Miele KFN 28132 ws fridge freezer review

German brand Miele has a reputation for practical, durable, well-designed kitchen and laundry room appliances. It's a high-end brand which is reflected in the price. The Miele KFN 28132 ws fridge freezer has a sleek external appearance and the interior is well thought out. It offers flexibility of layout without impractical additions that simply tick another box.

First impressions of the Miele KFN 28132 ws fridge freezer

Design is subjective and some may prefer a showpiece appliance but the pared-back simplicity of its appearance, means this fridge freezer sits smartly and unobtrusively in the kitchen. Recessed handles allow for a totally flush stainless steel front – a modern look for a modern kitchen. Opening the doors, we noticed shelving was well spaced and visibility was good. The digital display is easy to read.

Is the Miele KFN 28132 ws fridge freezer easy to set up?

Like most fridge freezers this simply requires a period for the coolant to settle before plugging in, then a wait for the appliance to cool before adding food.

What is the overall quality like?

This appliance feels like it's built to last. The external doors are lightweight when pulled open but they stay open rather than continuing to swing. There's good suction on closing. Recessed handles ensure there won't be any problems with handles getting knocked or worn. The glass shelves are weighty to withstand even the most prolific jar and bottle hoarders. Plastic drawers in both the fridge and freezer feel sufficiently durable when rattled and shunted in and out.

Capacity vs usable space

The fridge holds 209 litres and due to good spacing between shelves, we think this model maximises on space. Some other fridges we tested didn't offer adequate clearance between shelves for standard items such as wine bottles and tall jars but this isn't the case here.

The freezer holds 95 litres and we like the ease with which you can remove a drawer to provide double height – useful when freezing large pieces of meat, tall plastic containers or desserts.

What's the handle like?

This fridge freezer has a recessed handle built into the side of the door at the bottom of the fridge and top of the freezer, which means there's nothing sticking out on the front of the appliance. It's comfortably deep but not so much that it's hard to clean. It also has a little ridge for better grip.

What are the shelving options in the fridge?

There are four glass shelves in the main fridge compartment with five height options for the three upper shelves. They're easy to remove and swap around, and set at a practical distance, allowing for typical fridge contents such as jars, plastic food trays and containers. There's no wire bottle rack but you can buy this as an extra.

The door shelves, of which there are three, are a little stiff to realign and put back in but again can be arranged with practical spacing to allow for typical contents – jars, bottles etc. The bottom shelf has room for wine bottles, even with a cork sticking out of the top, or a two-litre plastic bottle. There's a plastic fringe that acts as a bottle holder stopping the bottles from falling over when you open the door.

There are two removable egg holders (with room for a dozen eggs) but no individual compartments within the door shelves. There are pros and cons to this, but we prefer without to give greater flexibility of storage. You can adjust the door shelving heights, providing good flexibility, although the very top setting seems a bit pointless as it's right at the top of the door, making it hard to slide anything in or out. We can only assume this is to store an unused shelf.

How are the fridge drawers?

There's one large drawer that slides out smoothly without runners. We find a lack of runners preferable as it's easier to slot the drawer straight back in without them, and for cleaning the fridge. The drawer doesn't offer humidity control but we found our iceberg lettuce remained sufficiently crisp during the trial. Some might prefer more than one drawer but if you don't mind throwing all your fruit and veg in together, this does allow for larger items like cauliflowers or a long pack such as field mushrooms.

What benefits does the freezer offer?

This model has three deep freezer drawers. They have a system they call VarioRoom which basically means you can easily slide out one drawer and stack the one underneath twice as high – definitely useful for people who entertain and might be freezing large items. The freezer has fast-freeze and auto-defrost.

How's the overall visibility?

The fridge gets full marks for visibility. There's clear glass and plastic for all shelving and drawers in the fridge mean you can see everything at a glance. The freezer drawers are also clear plastic and the fact that they slide out easily makes it very easy to see what you've got.

Is it easy to control and monitor temperature?

When you open the door of the fridge, you can see the temperature controls and a digital temperature reading at the top. There's a separate set of buttons for fridge and freezer. We like that you can switch the fridge off – useful if you're going on holiday for a longer period and want to empty the fridge. As the name suggests, the fast-freeze option drops the temperature so you can add unfrozen food and freeze it as quickly, and therefore hygienically, as possible.

Is there a door alarm?

Yes. This goes off after 60 seconds and thankfully, you can switch it off by pressing the alarm button at the top of the fridge, allowing you to unload your shopping noise-free.

What is its footprint?

The footprint is 185cm (H) x 60cm (W) x 65.5cm (D), and with no handles sticking out and a door that doesn't have a lot of extra casing, it maximises on internal space and gives you optimal clearance when you're manoeuvering around it.

Is it easy to clean?

Door shelves are dishwasher-safe, although we generally recommend hand-washing to avoid any potential clouding. As previously mentioned, these door shelves are a little difficult to get back in, but if you do take them out, there aren't any awkward nooks and crannies, and that is equally true for the whole appliance. There's also a removable rim on the glass shelving, too.

Are there any accessories?

This one came with a removable egg holder and ice cube tray.

Are there any accessories available for purchase?

Yes, you can buy air filters for odour control, a bottle rack and cleaning cloths.

Overall star ratings for Miele KFN 28132 ws fridge freezer

Quality 5/5
Practicality 5/5
Capacity vs usable space 4.5/5
Temperature control 4.5/5
Ease of cleaning 4.5/5
Value for money 4.5/5

Overall score: 4.7/5

Our conclusion

This is a smart and functional fridge freezer that maximises on space for its size. You pay a little more, but we think this is reflected in the quality and practicality of the appliance.

Available from Amazon (£799)

Product specifications at a glance

Dimensions: 185cm (H) x 60cm (W) x 65.5cm (D)
Capacity: fridge 209 litres, freezer 95 litres
Energy efficiency class: A ++
Annual energy consumption in kWh: 232
Fast freeze: Yes
Automatic defrost: Yes
Reversible door handle: Yes
Fridge can be switched off separately: Yes
No. of fridge shelves: 4
No. of fridge door shelves: 3
No. of fridge drawers: 1
No. of freezer drawers: 3
Digital display: Yes
Separate controls for fridge and freezer: Yes

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This review was last updated in June 2019. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.