Choosing Your Refrigerator - 2
from Italian Traditional Food

Basic considerations for when choosing a refrigerator

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Buy the largest size refrigerator you can afford. Unless space or price considerations make it impossible, 3cu.ft. is about the smallest size that even a single person should buy. If you do a lot of entertaining, double the space that you reckon will do for everyday family meals.

Is Space a Consideration?

If kitchen space is scarce, it may be important to have a model that goes under a work top, has a work top, or hangs on the wall. Look for a door that is hinged so that it swings clear of adjoining units, otherwise you won't be able to get the chill tray out. Some refrigerators can be bought with a choice of left or right-hanging doors. Other features that may be included are interior light, adjustable racks and shelves, separate freezer control, push-button or automatic defrosting.

Defrosting

Defrosting is a necessary chore with all refrigerators. If ice builds up on the coils to a great extent it acts as an insulator, cutting down the efficiency of the evaporator and making the unit work overtime. It is impossible to say categorically how often a refrigerator should be defrosted, but a layer of ice a quarter of an inch thick is about the limit.

Most refrigerators have push-button defrosting which operates on a special circuit. The temperature in the cabinet remains in the safety zone and when the defrosting is finished the refrigerator switches itself on. Some models have automatic defrosting devices which work in different ways. They may be started by a time switch, or by the number of times the door is opened or the thickness of the ice. It is a feature that is well-worth having. Some of the latest models now have a "Frost Free" feature which means that they never have to be defrosted.

Star Rates Frozen Food Compartment

Frozen foods can be kept in the frozen food compartment for quite a long time. There is a star-rating system used on refrigerators which is an indication of the temperature, and frozen food packets often have stars on their labels to show how long the food may be kept safely.

If you don't have a refrigerator with a quick automatic defrost, you will have to take frozen foods out of the frozen food storage compartment when defrosting. Otherwise, unless you are cleaning the refrigerator, there is no need to remove the ordinary food.

General Checkpoints

1. Will overall dimensions fit your kitchen?
2. Is a right or left hung door required?
3. Does the stated capacity give suitable storage space for your kind of food?
4. Are there enough ice trays?
5. Is frozen food compartment adequate in size & rating?
6. Are shelves flexible enough for your requirements?
7. Check length of guarantee for the system for cabinet and fittings.
8. Is cost of labour, spare parts and carriage included?
9. Don't forget to budget for installation charges

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