American Style Refrigeration in the UK: Why Have We Embraced It?

Kitchen trends come and go. Design elements that were popular a decade or two ago are often considered outdated or just plain ugly by today’s standards, as new trends continue to emerge and win over homeowners. But this ebb and flow doesn’t always apply: sometimes, trends stick around for long enough to simply become the norm.

Although American style fridge freezers aren’t quite in that category yet, they’re well on their way to becoming the default choice for many homeowners here in the UK. Walk into any appliance store in 2024 and you’ll be greeted with an ever-growing selection of them, with traditional freestanding and under counter models often being pushed to the wayside.

The question is why? What has made American style fridge freezers so popular in the UK – and is this popularity justified? In an effort to answer those questions, we’re going to explore the pros and cons of American style fridge freezers in detail right here. We’ll cover what makes these models different from their traditional UK-style counterparts, what makes them better (or worse) and help you work out whether they’re right for you.

What is an ‘American style’ fridge freezer?

American style fridge freezers are large, spacious appliances with a unique double-door design. While most traditional fridge freezers feature one door for the fridge compartment and another for the freezer compartment (both hinged on one side of the unit), American style models can have doors that hinge in the middle. This means they can have up to four individual doors!

There are several different types of American style fridge freezer, which we’ll explain below. However, all of them are freestanding and all of them are notably larger than their traditional European-style counterparts, both in terms of their footprint and internal storage space. Often, they come with more advanced features too, such as water dispensers and even internet connectivity.

Types of American fridge freezer

There are three main types to be aware of:

• Side by side: The most popular design, with two full-height doors that open up to reveal both the fridge and freezer compartments. 
• French door: Featuring two separate doors for the fridge compartment and just one for the freezer compartment, French door models prioritise chilled food storage, with a smaller freezer compartment than other models.
• Four door: Similar to a French door model, but with two separate doors for the freezer compartment as well as the chilled section.

What are the pros and cons?

So, we’ve covered the specifics of what American style fridge freezers are and how they differ from traditional European models. But what do these differences mean in real terms? What are the benefits and pitfalls of choosing a larger American style model? Let’s take a look.

Pros

• Space: This one’s obvious, but in terms of sheer storage space, nothing can touch an American style fridge freezer. If you have a larger family or like to entertain guests on a regular basis, you’ll have no trouble accommodating even the largest of weekly shops inside one of these giant appliances.
• Organisation: With as many as four individual compartments – plus additional storage space inside each door – American style fridge freezers make organising and arranging your food and drinks simple. You can categorise everything neatly and place similar items next to each other, allowing you to find what you’re looking for in a flash.
• Style: Again, this is an obvious one. If you’re considering choosing an American style fridge freezer, aesthetics will probably be one of the main reasons. They certainly look the part and make a statement, adding to the look of your kitchen rather than detracting from it. Who says appliances have to be ugly?
• Flexibility: With a range of different styles available (some prioritising chilled storage and others offering a larger freezer compartment) you’ll be able to find a model that meets your specific needs.
• Technology: Their larger footprint allows manufacturers to cram even more tech into their American style fridge freezers, ranging from chilled water and ice cube dispensers to smart, energy saving features. 

Cons

• Size: The sheer size of American fridge freezers renders them unsuitable for many British kitchens. Although they offer an abundance of storage space, this comes at a cost, as they take up significantly more room in your kitchen too. The double door design of these models also means they can’t be placed right next to a kitchen unit, as one door won’t be able to open fully.
• Cost: Larger, more feature-rich appliances are always going to be pricer than their more straightforward, traditional counterparts, and American style fridge freezers are no exception.
• Energy Usage: Although modern fridge freezers are far more efficient than older models, a larger appliance is automatically going to be more electricity-hungry than a smaller one. So, if you choose an American fridge freezer, you might notice a slight difference in your electricity bill. 

So, is an American style fridge freezer right for me?

If you have a particularly large family or have a spacious kitchen and want the latest, greatest fridge freezer that’s packed with advanced features, absolutely. There’s no denying it: American style fridge freezers are the cream of the crop, incorporating the very best tech and offering unmatched levels of storage space.

Ultimately though, if you don’t need masses of chilled and frozen storage space, you may be better off with a more conventional, European style model. Not only are they more compact, they still come with many of the same features as American style refrigerators do – and at a lower price too.