinges, so you need to check that there’s enough room for the doors to open. It’s also important to leave at least 5cm on either side and at the back of the fridge so heat can escape.

When talking about refrigerator size it’s also vital to consider how big your fridge needs to be to meet the needs or your family, or to meet the needs of your staff at work. Choice Australia has listed the following guide to fridge size;

1-2 people: 250 – 380 litre capacity

3-4 people: 350 – 530 litre capacity

5 or more people: 2 fridges x 440 litre capacity each

2. TYPE – There are 4 main types of refrigerators available and the one you choose will depend on the space you have and your individual needs. There are refrigerators with freezers at the top (Top mount), refrigerators with freezers at the bottom (Bottom mount), larger side by side fridges where the fridge is next to the freezer, and two door fridges with a larger freezer at the bottom (French door). Some people shop weekly and plan meals around this shop, therefore they don’t need a lot of freezer space, whereas other people love entertaining and having their freezer full of food to cater for unexpected visitors and bulk buying.

3. STYLE – Although the classic “White” refrigerator is still a very popular choice, stainless steel fridges are now on the uprise as many people are wanting a more modern look in their home and offices. Some people worry about grubby finger marks showing up on the fridge surface, but you can now buy “Smudge proof” stainless steel fridges these days, so problem solved. If you are wanting a more bolder fridge style, you can purchase a sleek black finish or a coloured finish such as retro red, or even glass fridges.

4. STAR RATING – The Star Rating measures the fridges efficiency. Ratings are from one to six, with six being the highest rated efficiency. The star rating allows you to understand how much a particular fridge model will cost to run, which is very important to save you money on your electricity bills. It is law in Australia that all fridges have a star rating, so please consider this when making your purchase.

5. FEATURES – There are so many options to choose from when buying your new fridge. Some have adjustable shelves, ice and water dispensers, child proof features, air deodorisers, or temperature control systems just to name a few. Before buying your new refrigerator make a list of what is important to you in your home or office, then this will narrow down the right fridge to buy.

We hope we have helped improve your knowledge on what refrigerator is suitable for you. For more information please call our friendly staff on 0490 333 461. We are also experts in commercial and residential refrigeration installation, servicing and repair.