by Rosetta Taylor

Created on: February 25, 2013

If it’s so long since you bought a new fridge that the idea of an appliance with right-angled corners and a freezer with its own door are novelties, then this guide is definitely for you. For everyone else, those who just want to update and make sure that they know what’s out there before they make their final decision, some of these ‘new’ features may be familiar, but new in their price range. Innovative features usually make their debut at the high end of the market before becoming standard on most models in succeeding years.

Ice and chilled water through the door

This is probably the major fridge/freezer innovation of the last few decades. Though it actually became a regular offering in the 1980s, its appearance in other than the most expensive models is relatively recent. Water dispensers can now have an in-line filter, an indicator providing an alert when the filter needs changing, and a choice between cubed (crescent-shaped, in fact) or crushed ice. Samsung are about to release a carbonated water dispensing option. Sadly, ice and water dispensers can chew up a lot of internal fridge or freezer space, although the latest models have found a way to locate the operation and storage entirely inside the door, as well as providing enough dispensing space to fit a pitcher or a very tall glass.

Door configuration

Refrigerators have come a long way since the single door and the tiny freezer in the top corner of the fridge area. While top freezer (with separate door) and side-by-side models have been around for a long time, there are many more arrangements now available. You can have a freezer located at the bottom instead of the top, and in this case, freezer storage is more than likely to be in one or more drawers rather than using shelves or bins accessed by a door. The fridge above the freezer can have a conventional single door, or French doors giving wide access and a smaller space requirement for door swing, as well as more storage for beverages and jars. Bottom freezers also place the more frequently used fridge at eye-level.

Door-in-door

LG have recently released a 'door-in-door' refrigerator, providing access to the door bin without the necessity of opening the entire refrigerator. This delivers even more space for beverages, bottles and jars while helping to maintain a constant temperature for perishable food in the main body of the fridge.

Blast chiller

Few things are more infuriating than opening the fridge on a hot day to find that someone drank

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