Best Fridge 2021 – Buyer’s Guide

If you are somebody who wants a good amount of storage, but needs that to come in the form of several shelves, then this Bosch integrated model could be the answer.

There are seven main shelves, two full width salad drawers and six door shelves. It is a little taller than some other models on the market to fit all of this in, but despite the number of storage opportunities, the shelves are still a great height. You get two or three which are best for small items such as your cheese and butter, and then another two or three which could fit anything taller such as meal leftovers or sauce bottles.

The door shelves are similar, with four shallow ones at the top for eggs, fruit and any medicines or jars, and two deep ones at the bottom for milk and your lemonade bottles. Because there are two salad boxes, you can keep your lettuce and your carrots separate so you know where everything is and nothing will get damaged.

Freshsense technology will help to keep your goods fresher for longer, as it maintains a cool temperature throughout. Even at maximum capacity, there will still be a good flow throughout. You also get a SuperCool function. When you are restocking on a Saturday after a hectic trip to Tesco, popping the warmer food in won’t fluctuate the existing temperature, and everything will be brought down to the right level ASAP.

To round the review off, there is also a soft close door which will prevent slamming and possible damage – great if some in your household are always rushing around. You also have auto defrost, so if ice starts to build up, you don’t have to panic.

Offering plenty of space for busy homes who love their fresh food, Zanussi have really thought of the user when they made this freestanding refrigerator.

The design is all about having the most space on the inside without expanding the exterior dimensions, so if you’re stuck on room in your kitchen, it should be the perfect fit. There are five main shelves, a salad drawer and four storage shelves in the door, so everything will have its own space.

We also loved the EasyStore box on the second door shelf down, which is perfect for keeping those little bits and pieces safe. Say you have a lone bundle of grapes leftover, or a bit of chocolate – it won’t get pushed to the back of the fridge behind the butter any more.

A dial allows you to control the temperature without any fussy programming, and the A+ energy rating is very good for a fridge with this much space and power. Because of the amount of storage space it packs in to relatively small dimensions, we would say this is one of the best fridges for those stuck on room for their appliances but who need something which can put up with huge weekly food shops.

The only thing which would make it a bit better would be another salad drawer – sometimes, you like to keep your salad separate from your veg – but it is easy to work around. On a more positive note, if you don’t want to spend too much then it is also the ideal model because it comes in well under £400.

For a family or household of sharers who require plentiful space for food and drink, you can’t go too far wrong with big and spacious like this model from AEG.

This tall fridge comes equipped with 4 glass shelves, 3 door shelves, 2 large drawers, a dairy compartment, a bottle shelf and an egg tray. It would take an awful lot of food to fill this to capacity.

This AEG model has an energy rating of A++ – not too shabby – and its smooth stainless steel exterior is protected with an anti-fingerprint layer that helps to prevent unsightly smudges. There is never a need to defrost manually, as it takes care of ice build-up automatically.

Another particularly handy function of this AEG fridge is its holiday mode, which reduces the appliance’s energy consumption during long periods of absence – perfect for staving off mould and bad smells on your return.

This freestanding larder fridge has a reversible door that you can change over depending on its location in the kitchen. This comes at a fee of £30, although it’s actually relatively easy to do it yourself. It also comes with a 2-year warranty included, which can be increased by an extra 3 years if desired.

Smeg fridges are the ultimate style statement, and the perfect way to add a bit of a retro feel to any kitchen.

If you are looking for a freestanding model, then this one is perfect. There is a generous 270 L capacity which should keep a household well stocked up in between big shops, and the ease doesn’t stop there either.

Auto defrost will save you having to periodically scrape and melt away at chunks of ice, and the top-level energy rating means it won’t cost you much to run every year either. We say ice, because there is an icebox at the top of the fridge. This is something pretty unique for a lot of tall fridges nowadays, especially one so generous in size.

As you would imagine, it isn’t designed to be your primary freezer, but for keeping those tubs of Ben & Jerry’s to hand, you wouldn’t want any more.

