Best fridge-freezers buying guide: top brands and models

Best fridge-freezers at a glance

• Best integrated fridge-freezer: Beko BCFD450, £479.99
• Best freestanding fridge-freezer: Bosch Series 6 KGE49AICAG, £799
• Best energy-efficient fridge-freezer: Samsung RL38A776ASR, £1,549
• Best energy-efficient freestanding fridge-freezer: Hisense RB440N4ACA, £899
• Best budget fridge-freezer: Fridgemaster MC55265DEB, £329
• Best fridge-freezer for freshness: Beko CNG6686VPZ, £579
• Best smart fridge-freezer: Samsung RS6HA8880S9, £1,999
• Best American-style fridge-freezer: LG GSXV91BSAE, £1,599

Jump to:

• Best fridge-freezers 2024
• Which fridge-freezer should I buy?
• What fridge-freezer features should I look out for?
• Understanding efficiency ratings
• How much does a fridge-freezer cost to run?
• Top tips for looking after your fridge-freezer
• How to pick an energy efficient fridge-freezer

Best fridge-freezers 2024

Beko BCFD450 Integrated 50/50 frost-free fridge-freezer

• Available from AO (£399), Boots Kitchen Appliances (£399), Currys (£399), Marks Electrical (£399), Hughes (£399)

Best integrated fridge-freezer

Top features:

• Capacity: Fridge 163L, Freezer 91L
• Split: 50/50
• Frost-free
• Reversible door

Energy rating: F

This sleek integrated model from Beko does everything you need a fridge-freezer to do, and just a little bit more. And at under £500, it won’t break the bank either.

The 50/50 split offers plenty of space if you like to meal prep or freeze lots of food. The freezer is frost-free too, meaning you can use every inch of its 91 litres. There's also a handy salad crisper to keep fruits and veg fresher for longer.

This model comes with a handy door alarm and the door is reversible, so you can get the design of your kitchen exactly as you'd like it. While this fridge-freezer doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles of some of the high-tech models on this list, it’s a classic fridge-freezer that gets all of the essentials right.

Available from:

• AO (£399)
• Boots Kitchen Appliances (£399)
• Currys (£399)
• Marks Electrical (£399)
• Hughes (£399)

Bosch Series 6 KGE49AICAG fridge-freezer

• Available from Appliances Direct (£709), Amazon (£709), AO (£709), Currys (£709)

Best large energy-efficient fridge-freezer

Top features:

• Capacity: Fridge 302L, Freezer 111L
• Split: 70/30
• XXL capacity
• VitaFresh vegetable compartment

Energy rating: C

With an impressive C energy rating and a 413-litre capacity, this is an ideal choice if you’re after an energy-efficient fridge-freezer with ample space.

Designed with food preservation in mind, the Bosch Series 6 KGE49AICAG features a 'super freeze' function that freezes food quickly, keeping your food at the optimum temperature. This model also benefits from Bosch’s VitaFresh system, which helps to preserve the freshness of your fruit and veg.

Accessibility and convenience also play a huge part in this fridge-freezer's design. In the fridge compartment, you’ll find an EasyAccess shelf that slides out, making items easy to grab. In the freezer, there’s a BigBox drawer that’s deeper than other compartments – ideal for bulky items like pizza boxes or joints of meat.

Available from:

• Appliances Direct (£709)
• Amazon (£709)
• AO (£709)
• Currys (£709)

Samsung RL38A776ASR fridge-freezer

• Available from Marks Electrical (£999), Donaghy Bros (£1,199)

Best energy-efficient fridge-freezer

Top features:

• Capacity: Fridge 263L, Freezer: 104L
• Split: 70/30
• Frost-free
• WiFi-enabled
• Twin Cooling Plus™

Energy rating: A

Integrated fridge-freezers are usually the go-to choice if you're after an appliance that matches your kitchen – but this freestanding model from Samsung does the job just as well, offering fully customisable modules and combinations. There's also a range of colours and finishes to choose from, including satin beige, glam navy, clean white or satin sky blue.

