Comparison Hotpoint-Ariston XH8 T1O stainless steel vs Liebherr CU 3311 white

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.

The No Frost function prevents the formation of frost inside the refrigerator. The general principle of its operation is that excess moisture is blown out of the working chamber by a special fan, not having time to settle on the walls and form frost.

This function is most relevant for the freezer, although it is technically easy to provide in the refrigerator. Therefore, refrigerators with No Frost in all compartments are the most popular nowadays, much less often this system is installed only in the freezer, and extremely rarely — only in the refrigerator (usually in such models there is no freezer at all).

The No Frost function significantly simplifies the user's life. It eliminates the need to manually defrost the refrigerator and even eliminates the need for automatic defrosting systems (see "Features"). The reverse side of this convenience is that such systems absorb moisture not only from the air but from the food inside too. So for long-term storage, the contents must be tightly packed — otherwise, it dries quickly. In addition, the presence of No Frost inevitably increases the overall cost of the fridge. So if these moments are critical for you, the fridges without No Frost may well be the best choice.

Various special features provided in the refrigerator, such as holiday mode, control via smartphone, child lock, ( LED display or TFT display), door alarm reversible door. And now in more detail:

— Holiday mode. A special mode of operation in case of a long absence of users — when there is no foodstuff in the refrigerating chamber and there is no need for the unit to work intensively. In holiday mode, the temperature inside is maintained at about 12 °C; this prevents the growth of mould and unpleasant odours, while the energy consumption is very low.

— Control via smartphone. The ability of access to control the refrigerator via the Internet. The refrigerator, usually, is connected to the World Wide Web using Wi-Fi — via a router or a smart home system. The convenience of this function is obvious: it allows you to control the operation of the unit from anywhere in the world where there is an Internet connection. However, the specific implementation of such control may be different: some models of refrigerators use an application installed on a smartphone or tablet, and others allow you to work through a web page available in any browser. However, the user can thus obtain various data on the unit's operating mode (temperatur...e and humidity in the chambers, the use of special functions, malfunctions and emergencies, etc.) and, if necessary, change its settings.

— Child lock. Various features to keep your refrigerator safe from small children. Often, it means blocking the control panel — so that a curious baby cannot change the settings.

— Display. Refrigerators of any level can be equipped with displays — from the simplest to the most advanced. Anyway, the screen provides additional convenience in operation: it can display various detailed information about the operation of the unit, as well as other useful data (for example, time). But the specific type of display may be different.
— LED display. Usually, they are very simple — they display one colour (maximum two or three basic colours) and a limited set of characters (numbers, individual letters and some special icons). However, such limited functionality is enough even for fairly advanced refrigerators, and LED displays are inexpensive.
— TFT display. These are already the most functional screens — like those used in smartphones, tablets, etc. They are capable to display a huge variety of information and can even be made touch-sensitive. And some units with TFT displays are not just refrigerators at all but multifunctional smart home components. However, such an appliance costs accordingly.

— Door alarm. An alarm system that warns that the refrigerator door is open for a long time (or not closed tightly enough). After some time after opening, such a system gives a signal (usually sound), notifying the user of the need to check the status of the door. It avoids a critical increase in temperature in the refrigerator chamber and damage to the contents. In some models, this system is also complemented by a light indicator that confirms the correct closing of the door — this further reduces the risk of leaving the refrigerator loosely closed.

— Reversible door. The ability to choose from which side the hinges on the refrigerator door will be located and, accordingly, in which direction it will open. It allows you to optimize the space in the kitchen, providing access to the contents of the unit from the most convenient side. Please note that this function is only available for classic design models, including display refrigerators (see “Product type”). In Side-by-Side and French Door refrigerators it makes no sense to provide this feature.

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.

Separate zones that help expand your food storage options. Among these there are multizone — , fresh zone, humidity zone, low temperature zone, wine chamber, bottle rack. More details about them:

— Fresh zone. A special compartment designed for long-term storage of fresh vegetables, herbs and other similar food. Such a compartment can be made in the form of a completely separate chamber. In such cases, it is called the zero chamber and its volume is separately indicated in the specifications. However, more often the fresh zone is located inside the main compartment. Anyway, the humidity in this zone is somewhat higher than in the refrigeration compartment, and the temperature is somewhat lower: in some models, it is about zero (which allows you to store raw meat or fish), in others it is about +1 .. .3 °C (this is only suitable for fruits, vegetables and cheeses). Anyway, the moisture from the products in the fresh zone does not evaporate as quickly as in the main chamber, and the contents retain their original appearance and taste longer. This feature is especially useful if there is a No Frost system (see above) in the refrigeration chamber of the unit.

