Total capacity
The total capacity of the refrigerator is the total capacity of all the main working chambers: refrigerating, freezing, zero, and wine chambers. The set of these chambers, of course, will be different in different models (see more about them above). Here we note that large volumes, on the one hand, simplify the storage of numerous products and, on the other hand, affect the dimensions and price of the unit. It is also worth considering that refrigerators of the same total capacity may differ in the capacity of individual chambers.
Refrigerator capacity
The total capacity of the main working chamber of the refrigerator. If there are separate zero chambers, compartments for wine and other additional functions, this paragraph takes into account only the volume of the refrigerating chamber itself, without additional equipment. In the smallest modern units, this figure
does not even reach 100 liters, in the largest it can exceed
400 liters.
The choice of capacity depends on the actual storage needs of the products. At the same time, both the volume of stocks and the frequency of their replenishment (every day, once a week, etc.) matter. The chamber should not be stocked completely; this adversely affects the quality of the refrigerator. On the other hand, it is worth remembering that large volumes accordingly affect the dimensions and price of the unit.
In general, for one or two people, a capacity of
200 – 250 liters, or even less, is considered quite sufficient. The optimal capacity for a family of three is about
250 – 300 liters, for four to five people —
300 – 350 liters, and larger volumes are really needed mainly for specific situations when food has to be stored in large quantities and for a long time.
Freezer capacity
The capacity of the freezer installed in the refrigerator. Such a chamber is designed to store products at temperatures well below zero (on average -18 °C). Its capacity is related to the total capacity of the refrigerator (and the capacity of the main, refrigerating chamber). However, there is no strict dependence here — models with a similar volume of the refrigerating chamber can be equipped with freezers of different sizes.
When choosing by capacity, it is worth considering how much frozen food you plan to store at a time. Note that it is undesirable to fill the freezer completely — this negatively affects the efficiency of work. However, if this chamber is planned to be used only occasionally, and you do not plan to keep numerous products in it, you can not chase after the capacity: for such cases,
25 – 50 liters, or even
smaller capacities, are enough. In the smallest modern refrigerators, the freezer capacity
does not exceed 10 liters. And vice versa, very roomy freezers come across — for
176 – 200 liters and even
more. Such volumes are typical mainly for side-by-side and French door units (see "Product type"). However, they are also found in models of the classic two-chamber layout.
Energy consumption per year
The average amount of energy consumed by a refrigerator in a year of operation. Of course, these figures are not absolutely accurate; the actual power consumption may vary depending on the specific operating conditions. However, this parameter makes it possible to evaluate the power consumption of the refrigerator and compare different models with each other. At the same time, it often turns out to be more convenient and visual than the energy consumption class (see above) because in this paragraph we are talking about a specific figure (from which you can also calculate the cost of electricity consumed). For clarity, let's take the following example: a small two-chamber refrigerator with energy class A can consume less energy per year than a large side-by-side unit of class A+++, although formally, in terms of energy consumption classes, the second model will be more economical than the first.
Country of origin
The country in which this refrigerator model is manufactured (according to the manufacturer).
There are many stereotypes associated with the relationship between the origin and the quality of household appliances. Thus, the location of production in Europe (
Germany,
Lithuania,
Poland,
Romania,
Serbia,
Turkey, etc.) is considered more prestigious than in Asian countries (
China,
Thailand) or CIS countries (
Belarus,
Russia, Uzbekistan, etc.). And different European countries have a different reputation among buyers in this regard. However, these stereotypes should be treated with considerable distrust: the actual quality of products depends not so much on the geography of production, but on the quality of the organization of processes by a particular manufacturer. As a result, equipment of a similar level, produced by different brands in the same country, may differ markedly in actual quality.
It is worth to say that the same refrigerator model can be produced in several countries at the same time. And units of the same model, produced at different times at different plants, may be on the market at the same time. As a re
...sult, it happens that one country of production is indicated in the general characteristics of the model and another in the documentation for the unit purchased. It is quite a normal situation. However, if the country of production is still important for you, you should clarify this point in advance before buying.
