Separate fridge and freezer, or two fridge freezers?

[troublegum]

There's room in my new kitchen for two appliances and I can't decide between a separate fridge and freezer, or two combined fridge freezers.

I feel like having two fridge freezers would be handy if one ever breaks down; easier to reach into upper fridges rather than bend down; can use them for different purposes e.g. snacks and meals. Also from my brief research, doing it this way would be cheaper in terms of buying the appliances. I'd get two of the same appliance, and fit hinges on opposite sides so the doors opened out and you could look into both at once.

Can anyone see a downside to this? I'm wondering if a separate fridge and freezer would be more energy efficient to run in the long term. Also, if I get combined and one eventually breaks down, we'd have to replace with a new appliance which wouldn't match the older one (minor issue, I know).

I have considered american fridge freezers but I'm not fussed about ice/chilled water and have heard they don't give a lot of storage for the space they take up.

[Murmurur]

I think having 2 fridges side by side would do my head in. I have just talked my primary schooler through unpacking the weekly shop and it was hard enough getting him to navigate one fridge, let alone 2. We'd be forever having the houmous or milk go off because it got put in the wrong fridge and forgotten about, I think. But perhaps you are much more organised than we are, and your children better trained!

[buckleten]

I love the idea of two identical fridge freezers with opposing doors! If you have the space then it sounds brilliant. I have an American fridge freezer, but also another standing freezer in the utility room 😀

[Chasingsquirrels]

I think that's a fab idea (although 2 non-matching appliances down the line would do my head in - can you integrate them so it won't be an issue?).

When we brought our house 20 years ago it already had an integrated fridge in the kitchen, and we already had a fridge freezer which we put in the utility. I've replaced the fridge freezer since but the original fridge is still going strong.

My kitchen fridge has butter, cheese, eggs, milk & condiments etc.

My fridge freezer has drinks, fruit & veg in the salad drawers, fresh meat etc.

I'd like a bigger freezer, I've been looking recently and newest ones seem to be taller that mine so will look at those when it needs replacing.

[Dilbertian]

I love the idea of two fridge-freezers side by side with the doors hung opposite each other! Especially if they're the sort with the freezer below. I think you'd soon get into the hang of certain classes of food always going in a particular fridge or freezer.

If a possible visual mismatch at some point in the future bothers you, have them integrated.

[JessicaDay]

We have an integrated fridge freezer in the kitchen, and a separate fridge and separate freezer in the utility. We moved to a house with a fitted kitchen from one with freestanding appliances (buyers had own appliances). It works really well for us, we keep stuff for next few days in kitchen, longer term stuff in utility.

Miele do a double height fridge and freezer pair designed to sit side by side with doors hung on opposite hinges. It was something we looked at when deciding between the house we bought and another one we looked at.
Fridge
Freezer

[MrsJoyless]

We have two integrated fridge freezers, with doors opening in opposite directions. The freezers are at the bottom with everything in drawers, which works really well.

[missnevermind]

I have 2 6ft fridge freezers.
My downstairs is open plan so one is in the kitchen and one is in the dining room but ostensibly still in the same room. In the dining fridge we keep the drinks and treats as well as spare milk and such

[NoNamesNoPackDrillHere]

If you do get them, go for 50/50. Mine are 60/40 and always struggle with not having enough freezer space

[teenmumandsowhat]

We opted for massive individual fridge & freezer as every fridge freezer we looked at had a considerable difference in space between the fridge and freezer, misread the size though so going from my old under counter ones to 6ft ones was a shock!

[wehaveafloater]

We have two integrated FF and it's great in the if I'm buying ahead for an occasion i just load one side and tell e dry one to keep out of that fridge! Looks like a double cupboard and i have a double pantry too to balance it with some deep storage drawers between them so I have a landing space for loading and unloading etc

[wehaveafloater]

Sorry for typos I'm on the treadmill

[VanGoghsDog]

I have a free standing full height fridge and same freezer with opposite door handles. I love this set up. I wasn't sure I would but it's great.

[Ninkanink]

One fridge, one freezer.

[phyllidia]

I would get 2 x fridge/freezers as you're in the fridge 10 times as much as the freezer, so I would prefer to have access to the fridge stuff without bending.

I'd do drinks/dairy in one and veg/meat in the other or something.

[troublegum]

It's too late for integrated as the kitchen is finished (I wasn't keen on these being integrated anyway). Have 3 dc approaching teenage years and I really like the idea of saying keep out of one of the fridges! Though I am a bit worried about forgetting about certain things in one fridge and them going off as Murmurur says...

Have just been looking at separate fridge and freezer and there just aren't that many options. At the moment we have a 143cm high fridge and an under counter freezer. The fridge is just right for now, a little more space would be nice, and we could definitely do with a little more freezer space. I think I'll go with taller units and a 60/40 split?

[Dilbertian]

Have 3 dc approaching teenage years and I really like the idea of saying keep out of one of the fridges!

In that case, get a lockable fridge

[TheSandgroper]

Sometimes vertical freezers aren't wide enough for teenage staples like frozen pizzas. Not efficient.

Have a look at what you stock and check measurements if you think that's the way you would like to go.

[Bowerbird5]

If they are approaching teenagers years you won’t have any leftovers especially if any are boys.
I have a Bosch tall fridge and a freezer in the shed. The fridge replaced a fridge freezer and we just commented about still needing the large fridge in the summer( it feels like it here 28C) and for Christmas. I can see your idea working though. Maybe have one for the tweenagers and the other with a don’t touch sign or as suggested a lock.😁

[Franticbutterfly]

We have a integrated fridge and freezer, a larder fridge, a chest freezer in the utility room. I couldn't live without them now. I think you should try to get a much space by litre as you possibly can.

[VictoriaBun]

We have 2. A half fridge/freezer in the kitchen , and then a tall freezer in the utility.