Refrigerator - All you need to know

Imagine a life without a refrigerator. Can you think of any alternatives that offer the same level of comfort for maintaining fresh food without the ease refrigerators provide us?

Refrigerators have become an integral part of our lives. Since there are many types of fridges available, how do you go about choosing one that suits your budget while not leaving any of your desires unfulfilled? That’s why we have a guide to help you know all you need to know about fridges before deciding to buy one.

How Does a Refrigerator Work?

We always think the refrigerator keeps the food cool by releasing cold air. Actually, it cycles the hot air out of the unit and keeps the remaining cool air inside. The refrigerator keeps the cool air inside at a temperature lower than the temperature outside of the unit.

To run this whole cooling process, the “compressor” is the component that we can call the heart of its operating system. The condenser and evaporator act like the main veins that pump the refrigerant through the unit to regulate the temperature and keep inside temperatures at a set point. In this way, the refrigerator keeps the food cool.

There are different types of compressors available like reciprocating compressors, screw compressors, scroll compressors that are used in refrigeration. But the most widely used compressor is the reciprocating compressor.

Nowadays we always hear the word “Inverter Compressor” in the market. The conventional refrigerator always has a single-speed compressor. As a result, it runs at the same speed all the time without considering the atmosphere condition and the load on the refrigerator. But in the case of the Inverter Refrigerator, the compressor has a variable speed compressor. As a result, it can adjust the speed considering the atmosphere condition and the load on the refrigerator which also consumes less energy that will keep your electricity bill lower than usual

Though preserving food is the main objective of the refrigerator, nowadays modern technology is adding new values to make our life easy and healthy

Ensure Hygiene

To keep your food bacteria-free there are advanced features in the modern fridges like the Hygiene Fresh filter you can find in the LG refrigerators that eliminate 99.99% bacteria and provides strong sterilization and deodorization.

Fresh Food

To keep your fruits and vegetables fresh and crispy for a long time, nowadays the refrigerator has many advanced features. There is a humidity Controller, Fresh Balancer, and Moist Balancer in the LG refrigerators. These components combined create a balanced environment for food to remain fresh for a long time. You can also find different compartments in ECO+ refrigerators where you can keep fruits and vegetables separated to keep them fresh.

Even Cooling

To keep your food fresh of course you need the best cooling system. As we have to open the fridge several times a day, the hot air gets inside the fridge and tries to make the inside environment warmer. The more you will open the door the more this will happen to the fridge. But you can not just avoid opening the fridge for that reason as well. That is why modern refrigerators have evolved with new airflow systems.

Multi air flow system helps the cooling spread everywhere evenly to preserve food properly. In No frost fridge, you can find this feature. In LG No-Frost refrigerator, there is a digital sensor that constantly monitors the condition inside the refrigerator and strategically placed vents ensure the cool air. As a result, wherever you put the food inside the fridge gets the proper cooling through LG’s Multi Airflow System. The special Door Cooling+ feature is also available in LG fridges so that it does not make any impact on the cooling inside when you open the door

Even Cooling

Some other smart features also have been added to modern refrigerators or fridges. For example - a water dispenser that makes it easier to get cold water anytime, tempered glass shelf so that you can store food tension-free, temperature control to regulate the humidity and cooling inside your fridge according to your desire. 

Some brands have gone beyond the box and made modern technology so useful that you do not have to see what’s inside your fridge by opening its door. All you have to do is “knock-knock”. The amazing feature is available in LG side-by-side refrigerators.

But a refrigerator is not something you can buy every day if you don’t like the one you have bought. That’s why you need to think wisely and know a few facts before buying one

Types of Refrigerators Available in the Market

There are several models of fridges available in the market. Choose the one that fulfills your needs best.

According to the Number of Doors:

1. Single Door Refrigerator

Single door refrigerators are the lowest cost of all the refrigerator types. They’re generally small and best for a small office or other short spaces. Since the door encompasses all the area of the fridge, opening it means all the gas will escape fast.

If you’re a light fridge user and don’t need to use it much, then a 1 door refrigerator can be a great budget-friendly option for you. Other than the heat escaping problem, this fridge is quite good overall

2. Double Door Refrigerator

2 door refrigerators have 2 separate doors, meaning, as you open one door, heat from the other door cannot dissipate. Only the door you open, that side’s cooling can escape at the most. This feature is good for saving electricity and fridge coolant.

2 door fridges are usually larger and designed to hold enough food capacity for a large family. The shelves are designed in a way that allows specified shelf selection as well as proper shelf maintenance and customization options

3. Side by Side Refrigerator

Side-by-side refrigerators have individual sides split in half. These are similar to 2 door fridges but have more customization and shelf options. They offer similar benefits to the 2 door fridges. But Side-by-side fridges are the most spacious ones and also contain smarter features like advanced cooling systems, water, and ice dispenser, child and safety locks and so on

4. French Door Refrigerator

French door refrigerators have the most number of shelf and grouping options. There are individual shelves and doors designed for controlled cooling.

For example, meat and fruits shouldn't need the same temperature to stay fresh but traditional fridges keep everything under a single temperature range. French refrigerators change the way you use your fridge by controlling individual shelf temperature manually.

According to the Placement of the Freezer

1. Top Mount Refrigerator

The top mount refrigerator is the kind of refrigerator that has the deep fridge or the freezer compartment on the top part and the refrigerator part on the bottom. This is the most commonly available type of fridge used in households.

