When it comes to refrigerators, your options nowadays go far beyond getting a glass of ice water without having to open the door. Zeroing in on the right one for you is not easy as there are many aspects to consider starting from the size to door style, energy efficiency, brand, and price. If you are thinking of replacing your existing refrigerator but are confused about where to start? here are a few pro tips to keep in mind which you can read on your way to buy the refrigerator, in just a few minutes.

Capacity/size requirement

The capacity of a refrigerator is essentially measured in litres.  With the advancement in technology, the capacity range of the appliance has grown from the lowest capacity to the highest at an exceptional rate. For you to be able to decide your requirement, one of the key factors to keep in mind is the size of your family which will determine the amount of food you will be keeping inside your refrigerator. If you are a family of 2-5 people a 263- 364 litre fridge should suffice.

Consider investing in a convertible fridge

If you are looking to replace your current refrigerator, you may want to consider investing in a convertible refrigerator for its impressive flexibility, and multipurpose function as a refrigerator or freezer basis your requirement/demand. You can check out the Bosch Max Flex which is India’s 1st flexible refrigerator. Developed to suit the requirements of Indian households, this range of indigenous refrigerators addresses a key requirement of storage flexibility.

Convenience

It is undeniable that ice and water dispensers offer a lot of convenience when it is a part of the refrigerator. Being able to fill a glass with cubed or crushed ice or fill it with drinking water makes it very easy to prepare family meals or entertain guests.

Budget-friendly

Price is an important criterion in deciding on a new fridge. Start with an estimate of how much you want to spend. A fridge is an investment in a machine that needs to run 24/7. So, buying a fridge that is less burden on your pockets, and your bills and offers all the amenities is a must look-in specification.

Look for energy-efficiency

When you are buying a new fridge ensure to look for the Energy Star label, which educates consumers on how much electricity a refrigerator consumes per unit. More the number of stars for a fridge, the lesser energy it uses.

Realme announced its foray into the fast-growing refrigerator category with Flipkart, as summers peak across the country. With a rising demand for powerful and energy-efficient cooling appliances, realme has introduced a versatile portfolio of Single and Double-door refrigerators, catering to the differentiated needs of the customers. The launch of the refrigerator range with advanced cooling technology, premium design aesthetics, and a wide array of storage capacity will augment the smart life experience for consumers. The Single and Double-door variants are available on Flipkart from INR 12,490 and INR 23,490 onwards respectively.

The new range is designed to suit the changing needs of the consumers and fulfills the demand for large capacity models with minimalistic design. While the single door refrigerators are available in 195 litre, and 215 litre with 2 and 3-star variants in Floral Patterns, the double door refrigerators are available in 260 litre, 280 litre, 308 litre, and 338 litre capacities in premium Black Uniglass finish.

With a mission to deliver an enhanced customer experience that exceeds expectations with every product, the 9 variants categorized under Single Door and Double Door have been designed keeping the Indian summers in mind. The models offer superlative cooling efficiency and feature faster cooling with the Copper Capillaries taking freezer temperatures up to -23* degrees Celsius. The Cooling Adjustment Knob guarantees optimal cooling in every season by allowing for external temperature-based monitoring and control, resulting in maximum energy savings. The new range also offers stabilizer-free operations which are designed and tested to operate under electric voltage fluctuations in the range of 160~260 volts.

realme’s foray into refrigerators comes after a successful portfolio expansion into ACs and washing machines with Flipkart early this year to cater to a wide range of requirements of millions of customers across the country.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Madhav Sheth, CEO – realme India, Vice President – realme, President – realme International Business Group, said, “As the fastest-growing technology brand in the world, we envision creating a connected, smart life ecosystem for consumers. The foray into the refrigerator segment re-affirms this and  strengthens our commitment to bring cutting-edge, segment-leading technology products at the most versatile price points. Through collaboration with Flipkart, we are confident of reaching out to aspiring buyers across Tier 1 to Tier 3 cities and addressing the growing need for smart home and cooling appliances. We recently launched an all-new air-conditioner range, in association with Flipkart, and have seen an enthusiastic response from our fans. We are confident of replicating the same success with the refrigerator range.”

Hari Kumar, Vice-President, Large Appliances at Flipkart, said, “As India goes through a severe heatwave, Flipkart through its widest selection of cooling appliances and state-of-the-art supply chain, has been fulfilling customers’ demand for powerful and energy efficient cooling appliances at their doorsteps. In the past few months, we have witnessed a significant increase in demand for cooling appliances by over 25% as against the same period last year across cities including New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. This has also driven the demand for smart appliances which offer bacteria free, odour free and quick chill capabilities and the launch of realme’s range of refrigerators aims to meet these evolving demands of customers across the country.”

