Buzz
The lower freezing compartment is often designed wider and consumes less energy than the upper freezing compartment.
1. What sets apart the upper and lower freezing compartments in a refrigerator?
With a diverse range of capacities, from 150 to over 500 liters, the double-door refrigerators offer various options, notably the upper freezing compartment and the lower freezing compartment.
Fundamentally, both these variants are designed with two independent compartments, wherein the freezing section typically occupies one-third of the refrigerator design, leaving the rest for the cooling section. The key difference lies in the placement, with the upper freezing compartment situated at the top and the lower freezing compartment at the bottom. This distinct design variation sets them apart.
The first notable difference is in convenience. Usually, the cooling section is frequently accessed, and for refrigerators with the freezing compartment at the top, users must bend down to retrieve items. On the contrary, refrigerators with the lower freezing compartment offer the convenience of having the cooling section at the top, making it easier to access items without the need to stoop.
Additionally, lower freezing compartment refrigerators often feature a more spacious freezing section compared to their upper freezing counterparts, catering to users who prefer storing a larger quantity of frozen foods.
Image: Haier.
Optimizing the lower freezing compartment in refrigerators leads to more efficient energy consumption. Traditional refrigerators typically place the compressor at the bottom, and when integrated with a top freezer, the longer air ducts result in higher electricity consumption. In contrast, having the freezer at the bottom with the compressor nearby shortens the air ducts, contributing to energy savings. Additionally, bottom freezer refrigerators employ dual-cooling technology, eliminating the need to utilize cold air from the freezer but maintaining stable temperatures in separate compartments. This innovative approach reduces energy consumption compared to top freezer refrigerators, which often use frost-free cooling technology, relying on cold air descending from the freezer to the fresh food compartment. The use of dual-cooling technology in bottom freezer refrigerators, featuring curved airflow channels, ensures even distribution of cold air, enhancing food preservation. These refrigerators typically offer capacities exceeding 250 liters, with prices ranging from 9 to nearly 20 million VND. Bottom freezer refrigerators provide a wider range of options, with prices starting from 4 million VND for a 150-liter model. For products with similar capacities, the price difference between these two refrigerator types is approximately 20%. In high-end models, both types offer comparable features, including odor and bacteria elimination technologies.
