Capacity
The total working volume of the freezer compartment. A larger volume allows for more products to be stored, but it affects the size and cost of the unit; therefore, when choosing based on this parameter, it's important not to chase maximum capacity but to consider what volume you actually need. For example, for household use, the average necessary volume is 50 liters per person; and when choosing a display freezer (see "Type"), you need to consider the number of products to be sold. More detailed recommendations for selecting the optimal volume can be found in specialized sources.
It is also worth considering that the freezer is often divided into several compartments (see below) — which means that a large volume does not necessarily guarantee that large pieces of products can fit into the device.
Hanging baskets
One or more removable baskets that are attached to the top of the freezer compartment.
Hanging baskets are made of both metal and plastic and are designed to store shallow frozen items or frequently used products that require quick access. Hanging baskets are also used to separate different types of contents.
Power failure autonomy
The amount of time the freezer keeps food cold enough when the refrigeration system is turned off, for example, due to a breakdown or power outage. Technically, the power failure autonomy for each model is calculated differently; For example, for a freezer with an operating temperature of -18 ° C, this is the period during which the products in the chamber heat up from -18 ° C to -9 ° C. To sum up, the time is indicated during which the frozen products are guaranteed not to heat up to a temperature at which they could lose their properties.
Freeze capacity
One of the main indicators of freezer performance is the approximate amount of fresh food that the freezer can completely freeze from room temperature to the minimum operating temperature in 24 hours. For domestic use, a power of 10-15 kg/day is considered quite sufficient. More performant models may be required if you have to freeze a lot of food at a time or for industrial purposes.
Door alarm
It is a system that monitors the closing of the freezer door. If the door is not closed for a long time or is not closed tightly enough, an audible or light (depending on the model) signal is given. It helps to avoid a critical increase in temperature in the working chamber and preserves the quality of the products.
Controls
The type of control provided in the freezer. This parameter is specified by the type of controls and their location.
- Rotary knobs. In general, this is the simplest and most inexpensive option used in units of the appropriate level. However, even this is quite enough - especially if the freezer works in more or less constant temperature conditions (for example, in a home or office kitchen). In many cases, the matter is limited to selecting the appropriate knob position once and then not changing the settings. In addition, the major advantages of this type of control are reliability and ease of repair.
- Push-buttons. Push-buttons are considered more advanced than rotary knobs. The specific functionality of freezers with such a control may be different. But among them, models with additional functions and the ability to fine-tune the temperature are noticeably more common. As for the location, there are internal and external push-buttons. The internal location allows you to hide the control panel behind the refrigerator door, providing a neat appearance with a minimum of protruding parts.
The external location is convenient because you do not need to open the door to access the settings. On the other hand, the real need for such an arrangement is not so often, and the control panel must also fit into the overall design of the unit (which is not always possible to do in the best way).
- Touch controls. Touch controls are considered th...e next step in the development of control panels, after buttons. So, it looks stylish and technologically advanced, they do not need to be pressed hard (just touched), and there are no protruding parts, corners or slots on the surface of the panel, which simplifies cleaning from dirt. The presence of a touch panel is typical mainly for models of the middle and top levels. It costs a little more than a push-button one, but this is imperceptible against the total price of the units. But the internal location, in this case, is much less common than the external one. It is because there is no need to hide the touch panel behind the door. It can easily fit into the design of the device. In addition, external placement allows you not to open the door again to access the settings.
Display
The external display makes the operation of the freezer more intuitive and allows you to control the conditions inside without opening it. The display can show data on the temperature inside the chamber or individual drawers, running programmes and the state of their running(fast freeze, for example), etc.
Energy class
The energy class shows how economical the freezer is in terms of electricity consumption. Initially, the classes were designated in Latin letters from A (most economical) to G (high power consumption). Recently, improved classes A+, A++ and A+++ appeared (the more pluses - the more economical the device).
It should be borne in mind that this indicator represents not the actual energy consumption but the efficiency of the unit compared to similar models. Therefore, a small class A freezer may have a lower power consumption than a large class A++ model. And other things being equal, a more economical device, as a rule, costs more, but this difference can quickly pay off during the operation.
Energy class (new)
This parameter shows the efficiency of electricity consumption by the freezer. Classes are designated in Latin letters from A to G, in ascending order of energy consumption. It was originally conceived until more energy-efficient models pulled up to class A, which eventually received the marking A+, A++, and A+++. Further development of technology has made it possible to go even further and, in order not to produce pluses in energy efficiency labelling, in March 2021, manufacturers returned to the previous indices from G to A, where A is the most energy-efficient freezer. Accordingly, the 2021 models will have modern markings, while older models will be marked the old way.
