Buying a fridge-freezer requires thorough research. It’s one of the largest and most expensive purchases you’ll make for your kitchen, and there’s a dizzying number of options to choose from. So, if you’re after an upgrade, you’re moving or your current fridge-freezer has given up the ghost, you want to ensure you purchase a model that’s right for you and your family.

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The world of fridge-freezers can be jargon-filled and, at times, confusing. We’ve spoken to home white goods experts from Quiet Mark, Currys, AO.com and Appliances Direct as well as independent advisors from UK Whitegoods to bring you honest, trustworthy advice, and the best fridge-freezer suggestions.

Read on to find the right fridge-freezer for you and your family, whether you’re on a budget or happy to make a costly investment purchase.

Visit our reviews section and discover how we test products. Our reviews experts test a wide variety of products every year, from the best air-fryers, the best stand mixers to the best microwaves and best storage containers.

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Best fridge-freezers at a glance

  • Best integrated fridge-freezer: Beko Integrated 50/50 frost-free fridge-freezer, £448.99
  • Best large energy-efficient fridge-freezer: Bosch Serie 6 KGE49AICAG, £749
  • Best energy-efficient integrated fridge-freezer: Bosch Serie 6 KIS86AFE0G, £949
  • Best energy-efficient freestanding fridge-freezer: Liebherr Pure NoFrost CND5704, £712
  • Best value fridge-freezer: Fridgemaster 287 Litre 70/30 MC60287D, £388
  • Best smart fridge-freezer: Samsung Family Hub Wi-Fi-connected American fridge-freezer, £2,379
  • Best American-style fridge-freezer: LG InstaView ThinQ WiFi Connected American fridge-freezer, £1,719
  • Best fridge-freezer for medium households: Hisense American fridge-freezer, £649
  • Best fridge-freezer for small households: Hisense Integrated 50/50 frost-free fridge-freezer, £400
  • Quiet Mark certified budget fridge-freezer: Hotpoint 339-litre freestanding fridge-freezer, £388.97

Best fridge-freezers 2024

Beko Integrated 50/50 frost-free fridge-freezer

Best integrated fridge-freezer

Beko Integrated 5050 Frost Free Fridge Freezer

Top features:

  • Capacity: Fridge 163L, Freezer 91L
  • Split: 50/50
  • Energy efficiency class: F
  • Frost-free
  • Reversible door

This sleek integrated model from Beko does everything you need a fridge-freezer to do, and just a little bit more. And at under £500, it won’t break the bank either.

The 50/50 split offers plenty of space if you like to meal prep or freeze lots of food. The freezer is frost-free too, meaning you can use every inch of its 91 litres. In the fridge compartment, there are four racks, plus a handy salad crisper to keep fruits and veg fresher for longer. Plus, if you enjoy a nicely chilled glass of wine, there’s a bottle rack too.

This model also comes with a handy door alarm and the door is reversible, so you can get the design of your kitchen exactly right. While this fridge-freezer doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles of some of the high-tech models on this list, it’s a classic fridge-freezer that gets all of the essentials right.

Bosch Serie 6 KGE49AICAG

Best large energy-efficient fridge-freezer

Bosch Serie 6 KGE49AICAG

Top features:

  • Capacity: Fridge 302L, Freezer 111L
  • Split: 70/30
  • Energy efficiency class: C
  • XXL capacity
  • VitaFresh vegetable compartment

Sporting an impressive C energy rating and a 413-litre capacity, this is an ideal choice if you’re after an energy-efficient fridge-freezer with ample space.

Designed with food preservation in mind, the Bosch Serie 6 KGE49AICAG features a “super freeze” function that freezes food quickly, keeping your food at the optimum temperature. This model also benefits from Bosch’s VitaFresh system which helps to preserve the freshness of your fruit and veg.

Accessibility and convenience also play a huge part in this fridge-freezer's design. In the fridge compartment you’ll find an EasyAccess shelf that slides out making items easy to grab. And in the freezer, there’s a BigBox drawer that’s deeper than other compartments; ideal for bulky items like pizza boxes or joints of meat.

Bosch Serie 6 KIS86AFE0G

Best energy-efficient integrated fridge-freezer

Bosch Serie 6 KIS86AFE0G

Top features:

  • Capacity: Fridge 113L, Freezer 74L
  • Split: 60/40
  • Energy efficiency class: E
  • Reversible door
  • Power freeze

This integrated fridge-freezer from Bosch is ready to be fitted with whatever paneling matches the rest of your kitchen. Like the best energy efficient Bosch model, this fridge-freezer also features the BigBox in the freezer compartment, the VitaFresh fruit and veg drawer and the EasyAccess shelf.