With a coveted A-rating for energy efficiency, it offers powerful cooling performance and a large capacity, so you can keep your groceries fresh for as long as possible. Another impressive feature to note is the Smart Convertible Zone, which allows you to adjust the temperature of a specific compartment to either fridge or freezer temperatures – expanding the storage space even further.

Available from:

• Marks Electrical (£999)
• Donaghy Bros (£1,199)

Hisense RB440N4ACA 60/40 fridge-freezer

• Available from Very (£739), AO (£739), Boots Kitchen Appliances (£739), Marks Electrical (£749), Currys (£749)

Best energy-efficient freestanding fridge-freezer

Top features:

• Capacity: Fridge 238L, Freezer: 98L
• Split: 70/30
• Micro-vent cooling system
• Frost-free
• Bottle shelf

Energy rating: A

This fridge-freezer earns its A-rating for efficiency in part thanks to its micro-vent cooling system, which keeps cold air flowing inside the cavity without using too much energy. This means your groceries stay fresher for longer, reducing food waste and potentially cutting costs, too.

Fruit, vegetables and fresh herbs can be neatly stored away inside the salad crisper drawer, and you can adjust the shelving to make space for larger items too. The door is fully reversible – so you can swap it round to fit your existing kitchen layout – and has 90-degree design so you can pull the drawers out fully, even when the door is only partially open. Other features include a wine rack, egg rack and ice cube tray.

Available from:

• Very (£739)
• AO (£739)
• Boots Kitchen Appliances (£739)
• Marks Electrical (£749)
• Currys (£749)

Fridgemaster MC55265DEB 70/30 fridge-freezer

• Available from Amazon (£279), AO (£279), Boots Kitchen Appliances (£279)

Best budget fridge-freezer

Top features:

• Capacity: Fridge 198L, Freezer: 71L
• Split: 70/30
• Salad crisper drawer
• Adjustable shelving

Energy rating: E

If you're after a simple, low-cost fridge-freezer with a decent-sized capacity, this appliance from Beko matches the brief well. While it doesn't come with all the bells and whistles of some of the higher-spec models in this list, it's ideal for a family of four and has ample storage for up to 14 bags of groceries.

Inside, there's a salad crisper drawer to keep all your fruit and veg fresh and intact. Adjustments can be made to the shelving if you need space for larger items, and the reversible door means you can swap the position of the hinge (from left to right or vice versa) to suit the layout of your kitchen. It's also available in three colours – black, silver or white.

Available from:

• Amazon (£279)
• AO (£279)
• Boots Kitchen Appliances (£279)

Beko Pro HarvestFresh CNG6686VPZ 60/40 fridge-freezer

• Available from AO (£579), Boots Kitchen Appliances (£579), Currys (£579)

Best fridge-freezer for freshness

Top features:

• Capacity: Fridge 210L, Freezer: 106L
• Split: 60/40
• Frost-free
• 1o-year warranty for parts (with registration)
• Holiday Mode

Energy rating: C

With the cost of a weekly shop steadily on the rise (not to mention the threat of climate change), food-preservation technology – designed to prevents unnecessary food waste – has become a hot commodity for modern fridge-freezers.

This freestanding Beko model is built with HarvestFest technology, which guarantees an extra five days of freshness for your fruit and veg, plus a Fast Freeze setting that rapidly lowers the temperature of the freezer cavity when new groceries have been stored inside.

Cold air is continuously circulated inside the cavity thanks to the AeroFlow system. For those into their touchscreen tech, the LED controls on the front – which allow you to control the internal temperature without even opening the fridge door – are a particularly nifty feature. There's also a foldable wine rack, offering more flexibility for storage.

Available from:

• AO (£579)
• Boots Kitchen Appliances (£579)
• Currys (£579)

Samsung RS6HA8880S9 Family Hub WiFi-connected American fridge-freezer

• Available from Donaghy Bros (£1,999)
  

Best smart fridge-freezer

Top features:

• Capacity: Fridge 384L, Freezer 207L
• Large screen
• Water and ice dispenser

Energy rating: F

For those into their smart home tech, this fridge-freezer is about as high tech as you can get. Its generous capacity makes it ideal for large families or those who cook or entertain a lot.

