Advertisement


The Best Fridges in Australia: Linarie, LG, Samsung

The Best Fridges in Australia: Linarie, LG, Samsung

We use affiliate links and may receive a commission on purchases. Read more here.

Say goodbye to old, clunky refrigerators as now is the time to welcome new, energy-efficient and streamlined models into your home.

Choosing a new fridge can be overwhelming as there are so many options, but this guide will help you focus on the important factors and find the best one to suit your needs.

Skip to section:


Best Mirror Door Fridge: Linarie Meribel 445L French Door Fridge/Freezer

The Linarie Meribel stands out as a pinnacle of modern kitchen design, currently the only fridge/freezer combo on the market boasting a sleek mirror-door feature. This unique design element not only adds a touch of elegance but also enhances the perception of space and brightness in your kitchen.

Equipped with cutting-edge No Frost technology, the Linarie Meribel eliminates the need for manual defrosting by continuously circulating air to prevent ice build-up. This feature also helps in maintaining hygiene by hindering bacterial spread.

Energy efficiency is a key aspect of this appliance, with its Inverter Compressor reducing energy bills by up to 70%. This makes it an environmentally friendly choice for the conscientious consumer.

The fridge section includes intuitive features like Intelligent Mode, adjustable temperature control, and ample storage with detachable shelves and drawers. The freezer, equally impressive, boasts a substantial capacity and similar smart functionalities.

Offering great quality without the steep price tag, it’s an excellent choice for cost-conscious consumers.


Best French Door Fridge: LG 570L Fridge Freezer


This premium fridge is a great option if you are looking for a smart model with optimal storage.

There is an air filtration system inside that deodorises air to minimise odours. This model uses technology and airflow for better temperature control, to enhance cooling and to reduce temperature fluctuations.

There is a water and ice dispenser, the ice maker is built into the fridge to give additional shelf space and the shelves can be adjusted to make room for taller items (great for when the door space is full).

You can also alter settings and receive alerts via an app.


Also great: Samsung 719L French Door Refrigerator


This Samsung 719L fridge offers generous size and shelf space making it a perfect fridge for large families and busy homes.

The four door system means you don’t need to open and close the whole refrigerator every time you need something, and the doors open wide to give you a clear view of the contents.

Another cool feature is that one section of the fridge can be changed between four different temperatures so you can adapt it to suit your needs.

This fridge uses 3 independent cooling systems so each compartment has optimal temperature and humidity control.

The front of the fridge also has an ice and water dispenser and the internal shelves can be folded back to make more space inside as needed.


Best Best Black Gloss-Door Fridge: Linarie Villarly 444L Fridge/Freezer


When it comes to upgrading your kitchen with a blend of style and functionality, the Linarie Villarly is a top contender. Its striking black gloss doors add a modern flair to your kitchen decor. Also, in delivering excellent quality at an affordable price, it’s a great option for consumers looking for value.

The fridge features innovative No Frost technology in addition to intelligent modes, including Fast Cool and Fast Freeze, which offer quick and efficient cooling. These features are particularly beneficial for those who often find themselves needing to rapidly chill groceries or drinks.

Another highlight is the energy-efficient Inverter Compressor, which can lead to significant savings on energy bills, making it an eco-friendly and cost-effective choice.

With a total net capacity of 444L, divided into a 276L fridge and 168L freezer, this appliance offers ample space and flexibility. The fridge section boasts adjustable tempered glass shelves, a vegetable and fruit drawer, and an intuitive electronic temperature control system.


Also great: Fisher & Paykel 487L ActiveSmart Fridge


This model merges elegant design with practicality, perfect for modern families. Its sophisticated black stainless steel finish complements any kitchen decor.

The French door configuration allows easy access to both the 345L fridge and 142L freezer compartments. It features ActiveSmart technology for efficient temperature maintenance, keeping your food fresher for longer.

The bottom freezer with full extension drawer provides convenient access to frozen items. An ultra-slim water dispenser and internal ice maker add convenience, while spill-safe glass shelves and an EZKleen feature for stainless steel make cleaning effortless.

With a 3.5-star energy rating, this fridge is both energy-efficient and spacious, ideal for households that value style and functionality.


