What you need to look for when replacing an Integrated Freezer

Integrated Freezers come in several different size and are either Built-in or Built Under. The latter sits on the floor under the kitchen worktop and the cupboard door attaches to the fridge door, the kick board then runs across the front of the fridge. Built in freezers require a housing so if you are replacing one you will need to know the height of the housing before you purchase a replacement. The depth and width of the housings are standard. The next thing you need to know is What type of hinge has your existing appliance? Fixed – the cupboard door is attached to the fridge freezer doors. Sliding Hinge – The cupboard doors have their own hinges, and a slider connects them to the fridge door. 

Are they Easy to install?

If you have never fitted one before and your not a DIY whiz, then we would recommend getting a professional fitter. It can be fiddly to get the doors aligned and the numerous bits they come with can be bewildering to a novice fitter. It is possible for a good fitter to change a sliding hinge appliance to a fixed hinge appliance. We offer a full installation service by a qualified kitchen fitter within a 10 mile radius of one of our shops. This covers Oxford and towns like Bicester, Brackley, Buckingham, Witney, Abingdon, Woodstock and surrounding villages. Outside this area there may be an additional charge for mileage (please call for a qoute).

What’s the best make of Integrated Freezer?

Like everything in life, you get what you pay for and buying the cheapest appliance is not always the best idea considering the cost and hassle of installing an appliance. With this in mind we would recommend the following brands. Blomberg is a midrange brand and comes with a 5 Year Guarantee for peace of mind. Bosch Neff and Siemens are all a step up and have a huge range offering more sophisticated methods of food preservation and things like soft closing hinges to stop the door banging close or being accidently left open. Liebherr who happen to make all of Miele refrigeration is the best make. They make a huge range of integrated refrigeration with excellent build quality, precision temperature control and an array of food preservation technologies.

What’s the difference between Static, Low Frost and NO Frost?

A fridge freezer described as static will need the freezer defrosting on a regular basis. This could be every 6 – 12 months depending on how its used. Basically when the frost layer is greater than 7mm the appliance needs defrosting. Low Frost models are also static, but the cooling elements are built into the freezer walls, this reduces the frost built up considerable and allows for flexible freezer storage. They may only have to be defrosted every 2 – 3 years depending on use. Low Frost appliances normally achieve the highest energy rating of all three types.

Frost Free fridge freezers will never need defrosting as they circulate dry air around the freezer and there are no internal elements for frost to accumulate. A Frost-free appliance will normally have a slightly reduced capacity to its Static equivalent as the compressor and fan mechanism take up more room.

Planning a New Kitchen

If you are planning a new kitchen with built in appliances, we would recommend purchasing an Integrated Fridge Freezer with a Fixed hinge. The chances are the kitchen will last longer than the appliance and there is a wider choice of models to choose from with Fixed hinge than there is sliding hinge. Buying a quality integrated fridge freezer will save you money and hassle in the long run. Your Fridge Freezer will run 24/7 365 days a year so energy consumption matters. Food preservation technology will also mean you throw out less food as it is preserved longer saving even more money over the lifetime of the appliance. With a new kitchen you get to choose the split. Most people opt for a 60:40 or 70:30 to maximise the fresh food storage and back it up with an additional freestanding freezer in the garage. There is another alternative if you have room and that is to have full height 178cm Fridge and Freezer side by side. This will double the cost but you will never be short of storage space.

Why buy a Premium Integrated Fridge Freezer?

The Soft Closing doors make sure that your freezer door is properly and completely closed. In addition, a door closer is integrated into all flat hinges. This means that even heavily loaded doors are closed easily and securely throughout the life of the appliance. Plus there is no more nasty bang when the freezer doo snaps shut