Refrigerators are sold since the year 1887. It is an appliance for which, we need to know certain points to select the correct one and enjoy it at least for the next decade. A refrigerator must be repairable by the company and third party with minimum effort from the customer. The gross story of most families on this earth is pretty common :
- the First generation used a low volume refrigerator which lasted a long period
- the Second generation used a refrigerator which had capacity almost 3 times of the first one
- Now, presently they need a refrigerator either as a replacement or for a second home
Has the built quality of refrigerators deteriorated?
Nowhere you’ll get the superior quality first generation refrigerators that remained operational for a long period. The deterioration of build quality started around the 2000s and now most of the common brands simply stamp their brand name on the product. They commonly co-share components. So the refrigerators from Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Whirlpool are almost equivalent. It is quite common that the compressor is manufactured by an expert company of the field, such as Blue Star or Hitachi, the LED lights and microcontrollers come from Panasonic, Phillips supplies the screws. So the quality of the finish looks almost the same. It will be difficult to get a particular PCB after 2 decades. So yes, mechanical controls are better but you’ll not get over 300-litre refrigerators with mechanical control. Electronic control tends to have a shorter life in humid condition. Today, even mid-range refrigerators have a lot of sensors inside. The expected lifespan of newer refrigerators is lower than the first or second generation refrigerators.
Why the cost of refrigerators has increased?
Even with the cost-saving method of mass production described above, the cost of refrigerators is increasing because a refrigerator requires a good amount of metal sheets. Whenever you have a stainless steel finish, it significantly increases the cost. Also, the cost of the newer inverter compressor technology is higher. The electronic control part and display do not cost a huge. In addition, the manufacturers are using better quality glass shelves. So the cost is mostly of metal and glass. However, none of them has good resell value.
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What points I should remember to buy a refrigerator?
Power consumption : The refrigerator must consume enough low power so that you can run with a solar system. In the next 20 years, solar electricity will be a significant source of power supply in homes.
Capacity : The foremost important thing to consider is the capacity of the refrigerator that meets the requirement of your home. A refrigerator of 400 to 500 litre is a reasonable good size, while a refrigerator of 300 to 400-litre capacity easily fits almost everyone’s kitchen or home.
Basic features such as “Frost Free” : Most of the refrigerators above the capacity of 200 litres are now frost-free.
Avoid the odd features : I do not know why you’ll need a display over the refrigerator. You do not need Wi-Fi as well because you can use a smart socket.
Lighting : Most peoples never notice the lights of the refrigerators. Our one refrigerator has LED lights from the rear wall, while the newer refrigerator has LED lights from the top. None of them is closest to the best.
I discovered great looking motion sensor night lights sold in Amazon which makes the look of the refrigerators far better.
Which refrigerators you suggest to buy?
I will tend to suggest purchasing a refrigerator of 500-litre capacity which supports conversion for those who are living in India and North America like odd countries. This capacity will not make you feel “there is short of space”. You can stock a lot of packaged things inside the refrigerator – biscuits, easy-cook noodles to name a few. Except for the vegetable oils, you can stock many things inside a refrigerator. The pandemic has taught us to stock foods.
