Best Fridge Freezer 2021 – Buyer’s Guide

The Samsung RB31FDRNDSA is really everything you could want out of a fridge freezer.

It is a standard size at just 59.5 cm across, and so much more appropriate for modest kitchens than big American-style alternatives. It has ample storage space, a chilled water dispenser (but no ice), and handy bottle rack.

The external display is a nice touch, too. With this, you can see information such as the temperature without any issues. Make adjustments when necessary, and find any problems before any damage ensues.

It is considerably more efficient that its American fridge freezer counterparts, using approximately two-thirds of the amount of energy. The trade-off is that you have less space, but not everybody needs as much. This product would still be perfectly fine for a family of 2-3 people.

The retro look doesn’t have to cost you the earth, as demonstrated by this Swan fridge freezer model. Swan has long been a competitor to Smeg when it comes to the classically designed appliances, and this one does not look far off the mark.

There is, admittedly, quite a bit less storage, but for less than a quarter of the price, we are pretty sure you could work around that a little bit if the design is the biggest issue.

Despite the lack of space on paper, the inside is very roomy, and there is plenty of scope to arrange everything to best suit your lifestyle.
The freezer is at the top and the fridge at the bottom, so make sure everyone in the household will be able to access what they need the most before you buy.

It’s no secret that Smeg products are some of the most stylish kitchen appliances in existence. They have a cool, retro aesthetic, come in a range of unusual colours, and are energy efficient. When it comes to fridge freezers, this is no exception.

We love this tasteful cream model from Smeg (available in a few other colours too) as it has a fabulous A+++ rating, spacious compartments and never requires manual defrosting. There’s nothing better than an appliance which does all the hard work for you.

The primary appeal of this model is the design and respected Smeg name. It’s fast-chill and fast-freeze functions are also very handy, ensuring that your food reaches the best temperature rapidly. However, there is no getting away from the fact that these famous Smeg products have a hefty price tag. 

Not only is this fridge freezer very practical with a 366 litre capacity in total, but it will also add a touch of style to any kitchen.

It has all of the technology which you would look for in a modern fridge freezer unit. NoFrost ensures you don’t have to scrape away manually, or risk all of the food defrosting as you allow the ice to melt. There is also technology present which ensures your food stays fresher for longer, which should reduce the frequency which you have to buy fresh produce.

VitaFresh drawers create the ideal humidity level to keep your fruit and vegetables fresher for longer, so you can do one big shop and plan ahead for the meals for the week without worrying that the broccoli is going to go off before your risotto on Friday. This will also help to reduce the amount you throw away if you’re concerned about food waste.

The best feature we like, however, is the VarioZone adaptability. Simply remove a drawer in the freezer, and it will be transformed into a shelf instead. This can help to store items such as pizza boxes or other large shapes which don’t often fit inside drawers. You can even remove the drawer under this, too, to create a deep compartment when the time comes to store the bulky Christmas turkey or gammon.

If you already have limited space, then this is a brilliant fridge freezer for helping you get the most out of the unit. It is tall as well, which only maximises the space without taking up room in your kitchen.

This cream standalone appliance from Haier (also available in other appealing colours) makes a welcome change from the sea of silver, white and steel we usually see.

Split 70/30, it claims you can fit approximately 16 bags of food shopping inside which, although we didn’t test, we can easily believe as it feels very spacious – maybe due to this being an extra tall model. Humidity control keeps everything frozen and prevents a build-up of ice.

Both compartments offer a great amount of space, and we particularly liked the large freezer drawers as opposed to separate compartments behind a single door. One of these drawers is a special MyZone design. You can customise the temperature (from -3° to +5°C) with one-touch, so you can store foods that need certain care without affecting the rest of the appliance.

If you’re looking for the fun, retro style of a Smeg fridge freezer but you can’t afford the real thing, something like this original burgundy Gorenje ONRK193R might do the trick.

It has the same level of capacity as the Smeg, and slightly more freezer capacity. This makes it perfect for anyone who loves the fashion but practicality needs to rule, so wants a balance. Storage is smart, with plenty of drawers to keep your salad fresh and areas which will keep leftovers safe. Coming in at 80:20 ratio, which is rare, it is definitely for those families whose food is taken out of the fridge for meals quicker than it goes in.