To keep energy costs down, this fridge-freezer features two separate cooling circuits. Two circuits means you’re able to control the fridge and freezer compartments independently. Separate circuits allow the fridge and freezer to focus on specific tasks.

This fridge-freezer provides flexibility and versatility in abundance. The glass shelves pull out with ease and those found in the freezer compartment can be removed or moved around to provide the space you need.

Liebherr Pure NoFrost CND5704

Best energy-efficient freestanding fridge-freezer

LIEBHERR Pure NoFrost CNd5704

Top features:

  • Capacity: Fridge 227L, Freezer 132L
  • Split: 50/50
  • Energy efficiency class: D
  • Frost free
  • SuperCool mode

Independent white goods expert, Kenneth Watts, said Leibherr is “about as good as you can get in domestic refrigeration without needing a second mortgage. Very good, very reliable and excellent support”. So, get the best of both worlds with this 50/50 split fridge-freezer from Liebherr.

This model is packed with useful features. Starting with the fridge compartment; you can select the SuperCool mode, which will quickly chill your food: ideal for when you’ve just added new groceries to the fridge. And trust that your produce will stay fresher for longer with EasyFresh, which automatically adjusts the humidity in the fridge. Use every inch of the 132L freezer space thanks to the NoFrost function.

All controls can be found on the easy to use LCD touchscreen located at the top of the fridge-freezer inside the door.

Fridgemaster 287 Litre 70/30 MC60287D

Best value fridge-freezer

Fridgemaster 287 Litre 7030 MC60287D

Top features:

  • Capacity: Fridge 207L, Freezer 80L
  • Split: 70/30
  • Energy efficiency class: F
  • Water dispenser
  • Frost free

When looking for a best value fridge-freezer we look for a model that comes with a good selection of useful functions at a cheaper price. This Fridgemaster model ticks those boxes. Not only does it come with a generous capacity, but it’s also the cheapest model on this list with a water dispenser.

With a total 287L capacity, this model has enough space to store 15 bags of shopping. The water dispenser isn’t plumbed, making it a convenient option and easy to move around. It can hold three-litres of water in total.

Micro vent cooling technology produces all-round air circulation which keeps fruit and veg extra fresh. And defrosting your freezer is a thing of the past, thanks to the frost-free freezer compartment. At under £500 and with lots of useful function and features to explore, this is a brilliant value fridge-freezer.

Samsung Family Hub Wifi-connected American fridge-freezer

Best smart fridge-freezer

Samsung Family Hub™ RS6HA8880S9

Top features:

  • Capacity: Fridge 384L, Freezer 207L
  • Energy efficiency class: F
  • Large screen
  • Water and ice dispenser

For those into their smart home tech, this fridge-freezer is about as high tech as you can get. Its generous capacity makes it ideal for large families or those who cook or entertain a lot.

The main draw of this model is the large screen on the fridge-side of the door. It’s touchscreen and not only is it a talking point, but it can also be used to display photos of loved ones, write notes and also display the weather. But we’re only scratching the surface with these features. Have the whole family connect to the SmartThings app (available on Android and iOS devices) and use it to send voice notes, play music and share recipes.

Inside the fridge are cameras so you can either check what’s inside without having to let the cool air out or, it's best used when out shopping to see if you need any last minute essentials.

The fridge-freezer also comes with a water, ice cube and crushed ice dispenser on the front.

This is indeed an expensive bit of kit, but if you love home tech and like to keep everything connected, it’s well worth the investment.

LG InstaView ThinQ WiFi-connected American fridge-freezer

Best American-style fridge-freezer

LG InstaView™ ThinQ™ WiFi Connected American Fridge Freezer

Top features:

  • Capacity: Fridge 416L, Freezer 219L
  • Energy efficiency class: E
  • UV lights in water dispenser
  • WiFi compatible
  • Super Cool function

One of the most striking features of this LG American-style fridge-freezer is it’s large glass window into the fridge compartment: just knock twice to see inside. This nifty feature helps stop those energy-guzzling moments when you’re standing with the fridge door open, hoping inspiration strikes. Or peep in before you do your weekly shop to work out what you need.

If a water and ice dispenser is a big draw for you, this model includes a UV light in the four-litre dispenser to kill bacteria, giving you clean and fresh water every time.

