Refrigerator Buying Guide – Top Freezer Vs Bottom Freezer: When it comes to buying a refrigerator, the choice is always confusing. While you want to consider the size and the cost, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to decide on the type of refrigerator to buy.
The organization of the items you will store in the refrigerator also comes into consideration. The decision is always between the top freezer and the bottom freezer.
Each of those has unique features and potential downsides. As a homeowner looking for value for money, as well as separate compartments for frozen foods; you want to choose the best out of the two.
In this buying guide, we let you know some of the upsides and potential downsides to these two types of refrigerators.
What is a Top Freezer?
A top freezer is the type of refrigerator that allows you to store frozen foods and keep them at “eye level.”
Since you want to always check on the foods, it makes sense that you choose a refrigerator that is both higher in terms of height, as well as convenient for storage.
Pros of the Top Freezer
These are some of the upsides or unique features of the top freezer:
1. Energy Efficiency
You want to store your foods and other items, without breaking the bank to afford the energy costs. The top freezer ticks that box because it is praised for being energy-efficient.
2. Affordability
In addition to the lower energy consumption, the top freezer is also affordable. Thus, you will be saving costs on the purchase, as well as on the usage.
3. Plenty of Refrigeration Options
The top freezer is both good for storing small and big items. It also has plenty of usable refrigeration storage, making it easier to store as many foods as you want.
Cons of Top Freezer
There are some potential downsides to using the top freezer. These include:
1. It is Ideal for Minimal Spaces
You will find it difficult to get in and use the top freezer in a bigger kitchen. Thus, this refrigerator is likely to work best for households with smaller kitchen sizes.
2. No Water Dispenser
Top freezers also lack water dispenses, including the fact that there is no pull-out drawer.
What is a Bottom Freezer?
The bottom freezer is the opposite of the top freezer because the items are stored beneath. Also, this type of refrigerator tends to have more storage options than the top freezer does.
Pros of the Bottom Freezer
Here are some of the reasons why you may want to buy a bottom freezer:
1. Accessibility
It is easier to access items stored in a bottom freezer, especially because of the eye and shoulder-level design of the refrigerator.
2. Multiple Organization Options
Storing frozen foods or ice is now easier, all thanks to the multiple organization options of the bottom freezer. The refrigerator’s design also has the option to stack food in the freezer.
3. Ideal for Average-Sized Families
There is no need to cut down on the stored items because you can store multiple items at once. The bottom freezer is ideal for both small and average-sized families.
4. Modern Designs
No one wants to be left out of the trendy appliances for the home. You don’t want to miss out on that either. The modern look of your kitchen can be accentuated with the right refrigerator and that is what the bottom freezer does.
The modernized design of the refrigerator allows for the selection of different variants that can suit the design or setting of your kitchen. Some of these designs are single-door units and French door designs.
Cons of the Bottom Freezer
As much as the bottom freezer is modernized and has multiple storage and organization options; it still has some downsides worth considering. The downsides include:
1. It is Expensive
For someone who is looking to save costs when buying a refrigerator, the bottom freezer wouldn’t be a brilliant idea. The upfront price is pretty expensive. This includes the fact that only a few models are available, making the demand higher and the price point shooting to the sky.
2. Energy Costs are Higher
The bottom freezer is not an energy-saving refrigerator, meaning that it will cost you more money to use it. Besides, the built-in ice dispenser and water dispenser can also increase the unit of energy consumed.
3. Food can be Trapped
Because of the design of the freezer at the bottom of the refrigerator, it might be possible to lose some foods.
4. Limited Models to Choose from
The bottom freezer also has limited models, meaning that you have only a few options to choose from.
Factors to Consider when Choosing between Top Freezer and Bottom Freezer
Here are some of the important factors you want to have in mind when choosing between the top and bottom freezers:
1. Cost of the Refrigerator
The cost of the refrigerator is the most important factor to consider. You want to be sure that it is something you can comfortably afford.
Many buyers prefer the top freezers because their price points are almost affordable. You could be lucky to find one under the $500 price range.
2. Consider the Interior
The top freezer is also favored here. The interior capacity has to do with the availability of spaces to store your foods.
The top freezer’s interior capacity could be anywhere between 24 and 33 inches, thus giving you more room to store your items.
However, you may be unable to use all that space because the dispenser parts could take up much of the available space.
This is why most buyers prefer the bottom freezer variant because of the multiple storage capacities. For what it is worth, this type of refrigerator has exterior doors, more shelves, and several pull-out baskets.
The location of the freezer beneath the refrigerator makes it possible to utilize all those compartments.
Conclusion
Choosing between the top and bottom freezer doesn’t have to be tough, because you now have all the options laid out on the table. It is now up to you to decide on which of the two ticks most of the boxes for your refrigeration needs.