For most of us, the only time we think about our fridge is when it's nearly empty, when it stops working, or when some of its contents start to take on a life of their own and we need to don a Hazmat suit to clear them out.
The rest of the time, we usually just expect it to do its thing without missing a beat.
But there's more to owning a fridge than just keeping your beer cold and your condiments contained.
We asked our resident fridge expert Denis Gallagher about his fridge no-gos: the things he doesn't do and never will. Here's what he had to say.
1. He never leaves the fridge on its default settings
Australia's climate varies so much from north to south, from one coast to another, and even sometimes from town to town.
CHOICE fridge expert Denis Gallagher says you should always make sure your fridge is set to the right temperature.
So it makes sense that fridge settings suited to one region could be quite different to another.
Most people never change their fridge's settings from the default mode, Denis says, but that can leave you with a fridge that's too warm or too cold to keep your food at the right temperature.
"In our fridge testing, we assess whether a fridge's default settings are suitable for the Australian climate – and unfortunately a lot of the time, they just aren't," he says.
"Whether you have a brand-new fridge or not, we recommend that you check the temperature at the change of season.
"As the weather warms up or cools down, you may need to adjust the settings so your fridge and freezer are at the optimal temperatures: around 3°C for your fridge and -18°C for your freezer."
Our fridge expert Denis is icy on ice-makers in fridges.
2. He'd never buy a fridge with an ice-maker (again)
An ice dispenser on your fridge might seem like the perfect way to channel your inner Tom Cruise, but it could actually cramp your style during cocktail hour.
Even in a large fridge, an ice-maker takes up quite a bit of room – leaving less space for your cocktail ingredients and champagne.
We suggest you stick to the classics and use old-fashioned ice cube trays for your next Old Fashioned
"I bought a fridge with an ice-maker and water dispenser a few years ago, bowing to family pressure," says Denis.
"What I have now is a great fridge with a water dispenser (which I do like) and a big area of wasted space as the ice-maker never works (which I don't like).
"And for many fridges with ice dispensers, you'll need to have them connected to a water supply, which adds extra expense to an already expensive fridge and also isn't an option for renters."
"This situation is improving with non-plumbed fridges for ice-making where you simply fill a container in the fridge with tap water, but in the end, why bother?"
We suggest you stick to the classics and use old-fashioned ice cube trays for your next Old Fashioned.
3. He never stores bread in the fridge
If you live in the tropics, you've probably experienced the disappointment of finding your recently purchased loaf of bread furry with mould.
But even in humid climates, sticking your loaf in the fridge isn't a good idea.
Even in humid climates, sticking your loaf in the fridge isn't a good idea
"Refrigerating your bread might delay the growth of mould, but unfortunately it'll make it go stale faster," says Denis.
"The cold temperature makes the starch recrystallise much faster than room temperature, so it'll quickly turn hard.
"Freezing your bread and then defrosting it as needed is probably a better option to prolong the life of your loaf."
Plastic bags also create humidity around your loaf, so you might find it goes stale or mouldy faster if it's bagged in plastic.
Refrigerating your bread might delay the mould, but unfortunately it'll make it go stale faster
Denis Gallagher, CHOICE fridge expert
The best way to treat your bread is to keep it in a paper bag. If you live somewhere particularly humid, or you just don't think you'll get through a loaf in time, slice it and pop it in the freezer.
If you've missed the boat and your loaf is past its prime, whizz the stale bread up in your food processor and use the crumbs for schnitzels, pangrattato or crumbing lamb cutlets.
Don't forget to measure your doorways before choosing a fridge – it needs to make it into your kitchen, after all.
4. He'd never recommend buying a fridge bigger than you need
Having a fridge that's too small can create all kinds of problems, but a fridge that's bigger than you need poses problems too.
While you might swoon over slick French-door fridges, they're often overkill for small households.
If there's just two of you, you just don't need a huge 700L fridge – not only will you pay more upfront, you'll also be stuck with higher electricity bills, because having more volume to cool means it'll use more energy.
"Don't get tripped up by star ratings on big fridges – they only show you how efficient a fridge is for its size, not how much energy it uses overall," says Denis.
"A 700L fridge with a 5-star energy rating is still going to use more energy than a 4 star-rated 300L fridge.
"When you're shopping for a new fridge, look at the total energy usage, not just the stars."
When you're shopping for a new fridge, look at the total energy usage, not just the stars
Denis Gallagher, CHOICE fridge expert
For one or two people, a fridge that's between 250 and 380L is all you'll need. If you're a household of five or more, then that huge 440L fridge will be appropriate. If you're not sure what size fridge you need, we break it down in our expert fridge buying guide.
"A fridge should last a decade or more, though, so if you think your household is likely to grow within that time, then buy a fridge that will accommodate your future needs," says Denis.
A fridge that's bursting at the seams won't be as efficient as one that has enough room to circulate cold air easily, though, so a smaller fridge doesn't make sense if you know you'll need the extra space.
We've been testing fridges for more than half a century, so we know what to look for.
5. He'd never buy a fridge that failed our tests
"Buying a not-so-hot fridge can leave you burnt in a few different ways," says Denis.
"Not only could you end up paying more in electricity, you might also have to fork out for repairs or to replace the fridge sooner than you'd like because it dies.
"And if it doesn't hold a stable temperature, your grocery bills could blow out from having to replace food that's gone off too quickly."
The energy your fridge uses makes up around 8% of your total energy bill, so it's important to factor those costs into your budget when buying a new fridge.
The energy your fridge uses makes up around 8% of your total energy bill
Our detailed reviews include estimates of how much the fridge will cost to run over 10 years to help you make the best choice for your needs.
You can filter our reviews by brand name, price, size, type and running costs to find the perfect fridge for your kitchen.
… and the rest
While those are the top five no-nos, there are plenty more things Denis advises you avoid doing with your fridge. Here are some more:
- Storing tomatoes in the fridge is a big no-no. They lose their flavour in the fridge, so they're best kept in a bowl on the benchtop, separate from other fruit and veg.
- Don't just put your fruit and veg anywhere in the crisper – different produce needs different humidity levels. In most fridges you can tweak the crisper's humidity to suit. Our guide to keeping your fruit and vegetables fresh explains the best way to store your produce.
- When measuring up for a new fridge, never measure just the kitchen space – Denis recommends always measuring your doorways and halls to make sure you can actually get it into the house. There's no point buying a fancy French-door fridge if you have to leave it out on the porch!
- Denis says he'd never buy a side-by-side fridge and freezer – our tests show that they tend to have poor temperature evenness, and the narrow space can be difficult to use.
- Don't use your regular fridge for cellaring wine. The optimum temperature for long-term wine storage is between 12 and 18°C, and wine fridges are better at keeping the temperature consistent – which is vital for the quality of your wine. Just pop your whites in the fridge to chill them to serving temperature before you drink them.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