The space is well arranged, too. Three main shelves, two full-width salad crisping drawers and four door shelves (including that all important tall one for your milk and fizzy pop bottles) are present, so you can put your food away just how you want it.

Smeg products are always on the slightly higher price scale, but in actual fact this one isn’t bad at all when looking at the capacity you get. Throw in the great build and perfect design, and you have a winner.

An integrated larder fridge that merges seamlessly with your units.

The appeal of integrated refrigerators (or indeed any integrated kitchen appliance) it its ability to fit seamlessly into your kitchen behind matching cupboard doors – so you never actually see the appliance, except when it is being used. Instead of lots of white goods, you have appliances concealed within kitchen units, so it all looks nice and tidy.

At 55cm wide, with a capacity of 310 litres, this spacious integrated model from Beko gives you plenty of room to store all of your fresh and perishable foods. There are multiple shelves, two roomy vegetable drawers, and plenty of smaller drawers tucked into the inside of the door, including an egg rack. The middle shelf contains a bottle rack, perfect for storing wine, champagne and mixers. Considering its size and capacity, this fridge is amazingly good value for money.

Should you ever experience a power cut, it has a safe time of 13 hours, which all being well should be plenty of time to keep your food and drink fresh before the power returns. Even better, it’s super quiet to the point of being barely noticeable – just 34dB.

At first glance, we loved the look of this refrigerator. The fresh white design is clean and modern and the handle also adds a touch of class. But of course, fridges aren’t just to look at.

Thankfully, it also impressed us in terms of what was on the inside. You get three great shelves, a salad drawer, and two door shelves. You also get something which we found very handy indeed – a third door shelf is actually a drawer with a lid, so if you want to keep some things a bit more protected or some smelly cheese from stinking out everything else, you can.

These door compartments are also a generous depth, so you can ensure your jars and bottles will remain in place when the door is opened and closed. The robust safety glass shelves can securely support even the heaviest items as well.

When it comes to cleaning, the rounded corners help as there are no dirt patches left behind. An A++ rating keeps it price-effective to run, and it is also quiet as it ticks away in the background so won’t disturb your meal times.

Coming in at under £100, this fridge is perfect for a compact kitchen, or that little bit of extra storage space in a utility room or garage. With 8 temperature regulation settings, you can adjust the coolness depending on how full the fridge is or what you need to keep chilled inside it. There is also an ice box, which for the price is a real bonus.

Because of its price tag, it doesn’t have many bonus features such as an auto-defrost function or interior light. The ice compartment isn’t suitable for storing anything other than ice cube trays, so if you’re looking for extra space for your frozen vegetables then look for a fridge with a dedicated ice box for this.

It is marginally noisier than the other under-counter refrigerators reviewed, but for the much lesser price, it isn’t a massive jump up. It also holds its temperature well regardless of the amount of stock inside.

This BOSCH appliance features a lot of well-thought-out storage options for its size and is a lot more spacious than most of its similar rivals. With three shelves, a salad crisper box and three door storage compartments, you will not be stuck for room no matter how you like to organise your groceries.

The bottle shelf in the door is double depth, taking the need out of having to store extra drink containers and sauce jars on your inner shelf space. It also includes partitions to keep your bottles extra secure when opening the door, and these comfortably fit a 6-pint milk carton.

The light is quite long and nearer the back of the fridge, so if the top shelf is quite full of produce then this may take away some overall illumination.

With a 146-litre capacity, this integrated larder appliance is surprisingly roomy. Shelving is adjustable to ensure your weekly groceries fit comfortably, and there are two spacious dedicated bottom drawers which keep your fruit and veg fresher for longer by reducing humidity and improving air circulation.

The beauty of integrated appliances is that they can be hidden away behind dedicated cupboard doors so fit in seamlessly with the design of your kitchen – one less factor to worry about when wondering which to purchase.