Best Side-by-Side Fridge: LG 668L Refrigerator


The LG 668L is a stylish, large capacity and versatile side by side fridge that offers a host of features that promote food freshness and convenience.

This refrigerator operates quietly and the digital controls make the settings easy to use and change.

This model includes a non-plumbed water dispenser which is ideal for when you want the convenience of a water dispenser without the fuss of plumbing.

The ice system is also built in so it does not take up any interior door space and there is a child lock on the dispenser – ideal for family life.

The Moist Balance Crisper technology ensures food stays fresher for longer, the deodoriser filters the air to keep the fridge smelling fresh and the Bioshield helps to prolong the life of your fridge by preventing mould growth along the seals.

There is a phone app that offers Smart Diagnosis Technology to troubleshoot any problems quickly and easily.


Also Great: Westinghouse 620L Side By Side Fridge


The Westinghouse 620L is a great fridge for large families. You can get the most out of this fridge by using the storage and adjustment options to easily configure the space to suit you.

There is a FamilySafe lockable storage area so you can be sure items such as medicine (or your favourite chocolate) is kept out of reach.

This is one of the more environmentally friendly options, it comes with an eco mode and a holiday mode to reduce energy consumption and it alerts you when the door is left open to prevent food spoiling.

Spillsafe shelves contain spills to just one shelf, preventing damage and mess.

There is humidity control for keeping fruit and vegetables crisp and the multi-flow air delivery system keeps the temperature even throughout the fridge so your food stays fresher for longer.


Best Top-Mount Fridge Freezer: Westinghouse 340L Top Mount Refrigerator


The Westinghouse 340L Top Mount is the best fridge for compact spaces and is ideal for smaller families or individuals.

The flexible storage options allow you to make full use of the available space, you just lift and slide the compartments to suit your needs.

The twist ice maker is a convenient way of making ice without taking up much space and you can put tall, heavy bottles in the door so you don’t lose out on shelf space.

The multi-flow air delivery system handles temperature control in all compartments and the humidity controlled crisper keeps fruit and vegetables fresher for a longer period of time.


Also great: Samsung 525L Top Mount Refrigerator


This sleek, minimalistic and modern refrigerator offers many useful features. The reversible doors can be altered to suit the design of your kitchen and it boasts an impressive 4-star energy rating meaning you’ll save on power bills.

If you need more fridge space you can convert the freezer into a fridge at the push of a button.

Twin Cooling Plus means the fridge and freezer are on independent temperate control systems and there are 5 different modes including switching off the fridge or freezer while you are on holiday.

The Samsung 525L Top Mount fridge is convenient and built to adapt to suit your needs. There is a removable ice maker so if you need more freezer space you can simply take it out and the slide and reach pantry is perfect for storing meat or fish.


Best Retro Fridge: Linarie Annecy 242L Retro Bottom Mount Fridge


Discover the charm and functionality of the Linarie Annecy. Its eclectic array of colours – cream, black, blue, green, red, and pink – ensures a perfect match for any kitchen style, enhanced by a glossy finish and elegant silver trim.

For those passionate about fresh produce, the Annecy’s telescopic Vegetable Crisper is a highlight. It’s designed to prolong the freshness of fruits and vegetables, making it ideal for health-conscious individuals or families. Plus, with its capacity to perform efficiently in sub-tropical climates, it’s a robust choice for Australian households.

The fridge offers a generous 175L capacity, complete with seven temperature settings, while the freezer, with a 67L capacity, boasts three spacious drawers and a fast-freezing compartment. It also delivers on energy efficiency, with a 3-star rating and a highly efficient R600a compressor.


Also Great: Smeg FAB 50’s Style 331L Bottom Mount Refrigerator


This Smeg fridge combines 50s retro charm with cutting-edge features. With a glossy black finish and chrome details, it adds elegance to any kitchen. Featuring two adjustable shelves, a bottle rack, and an innovative Life Plus 0°C drawer, it’s designed to better preserve perishable foods like meat, fish, and dairy.

The fridge is equipped with a MultiFlow cooling system for uniform temperature distribution, ensuring longer freshness for your food. Meanwhile, LED lighting on both sides provides optimal visibility. The freezer compartment includes a 97-litre capacity with a pull-out drawer design.

Other features include electronic temperature control, a door alarm, and frost-free technology. This model boasts a 4-star energy rating with an annual consumption of 204 kWh, making it an efficient choice.


