No doubt you have seen them in numerous Hollywood movies: the gigantic refrigerators from which the lady of the house gets jerry cans of milk and orange juice in the morning to prepare breakfast. Therefore, the American refrigerator did not get its name for nothing: in the United States, this model has been popular for many years. Today it is breaking through in more countries, including the Netherlands.
The refrigerator and freezer compartments side by side
An American refrigerator is a freestanding fridge-freezer combination. These two sections are not underneath, but side by side. For this reason, the American refrigerator is also called a side-by-side refrigerator. This refrigerator model offers a lot of space mainly in the width and depth and thus looks almost as large and impressive as the United States itself.
The size as the biggest advantage of the American refrigerator
The generous size is definitely the biggest advantage of the American refrigerator. This refrigerator has double doors, making it easy to reach everything. Some variants have shelves that you can arrange according to your preference, allowing you to use the space even more efficiently. The refrigerator and freezer capacities can reach up to 410 and 270 liters, respectively.
An ice cube machine and/or cold water tap
It doesn’t stop with the above advantage, however. An American fridge also has an ice cube maker and/or a cold water tap. Sometimes you can even see from the outside how much is left in it. The presence of a tap or ice cube machine automatically means the presence of a water filter. This filter prevents the water from becoming cloudy. On average, the water filter should be replaced every six months. Some American refrigerators indicate by themselves when it is time to do so.
An American refrigerator is the eye-catcher of any kitchen
An American refrigerator can be called large not so much in height, but in width and depth. This type of refrigerator is always at least 70 centimeters wide. Widths of more than 90 centimeters are no exception. A side-by-side refrigerator really cannot be ignored in a kitchen. Therefore, it is important to always consider the space you have left for opening both doors.
Three different types of American refrigerators
Side-by-side is synonymous with the American refrigerator, but actually this is the name of the most common type of American refrigerator. Apart from the side-by-side refrigerator, there are two more models to be distinguished: the French door refrigerator and the door-in-door refrigerator. The former refers to a refrigerator whose upper part has no partition. So you can easily store very wide items, such as a complete baking tray. The door-in-door refrigerator is the type that has a small door in the front door. Behind it are the refrigerated products you use most often.
Does an American refrigerator have any drawbacks?
Are you considering buying an American refrigerator? Then always keep in mind that a larger refrigerator-freezer like this one also has higher energy consumption. American refrigerators therefore often fall into a less favorable energy class. In addition, they are noisier than regular models. If the refrigerator is close to your living space, it may cause irritation.