kitchen appliances
Freezer combos at Warentest – energy savers can also be found in the chic side-by-side devices
The large side-by-side devices are popular, but they also consume more power (icon image)
© Andrey Popov / Getty Images
Cooling and freezing and then an ice machine too. The product testers check 23 refrigerated combis, including side-by-side units. The test winners cost up to 2350 euros, but there are also cheap and economical alternatives.
There is a fridge in every kitchen and it runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Therefore, refrigerators are traditionally among the power guzzlers in the home. The current issue of Warentest shows that this does not have to be the case. Cool and economical is definitely possible. 23 free-standing cooling combinations are listed. More were tested, but only the good devices were printed in the magazine.
Two types
17 of them are arranged vertically. The cooling module is at the top and the freezing module is at the bottom. Six are side-by-side station wagons with wing doors, where the two cooling zones are often next to each other. As you can already see from the outside, the side-by-side combos are larger, the vertical devices are roughly based on the standard dimensions. So more fits into the side-by-side station wagons, but then more content needs to be cooled, which means that consumption is greater. Most side-by-side combos come with an ice maker – a nice feature if used.
Size costs electricity
In the test, the devices from Samsung took first place twice. But they are not cheap. The classic vertical fridge-freezer RL38A776ASR costs 1440 euros and that Side-by-side model RS68A884CSL even 2350 euros. The testers had nothing to complain about in the classic from Samsung. “Good in almost all points” leads to a grade of “very good” or 1.4. The device freezes well, maintains the temperature and is also very efficient with energy. The “prize winner” is significantly cheaper to buy. This alternative also comes from Samsung. The cooling combination RL38A7B5BS9 costs only 925 euros and is also rated “very good”. The grade of 1.5 is only imperceptibly behind the test winner.
The RS68A884CSL device from Samsung prevailed in the side-by-sides. At 2350 euros, some take their breath away. In return, the device has the lowest power consumption. The testers don’t like the fact that there is no warning display after a power failure. The grade is “good” or 1.7. Haier’s price-performance winner is significantly cheaper. The HSR5918DIMP also gets a good rating (2.4). The power consumption is slightly higher, but the device only costs 1160 euros and also comes with an ice cube maker.
The differences in power consumption are high. Calculated over 15 years, all side-by-side devices lead to electricity costs of well over 1000 euros. The taverns from Bosch and LG even consume electricity of over 2000 euros. When buying you have to compare the prices, for the same device there is a spread of several hundred euros. You can get the expensive RS68A884CSL from Samsung for 200 euros below the average price from Warentest.
You can take the whole test for a fee here see.
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