Best Bottom Mount Fridge Freezer: Fisher & Paykel ActiveSmart 519L


The Fisher & Paykel ActiveSmart 519L is a versatile family fridge that adapts to your usage. ActiveSmart monitors how you use the fridge and adapts to optimise the temperature. It doesn’t matter how often you often the fridge, the temperature, humidity and airflow will automatically adjust so your food remains fresh.

The adjustable shelving and door bins provide plenty of space for products and the spill safe glass shelves contain any spillages for less mess and easier cleaning.

This fridge is streamlined and modern, the SmartTouch controls are simple to use and the fridge keeps an even temperature.


Also Great: Electrolux 453L Bottom Mount Refrigerator


The Electrolux 453L Bottom Mount Fridge is spacious, convenient and hardy enough to fit in well within a busy home. The mark resistant stainless steel finish looks smart and can handle the day to day scuffs of family life.

The fast ice and boost mode increases the chill rate of your fridge after you’ve done a big shop.

The Tastelock crispers automatically adjust humidity levels and the MultiZone deli compartment allows you to store deli items without transferring odours onto other foods.

You can adjust the door storage to suit your needs and there is an alarm if you forget to close the fridge.

The two independent cooling systems ensure both your fridge and freezer are working to optimum levels and for energy efficiency there is an eco mode and a holiday mode.


Best Cheap Fridge: Hisense 350L Top Mount Refrigerator


The Hisense 350L Top Mount fridge is a reliable, affordable option for homes and apartments. The classic white finish looks great in any kitchen.

Strategic LED lighting ensures the whole fridge is bright without a lot of heat or energy output. There is consistent air distribution with the multi-air flow system and the frost free technology ensures there is no build up of ice.

There is a convenient twist ice maker that can be removed if not needed. You can also adjust the glass shelves to suit your produce and if you have a preference the direction the fridge door opens can be changed.


Runner Up: AstiVita 268L Fridge Freezer


268L Fridge - 4 Energy Star Rating - 201L Fridge 67L Freezer (White)

The AstiVita 268L Refrigerator is another solid option in the cheap fridge category. It is a great value for money slim fridge that has a lot to offer.

This model has a MEPS 4 star energy rating and comes with a 2 year Australia wide warranty. You can adjust the legs and the door is reversible so you can organise your fridge to suit your kitchen.

This fridge is versatile and has lots of options including a separate fruit and vegetable drawer, multiple glass shelves, a bottle rack and two egg trays. There is frost free technology to ensure your fridge doesn’t get iced over.


Fridge Buyer’s Guide


One of the most used and loved appliances in the home is the refrigerator.

We use them each and every day so finding a fridge that properly suits your usage needs makes all the difference.

The best fridges are spacious, keep your food fresh and keep your energy usage low. Here are some key factors to keep in mind:

Style/Configuration

There are so many refrigerator configurations available that you are bound to find one that suits your kitchen size and style.

From french-door to top-mount, there is truly something for everyone:

  • French door – a french door fridge is one of the best and most popular styles. French door fridges use double doors, they make sure everything is eye level and easily accessible.
  • Side by side – side by side fridges have vertical fridge and freezer compartments. They are convenient and offer good capacity.
  • Top-Mount – top mount fridges are the more traditional style. They have the freezer on the top with the fridge on the bottom. This style is cost-effective and popular.
  • Bottom-Mount – bottom mount fridges have the freezer at the bottom. A bottom mount fridge makes it easy to access the day to day refrigerator items without needing to bend down. It can be a good choice if you don’t use the freezer too frequently.

Size/Dimensions

When looking at the size of a fridge, don’t just look at the dimension measurements. Take into account the door opening space, the clearance you need and the necessary ventilation area too.

Also, think about how you will get the refrigerator into your home (measure doorways etc). Measure the available area and consider which way to the fridge door opens to make sure the fridge will work well in the position you are considering.

Once you have looked at the external dimensions you should take a look at the internal storage volume. According to Australian consumer website Choice, here is the recommended fridge volume based on the number of people in the household:

  • Small fridge (1–2 people): 250–380L
  • Medium fridge (3–4 people): 350–530L
  • Large fridge (5 or more people): 440L+

When looking at the fridge capacity remember that manufacturers typically calculate the storage capacity with all of the drawers, shelving and any door racks removed.

