Fresh-food-first family cooks
If yoghurt, dairy, cooked dishes and ingredients for several meals fill the fridge, prioritise accessible chilled shelves and a way to check the fridge temperature.
Who needs which kind of space?
Mixed fresh-and-frozen shoppers
If one appliance must hold both the family's fresh groceries and frozen food, compare the stated fridge and freezer volumes separately. The split that suits you depends on how much of each you store.
Households working around an existing kitchen
If an appliance must replace a built-in unit or fit beside cabinets, check the opening, access route and full door swing before settling on a capacity or format.
What matters when choosing?
For yoghurt storage, start with GOV.UK's guidance to keep a fridge between 0 and 5°C. Then decide how much chilled space you need alongside frozen storage, and whether the appliance will fit.
Fridge-only or larder fridge
Choose when: Chilled yoghurt, dairy and meal ingredients take priority, and you do not need this appliance to store frozen food.
Trade-off: It provides no freezer; check that the available space and door opening suit the particular model.
70/30 or 60/40 fridge-freezer
Choose when: You need both compartments, with a 70/30 split favouring chilled storage and a 60/40 split allowing a larger freezer share.
Trade-off: Total appliance capacity includes the freezer, so compare the stated fridge litres before deciding.
Wide multi-door fridge-freezer
Choose when: Frequent large shops call for substantial chilled and frozen storage, and the kitchen has room for a wider appliance.
Trade-off: Check the access route, depth and door clearance; extra overall capacity alone does not establish how much usable fridge space you will have.
| Concern | Buying checks | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Yoghurt and dairy storage | Check how to set and monitor the whole fridge at 0–5°C; follow the yoghurt packaging instructions. | If I am storing fresh yoghurt for family meals, I want to know the whole fridge stays at an appropriate temperature rather than relying on a special drawer. Around 36% of consumers put suitable dairy storage first. |
| Usable chilled space | Compare chilled-compartment litres and shelf layout, not just total appliance capacity. | When yoghurt pots, ingredients and prepared dishes need room together, accessible fridge shelves matter more to me than a large combined-capacity figure. This is the primary need for around 29% of consumers. |
| Kitchen fit | Measure height, width, depth, the access route and full door opening; check the model's installation instructions. | If I am replacing an appliance in a fitted kitchen, it must go into the available space and let me open its doors properly. Around 21% of consumers place fit first. |
| Energy information and upkeep | Compare the exact model's UK energy information; if it has a freezer, check its defrosting requirements. | If the ongoing energy information or the work of maintaining a freezer drives my choice, I need to compare those details on the models I am considering. Around 14% of consumers make this their primary concern. |
Buying mistakes to avoid
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Comparing total litres instead of fridge litres
A fridge-freezer's total includes its freezer. For a family storing yoghurt and meal ingredients, a large overall figure can still leave too little accessible chilled space.
Compare the exact chilled-compartment volume and shelves, then choose a freezer share that reflects what you actually store.
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Choosing a model before measuring the kitchen
Height, depth, ventilation space and door swing can affect whether a fridge is practical to install and use. An integrated replacement also needs to suit its cabinet and hinge arrangement.
Measure the opening and access route, then check the exact model's installation instructions and, where relevant, its hinge type.
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Assuming a freshness feature extends yoghurt's shelf life
A feature intended for one type of food does not establish how long yoghurt will keep. Beko describes HarvestFresh in relation to fruit and vegetables, separately from its dairy-suitable chiller compartment.
Prioritise a fridge kept at 0–5°C and follow the yoghurt packaging instructions. Check a chiller zone's stated uses and capacity on the exact model.
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Assuming home collection of an old fridge is free
In-store electrical take-back and collection from your home are different arrangements. GOV.UK says retailers may charge transport costs for collecting waste electrical equipment from a customer's home.
Before ordering, ask the retailer whether it offers collection at your address and what its arrangements cover.
Home collection may carry a transport charge.
Brands to consider
Bosch
A reference point for comparing freestanding and integrated fridge-freezers, provided you assess each model's compartments and installation requirements separately.
