In this video i show some of the things you should think about before buying an integrated fridge freezer. For a great buy visit here: www.lords-electrical.co.uk/re...
Good informative video, well done. As a refrigeration mechanic working in London I've seen hundreds of built in units. I’d just like to add a couple of additional considerations and tips. Ventilation is a crucial consideration with any integrated refrigerator. If the ventilation across the condenser at the rear is not sufficient the refrigerator has to work harder so more power is consumed, if it's totally inadequate the compressor will run constantly and will fail prematurely. Correct door closure is also very important. Because the outer furniture door is directly connected to the inner door the refrigerator seal must make before the outer cabinetry door hits the surrounding carcass. If the door seal cannot seal warm air gets in and snowy ice builds up on the rear panel or in the freezer. If the inside of the unit quickly gets covered with fluffy ice (Hoar frost) it is usually a is a sign of both of the above. Repair costs are generally more expensive to repair an integrated unit than a free standing unit because many repairs require the unit to be removed from the cabinet. The door hinges also need to hold the heavy outer décor door as well as the load in the door so try to keep any heavy loads (2 ltr milk etc) on the hinge side of the door.
Thanks for the informative video. You talked about furniture door on the fridge: could you doa video showing how to install an optional furniture door?
Very informative thank you, just one question, my 60/40 integrated fridge freezer has broken, it was 24 years old, I removed it so to make sure the new one fits, I was looking at Bosch Serie 2 KIN86NSF0G frost free, I should stick with the sliding hinge type as it would involve easier installation but does it come with sliding hinge type ? Thanks
Didn't know that fixed hinge integrated fridge freezes existed and is exactly what I was looking for. Can you tell me the manufacturer of the fixed hinge fridge shown in your video or which manufacturers do fixed hinge fridges. Can you supply in UK?
I wish they specified door sizes ...not overall dimensions of products as we spent £549 on a 70/30 FF but it's only 1.44 not what I now know as the standard which is 1.77m high so the freezer doors don't aline. Seller won't exchange so will have to buy another and use this elsewhere or buy new housing unit but not getting after sales support yet from Zanussi to help with this decision. We would have bought appliances via DIY the online kitchen company but Covid 19 messed up supply chains. Can you do a video on matching unit door sizes to appliance sizes not the other way around!
Hi, nicely explained video. One question my current model of integrated freezer which sits next to my integrated fridge keeps pulling off the sliders. Do you have any advice regarding if I can change to a fixed hinged door?
It really depends on the fridge freezer, some can be changed from fixed to sliding and vice versa. The main issue is that your fridge freezer may not have the correct fixings on the front to be able to attach the furniture door to.
Very good video and helpful. My fridge is 177.5 as you standard usual size it is a Beko frost free integrated and my problem is I read reviews and not good my fridge freezing up and I am thinking we need to replace but mght want to get another brand but wondering does it have to be 177.5 height exact same for cupboard doors and sliders to fit and work as sliders already fitted ! Can the the height be adjusted or needs to be exact same dimensions as present fridge freezer??
You should find that if you have a fridge freezer with sliding hinges then it is quite easy to replace as it is a fairly standard way of installing now. Check the height of the doors to make sure they match, and also that the height of the current fridge freezer is the same as a new one which is normally around 177cm high
Can the fixed door from my existing integrated fridge with icebox (not a separate freezer) be fixed to a new integrated larder fridgeif I can find the same size for a replacement? My current unit is a Tricity (now Bendix) which is 38 years old and still working and matches the built in oven and grill next to it (shiny black finish not a wooden door). Alternatively, would I have to have a new custom built kitchen door made to fit it and also to update all the kitchen door fronts in my kitchen which are also 38 years old and have stood the test of time apart from a few small nicks in the off-white gloss finish?
Really difficult to give a proper answer without knowing the dimensions of your current door. I would be fairly confident that if the door comes off you current one ok and is in good condition then it should go on. If it doesn't fit then it would be a case of getting one made or as you say changing all of the door fronts
Many thanks for all the useful information. As you encourage people to ask questions, I dare ask you for some help. I am looking to replace our old integrated fridge freezer but I cannot find on the instruction manual or on internet what is the fridge/ freezer ratio. It should be 60/40 or 70/30. I am wondering if you could help. It is. Hotpoint HM312l, bought in 2004. Thank you very much.
Due to the age of the fridge freezer, it's really difficult to find the correct information. I am almost positive that it is 60/40 ratio as a lot of Hotpoint fridge freezers are. If you are replacing it, just make sure you measure the doors to check they will fit the new model ok, and that the hinges match up as well. Good luck.
Thankyou, that was very informative. The freezer section of our unit no longer actually freezes, and the fridge section is only slightly cold. It's about 12 years old, so can it be repaired or would it be best to replace it in view of it's age ? ( I've just defrosted it, which helped a bit, but not much !)
I would recommend looking at a new model, as very few people repair them now and also new models are a lot more efficient as well, so will cost less to run.
You will need to fix the furniture door on to the side of the cabinet first. Then you will be able to buy a sliding hinge fridge freezer. Installation on a sliding hinge model is a lot easier going forward.
Something I did consider was if the compressor is inverter drive or on off. I prefer the compressor to be running constantly at low power rather than the on off.
I'd add two further consideration. Build quality of the internal fixtures - some are shocking and break incredibly quickly. And find some trusted reviews - we totally wasted money on a useless fridge freezer - the freezer frosts up and then it stops the fridge working. We have to totally defrost it at least once a month, and have had loads of food go bad in the fridge.
To be honest not really. By the time you have paid an engineer to come out, uninstall it, repair ir and re install it I would just bite the bullet and get a new one. A new one will be a lot more energy efficient too so will cost a lot less to run.
I have a smeg one and its awful. The plastics are so brittle. All the freezer drawers have broken within 3 years and the plastics in the fridge are all cracked too.
Sounds like the UKC3170P, we’ve got the same one in our Redrow. To be fair it’s still going after 5 years (lasted longer than the SMEG double oven Redrow installed) but won’t be replacing with another SMEG appliance.