The main draw of this model is the large screen on the fridge-side of the door. It’s touchscreen and not only is it a talking point, but it can also be used to display photos of loved ones, write notes and also display the weather. If you get the whole family connect to the SmartThings app (available on Android and iOS devices), you can even send voice notes, play music and share recipes.

Inside the fridge are cameras, so you can either check what’s inside without having to let the cool air out. Overall it's expensive bit of kit, but if you love home tech and like to keep everything connected, it’s well worth the investment.

Available from:

• Donaghy Bros (£1,999)

LG GSXV91BSAE InstaView ThinQ WiFi-connected American fridge-freezer

• Available from Appliance City (£1,599)

Best American-style fridge-freezer

Top features:

• Capacity: Fridge 416L, Freezer 219L
• UV lights in water dispenser
• WiFi compatible
• Super Cool function

Energy rating: E

One of the most striking features of this LG American-style fridge-freezer is it’s large glass window into the fridge compartment: just knock twice to see inside. This nifty feature helps stop those energy-guzzling moments when you’re standing with the fridge door open, hoping inspiration strikes. Or peep in before you do your weekly shop to work out what you need.

If a water and ice dispenser is a big draw for you, this model includes a UV light in the four-litre dispenser to kill bacteria, giving you clean and fresh water every time.

This model is also WiFi-compatible, so you can control and monitor your fridge-freezer from the comfort of your sofa or even when you go away.

The InstaView comes stocked to the rafters with all of the features and innovations we love on every other fridge-freezer in this list. There’s NatureFresh that ensures the inside is an even and consistent temperature, and Pure N Fresh, which is a filter that removes odours and keeps your food fresh and Super Cool, which will rapidly cool the fridge compartment after lots of food has been placed inside.

Available from:

• Appliance City (£1,599)

Which fridge-freezer should I buy?

We spoke to Sophie Beckett-Smith, fridge-freezer expert at AO. She suggested taking the following steps before buying a new fridge-freezer: "The first step is to assess your needs: ask yourself what you did and didn’t like about your old appliance and if it met your requirements sufficiently."

"This could entail looking at how your lifestyle needs are met. If you eat a lot of fresh food, you will need larger fridge spaces. If you prefer to batch cook or need quick meals, bigger freezer space could be needed. If you like to entertain, a model with a water dispenser or lots of bottle storage is more ideal."

Additionally, we suggest thinking about the following four factors before buying:

• Energy efficiency
• What split you need
• What size fridge-freezer you need
• How it looks in the kitchen

What type of fridge-freezer should I buy?

• Integrated: integrated fridge-freezers are designed to be fitted with the same panelling or design as the rest of your kitchen. They feature all the same specs as a freestanding model, but help to create a seamless appearance in the kitchen.
• Freestanding: these fridge-freezers can be slotted into place wherever there’s a mains plug. They’re finished on all sides and are the fridge-freezer to choose if you’re after a statement piece.

What fridge-freezer features should I look out for?

Many fridge-freezer brands shout about their various features, so navigating what’s important and what’s not can be a bit of minefield. These are the features to look out for when buying a new fridge-freezer:

• Split: if you eat lots of fresh food, opt for a larger fridge to freezer ratio: 70/30 or 60/40. It’s rare – though not impossible – to find a fridge-freezer with a larger freezer compartment, so if you like to meal prep or stock up on frozen goods, opt for a 50/50 split.
• Capacity: the capacity of a fridge-freezer is expressed in litres. Usefully, AO converts their fridge-freezer capacity into bags of shopping, making the size easier to visualise. Assess your family’s needs before deciding on the capacity.
• Frost-free: defrosting your fridge-freezer is a laborious and messy task, so opt for a frost-free model to avoid the clean up. On a practical level, compacted ice not only takes up valuable freezer space but it also stops your freezer from working efficiently. These models tend to be more expensive upfront, but they’ll save you money on your electricity bills in the long run.
• Food freshness: avoid food waste by choosing a model with food preservation features built in. Look for Blue Light Technology or HarvestFresh, which continues the process of photosynthesis, helping fruit and veg retain its vitamin and nutrient content, and therefore stay fresher for longer. Also look for fresh zones, designed to maintain the ideal temperature and humidity level for meat, fish and fresh produce.
• Rapid cool and rapid freeze: these settings do exactly what the name suggests, they’re great for quickly cooling food after a shopping trip or even chilling that bottle of wine you forgot to pop in the fridge before guests arrive. Rapid cool is the more common feature of the two and some models usefully come with both.
• Door-open alarm: a simple but useful feature that lets you know if the door has been left open.
• Reversible door: a reversible door hinge allows you to choose which side the door opens from.
• Quiet Mark symbol: if you’ve got an open plan living space or are simply after a quiet fridge-freezer, look for the Quiet Mark symbol. Simon Gosling, Quiet Mark’s CMO says, "Between 10% to 20% of the quietest best-performing products are awarded Quiet Mark certification. Each product category is re-evaluated annually to reflect new models coming on to the market," so if you see the logo, rest assured it's quiet.

