Your new fridge: How much space do you really need?

How much space you will need in a new fridge is actually a very important consideration. Too little space and the whole new fridge exercise is pointless, and using it irritating. Too much and you waste a large amount of power just keeping all that empty air cold. A realistic assessment of your needs before you begin the buying process is an excellent idea, but where do you begin?

Fridge sizes

There are a number of factors that may influence how much space you need in your new fridge, some more obvious than others:

• Consider how many people will be using the fridge and what their needs are. Think about freezer space too when working this out. Do the members of your household eat a lot of frozen food, thus necessitating a smaller fridge, or do they prefer to store fresh ingredients?
• Assess your shopping habits. Do you shop frequently for smaller amounts to last a few days or will you need more fridge space to store food for a week or two?
• Think about the future. If you have chosen well, your new fridge should last ten years or so. Will your family grow or shrink (for example; will current teens leave home) in that time?
• What type of produce do you use? If you consume large amounts of vegetables, these can take up a lot of space, particularly leafy greens
• Consider the seasons. If it's winter when you buy the fridge, bear in mind that summer often means storing fruit and vegetables in the fridge, whereas in winter fruit and many vegetables are better stored in a cool cupboard. Take this extra requirement into consideration
• How much space will be taken up by fridge 'extras' like ice makers or special storage spaces for eggs and dairy? If you don't use these products, or not much of them, you may be better off buying a fridge without these specialised storage facilities
• Think too about how much space the fridge will take up in your kitchen. Measure the available room carefully before choosing a fridge, and bear in mind that a reversible door can be terribly handy for fitting a fridge more comfortably into a smaller kitchen
• Fridges have a measure of capacity in litres on them, and this will help you to gauge how big the interior space is in comparison to other fridges of a similar appearance

Ensure that you take the time to assess your needs before purchasing your new fridge, as wasted space equates to wasted energy, which is bad for the environment as well as for the thickness of your wallet!

How much space your new fridge will need?

Consider your needs, as well as the future needs of your household before purchasing a new fridge. An honest appraisal of how much space you use over the year can save you the money and fuss of otherwise choosing a fridge with inadequate or excessive storage space.