— Humidity zone. Another feature designed for long-term storage of fresh food is similar to the fres...h zone described above. The difference is that freshness is preserved solely due to the increased humidity of the air (hence the name). The temperature corresponds to the temperature in the refrigeration chamber. The humidity zone is intended mainly for storing vegetables and fruits; in some refrigerators, this compartment has a humidity control that allows you to optimally adjust it to different types of contents (detailed recommendations on this can be found in special sources)

— Low temperature zone. A compartment in which a lower temperature is maintained than in the main chamber of the refrigerator. Typically, fresh meat or fish are supposed to be stored in the low-temperature compartment. The presence of such a compartment allows you to more effectively organize long-term storage of food in the refrigerator and keep it fresh longer.

— Multizone. A compartment that combines the functions of several compartments at once. The simplest option is the ability to work in the mode of a refrigerator or freezer. However, in modern refrigerators, there are multizones with more extensive capabilities. These features can be quite specific — like quickly cooling drinks, slow defrosting, and even cooling hot dishes. So the specific features of the multizone should be specified separately. Nevertheless, its presence significantly expands the capabilities of the refrigerator. Also, in some models, the entire freezer performs the function of such a chamber. However, most often the multizone is still designed separately from other chambers.

— Wine chamber. Specialized compartment for long-term storage of wine. Usually, a temperature of +10..12 °С is maintained in such a compartment — it is this temperature considered optimal for this task. Some models may also provide the possibility of more precise temperature settings — for different types of wine. The traditional equipment of a wine chamber includes a shock-absorbing system that dampens vibrations from the compressor and other shocks, as well as carbon filters to protect against foreign odours; and the door of such a chamber is traditionally made transparent — so that you can see the collection of wines without opening the refrigerator.
Nowadays, this function is found only in some premium refrigerators. It is because most wine connoisseurs prefer to use specialized wine coolers: such devices are less bulky and often more functional.
— Bottle rack. Shelf of a special design for the convenience of storing bottles in the refrigerator. It has the form of stands of a wavy shape. In the recesses of such "waves" it is convenient to keep bottles of small or medium size: they do not roll over the refrigerator and are at hand; you just need to open the door.

Forced cooling mode, in which the intensity of cooling the refrigeration compartment is significantly increased. It is an analogue of the fast freeze described above, used in the refrigerator compartment. Fast cool is also intended mainly for situations where a lot of foodstuff must be loaded inside at a time — it avoids a critical increase in temperature inside the refrigerator. This mode also needs to be turned on in advance and turned off after a certain time. In some models, the shutdown occurs automatically, but the presence of this feature needs to be specified separately.

This function means that there is a built-in fan that circulates air around the refrigerator compartment. It contributes to the evenest distribution of cold and more efficient cooling than in units without a fan, where the air moves only due to natural convection. The main disadvantages of dynamic air cooling are the increase in noise level, energy consumption and the cost of the refrigerator.

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.

The operating temperature of the refrigerator freezer.

The generally accepted standard for freezers is actually -18°C. It allows you to effectively store pre-frozen foods, as well as freeze them (with certain precautions). At the same time, for most modern refrigerators, lower temperatures are claimed — at -24 °C, and in some models even lower. However, such indicators are not always standard — in many units, they are achieved only in the fast freeze mode (see "Features"). This should be clarified separately. However, the temperature of the freezer below -18 °C means good freezing features.

In turn, chambers with more modest minimum temperatures — -12 °C, or even -6 °C — are only suitable for storing pre-frozen products; they are not suitable for freezing any significant amount of contents. However, there are very few refrigerators with such indicators on the market — mostly low-cost or outdated models.

To indicate the temperature of the freezer, markings in the form of asterisks (snowflakes) are often used, each of which means a decrease in temperature by 6 °C. For example, in models at -24 °C, you can find the designation * (***) — four asterisks, one of which is highlighted. This usually means that in the standard mode the freezer operates at -18 °C (three stars), and at another 6 °C (down to -24 °C) the temperature drops during fast freezing.