What fridge-freezer features are nice to have, but not essential?

• WiFi-enabled technology: Sophie Beckett-Smith from AO says, "Smart tech can range from WiFi connected appliances to help notify you when food is going to go off, or personalised recipes with your in-stock ingredients. At the premium end, this could also look like ‘transparent’ doors so you can easily peek in the fridge or screens." These features will help you reduce food waste and can look great too, but they do come at a cost.
• AI: AI-enhanced systems like SmartThings from Samsung monitors the habits of your household, then adjusts the energy output to match your needs. "When a refrigerator door is opened or a room’s temperature dips, SmartThings' algorithm takes notice and responds, building a bigger picture of household usage patterns and passing the savings on to users," says Danny Kent from Samsung. "With selected Samsung fridge-freezers, you can reduce your energy use by up to 15% with AI Energy mode."
• Flexible cooling compartments: For instance, temperature-controlled salad drawers that can be set to a different temperature from the rest of the cavity. Sarah Heaps, AO's refrigeration expert, explains: "Depending on the model and manufacturer, the technology may differ slightly, but the function of these drawers is to create an ideal environment for storing fruits and vegetables by regulating temperature and humidity levels. This helps to preserve the freshness and nutritional value of the fresh food for a longer time compared to traditional refrigerator compartments."
• Water dispensers: A mainstay in American kitchens, fridge-freezers with water dispensers provide cool, filtered water and most have an ice dispenser too. If you like to have filtered water and ice on tap, but can’t afford a model with a water dispenser, choose a water filter jug instead
• Holiday mode: This useful feature reduces power usage in the fridge while you're away. You'll need to empty the fridge before you leave. The freezer compartment runs as normal.

Understanding energy efficiency ratings

As dictated by both UK Government and the European Commission legislation, all fridge-freezers sold in the UK and EU must have a label that shows their energy efficiency rating.

In March 2021, just as Britain’s split from the European Union took full effect, the energy-rating classification of select white goods underwent a redesign – but the change wasn’t merely aesthetic. The UK’s new system now sees the former A+++ ratings dropped in favour of an A-G rating.

The current scale is stricter, and it’s a rarity to find an A-rated product nowadays. The view is these aspirational A and B ratings will encourage manufacturers to make technological and sustainable improvements to reach the top spot, as previously A+++ rated fridge-freezers now score around the C-E mark.

Usefully, if you’re familiar with the old rating system, AO shows what a fridge-freezer would have scored on the old grading system as well as the new.

What’s taken into account on the energy efficiency logo?

• Energy-efficiency scale
• Energy-efficiency class
• Annual energy consumption
• Total capacity of the fridge compartment
• Total capacity of the freezer compartment
• Noise emissions

How much does a fridge-freezer cost to run?

The product description of a fridge-freezer will usually outline the running costs of the machine. The annual running cost is displayed in kilowatt hours and you can work out how much it’ll cost you in pounds sterling by using an online electricity cost calculator.

Though bear in mind that as energy prices change, so will the annual running costs. Retailers like Currys, John Lewis and AO also include details of the average annual cost to run within the description of the product.

How long should a fridge-freezer last?

AO’s fridge-freezer expert, Sophie Beckett-Smith, said, "Modern fridge-freezers that are correctly cleaned and looked after can expect to last 7-10 years."

