STACK #264 October 2026

TECH FEATURE

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Today’s premium fridges do far more than keep things cold. From see-through doors and touchscreens to app control, flexible storage, and hidden water dispensers, these clever coolers put convenience front and centre. Words Bec Summer THE CLEVER SIDE OF COOL

What makes a fridge ‘smart’?

Smart doesn’t have to mean Wi-Fi. On connected fridges, apps can put temperature controls, alerts, or diagnostics on your phone, while touchscreens can add food-management tools, recipes, and more. Clever convenience counts too – think convertible storage, automatic ice, or a hidden water dispenser. Across these four fridges, the ‘smart’ part is really about the features that save time, reduce guesswork, or make storage work better for your household.

Hisense HRCD615TBWV 615L PureView French Door Fridge (Dark Stainless Steel) This is the fridge that wants to become kitchen HQ. Its PureView Door lets you check what’s inside without opening it, while a 6.86 inch Intelligent Hub touchscreen can manage food inventory and expiry dates, suggest recipes, and even help with drinks. ConnectLife adds app control, with voice control as another hands-free option. Beyond the screen, My Fresh Choice converts between fridge and freezer temperatures, while plumbed Advanced

Hisense HRCD483BWV PureView Slim 484L Cross Door Fridge Want the smart stuff without giving up half the kitchen? At 794mm

wide, this 484L PureView Slim packs its tech into a narrower cross-door design. The 6.86-inch touchscreen includes Inside View, while Wi-Fi and ConnectLife add connected control. A 92L My Fresh Choice compartment switches between fridge and freezer storage, and the electronic water dispenser draws from an internal tank, so there’s no plumbing required. An automatic icemaker completes this feature-packed slimline option. Best for: Smaller kitchens that still want premium smart features

Check the contents without opening the door

UV Water Treatment and Express Ice keep refreshments coming. Best for: Families

COMING SOON

wanting the full connected-fridge experience

Look before you open. LG’s InstaView uses a tinted glass panel that turns transparent when you knock twice. Hisense takes two approaches: the HRCD615TBWV PureView Door is an illuminated viewing window activated by TouchLight or SenseLight, while the HRCD483BWV pairs its touchscreen with Inside View. Different approaches, same handy idea: check what’s inside without opening the main fridge door and letting cold air escape.

LG GS-V600MBLC 635L InstaView Side by Side Fridge Sometimes the smartest feature is the one you’ll use every day. Knock twice on LG’s InstaView glass panel and it turns transparent, letting you check the contents without opening the door. Door-in-Door then gives quick access to frequently used food and drinks. Entertainers get plumbed ice and water

Westinghouse WHE6351SA 630L French Door Fridge Not every smart idea needs Wi-Fi or a screen. This Westinghouse

model subtly hides its filtered water dispenser inside the door, keeping the stainless-steel exterior clean while still giving you filtered water without fully opening the door.

Its FlexSpace drawer has five preset settings, adapting storage from fresh food to extra frozen supplies as your needs change. Automatic XL-capacity ice handles family catchups, dual freezer drawers keep frozen food organised, and FreshSeal

plus slow-melting Craft Ice, while UVnano helps keep the dispenser nozzle clean. LG ThinQ adds remote temperature and settings control, alerts and Smart Diagnosis from a compatible smartphone app. Best for: Entertainers who want clever access, ice, and app control

COMING SOON

Easy Glide Crispers automatically manage humidity for fruit and veg. Best for: Premium flexibility with filtered water on tap

48 OCTOBER 2026

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