- Bosch lists 279 L of chilled space and 89 L of frozen space for the freestanding KGN392LEBG.
- Those volumes and the KGN392LEBG's 2030 × 600 × 660 mm dimensions describe that model, not every Bosch fridge-freezer.
Beko
Worth comparing if a model-specific dairy chiller or a choice between freestanding and integrated installation matters to you.
- Beko describes the chiller compartment on its CNG5785V as suitable for dairy.
- The CNG5785V is discontinued, and Beko's HarvestFresh fruit-and-vegetable claims do not establish longer yoghurt storage. Check the features on any current model you consider.
Samsung
A reference point for households comparing conventional fridge-freezers with larger French-door or side-by-side formats.
- Samsung's UK catalogue includes a 495 L French-door model, illustrating a larger-format option.
- Check the dimensions, fridge-compartment capacity and energy information for the exact model; format alone does not settle those questions.
Joybuy fridge-freezer options
These options are fridge-freezers for families needing both chilled food storage and a freezer: two integrated 70/30 models, a freestanding 60/40 model and two larger formats. Compare their kitchen fit and confirm how the fridge temperature is controlled before choosing one for yoghurt.
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CDA FW872 integrated 70/30 frost-free fridge-freezer, white
Consider this format if you need both compartments in an integrated kitchen, with a 70/30 split that favours the fridge.
Its name specifies frost-free operation. Check the required cabinet opening and hinge arrangement, and confirm how to keep the fridge at 0–5°C.
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Candy CBBML18EK 177 cm integrated 70/30 Low Frost fridge-freezer
This integrated option suits a household seeking more fridge than freezer space in one appliance.
The name states 262 L overall capacity and an E energy rating. Check the required kitchen opening, door arrangement and fridge temperature controls; Low Frost does not mean frost-free.
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Bosch KGN362WDFG Series 4 60/40 NoFrost fridge-freezer, white
Consider this freestanding split if the family needs a freezer alongside its chilled food and a 70/30 arrangement would allocate too little space to frozen groceries.
The name states a height of 186 cm, width of 60 cm and D energy rating. Check door and ventilation clearances, shelf layout and how the whole fridge is set to 0–5°C.
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Haier Cube 90 Series 3 HCR39F19EWPT(UK) four-door fridge-freezer, black
This freestanding four-door format is worth considering if a large family shop calls for substantial chilled and frozen storage.
The name states 649 L capacity. Measure the access route, appliance space and door swing, and check the whole-fridge controls rather than assuming a specialised zone is suitable for yoghurt.
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Samsung Bespoke AI Series 7 RS70F67QCTEU American-style fridge-freezer, silver
Consider this American-style format if you need a larger combined appliance and have measured space for it.
The name states a C energy rating. Compare the exact chilled-compartment space and shelves with your family's needs, and confirm door clearance and whole-fridge temperature controls.
Common questions
What temperature should a fridge be for fresh yoghurt?
Keep the fridge between 0 and 5°C, in line with GOV.UK food-storage guidance. Use a fridge thermometer to check it, and follow the yoghurt packaging's storage instructions and date label.
Is a 70/30 fridge-freezer better than a 50/50 model for family meals?
A 70/30 split makes more sense if chilled yoghurt, dairy and meal ingredients need more space than frozen food; a 50/50 split suits a more even balance. These labels describe the relative section heights, so compare each model's stated fridge litres and shelf layout too.
What should I measure before ordering a fridge-freezer?
Measure the available height, width and depth, the route into the kitchen and the space needed to open the doors. Follow the exact model's ventilation instructions; for an integrated replacement, check the cabinet opening and hinge arrangement as well.
How should I compare fridge energy information?
Use the UK energy label and product information for the exact model, comparing appliances of a suitable format and capacity. GOV.UK's energy-labelling guidance covers products within the applicable rules; a rating letter alone does not tell you how much chilled space a fridge-freezer provides.
Can a retailer collect my old fridge?
Ask the retailer whether it offers collection from your address when you buy the replacement. GOV.UK distinguishes free in-store electrical take-back from home collection, for which a retailer may charge transport costs; check the retailer's arrangements before ordering.