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FOR THE KITCHEN

TECH FEATURE

A new fridge is a big purchase, so it’s one that you’ll want to get right. The centrepiece of the kitchen, it’s something you’ll only replace every decade or so, and everything from the way the doors open to what smart features it has will affect your flow around the kitchen. Here’s everything you need to consider, from the really basic stuff to new things you didn’t know fridges could even do. Words Michael Irving COOL RUNNINGS

Size The very first thing you’ll need to do is measure the space where you plan to put the fridge – there’s no point getting too attached to a double-door monster if it’s too big for your kitchen. The height, width, and depth of each fridge is handily listed on the JB Hi-Fi website and in-store, so keep your minimums in mind when browsing. But remember that the size of the fridge itself isn’t the whole story – you also need to leave a gap behind to allow air to circulate, so the refrigerator can do its job efficiently. And, of course, don’t forget to leave enough room in front for the doors to swing open. That’s just the outside: the size of the interior matters too. This will usually be measured in litres, and obviously the more people you’re feeding the bigger you’ll want. The arrangement

of shelves, drawers and compartments might be something else to think about, with many fridges giving the option to shuffle those around. Styles There are more styles of refrigerators than you might

swing open to the left or right, depending on where in the kitchen you put the fridge. Both top and bottom mounts do pretty much the same thing, but it’s a matter of preference. A bottom mount might be more comfortable

if you want to have the more-often-used fridge section right at eyeline. Or, a top mount might be better if you’d rather the freezer be out of reach of the kids. If you need a bigger or fancier fridge, you might want to look into a side-by-side. As the name suggests, this has two big compartments that run the whole height of the appliance, with the

think, which suit different household sizes and other needs. The one you probably think of first is the classic top mount – a fridge with a freezer above it. The bottom mount does the opposite by - you guessed it - putting the freezer underneath the fridge part. Many models also give the option of reversible doors, so that they can be put on to

Top mount

Bottom mount

56 AUGUST 2024

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