Haier will be setting a record to be India’s first brand to launch ‘Made in India, Made for India’ 2 & 3 door convertible SBS (side by side) 682 and 683 refrigerator series at a starting price of INR 1,27,00 and INR 1,40,000.

After conducting intensive consumer research in India to understand the usage patterns of customers owning a side by side (SBS) refrigerator, Haier landed with a key insight that consumers today not only wish for an SBS refrigerator that has a bigger refrigerator section but also gives the control in their hands to personalize it the way they want. Since most households in India are vegetarian, the large freezer space in a side by side refrigerator is usually under-utilized, while the need for a larger refrigerator section is rarely met. To address these concerns, Haier has introduced two iconic side by side refrigerators which are ‘Made in India and Made for India’.  

Haier 683 Series 3-door convertible side by side refrigerator 

Haier’s revolutionary offering for the Indian market this festive season is India’s first 3-door convertible side by side refrigerator (683 series). With a 21% convertible section on the top left, it will allow users to increase the refrigerator space from 62% (dedicated) to 83% with just 17% reserved for the freezer at the bottom left, making it truly customizable to complement the needs of a contemporary Indian home. If in case, a user requires more freezer space, they would have the flexibility to increase it to 38% using the convertible section. 

Haier 682 Series 2 door convertible side by side refrigerator 

Another innovation that Haier is introducing for its customers is the all-new 682 series side by side refrigerator which will be India’s first 2-door 100% convertible SBS with the capability to work as a 100% refrigerator unit. With an improved fridge to freezer ratio of 66:34, users will be able to convert and use the 34% of freezer space as a refrigerator, to suit their needs. 

Reiterating its commitment to the Indian consumers, Mr. Eric Braganza, President, Haier Appliances India said, “At Haier India, we constantly thrive on bringing a change in the lives of the people with best-in-class innovation that is truly beneficial to Indian consumers. Rooting to our deep alignment with the Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and as a part of Haier India’s commitment to producing innovative products for the Indian consumers, we have launched India’s first ‘Made in India’ 2 & 3 door convertible SBS refrigerators. We will continue to strengthen our commitment towards ‘Make in India’ and innovate for the evolving needs of our customers as part of our core philosophy of inspired living.” 

The new convertible side-by-side series allows a fridge space of 83% to accommodate a variety of different food items with convenience and for longer periods. Moreover, the new Deo-Fresh technology and Magic Cooling helps in retaining the freshness of the food. Haier India’s first 2 and 3 door Convertible Side-by-Side Refrigerators allow a mega fridge space, expert inverter technology, and magic cooling with noise reduction technology to cater to the Indian audience’s need. To enhance the consumer experience, the Side-By-Side Refrigerator is equipped with a fresh box, a jumbo ice maker, and additional door pockets that will allow for more vegetables, beverages, and cold food items to be stored fresh for a long time. The 683 range has also introduced a Hanging flexi box that is meant for the storage of cosmetics and other utility items of the consumers.   

Furthermore, this range has also taken environment consciousness to be an important factor and has an environment-friendly refrigerant gas in both the Convertible Side-by-Side series. The refrigerators also come with WiFi connectivity and control (in selected models), which will make them easier and more comfortable to use.   

Haier India’s commitment to producing innovative products for the Indian consumers has remained at the core of the business and the brand has constantly evolved to meet the consumer demands for inspired living. A complete ‘Made in India’ and ‘Made for India’ product, Haier’s SBS convertible refrigerators are being manufactured at its state-of-the-art facility in Ranjangaon, Pune. The manufacturing facility has continued to evolve the brand to innovate for Indian customers through the manufacturing of premium and high-end products such as front load Washing Machines, big capacity Bottom & Top Mount Refrigerators, large screen LEDs, inverter air conditioners, and now India’s first Convertible SBS refrigerator. The brand’s Pune industrial park today has an annual production capacity of 2 million units of refrigerators and 0.5 million units each of other categories such as Washing Machines, Air Conditioners, LED TVs, and Water Heaters. 

The refrigerator comes in a wide finish range of glass, floral and steel to complement the Indian kitchen space and has multiple aesthetic appearances – Mirror Glass, Floret Glass, Granite Glass, Black Glass, Caramel Glass, Black Shiny Steel, and Inox Steel. These designs have been selected while keeping in mind the contemporary Indian kitchen space.   

Price, availability, and Warranty: The new refrigerators in the 682 and 683 Series come with an assured warranty of 10 years on the compressor and fan motor.