Posted by Claire.Hampshire
Thursday, 25 Jun 2009
It’s one of the most heart-breaking things… money is a bit tight but you are managing to tick by and you can see an end in sight; then the fridge breaks, or you come to get your tea out of the freezer only to discover a big soggy mess where all your frozen food once was. So you go looking for a cheap replacement fridge and/or freezer in the hope that you will still be able to see that end in sight, but how do you go about choosing a cheap kitchen appliance without compromising on the quality?
Well you can stop panicking everyone, because I have come up with a few points to take into consideration when pondering this dilemma.
The most obvious (and possibly infuriating, sorry!) is that really cheap appliances are a false economy, as you will only have to replace it again a year down the line when it starts billowing smoke. But don’t lose heart, it is still possible to get a decent fridge under £200. Or if it is your freezer that’s the problem, there are a good range of cheap upright freezers and chest freezers that fall into the price band.
Another thing to take into consideration is the energy efficiency of the appliance you are buying, as this could save you money in the long run on your electricity bills. Siemens A++ rated fridges provide the best energy efficiency in this category without being too expensive, or another option would be to combine both appliances and opt for an A++ rated fridge freezer, saving money and energy!
On the topic of saving energy and money, if you live alone, maybe try this Lec mini fridge; they are cheaper to buy and will take less energy to power.
These are just a few quick pointers, but for more detailed information on how you much money a wide range of appliances will save you on your energy bills, check out sust-it.net.