Can you imagine life without your refrigerator? It’s the one kitchen appliance which is completely indispensable. It keeps your food fresher for longer which stops you having to run to the shops every day thereby saving you both time and money. But which fridge is the right one for your household? To help you make an informed choice about the right fridge for your family’s needs Dalzells have put together the following fridge buyers’ guide. Take a look at the sections below and then browse through our selection of upright, freestanding larder fridges and under counter fridges with an ice box or without an ice box if space is an issue. We also have a range of integrated, otherwise known as built-in, fridges which are designed to be concealed. Better still why not visit our retail store at Markethill for the best advice, not to mention the best deals available, in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland? For fridges think Dalzells.
What type of fridge?
Combined fridge freezers with large separate compartments for fresh and frozen food are really popular but if you already have a freezer you may want to look at getting a separate fridge with just an ice box or a modest freezer section to back up your main freezer. Larder fridges are ideal because they will give you a large fridge space which is enough for all your fresh produce, meats, dairy and fish. You can opt for one which fits under the counter or a freestanding tall larder fridge which will be a focal point in your kitchen. Alternatively you can choose an integrated, otherwise known as built-in, fridge which is concealed behind your existing kitchen cabinetry.
If you have a fondness for nostalgia you can choose from a wide range of retro style fridges which are perfect for keeping you ice cold bottles of Coke chilled.
Dalzells retail fridges from all major household kitchen appliance manufacturers such as Zanussi, Electrolux, Miele, Samsung, Bosch, Siemens, Neff, Indesit and Hotpoint.
What features are available?
Firstly let’s look at the size. A standard larder fridge is 85cm high and can fit under a countertop. It’s always best to check sizes before buying however. If you want even more storage capacity a tall freestanding larder fridge will be 130cm high or more with more than enough space for a large family’s needs.
Fridges come with range of features to make your life easier. They include auto-defrost to keep your fridge frost free with almost no maintenance. Antibacterial coating is another feature which helps to keep the walls and doors of your fridge hygienically clean and germ free. Shelves are made of either glass or wire and can be moved to accommodate different sizes of bottles. Glass is generally preferable to wire as they help stop juices dripping onto produce below but you’ll pay a little more for them. Salad crisper compartments make sure your salad stays fresher for longer and some fridges are equipped with bottle racks to hold your soft drinks (or wine) bottles firmly in place and handy for when you want them.
Energy Efficiency
Fridges are graded using EU energy ratings from A+ to A+++ and the running cost per year to help you manage your energy bills. You can estimate a fridge’s annual running costs by multiplying kWh used by 0.1427 (the average national cost of electricity plus VAT). These costs of course may vary depending on your electricity supplier.
Delivery & Installation
Dalzells offer free delivery across Northern Ireland and within counties Lough, Monaghan and Dublin. See our website for full delivery information. For details on installation see our appliance connection page.
