These features relate exclusively to the design and overall appearance of the refrigerator. These features include
glass door panel,
hidden door handles,
handle illumination,
customizable panels and
retro design. Here is a detailed description of all these items:
— Glass door panel. Refrigerators with this feature have glass doors on the outside. This finish does not affect the functionality of the device but gives it a stylish appearance due to the specific glare on the glass surface. And in some models, a decorative pattern can also be applied to the glass. In addition, such a coating is very resistant to scratches. Its disadvantage is a rather high cost. So the glass door panel is typical mainly for “designer” refrigerators, created with an emphasis not only on functionality but also on the rich design.
— Hidden door handles. Handles made in the form of recesses on the ends of the refrigerator doors. They can be located on the top, bottom and/or side, depending on the design of a particular unit and the location of the door itself. Anyway, thanks to the hidden handles, the refrigerator at least acquires a neat, discreet appearance — with a minimum of unnecessary details on the doors. In addition, a regular handle can be touched by careless movement, but with a hidden one, it is impossi
...ble. It is especially relevant in cramped conditions. On the other hand, not all users find hidden handles comfortable enough. Therefore refrigerators with doors of a more traditional design nowadays also continue to be produced.
— Handle illumination. This feature not only gives the refrigerator an interesting appearance but also makes it more visible in low-light conditions. The latter can be useful not only in the evening or at night but also at other times of the day — if the unit is installed in a place that is itself poorly lit. However, there are few models with illuminated handles on the market, and they mainly belong to the middle and premium class.
— Customizable panels. Replaceable panels that allow you to change the appearance of the refrigerator. This feature does not affect the functionality, but it makes it possible to optimally choose the design for the interior of the room and the tastes of the owner. Some units with this feature are initially supplied without decorative panels in the expectation that users themselves choose or order a pattern at their discretion. On the other hand, the real need to use customizable panels rarely arises — even for a non-standard interior, it is easier to choose a refrigerator that was originally made in a certain design. So there are very few models with this feature nowadays.
— Retro design. Refrigerators made in the style of "retro" — in other words, semi-antique. Typically, such models imitate the technique of the 50s — 60s of the twentieth century, with rounded body shapes, massive handles, etc. However, there are other design options — the old sideboard, or even completely non-standard, in the form of a car, aeroplane, etc. Anyway, completely modern technologies are usually hidden under such a case. And the original appearance can be very useful for an interior in an unusual style. On the other hand, it is worth considering that retro design is very expensive. Most of these models are designed for those for whom design is no less important than functionality.The operating temperature of the refrigerator freezer.
The generally accepted standard for freezers is actually -18°C. It allows you to effectively store pre-frozen foods, as well as freeze them (with certain precautions). At the same time, for most modern refrigerators, lower temperatures are claimed — at
-24 °C, and in some models even lower. However, such indicators are not always standard — in many units, they are achieved only in the fast freeze mode (see "Features"). This should be clarified separately. However, the temperature of the freezer below -18 °C means good freezing features.
In turn, chambers with more modest minimum temperatures — -12 °C, or even -6 °C — are only suitable for storing pre-frozen products; they are not suitable for freezing any significant amount of contents. However, there are very few refrigerators with such indicators on the market — mostly low-cost or outdated models.
To indicate the temperature of the freezer, markings in the form of asterisks (snowflakes) are often used, each of which means a decrease in temperature by 6 °C. For example, in models at -24 °C, you can find the designation * (***) — four asterisks, one of which is highlighted. This usually means that in the standard mode the freezer operates at -18 °C (three stars), and at another 6 °C (down to -24 °C) the temperature drops during fast freezing.
Approximate amount of fresh food that a refrigerator can completely freeze from room temperature to freezer operating temperature in 24 hours. Power up to 10 – 15 kg/day will be quite enough for everyday use, but if you plan to freeze food in large volumes and often — you should pay attention to more
performant freezers.
