To prepare stocks of products (meat, fish, semi-finished products), to prepare vegetables, berries and mushrooms for the winter, you need not only enough space, but also suitable refrigeration conditions. Therefore, housewives know that not only the refrigerator is important in the kitchen, but also a sufficiently large freezer. How to choose the most suitable freezer from the wide range? We will advise you on what to consider when buying it.
There are two types of freezers:
Refrigerator. If you have a spacious apartment or your own house and plan to freeze a lot of products you should choose a horizontal freezer.
A horizontal freezer is best suited for people who want to freeze a lot of products, and even better one type.
Freezer with drawers. A type of freezer that blends perfectly into the kitchen interior.
Also, you can choose a free-standing or integrated freezer with drawers. Integrated freezers are completely invisible, reduce the load on the kitchen area and run quieter.
Best capacity for freezers
It should be noted that a filled freezer uses less electricity than a half-empty one, so you should not choose an oversized freezer if you do not promise to fill it. Freezer capacity can be anywhere from 80 to 410 liters. 80-260 litre freezers are usually chosen for homes. How to choose the right one? It depends on the family’s eating habits. If you’d like to freeze berries, mushrooms, fish – a larger freezer capacity is recommended. If you prefer fresh food, there will be less space. It should be estimated that the actual capacity of the freezer with drawers will be about 15% lower, as part of the space will be occupied by drawers.
Energy consumption and refrigeration capacity
Freezers are divided into classes based on their energy consumption, which are marked with the letters A to G. Nowadays, you are unlikely to find classes lower than C. On the contrary, models are constantly evolving and manufacturers are increasingly offering even more economical options. Freezers with A +++ class use the least electricity. Devices in this class – as much as 60 percent. more economical than energy class A freezers. Of course, such freezers cost a little more. And according to research, the refrigerator uses less electricity than the freezer with drawers. No less important is the freezing capacity class, marked with an asterisk (*): * cooled to -6 ° C (products can be stored for up to 7 days); ** refrigerated down to -12 ° C (products can be stored for up to 30 days); *** cooled to -18 ° C (products can be stored for up to 90 days); **** refrigerated from -18 ° C (products can be stored for 6-12 months). When choosing a refrigeration capacity, you need to consider: whether you plan to refrigerate many products, what volume of refrigerator you want, and whether you want to store the products for a longer period of time. The more stars in the freezer class, the longer the products can be stored in the freezer. Also, higher refrigeration temperatures allow food to be frozen more efficiently.
Manual or automatic defrost?
When choosing a freezer, freezer, or vertical freezer, pay attention to the defrosting method. The maintenance of a freezer with a manual defrost system requires quite a lot of hassle and takes longer. At least once a year, you will have to unplug the freezer, completely empty the chamber and wait for all the ice to melt. You will then need to get rid of the thawed water, rinse and dry the inside of the freezer before using it. It is much more convenient to choose a freezer with the No Frost system, which will defrost automatically. The main advantage of this refrigeration system is that no water accumulates on the walls of the freezer, no frost or ice forms, so they will never have to be defrosted. However, such freezers dehydrate food and use more electricity.
Important features
Preservation of cold. If there is a frequent power outage in your home, you can give due consideration to the cold storage feature. Thanks to it, the freezer can maintain the set temperature (usually -9 degrees) for several days.
Quick freeze. This feature is very important if you care about preserving the full set of beneficial substances and vitamins in berries, fruits and vegetables. The slow freezing process causes ice crystals to form in the food, which spoils the quality of the food, and this function prevents this.
Vacation mode. If you travel frequently, this mode will be irreplaceable. It makes it possible to prevent the formation of mold and unpleasant odors in an empty chamber for a long time, as well as to store products in a freezer with minimal electricity consumption.
Temperature change information. A freezer with audible or visual information about a temperature change or an open door, as well as the presence of a control panel locking function – the best choice for you if you have small children.
So do you need a big freezer? It depends on your family size, for example it is suggested for a family of 4 to have 6 cubic foot freezers, and for 6 you will need 9 cubic.