Fridge Freezer options

mutley74

I need a new Fridge Freezer for my new house.

Limited by height to 182cm and depth available 60cm by other units. No restriction on width.
Its just required for 2 people.
Budget around £300 from AO, Currys or JL.

I been looking at options for Beko, Kenwood and Hotpoint.

Reviews on all come very mixed - any tips how to choose a decent machine?

John_Gray

The main thing I had to decide was the relative capacity of the fridge and the freezer compartments. I wanted more freezer space than the average, and that was difficult to find. I also wanted the freezer to be frost-free, having got rid of a Hotpoint which promised this feature, but was lying.

Your best bet is to find someone with a Which? subscription, and ask them to look this area up online. Personally, I wouldn't choose any of the makes you are considering, but I wanted my new one to last for years and years and paid accordingly...!

cranford

Having an old manual defrost appliance I would suggest that an auto defrost is essential and it will be top end of your budget but I would not consider one that does not have a flame retardant back rather than a plastic one. The AO web site is helpful for finding this because there is a option box to select this although you still need to look under "Design and Build" to confirm.
Of course still do a price comparison for AO and remember they will telephone you just after on online purchase to try and get you to take out extended coverage.

mutley74

cranford wrote: »

Of course still do a price comparison for AO and remember they will telephone you just after on online purchase to try and get you to take out extended coverage.

prices do vary.
Do AO offer a 3 or 5 yr warranty after purchase?

As JL, Currys and Argos all offer this at reasonable price.

I was after frost free too.

LadyDee

Have you considered a CDA? They are a stretch over your budget generally but you might be able to find something discounted. I have had the FW852 - troublefree for over 7 years. It fits your size criteria.

cranford

I would never take out an extended cover for a fridge, freezer or fridge freezer. After nearly 50 years of owning such most of them last for at least 12 years and how long does it take to get them to come out and repair or condemn a failing appliance? Most retailers can deliver next day if you need a new one.
I was unlucky once with a undercounter fridge after 6 years which I replaced same day for £150 and also got a £50 online shopping voucher thrown in but cover for the extended 5 years could have cost £250!

Frozen_up_north

From the March 2018 Which? Magazine, faulty Hotpoint fridges, freezers and fridge-freezers were linked to nearly 1 in 5 identifiable refrigeration fires and a Hotpoint fridge-freezer was implicated in the Grenfell fire.

In the same magazine, Beko were recorded as linked to a quarter of refrigeration fires where the brand was recorded. Beko stated that it was not aware of any issues with their refrigeration products manufactured after 2007...

There is a list of fridge-freezers in the same magazine, sadly virtually all are over £300... the highest rated one in the OPs size is a Samsung at £999. I do not think Which? are very money saving.

mutley74

I would never buy a Samsung product again, bought my folks an expensive FF over £700 Samsung brand. When it started having problems after a year (plastic inner lining cracking and peeling away) they refused to do anything, even after JL tried to intervene. Samsung customer service is sh&t the excuses and lies they tell.

EssexExile

Frozen_up_north wrote: »

faulty Hotpoint fridges, freezers and fridge-freezers were linked to nearly 1 in 5 identifiable refrigeration fires

Probably 1 in 5 fridges are Hotpoint so that's about right.

Most refrigeration is little trouble but I'd go for a well known brand, if it does go wrong it'll be easier to get it fixed.

that

Frost free every time. No defrosting ever, but if your food is not sealed in plastic it deforms and in my opinion also looses taste.

no1catman

John_Gray wrote: »

The main thing I had to decide was the relative capacity of the fridge and the freezer compartments. I wanted more freezer space than the average, and that was difficult to find. I also wanted the freezer to be frost-free, having got rid of a Hotpoint which promised this feature, but was lying.!

I agree - had a Hotpoint - Partner got apprehensive after Grenfill. Puzzled to see the ratio was invariably in favour of the fridge - don't know why.
And if you opted for double-doors, that give you more, because the cold drinks function took away the extra space!
Went to Euronics store, and got a Blomberg (which I think is Beko but enhanced) - has extra space by being 70cm wide.