Consumer Choice has put the latest fridges to the test to find the models that can really keep their cool.

Built-in or freestanding, tall or undercounter, fridges need to have great cooling power and maintain stable temperatures regardless of how the kitchen heats up during cooking or cools down at night-time. Fridges are hardworking, always-on appliances that also need to be energy efficient so they do not push up electricity bills and the best models offer plenty of storage options, with shelves that are easy to remove and replace and a range of shelf positions so you can configure the interior of your fridge in a way that best suits your needs. Our independent labs have put a range of fridge models through their paces, assessing all of the above criteria as well as ease of use, noise and vibrations and the accuracy of the thermostat at the manufacturer’s recommended temperature setting.

Fridge temperature

At temperatures of between 5°C and 63°C, bacteria can multiply on food and potentially cause illness. A good fridge will swiftly chill food to 0- 5°C and keep it at that temperature to slow the growth of bacteria. It is particularly critical to store foods like meat, fish and poultry at the right temperature, given that listeria – a harmful bacteria that can lead to food poisoning – can grow almost twice as quickly at 8°C as it can at 5°C. The numbers on the fridge thermostat dial do not necessarily show the temperature reading and our tests have found that the manufacturer’s recommended setting does not always keep your fridge cold enough. As a result, the safest approach – no matter how long you have had your fridge – is to use a mercury-free fridge thermometer to check the temperature of the appliance’s interior. This reading is best taken by placing the thermometer on the bottom shelf above the salad drawer and, ideally, the temperature should be checked first thing in the morning when the fridge is opened for the first time that day. If needed, you can then adjust the thermostat accordingly. Some fridges do not cool evenly so it is a good idea to also check the temperature reading in different parts of the fridge and if there are areas that are warmer than the rest, make sure to store only low-risk foods there (e.g. opened jams, sauces, bottled items) keeping the coldest parts of the fridge for food items that could pose a greater health risk if stored incorrectly (e.g. meat, poultry and fish). A basic fridge thermometer can generally be purchased for less than €5 and will help ensure that food is stored safely in your home.

Savvy storage

Food waste is a major problem, with estimates suggesting that Irish households throw between €400 and €1,000 worth of food into the bin each year. As well as representing a substantial cost to hard-pressed consumers, most of this discarded food ends up in landfills, where it has significant environmental impacts. According to the Stop Food Waste website, the main foods that regularly find their way into our bins are the following: lettuce, with almost 50% of what we buy thrown away; fruit and vegetables, almost 25% is discarded; bread and bakery items, 20% go uneaten; and 10% of meat, fish, yoghurts, dairy products and milk are wasted. At least some of this food waste could be avoided through better storage practices. With this in mind, we present a reminder of what should go where in your fridge to make food last longer as well as to ensure food safety.
Top shelves: As the warmest part of the fridge, the top shelf is best for ready-to-eat or pre-prepared foods and dairy products like yoghurts and cheeses. Cooked meat and leftovers can be stored underneath on the middle shelf and should be in sealed containers. If there is room, milk can be stored on the top shelves as it will keep fresh for longer than if it is placed in the door rack where it will be exposed to warm air every time the fridge door is opened.
Bottom shelf: This is the coldest part of the fridge and so is best for storing higher-risk foods like raw meat, poultry and fish, which should be kept in their original sealed packaging or in sealed containers so that they do not touch each other or other foods. An added bonus of storing such items on the bottom shelf is that it removes the risk of any juices dripping on to prepared food items stowed below.
Crisper drawer: The salad crisper drawer is designed for storing fruit and vegetables and some allow you to control the humidity and retain moisture, helping to keep contents fresher for longer. Vegetables that require high humidity levels include lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, and leafy greens – all of which are best kept in perforated, loosely wrapped plastic bags that will let air in but prevent too much moisture from escaping. The fridge is not the best place to store certain fruits, with examples including bananas and pineapples, which fare better kept in a cool room.
Door shelves: The shelves housed on fridge doors are subject to being warmed by the ambient air in the kitchen every time the fridge door is opened and so are best suited to storing low-risk food items like opened jars of condiments, jams, fruit juices and bottled drinks.

Other points to remember to keep food fresh for as long as possible and to cut down on waste include the following:

  1. Never overfill the fridge as the cool air will be unable to circulate freely and the stored food may not remain properly chilled.
  2. Try not to open the fridge too often as warm external air gets in, raising the temperature inside. A well-organised fridge cuts down on the time the door is left open as you search for contents.
  3. Avoid putting hot food in the fridge as this raises the temperature of the fridge’s interior.
  4. Remember to put leftovers into the fridge within two hours of cooking and eat them within three days.

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Fridge-Freezer

Fridges tested