Refrigerators - Doing More Than Keeping Food Fresh Longer

Refrigerators are doing more today than just keeping food fresh longer.  Today, some high-end models have built in televisions, radios, and computers that will let you know when you are running low on milk.  In addition to doing more, the prices of refrigerators are stable and their energy usage is considerably lower than what they were five years ago. 

Refrigerators today have so much to offer, that even models that are priced as low as $500 now come with spill proof shelves, icemakers and have the ability to store gallon sized milk jugs in the door.  Models in the $1,000 to $1,500 price range can be found with water and ice dispensers in the door and are available in the ever-popular stainless steel finish.  If you want to spend more than $2,500, you can find models with filtered integrated water dispensers, and quick chill draws, plus LED lighting, which take up less space than regular light bulbs and are more energy efficient.

Energy efficiency has increased greatly for refrigerators in the past few years, in fact all Energy Star rated refrigerators manufactured after April 28, 2008 have to be 20% more efficient than current federal standards this is according to www.energystar.gov. 

Before you rush out and purchase a new refrigerator, you first need to take a crucial look at the space you have.  This means checking both the height and width of the area where your new refrigerator will fit.  You will also need to measure the doorways in which the refrigerator will be brought into your home, and all passageways it will take to reach your kitchen.  You may be surprised as to how many refrigerators are returned, not because they do work out for the homeowner, but because they cannot fit through the doorway or passage into the kitchen.

Once you know the dimension of the refrigerator you will need, your next step is to decide what configuration works best for you.  Do you want a top-freezer, which offers the most storage for their size and are often less expensive than other configurations or would a bottom-freezer be best for you?  Bottom-freezers put freezer foods in easy reach, but usually do not come with water/ice dispensers in the door.  Side-by-side usually offer more freezer space, but are not usually space-efficient especially for a large family who needs a lot of refrigeration space.

The next consideration for your new refrigerator is the finish.  The most popular finish today happens to be stainless steel, however, some stainless steel products are not low-maintenance in that they show every fingerprint, and smudge. This means they require constant cleaning in order to keep them looking great.  If you want the stainless steel look but don’t want the upkeep, then consider other finishes such as brushed aluminum, or even coated stainless.