It also boasts an A+++ efficiency rating, and in fact uses marginally less energy compared to many other models of its size and capacity. While it doesn’t have a chilled water dispenser or an ice tray, it does have the same auto-defrost and fast-freeze features, as well as plentiful room for bottles.

Fridge freezers can struggle when it comes to space, but this Bosch integrated model is one of the best options if you want to accommodate big weekly food shops. It has all of the coveted fast-chill, fast-freeze and auto defrost features, and an A++ energy efficiency rating that puts it high on our list.

We loved the BigBox addition for the freezer – a deep compartment which will allow you to stack your food prep for the week, or freeze meat and other fragile items without having to cram them in or pile other things on top. The VistaFresh box at the bottom of the fridge also keeps temperatures perfect for your salad to remain crisp, no matter what else is in the appliance.

A particularly useful function of the Bosch is the holiday mode. This is a setting designed to keep the appliance running efficiently while using less power. Perfect if you’re off on your summer two week break and there are only a few items left in there for it to take care of.

Overall, this model is very quiet and great value for money (despite being at the higher end of the price scale). Think of it as a solid appliance which will see you through several years of demanding work.

A 254L capacity for an appliance which is less than 55cm wide is pretty good going. If you need a Tardis-like fridge freezer then this Beko is a mighty fine choice.

Antibacterial door seals will keep everything safely stored, as they prevent bacteria entering the fridge and forming around the door. You also have frost free technology which will prevent you having to manually defrost the freezer periodically. It does this by keeping a constant air flow circulating the chamber, which also helps with keeping everything at a consistent temperature.

There is a reversible door in case you need to change it around for the layout of your kitchen and integrated setup. In terms of cons, we’d like larger freezer drawers and you can only use half of the bottom glass shelf because the lower bottle rack can’t close on it if it is full.

Still, for under £400, they are little niggles which you could live with, and there is still plenty of scope to personalise the storage solutions.

In terms of dimensions, capacity and annual energy usage, this Zanussi fridge freezer is great for the cost.

We love the fact that the the door is reversible, so you can swap it over if you have a bit of a layout change in your kitchen or move home. The compartment drawers in the freezer section are clear too, so you can see what you have at a glance, rather than pulling them out and routing through everything before you do the weekly shop.

It has all of the standard and brilliant fast freeze/cooling and auto-defrost functions, and in addition the fridge has some very useful adjustable shelves, so you can alter their heights as needed. This is good, as they are a bit close together for anyone who frequently has their fridge full of goods.

We loved the little light guide which tells you the exact internal temperature of the appliance too, so there is no more guessing which setting is perfect and altering it the wrong way. Two separate products of the same quality would cost a lot more, so you get a lot for your money.

This Beko integrated model is not only highly efficient (A++), but is packed with features to make life easier too.

It offers lots of storage, especially in the upper fridge compartment, and has excellent cooling features. These include a quick-cool function to rapidly freeze items new items. No more rushing home from the supermarket with ice creams in summer and waiting for them to get back down to ideal temperatures.

We liked the addition of the bottle rack in the fridge to help free up space in the door compartments while keeping them safe and flat. It will accommodate 2 litre bottles of fizzy pop just as well as wine bottles, and sits just under the top shelf for easy access.

An antibacterial door seal will keep your food safe from external germs, and the adjustable shelving ensures you can adapt the appliance to just how you like it and find easiest. The price is fantastic for what you get, as a bonus.

This AEG is a spacious, 207 litre, 70/30 split model that is frost-free and fast-freezing.

It is a relatively narrow 54 cm wide, making it a good choice for smaller spaces. Yet, it is still an ideal appliance for families which do large weekly shops. This built-in product uses a Coolmatic function to chill fresh food quickly and stop new items from increasing the overall temperature.

One of its best features is the half-width flexi door shelf, which you can adjust and move left and right to make room for larger items while still making the most of every inch of available space. The standard shelves are full width and made from safety glass so are strong, while remaining cool to keep your food fresh.

We also loves the fact that the interior corners are all curved, so when you need to give it a clean, the cloth will easily get every last bit of surface. Two separate salad drawers will help you keep everything organised, and the freezer drawers are nice and deep (although there are only two).

The Hotpoint HBD5517WUK  is a sensible, reliable and reasonably priced choice which would perform well for an average-sized family.