When should you replace your fridge-freezer?

It may be time to replace your fridge-freezer if you start seeing these tell-tale signs:

• It’s noisier than usual
• Your bills are rising
• The seals are going
• The outer body is hot
• Food is going off quickly
• If mould and mildew is growing inside or on the seals

Top tips for looking after your fridge-freezer

• Keep the top clear: as tempting as it is to pop your slow cooker or bag of bags on top of the fridge-freezer, keep this area clear. Excess heat is released out of the top, so storing items there traps the heat in, making the motor work harder.
• Keep it full (but not too full): a semi-full fridge-freezer doesn’t have to work as hard to keep the cool air cool compared to a near-empty fridge-freezer. But, by the same token, a fridge-freezer full to the brim doesn’t allow for good airflow and can block the air vents. Three quarters full is the sweet spot.
• Keep it away from heat: try to avoid placing your fridge-freezer near anything warm like an oven, dishwasher and even direct sunlight. External heat makes the compressor work harder than it needs to as it rushes to cool the whole fridge-freezer down.
• Clean it regularly: not only will regular cleaning keep your fridge-freezer looking and smelling fresher, it’s also better for you. If the back of the fridge compartment becomes compacted with ice, this can block the drain channel and trap debris, which can start to become mouldy.
• Keep it at the right temperature: the fridge compartment should be between 3-5C and the freezer -18 to -22C.

How to organise a fridge-freezer

Believe it or not, there’s an actual method to stocking your fridge-freezer. Following these steps will not only make food easier to find but it’ll also make food last longer:

Fridge

• Top shelves: store foods that are ready to eat; left overs, packaged food, cooked meats
• Middle shelves: dairy – milk, cheese, butter, yogurt
• Bottom shelves: for wrapped raw meat
• Bottom drawer: fruit, vegetables and herbs
• Doors: water, juice, condiments

Freezer

• Top: frozen fruit, ice cream, cooked food
• Middle: potato products, soups
• Bottom: meat, poultry, fish

How to pick an energy-efficient fridge-freezer

Many of us are looking to make more sustainable choices, not just for our wallets but for the environment too. Considering research by Which? found that American-style and freestanding fridge-freezers are the third and fourth most costly kitchen appliances to run, it's no wonder consumers are looking for cheaper and more eco-friendly options.

We asked Joe Close from Appliances Direct, Lara Brittain, kitchen expert at Currys, and Sophie Beckett-Smith, AO's fridge-freezer expert, for their advice on what consumers should be looking for when shopping for an eco-friendly fridge-freezer.

All experts agree that consumers should check the energy rating of a fridge-freezer they're interested in. Sophie Beckett-Smith says, "Choosing a fridge-freezer with a good energy rating will save you both money and energy.

The best energy rating for a fridge-freezer is an A, so it’s worth looking out for a fridge with a rating on that end of the scale for maximum efficiency. The rating system is based on the amount of energy your fridge-freezer uses compared to the amount of internal space."

Laura Brittain also advises, "purchase the correct size tech appliances. It’s not always about having the biggest, most popular product, but rather what caters to your needs. For example, having a smaller washing machine for a smaller household can help save water, which in turn, can help save both money and the appliance's effect on the environment." and the same goes for fridge-freezers.

What fridge-freezer mistakes can cost you money?

With so much economic uncertainty in the UK – not to mention the threat of climate change – lots of us are now paying much closer attention to how much our appliances cost to run.

The experts at AO, Currys and Appliances Direct shared some tips on how to avoid common mistakes that can help you save money:

• Make sure your fridge-freezer is not next to the oven or in direct sunlight
• Defrost your freezer regularly
• Dust the back of your fridge-freezer
• Opening the fridge more than required isn’t energy saving, so it's worth looking into models that have a beverage centre to reduce opening the fridge fully when accessing things like milk/juice - though these come with an added cost
• Don’t add anything warmer than room temperature
• Make sure there is enough ventilation around the fridge
• Don’t leave the door open for longer than necessary or the fridge-freezer will be filled with warm air and have to work harder to cool down again – ultimately using more energy

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