This model is also WiFi compatible, so you can control and monitor your fridge-freezer from the comfort of your sofa or even when you go away.

The InstaView comes stocked to the rafters with all of the features and innovations we love on every other fridge-freezer in this list. There’s NatureFresh that ensures the inside is an even and consistent temperature, and Pure N Fresh, which is a filter that removes odours and keeps your food fresh and Super Cool, which will rapidly cool the fridge compartment after lots of food has been placed inside.

Hisense American fridge-freezer

Best fridge-freezer for medium households

Hisense American Fridge Freezer

Top features:

  • Capacity: Fridge 294L, Freezer 160L
  • Energy efficiency class: F
  • Plumbed water dispenser
  • Holiday Mode
  • Bottle storage in door

This roomy fridge-freezer is a great option for medium sized families. In the fridge compartment you’ll find four shelves as well as plenty of storage inside the doors, including shelves wide enough to store bottles and cartons. For your fruit and veg, there are two crisper drawers too. The freezer section is generously sized and comes with six drawers, meaning there’s plenty of space for frozen goods and leftovers.

Jet-setting families will appreciate the Holiday Mode feature. This keeps energy costs low and odours at bay when the fridge is empty while you’re away.

Given the size of the freezer, the Fast Freeze function is a welcome addition and ideal for those freezer-heavy shops.

Stay hydrated with the water dispenser on the front of the freezer, this is plumbed in so there’s no need to refill it throughout the day. Just make sure to place the fridge-freezer near a water source.

Hisense Integrated 50/50 frost-free fridge-freezer

Best fridge-freezer for small households

Hisense Integrated 5050 Frost Free Fridge Freezer

Top features:

  • Capacity: Fridge 148, Freezer 78
  • Split: 50/50
  • Energy efficiency class: F
  • No frost
  • SuperCool function

As great looking as some of the larger models on this list are, they’re not always a practical investment. If you’ve got a small kitchen or are a couple or small family looking for a fridge-freezer, this Hisense model is worth considering.

It’s a simply designed fridge-freezer and all of the control settings can be found at the top once the door has been opened. From here, you can set the temperature of the fridge compartments, turn it on and off, turn off the alarm and turn on the very useful SuperCool setting. This setting can be used to quickly cool the fridge section when lots of new shopping has been loaded in.

This is a frost-free fridge-freezer, so every ounce of space can be used, plus there’s no messy defrosting to do.

If you’re not looking for a showy, high-tech fridge freezer then this model is a low maintenance option that does exactly what it's supposed to.

Hotpoint 339 60/40 fridge-freezer

Quiet Mark-certified budget fridge-freezer

Hotpoint H1NT 811E W 1

Top features:

  • Capacity: Fridge 228L, Freezer 111L
  • Split: 60/40
  • Energy efficiency class: F
  • Anti-bacterial seals
  • Flexible shelf heights

A small budget needn’t mean you have to buy a sub-par fridge-freezer. This sleek and minimalist model comes equipped with generous storage space in the fridge and three drawers in the freezer compartment.

Although this fridge-freezer isn’t frost-free, it is low frost, meaning you’ll spend fewer weekends defrosting the freezer portion. In the fridge compartment, you’ll find one FreshZone drawer to keep fruits and veggies crisp. This drawer has an adjustable humidity slider to help you get the most out of your produce. The seals are anti-bacterial too.

One of the most nifty features of this model are the flexi-shelves. Make space for tall items like bottles or wine or cartons of juice by sliding the front half of the shelf underneath the back half.

inside fridge with row of eggs, pickles, fruit and veg

Which fridge-freezer should I buy?

We spoke to Sophie Beckett-Smith, fridge-freezer expert at AO. She suggested taking the following steps before buying a new fridge-freezer, “The first step is to assess your needs: ask yourself what you did and didn’t like about your old appliance and if it met your requirements sufficiently."

"This could entail looking at how your lifestyle needs are met. If you eat a lot of fresh food, then you will need larger fridge spaces. If you prefer to batch cook or need quick meals, bigger freezer space could be needed. If you like to entertain, a model with a water dispenser or lots of bottle storage is more ideal.”

Additionally, we suggest thinking about the following four factors before buying:

  • Energy efficiency
  • What split you need
  • What size fridge-freezer you need
  • How it looks in the kitchen

What type of fridge-freezer should I buy?

  • Integrated: integrated fridge-freezers are designed to be fitted with the same panelling or design as the rest of your kitchen. They feature all the same specs as a freestanding model, but help to create a seamless appearance in the kitchen.
  • Freestanding: these fridge-freezers can be slotted into place wherever there’s a mains plug. They’re finished on all sides and are the fridge-freezer to choose if you’re after a statement piece.