When it comes to home appliances, you really can’t go wrong with Hotpoint. The top and bottom sections are almost 50/50 (the bottom half is very slightly smaller) so there is plenty of space for your frozen food, and you don’t have to prioritise one over the other.

It doesn’t have an auto-defrost function, which is a shame, but it does have antibacterial liners, adjustable shelves, and the door is reversible so you can choose which way round will work best in your kitchen. It has a glossy exterior that would complement a contemporary look, too, and is easy to keep clean with a wipe.

The Fridgemaster MTM48120 is split into a ratio of 80/20, with the freezer at the top for much easier access. We think it would be ideal for anyone who likes to keep some frozen essentials to hand in the kitchen, such as frozen peas or potatoes, but who has a chest freezer or separate freestanding in the garage or utility room with everything else.

The overall capacity is 120L, which should give you enough room for up to six bags of shopping. The shelves are adjustable, so if you have taller bottles to keep upright, you can shift a shelf higher to let them fit. We love how the freezer is just split in half by one shelf, so you can grab what you need easily and see what is there clearly. It is much easier than drawers or doors, especially for such a small space.

It is good that the freezer is just small, as it has to be manually defrosted so you don’t want to be chipping away too much. The annual cost to run is only around £28.03, which for something that keeps both fresh and frozen food in perfect condition is extremely good. In all, it is a great capacity but packed into small dimensions, making it one of the best fridge freezers for small kitchens.

The Grundig GKF15810N could be the best choice if you do not mind going without a water dispenser. It’s stainless steel with an anti-fingerprint finish, which means minimal smudging and smearing.

The doors are easily reversible, so no matter the set up of your kitchen it will fit right in. Frost-free features mean it will defrost automatically, so you don’t have to waste hours doing it manually.

The large salad crisper gives ample storage for your fresh produce, and there is also a wine bottle rack to let you store large 2L soft drinks bottles.

Integrated LED lighting lets you see the contents clearly, and there is a dedicated slimline ice cube tray so it is always easily accessed for those cold drinks and smoothies.

One of the largest fridge capacities around for an undercounter fridge freezer, this Russell Hobbs isn’t just ticking all of the boxes when it comes to style but also practicality.

In total, you get 90L, which is enough for five bags of shopping. A salad crisper drawer keeps precious perishables out of the way of everything else, and also creates the perfect atmosphere for keeping them fresher for longer. The door is reversible too, so you can literally squeeze it in anywhere in your kitchen.

It needs manually defrosting every so often, but an annual running cost of £26.03 means it is cost-effective to run, so keeping on top of the ice is no issue at all.

A nice budget fridge freezer, which will slot under your kitchen counter to give you immediate access to the essentials.

The shelves are adjustable, so you can move things around to accommodate larger joints of beef, leftovers or a big bowl of trifle for pudding. You also get a salad crisping drawer at the bottom of the unit to keep your fresh items both safe, and fresher for longer.

It has one of the largest capacities when it comes to the fridge storage, which is great if you want the convenience of a fully working freezer compartment but don’t want it to consume the unit. There is no interior light, but the doors are reversible and a power failure safe-storage time of 15 hours is fab.

Small enough to fit under a counter yet room enough to store enough ingredients for a few meals, this Montpellier is not only practical but also gives the retro look if this is something you are also after.

It is nice and easy to use and control. A dial will allow you to adjust the temperature, and there’s a dedicated vegetable box to keep the lettuce, cucumber and peppers fresh. If you like tinned drinks such as fizzy pop, a dedicated door holder allows you to store them out of the packaging while minimising the space they take up. There’s also room for milk and juice, as well as any small perishables or jars.

The door is hinged on the right, so you’ll have to ensure this is suitable for your layout. The freezer will also need defrosting occasionally, but the fridge keeps temperature well so that is one less job.

With 71 litres of storage, this fridge freezer gives you enough room to store three bags of food shopping. It is the perfect way to keep all of those necessities to hand.

An annual running cost of around £24.79 means it is kind to your energy bills as well as your kitchen layout. It has reversible doors, so no matter your layout or ideal positioning, it will adapt.

You will have to manually defrost it every once in a while, but it is the most affordable on our list, so the lack of fancy features will not bother those of you on a budget.