As a fridge freezer is a fairly expensive item and one that you won't change for a few years, it's definitely worth taking your time when choosing the right one for you.
Fridge freezers don't just chill or freeze your food keeping it fresher for longer, they also store all of your fresh and frozen groceries. Fridge freezer combo units are normally cheaper than buying a separate fridge and freezer plus they will take up less space in your kitchen too.
This is why fridge freezers remain the most popular choice in the UK, combining all the benefits of a fridge and a freezer into a single appliance.
Fridge freezer units can cost from a few hundred pounds up to several thousand pounds for the American style appliances, and thus finance options have become available from a number of different stores.
Most high street stores will offer their own credit purchase schemes for the purchase of expensive items like white goods, whereas others will offer some sort of store card or credit card with attractive benefits.
These finance plans offered in stores such as Currys, Argos, Sonic Direct and John Lewis tend to be offered at very attractive rates, sometimes 0% APR, and usually with the option of paying weekly or monthly. However, to take advantage of these attractive rates customers will require an above average credit rating.
Home shopping catalogues such as Littlewoods, Very, tend to be less strict with their credit scoring criteria, so many customers which have had problems being accepted for credit in the past, could still get approved for a fridge freezer on finance.
There is of course no guarantee of getting accepted even if you have a fantastic credit history. It's also prudent to remember that prices will be higher when you purchase on finance, even with 0% interest many stores tend to charge a premium.
Credit provided is subject to the customer successfully passing the credit and affordability checks.
The best time to buy large kitchen appliances is traditionally between January to March as often the new ranges are introduced around Easter so there can be plenty of cheap end-of-line white goods in the early part of the year.
Shopping around is always worth doing of course to find the best possible prices, but bear in mind that you cannot reliably judge the quality of an appliance by it's price. It would be easy if more expensive always meant better quality, but it does not! Customer reviews of the same product are a good way to tell if it's a good deal.
Buying a used or refurbished fridge freezer is another great option to consider, and should really be considered before looking at a finance plan. It usually works out much cheaper and there are some great quality second hand fridge freezers available on sites like ebay and preloved.
Choosing a fridge freezer that will fit in your kitchen is arguably number 1 on your checklist. Luckily, this choice doesn't usually take long. There are plenty of options from slimline versions to huge american style fridge freezers.
If you've already got an integrated fridge freezer you'll likely be looking for another one. However, if you've got the space you could still buy a freestanding and convert your old integrated fridge freezer into more cupboard space!
Having a large family does mean you'll need to consider the capacity of any fridge freezer you buy. The american fridge freezers come packed with space and make use of shelves on the doors of both the fridge and freezer.
With energy bills forever on the rise it seems, the efficiency of any household appliance is something many of us have no choice but to take into account.
Fridge freezers can range in price quite considerably, and will certainly be one of the most important factors in the decision making process. Remember though, just because something is expensive doesn't mean it's good quality. You might be paying more for added extras like an ice machine, LED lighting or even Wifi.
Finding the right brand is not so easy these days with the majority of manufacturers producing high quality appliances. The best solution to this is to find one you like, and then check some customer reviews.