What fridge-freezer features should I look out for?

Many fridge-freezer brands shout about their various features, so navigating what’s important and what’s not can be a bit of minefield. These are the features to look out for when buying a new fridge-freezer:

  • Split: if you eat lots of fresh food, opt for a larger fridge to freezer ratio: 70/30 or 60/40. It’s rare – though not impossible – to find a fridge-freezer with a larger freezer compartment, so if you like to meal prep or stock up on frozen goods, opt for a 50/50 split.
  • Capacity: the capacity of a fridge-freezer is expressed in litres. Usefully, AO converts their fridge-freezer capacity into bags of shopping, making the size easier to visualise. Assess your family’s needs before deciding on the capacity.
  • Frost-free: defrosting your fridge-freezer is a laborious and messy task, so opt for a frost-free model to avoid the clean up. On a practical level, compacted ice not only takes up valuable freezer space but it also stops your freezer from working efficiently. These models tend to be more expensive upfront, but they’ll save you money on your electricity bills in the long run.
  • Food freshness: avoid food waste by choosing a model with food preservation features built in. Look for Blue Light Technology or Harvestfresh, which continues the process of photosynthesis, helping fruit and veg retain its vitamin and nutrient content, and therefore stay fresher for longer. Also look for fresh zones, designed to maintain the ideal temperature and humidity level for meat, fish and fresh produce.
  • Rapid cool and rapid freeze: these settings do exactly what the name suggests, they’re great for quickly cooling food after a shopping trip or even chilling that bottle of wine you forgot to pop in the fridge before guests arrive. Rapid cool is the more common feature of the two and some models usefully come with both.
  • Door-open alarm: a simple but useful feature that lets you know if the door has been left open.
  • Reversible door: a reversible door hinge allows you to choose which side the door opens from.
  • Quiet Mark symbol: if you’ve got an open plan living space or are simply after a quiet fridge-freezer, look for the Quiet Mark symbol. Simon Gosling, Quiet Mark’s CMO says, “Between 10% to 20% of the quietest best-performing products are awarded Quiet Mark certification. Each product category is re-evaluated annually to reflect new models coming on to the market,” so if you see the logo, rest assured it's quiet.

What fridge-freezer features are nice to have, but not essential?

  • Smart technology: Sophie Beckett-Smith from AO says, “Smart tech can range from WiFi connected appliances to help notify you when food is going to go off, or personalised recipes with your in-stock ingredients. At the premium end, this could also look like ‘transparent’ doors so you can easily peek in the fridge or screens”. These features will help you reduce food waste and can look great too, but they do come at a cost.
  • Water dispensers: a mainstay in American kitchens, fridge-freezers with water dispensers provide cool, filtered water and most have an ice dispenser too. If you like to have filtered water and ice on tap, but can’t afford a model with a water dispenser, choose a water filter jug instead.
  • Holiday mode: this useful feature reduces power usage in the fridge while you're away. You'll need to empty the fridge before you leave. The freezer compartment runs as normal.

Understanding energy efficiency ratings

As dictated by both UK Government and the European Commission legislation, all fridge freezers sold in the UK and EU must have a label that shows their energy efficiency rating.

In March 2021, just as Britain’s split from the European Union took full effect, the energy-rating classification of select white goods underwent a redesign. But the change wasn’t merely aesthetic. The UK’s new system now sees the former A+++ ratings dropped in favour of an A-G rating.

The current scale is stricter, and it’s a rarity to find an A rated product nowadays. The view is that these aspirational A and B ratings will encourage manufacturers to make technological and sustainable improvements to reach the top spot, as previously A+++ rated fridge-freezers now score around the C-E mark.

Usefully, if you’re familiar with the old rating system, AO shows what a fridge-freezer would have scored on the old grading system as well as the new.

What’s taken into account on the new energy efficiency logo?

  • Energy-efficiency scale
  • Energy-efficiency class
  • Annual energy consumption
  • Total capacity of the fridge compartment
  • Total capacity of the freezer compartment
  • Noise emissions
open fridge filled with juice and fruit and veg

How much does a fridge-freezer cost to run?

The product description of a fridge-freezer will usually outline the running costs of the machine. The annual running cost is displayed in kilowatt hours and you can work out how much it’ll cost you in pounds sterling by using an online electricity cost calculator.