Keep in mind once these shelves are replaced there will be less room and remember that fridges with the same external dimensions can offer different food storage space.

RELATED:

Key Features

The features offered vary from product to product, here are a few fridge features we like to have for enhanced convenience and usability:

  • Ice/water dispensers – a water and ice dispenser gives you chilled water and ice at the touch of a button. They are one of the more popular fridge features thanks to their convenience and how easy they are to use. The water chiller normally includes a water filter and this filter needs to be replaced periodically to ensure freshness.
  • Adjustable shelving – having shelves that are adjustable gives you the flexibility to adjust the fridge space to suit your groceries and requirements. The shelves should be made of glass as glass is easy to clean and retains the cold in the fridge more effectively.
  • Temperature controls – Many modern fridges have digital displays to allows you to clearly monitor and adjust the temperature controls. A digital display, indicator lights and sound signals can alert you to any issues such as the fridge door being left open. The fridge and freezer temperature controls should be independent of each other. This helps the fridge to run better and ensures it is easy to temperature control the fridge and the freezer in order to keep your food at the right temperatures.
  • Humidity controls – being able to control the humidity can help keep food such as salad or meat fresher for longer.
  • Child-proof features – ideally the humidity and temperature settings should have some kind of child-proof feature that prevents the controls from being accidentally adjusted.
  • Frost-free ( or auto-defrost) – a frost-free fridge requires less maintenance as you do not need to defrost it yourself. It has a built-in heater and fan that will work occasionally to get rid of any ice. Frost-free options have their advantages but they also tend to be slightly more expensive and are a bit noisier than other fridges. The best fridges should offer an auto-defrost feature although you aren’t as likely to see this option on small fridges.
  • Reversible doors – this can be very useful, particularly if you have a smaller area for the fridge. Reversible doors allow you to place the fridge wherever you want without needing to worry about which way the door opens.

Energy Efficiency

There are a couple of factors that can help you make sure the product you choose is only using the energy it needs:

Energy Star Rating – all fridges have an energy star rating which shows users how much energy the fridge uses per year and its efficiency compared with other fridges of the same type. The energy star ratings are a quick and easy way for you to see how efficient the product is. You can easily compare options too as all fridges feature this same rating system, the more stars on the rating the more efficient the fridge freezer is.

Fridge Modes – a key feature that can help with efficiency is holiday mode. Holiday mode can help you save money and energy by ensuring the fridge’s energy usage is efficient while you’re away. It will maintain your fridge and keep it fresh while also keeping the freezer on so you don’t have to worry about wasting energy and receiving high bills upon your return.

Lighting & Alerts – a low energy light will deliver the same brightness but with less energy usage and an alarm that sounds when the fridge door is not properly closed can also help you save energy and prevent unwanted temperature changes.

Appearance And Finishes

How your fridge looks in your kitchen is an important factor. Fridges come in all shapes and sizes and while you can get colourful options, the most common finishes are:

  • Classic white
  • Stainless steel
  • Black steel
  • Layered steel
  • Glass finish

If you want the finish to be metal, glass or gloss you can expect the price of the fridge to be slightly higher. Stainless steel fridges look modern and work well with many kitchen styles, a black steel finish can look beautiful particularly in minimalist kitchens and you can’t go wrong with classic white. The best style, colour and finish of your new fridge will depend on your personal preference and style. There are many available options so you’ll easily be able to find the best fridge for your kitchen.


Refrigerator FAQs


What is the most efficient type of refrigerator?

The most energy-efficient type of refrigerator is the top-mount freezer. However, factors such as the size of the fridge and whether it has an ice dispenser also contribute to energy efficiency. Be sure to check the energy rating of the fridge as this certification incorporates a range of factors.

What is a good Energy Star rating for a fridge?

When it comes to Energy Star rating, the more stars the more energy efficient the fridge is. 4 stars is a good rating to aim for in terms of energy efficiency.

What is the average life of a refrigerator?

Standard fridges tend to last up to 10 years but here’s some tips on making your refrigerator last longer.




This article was written by Jennifer Blair

If you have any questions or comments regarding this article, you can get in touch with us using our contact form.