UKFS18EV2HX 60cm Larder with Stainless Steel Door

The size of refrigerator that is right for you depends on you and your family’s needs. Too small and you won’t have enough space for your food needs. Too big would be a waste of energy and money, and take up too much space in your kitchen.

• For 1 or 2 people: you would likely need a fridge of 100 - 150 litres.
• For 3 to 4 people: 150 - 250 litres works well.
• For 5+ people: 250+ litres would be ideal for bigger households.
These are just estimates, and you may desire a fridge with more space or less space depending on your food storage needs or the space you have available.

If you plan to freeze a lot of food, you might want to consider getting a separate freezer unit.

The UK Food Standards Agency recommends that your fridge should be set between 5°C and 3°C. Note that changing the settings on your fridge isn’t instantaneous, and it will take around 24 hours to reach the desired temperature.
If your old fridge is too cold, it could indicate a mechanical issue, such as a cracked seal or frost build-up. Regularly cleaning and regular maintenance of your fridge will help to prevent this. If your fridge needs large repairs or is outdated, then it may be time to upgrade your fridge to a more efficient model.

A larder fridge is a refrigerator built solely for keeping fresh food and drinks chilled, with no freezer section included. This design contrasts with a standard refrigerator, which combines both a fridge and a freezer, dividing the interior to cooling and freezing simultaneously.

A fridge generally takes about 24 hours to get cold or adjust its temperature. If you’ve bought a new refrigerator, you should ideally allow 24 hours from when you first turn it on to reach the correct temperature, before loading it with food.
To help minimise wastage, prior to purchasing a new fridge you should attempt to use up and eliminate items which are more susceptible to temperature variations such as chicken or ice cream. For less sensitive items, you can also use cool boxes, or a neighbour's fridge to store your cold items (weather and food items dependent).

How much electricity your fridge uses, and how much that will cost you, depends on a wide variety of factors. This can range from 300 - 500 kWh per year for a medium-sized fridge to 500-700 kWh per year for a large, side-by-side fridge.
Costs for this energy use will also depend on your energy supplier and where you live, but a new D rated (equivalent to an old A*** rated fridge) could range from £50 a year 13p per day) to £150 a year for your larger or older fridges.
Factors that can affect how much electricity your fridge uses include:
• The energy efficiency of your fridge model.
• Age of the appliance (old appliances are less efficient than when they’re new)
• The temperature of the surroundings - fridges have to work harder and use more energy in a warmer climate.
• How frequently your fridge is used. The more you open your fridge, the more it has to work to replace the cold air lost.
• How you have loaded your fridge. Overloading reduces airflow and can reduce efficiency.

The door orientation on Smeg fridges can be changed for some, but not all models. Where the door cannot be changed ad-hoc, we provide left hand models and right hand models. It’s best to check with your retailer before you purchase or contact us here for more information and any advice you may need.

In 2020 the energy efficiency rating system changed and new ratings were introduced. As a result, the old “A+++” rating is now classed as a “D” rating. This allows room for future energy saving improvements to be implemented across the industry.

For more information on the energy rating scale, you can see our article here.

All of our Smeg fridges are rated as a D, meaning they’re very energy efficient based on current technology and currently amongst the best available. However, please note that some websites are still displaying old energy ratings of A or above.

Disposing of your old fridge is simple, and you have a few different options available to you:
• Donate: If your fridge is still in good working condition, it’s worth checking with any local charitable organisations if they accept donations of fridges.
• Recycle: Most recycling centres will also accept old fridges to recycle them, including removing hydrofluorocarbon gas before recycling.
• Contact your local council: Your local council may collect old fridges for disposal or recycling, depending on where you live.
• Recycling or waste centre: You can take it yourself to your local recycling or waste centre, to drop it off for safe disposal.
• Retail business: Many local retailers now recycle old electrical appliances as part of the Electrical Retailer Take-Back scheme. Visit the website to view a map of available locations near you.