Planning to buy a refrigerator but confused whether to go for a top freezer or a bottom freezer?
The refrigerator is not just an appliance, it’s the heart and soul of a kitchen. According to CNET, there are a lot of things to consider while purchasing a refrigerator. These include the size, price, style and configuration. While you can easily decide on the other factors, selecting between a top and a bottom freezer style can be a bit tricky.
So, the real question is which one is better: a top freezer or a bottom freezer?
The simple answer is, both types of freezers have their own set of pros and cons. It depends upon your lifestyle and how much you use your refrigerator on a daily basis. Below we are comparing both the freezer styles to help you make an informed decision.
1. Position of the refrigerator
This is a highly subject matter. Some people prefer the bottom freezers because the foods are at eye-level. This is the reason why top-mounted freezers are considered to be less convenient. However, the issue is, we don’t use the freezer more frequently as compared to the refrigerator. Hence, to use the refrigerator you may need to bend and put stress on your back, which is not at all convenient. With a bottom freezer, your refrigerator is on the top, so you don’t need to squat every time you want to use it.
Fact: For undercounter refrigerators, the freezer is usually located at the top because the compressor is at the bottom part, and therefore limiting the depth of the freezer significantly.
Having said that, a bottom freezer is a clear winner in this category as it allows you to interact with your refrigerator at an eye-level.
Winner: Bottom freezer
2. Least straining
Top mount freezers have an edge over bottom freezers in this segment. Top freezers are least straining because you don’t have to put pressure on your back to pull out heavy items from the freezer. For example, pulling a large turkey from the top freezer is a lot more easy and convenient as compared to the bottom freezer. Again, it depends on your lifestyle. If you store heavy items in your freezer very often then top freezers are a way to go.
Winner: Top freezer
3. Storage capacity
Many people store their weekly food into the freezer. If you’re among those people and use your freezer to store your weekly menu, then the bottom freezer is the right choice. It has plenty of room to offer. There are lift-out baskets, shelves on which you can store different sized items very easily.
Winner: Bottom freezer
4. Energy efficiency
Top mount freezers are a clear winner in this segment. They are way more energy efficient than the bottom mount freezers. This is because the compressor is located under the unit, therefore it takes more energy to balance the temperature of the bottom freezer.
A top-freezer, on the other hand, is situated far away from the compressor, so it doesn’t take much energy to maintain the temperatures. A top freezer uses about 15% less energy than the bottom freezer.
Winner: Top freezer
Now that you’ve understood the differences between a top and a bottom freezer, you can easily decide which one is better for you. To help you a bit more, here are some straightforward pros and cons of each style of freezers.
Top freezer: pros and cons
A top freezer is the most widely used and traditional option. It is more energy efficient and convenient if you use your freezer very often. Coming to the drawback, you need to lean over to get items from the refrigerator.
Pros
- First and foremost, a top freezer takes less energy. However, it depends on the energy star ratings, usage and the model of refrigerator. It takes about 10-15 % of less energy than the bottom freezer. It will not make a huge difference in your savings but you can save around 10-15 USD per year.
- It is comparatively cheaper. Apart from being energy efficient, the top freezers are way more cheaper than the bottom freezers. Bottom freezer being the hottest trend, priced very high. You can easily save a few hundred to thousands of dollars by simply getting a top mount freezer.
- They are more spacious than the bottom freezers. You will get plenty of room to store a lot of food in the refrigerator. The drawers and the shelves in a bottom freezer takes a lot of space leaving behind a little room for refrigeration.
Cons
- Traditional top mount freezers seem quite outdated. They look boring and less appealing. So, if you’re looking for a stylish and designer refrigerator with additional aesthetics then top mount freezers are not for you.
Bottom freezer: pros and cons
Bottom freezers are the hottest trend these days. They look more stylish and cool. They also offer you the advantage to interact with the refrigerator at an eye level.
Pros
- First of all, it is placed at the bottom so the top portion of the fridge is all yours. You don’t need to lean over to fetch or to put your most important things in the refrigerator.
- It offers a number of spacious organizers like removable shelves, baskets. You can keep your freezer organized and clean. Plus you get a spacious freezer. On the contrary, top freezers come with no such organizers. They only offer a large open freezing space with no shelves, no baskets.
Cons
- Bottom freezers are very expensive. You have to dig much deeper into your wallet to get a decent model of refrigerator with a bottom freezer. The difference in prices of both freezer styles is humongous. You may easily end up paying $100 to $1000 on it.
Top-freezer vs. bottom-freezer: which one is best?
You need to consider a lot of things before buying a refrigerator. One important thing is to choose between a top and a bottom freezer.
While both kinds of freezers perform equally well, their placement can make much difference to the ease and convenience of using them. You can get one that fits into your budget and suits your lifestyle. But no matter which freezer style you go for, never make these 5 mistakes when buying a refrigerator, according to CNET.com.