How to Compare Bottom Freezers
Those shopping for a refrigerator have three main styles from which to choose -- models with a freezer on the top, models with a freezer on the bottom and side-by-side refrigerators that store frozen foods on one side and refrigerated items on the other. If you're in the market for a fridge with a bottom freezer, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you're getting the one that best serves your needs. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a type. Appliance retailers offer two styles of bottom-freezer refrigerators. In the traditional style, the refrigerator has one door. French-door-style refrigerators also have a freezer on the bottom, but they offer two doors with which to access the refrigerator, allowing you to keep some cool air in by opening only the side you need to access.
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Examine freezer doors. Traditional models have either a freezer door that swings open or a door that slides out. Try them out in the showroom to determine which design you prefer. Some French-door models have two freezer drawers so you can separate items you use often from those you want to store for a longer period.
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Find specific features. Some bottom-freezer refrigerators made by GE offer a "TurboFreeze" feature that restores the proper temperature to the frozen-food compartment if you've opened it repeatedly. Some Electrolux models offer a self-closing freezer door. A Samsung model provides a "pizza pocket" built into the door to hold your frozen pies. Consider which bells and whistles are important to you. Also, compare the number of freezer baskets and the other food-organization options offered by various models to find an arrangement that suits you best.
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Check freezer space. Smaller French-door models can offer about 6 cubic feet of storage space for frozen foods, while larger models with two drawers can hold almost 9 cubic feet. Traditional bottom-freezer models can offer as little as 3.7 cubic feet of storage or as much as 6.9 cubic feet.
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Read the labels. On the showroom floor, look for the bright yellow Energy Star labels. Use them to compare the estimated yearly operating cost of various models. You can also find Energy Star information on retailers' web sites and on the government's Energy Star site.
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Get feedback. Retailers who sell bottom-freezer refrigerators post customer reviews of various models on their websites. Read these comments to learn pros and cons of the refrigerators you're considering. If you subscribe to the Consumer Reports website, you'll have access to the organization's independent reviews of appliances.
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Price it. Traditional models sold by major retailers ranged in price from $630 to $2,400 in September 2010. Those with French doors cost between $958 and $3,500.
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