2. Bottom Mount Refrigerator

The bottom mount refrigerator is the kind of refrigerator with the deep fridge or the freezer compartment on the bottom part and the refrigerator part on the bottom, just the opposite of the top mount refrigerator.

Though bottom mount refrigerators aren’t that popular nor used extensively like top mount refrigerators, they offer one important feature that is worth looking at. 

Think of how many times you open your refrigerator door daily. Now think of you many times you do the same with the freezer door. How do the numbers differentiate? A lot right. Nobody needs to open the freezer door much in a house. 

The benefit a bottom mount fridge offers is that you don’t have to bow down and arch your back every time you have to open your refrigerator door as you do it with a top mount fridge. Probably it’s not a big deal for regular people, but for people with back pain or old, this can be a big differentiating factor of a fridge

According to the Cooling Technology

1. Frost Fridge/Refrigerator

As the fridge circulates the coolant gas on top of the food inside the freezer, a layer of frost starts to build up. If you cover the foods well with a wrapper or a foil, the food contents will be safe from frost and not get damaged or spoiled.
But the problem is that the ice layer will change the taste of your food as well as change the look and shape of it. The frost also grows on the fridge wall. And you’ll have to clean the frost off every few months.

Cleaning off frost is not easy. It takes several hours at minimum to melt all the frost down. If your freezer is large, it might even take more time. You’ll have to wait for the frost to thaw and then clean the ice by scraping off the walls. 

Since frost takes up a lot of space in the freezer, you cannot use the total freezer space ever. If you regularly scrape off excess frost from your freezer, then it’s a different story. But continuous maintenance is a hassle for most people.

One benefit of using a frost fridge is that it can save electricity. How? By saving on electricity that you’d have to otherwise spend on with a non-frost fridge while it would heat up to clear up the excess frost. 

2. No-Frost Fridge/Refrigerator

No frost refrigerators have made lives much easier by helping the users rid themselves of all the frost scraping, cleaning, and other maintenance hassles.

The way no frost fridges achieve this is by using a thermo control.

The fridge has an internal heat controller that checks how cold the foods are and after a point, starts blowing hot air to stop the ice crystals from forming. This, although increases the electric bill, saves a lot of time on maintenance stress.

Things You Should Consider Before Buying a Refrigerator

When there are so many options, it’s hard to choose the right one. In that case, you will have to do some pre-work before making the final buying decision. Some things you should consider are:

Capacity

According to the usage pattern and number of members in the house, you will have to fix your mind on which capacity you need for your family.

Measure

When you are buying a new fridge, you need to measure everything around the area. First, measure where the fridge will stay and then make sure the way to the particular place will not hit any island or wall. There has to be extra space behind the fridge as well.

Budget

There are fridges available in the market for prices starting from Approx. 20,000 BDT to 200,000 BDT and more. The price range varies based on the type of the fridge/refrigerator; Top mount fridge’s capacity starts from approx. 170 Litre and price starts from approx. 22,000 BDT  to capacity 470 Litre and price 87,000 BDT; Bottom mount fridge’s capacity starts from approx. 195 Litre and price starts from approx. 25,000 BDT to capacity 230 Litre and proce 47,000 BDT, No Frost Fridge’s capacity starts from approx. 217 Litre and price approx. 34,000 BDT to capacity 668 litre and price 230,000 BDT, Side by side fridge’s capacity starts from approx. 500 Litre and Price approx. 70,000 BDT to capacity 680 Litre and price 230,000 BDT.  You should choose a fridge depending on your space and functional needs. A good fridge will return its value more than its price. You can also find payment flexibility incase of purchasing big appliances like with credit Card Bank EMI Facility and without Credit Card Kisti facility.

Maintenance Tips

To ensure a good service, you need to clean your refrigerator at least once in every 30 days. But you can also expand the longevity of the fridge by maintaining some tips mentioned below:

Maintain the Temperature

You should set your fridge temperature to the point that it fulfills your needs. Not less, not more. Maintaining a regular temperature will help your fridge coolant to stay intact for longer, reducing the need for refilling the gas often.

Check the Gasket

A leaked or faulty gasket allows cold air to go out. This has two problems — firstly, foods inside the refrigerator will take longer to cool down, and secondly, the gas will empty out soon. A simple rubber gasket replacement will solve the issue.

Close the Door

You shouldn’t keep the refrigerator door open for an extended period. An open door allows cold air and coolant gas to escape.

Cover Food

Your food shouldn’t come into contact with refrigerator coolant. The gas is not healthy

Fill It up

A compressor has a harder time cooling down the empty air than food. The more loaded your refrigerator is, the better it is for your fridge’s health. But don’t block the air vents by overloading. Some space is necessary for gas circulation.

Empty the Ice

If you have a frost refrigerator, then you should occasionally scrape off the excess ice. The maintenance is a hassle, I know. But to protect your refrigerator, this is a must to do.

Clean the Coil

The coil in a refrigerator does two jobs - it creates pressurized air to condense the coolant and keeps the coolant’s temperature in control. A jammed, dirty coil can’t circulate the air properly, and as a result, has a hard time controlling the temperature.

Keeping the refrigerant coil will make sure the coolant quality stays best as well as the air pressure inside is kept under control

Final Words

Since refrigerators are an integral part of our modern lives, there’s no escape from them. Getting a high-quality fridge might be expensive initially, but if you consider the long-term usage, the value outweighs the cost in every way