Though bear in mind that as energy prices change, so will the annual running costs. Retailers like AO and Currys also include details of the average annual cost to run within the description of the product.

How long should a fridge-freezer last?

AO’s fridge-freezer expert, Sophie Beckett-Smith, said, “Modern fridge-freezers which are correctly cleaned and looked after can expect to last 7-10 years.”

When should you replace your fridge-freezer?

It may be time to replace your fridge-freezer if you start seeing these tell-tale signs:

  • It’s noisier than usual
  • Your bills are rising
  • The seals are going
  • The outer body is hot
  • Food is going off quickly
  • If mould and mildew is growing inside or on the seals
plain white kitchen with silver sink and fridge

Top tips for looking after your fridge-freezer

  • Keep the top clear: as tempting as it is to pop your slow cooker or bag of bags on top of the fridge-freezer, keep this area clear. Excess heat is released out of the top, so storing items there traps the heat in, making the motor work harder.
  • Keep it full (but not too full): a semi-full fridge-freezer doesn’t have to work as hard to keep the cool air cool compared to a near-empty fridge-freezer. But, by the same token, a fridge-freezer full to the brim doesn’t allow for good airflow and can block the air vents. Three quarters full is the sweet spot.
  • Keep it away from heat: try to avoid placing your fridge-freezer near anything warm like an oven, dishwasher and even direct sunlight. External heat makes the compressor work harder than it needs to as it rushes to cool the whole fridge-freezer down.
  • Clean it regularly: not only will regular cleaning keep your fridge-freezer looking and smelling fresher, it’s also better for you. If the back of the fridge compartment becomes compacted with ice, this can block the drain channel, trapping debris which can start to become mouldy.
  • Keep it at the right temperature: the fridge compartment should be between 3 - 5C and the freezer -18 to -22C.

How to organise a fridge-freezer

Believe it or not, there’s an actual method to stocking your fridge-freezer. Following these steps will not only make food easier to find but it’ll also make food last longer:

Fridge

  • Top shelves: store foods that are ready to eat; left overs, packaged food, cooked meats
  • Middle shelves: dairy – milk, cheese, butter, yogurt
  • Bottom shelves: for wrapped raw meat
  • Bottom drawer: fruit, vegetables and herbs
  • Doors: water, juice, condiments

Freezer

  • Top: frozen fruit, ice cream, cooked food
  • Middle: potato products, soups
  • Bottom: meat, poultry, fish

How to pick an energy-efficient fridge-freezer

Many of us are looking to make more sustainable choices, not just for our wallets but for the environment too. Considering research by Which? found that American-style and freestanding fridge-freezers are the third and fourth most costly kitchen appliances to run, it's no wonder consumers are looking for cheaper and more eco-friendly options.

We asked Joe Close from Appliances Direct, Lara Brittain, kitchen expert at Currys, and Sophie Beckett-Smith, AO's fridge-freezer expert, for their advice on what consumers should be looking for when shopping for an eco-friendly fridge-freezer.

All experts agree that consumers should check the energy rating of a fridge-freezer they're interested in. Sophie Beckett-Smith says, "Choosing a fridge-freezer with a good energy rating will save you both money and energy. The best energy rating for a fridge-freezer is an A, so it’s worth looking out for a fridge with a rating on that end of the scale for maximum efficiency. The rating system is based on the amount of energy your fridge-freezer uses compared to the amount of internal space."

Laura Brittain also advises, "purchase the correct size tech appliances. It’s not always about having the biggest, most popular product, but rather what caters to your needs. For example, having a smaller washing machine for a smaller household can help save water, which in turn, can help save both money and the appliance's effect on the environment." and the same goes for fridge-freezers.

What fridge-freezer mistakes can cost you money?

The cost-of-living crisis has meant that we're more conscious than ever about how much our everyday appliances are costing to run. The experts at AO, Currys and Appliances Direct shared some tips on how to avoid common mistakes that can help you save money:

  • Make sure your fridge-freezer is not next to the oven or in direct sunlight
  • Defrost your freezer regularly
  • Dust the back of your fridge-freezer
  • Opening the fridge more than required isn’t energy saving, so it's worth looking into models that have a beverage centre to reduce opening the fridge fully when accessing things like milk/juice - though these come with an added cost
  • Don’t add anything warmer than room temperature
  • Make sure there is enough ventilation around the fridge
  • Don’t leave the door open for longer than necessary or the fridge-freezer will be filled with warm air and have to work harder to cool down again – ultimately using more energy

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