It is a little quieter than most of its rivals, which is perfect if you are bothered by the constant background noise of your large appliances. The built-in LED light is super bright and doesn’t get in the way of your storage space, which is often a common problem in fridges of this size.

The shelving in the door space will comfortably about three cartons of milk and juice, and there is a smaller covered shelf nearer the top of the fridge for storing smaller perishable items such as cheese, eggs and butter.

Bear in mind that there is no key at the front of the appliance to adjust the positioning of the legs once fitted, so it possibly will need a lot of moving back in and out.

The standard-size Smeg fridges are a popular choice up and down the country, so it is no surprise that the smaller versions have followed suit.

This is not the type of mini fridge which will happily sit on your bedroom side table as it is around half of the height of an ordinary fridge, but this is perfect for anyone who needs the extra storage space.

Whether you need some extra party food space, a backup refrigerator or want to keep your secret stash hidden in your bedroom/home office, the retro design will fit nicely anywhere. Plus, it is quiet when running so it won’t disturb your work or sleep. There is a very generous 130L capacity, which is great for a mini fridge.

An A+ energy rating will help to keep running costs low, so you don’t have to worry about the extra burden, and an automatic defrost function will keep on top of any frost, so you don’t have to.

We would say it is a bit pricey for what you get, but if it is going to be a focal point in your room, then you’re going to want something that looks the part.

Ideal if you need a little bit of extra space for your chilled items, the 45-litre capacity of this appliance is enough to comfortably hold two large bags of shopping.

A fridge which is perfect when the hotter weather is approaching, it can be used to store extra beer, wine and salad items before a family barbecue or party. Perfect for keeping in a garage or outbuilding if you have the option. There is also bottle storage in the door to keep your drinks safe and within easy reach.

The ice box is understandably a bit on the small size due to the overall dimensions but, at 4 litres, will comfortably fit enough ice required for a get-together or that secret tub of ice cream you want to keep hidden away for yourself. There are 6 generous temperature regulations for optimum flexibility depending on what you want to refrigerate, and it is unbelievably quiet.

A table top design, but deceptively roomy. This 66L refrigerator really has those homes who struggle with storage in Summer or during big events in mind.

Because it can sit on your counter, it is good for some much needed overflow space or drink storage, or for any kitchens who don’t have undercounter or freestanding space available.

You could also use it in an office to keep the milk and lunches cool, or if you are a university student and would rather not keep some of your food in the communal fridge. We wouldn’t blame you, after all…

It holds the low ideal temperatures very well, and you are able to flip the door around to suit which side you want it to open at. The instruction book is very clear and easy to follow so this is a breeze.

You get a small freezer compartment, around half the width of the fridge. While it isn’t full length as with most other models, it is still ideal for keeping ice cubes or a couple of ice lollies in. This also gives you the opportunity to pop taller items on the top shelf, such as a bottle of juice which you don’t want to leave on its side.

We liked the drip tray which sits under the freezer section and keeps the food underneath from getting wet, although we did wonder why there was a need. We soon realised that if the temperature is on anything higher than the coldest option, the freezer can’t really hold the ice well. Not a big issue, although if it isn’t going to be opened and checked on every day, you may need a few days of close monitoring to ensure you get it just right for the contents.

Not the best style if you’re after something that blends seamlessly into your kitchen design, but faultless for a garage/teenager’s bedroom/games room, this Coca-Cola-branded appliance has a real retro yet modern feel to it.

It won’t take up a massive amount of space, but the 43L capacity ensures there’s enough room for cans of fizzy pop and some extra snacks. The layout of the shelving in the door space is also really efficient to provide that extra little bit of storage.

The door is easy to change around, so you have full control over which side it opens. The appliance can get a bit noisy after opening and closing due to the extra boost of power needed to regulate the temperature again, but this lasts for under a minute so will not disturb your day.

Despite the lack of temperature settings, the fridge is continually perfectly cold, so will be fully operative even on the warmest of days.