Best fridge freezer for easy to reach shelves and no defrosting

The Haier 3D 60 Series 5 is a 60/40 split fridge freezer with outstanding features. The MyZone compartment in the fridge lets you adjust the temperature to keep different foods fresh. It uses Total No Frost tech to prevent icy build-ups in the freezer, so you’ll never need to defrost manually again. Plus, with the hOn app, you can remotely adjust your fridge’s temperature, activate Holiday Mode, and manage settings from your phone. A non-plumbed water dispenser provides chilled water at the touch of a button without needing a plumbing hook-up. Just fill the tank and enjoy cold drinks anytime.

Our tester, Matthew Gilbert, said: "Where the Haier 3D 60 Series 5 really wins you over is inside the fridge itself. On the inside of the door, you have the standard shelves with a variety of space to hold taller products as well as your usual smaller condiments and there are three shelves in the upper half of the fridge.

"The middle shelf is another example of mechanical brilliance. The design allows you to quickly and smoothly reduce its depth and I mean completely! The shelf can be half-folded or fully folded making space if you need to store taller items and this is all done without having to remove the shelf.

"The beauty of the Haier 3D 60 series 5 is that its size is no different to any standard fridge freezer but the way it uses its space intertwined with sleek mechanisms and beautiful design is on a par if not better than some of these larger products on the market…"

Read our full review of the Haier 3D 60 Series 5.

This eye-catching MoodUP™ 60/40 fridge freezer has some astonishingly innovative features – would you know from the look of it that it plays music? It also lights up and changes colour, in fact, there are 400 colour combinations, including pre-set themes such as Morning Calm. It's controlled by the LG ThinQ™ app so there's no control panels and the appliance itself remains sleek and spectacular. A hidden speaker plays music via Bluetooth and the fridge freezer's colour can change to match the vibe. Really, dinner parties will never be the same again with this fun and innovative appliance.

Like magic, knock on the tinted glass door to see inside without opening the door. AND if you're feeling at a loss for writing messages on the fridge door, there's even a touch screen where you can write reminders.

Sarah Heaps, refrigerator expert at AO.com, says: “If you’re forever hosting dinner parties, then why not choose a fridge freezer to be a talking point? Features with InstaView are a good start as they can show off the contents of your fridge in two knocks."

This is a new appliance, so online reviews have yet to conclude whether this is a brilliant forward-thinking appliance or a novelty – but, with so many innovative features to chill-out to, we can't help thinking that the future of kitchen tech is about enhancing ambience as well as performing a function.

The Samsung Bespoke RL38A776ASR fridge freezer has a Digital Inverter Compressor which adapts the fridge's power consumption based on how much cooling is needed to maintain the temperature. As such, this appliance is top for energy efficiency and quiet running. In addition, this technology is covered by a 20-year warranty.

Samsung's SpaceMax design means the fridge freezer can accommodate up to three more bags of groceries than other fridges. Plus, the fridge door has an extra-wide and deep shelf to accommodate several four-pint cartons.

The Twin Cooling Plus airflow keeps food in the fridge fresher for longer and stops food odours from tainting other foods. Plus, there are two specially designed drawers: Optimal Fresh+ for meat and fish and Humidity Fresh+ for vegetables. These drawers have independent temperature and humidity controls to provide the perfect environment for preserving particular foods.

The appliance can be positioned in a tight space, even near a wall. The recessed handle means the door can open to a 90° angle.

The fridge has a Power Cool function to quickly chill fresh groceries. Similarly, the freezer has a Power Freeze setting for rapidly freezing food.

This Samsung fridge freezer is compatible with the SmartThings app, which allows you to monitor its energy consumption.

Measure carefully before buying, as this appliance is over two metres tall. Customer reviews note that some individuals struggle to reach the top shelf. Otherwise, reviews highly praise this fridge freezer for being spacious, stylish and innovative.

You'll find that fruit and veg stays fresher for longer in the LG Centum 70/30 Fridge Freezer. Its Fresh Balancer™ drawer is humidity controlled to keep salad crisp and berries at their best. This is one of the top appliances for energy efficiency thanks to its Centrum system inverter compressor, and its annual running cost is significantly lower than other fridge freezers. This motor is also whisper quiet. Plus, the LG Centrum has a spacious 384 litre capacity, making it ideal for families.

A key feature is the Fresh Converter™ drawer which you can adapt to whatever fresh food you are storing. A dial adjusts the temperature of the drawer to suit meat, fish or fruits and vegetables. It has NatureFRESH™ with DoorCooling+™ and LinearCooling™ that ensures every part of the fridge is a consistent temperature. If you've just returned from a trip to the supermarket and need to rapidly chill fresh food, there's a handy Super Cooling feature. Supported models are compatible with the LG ThinQ™ App where you can change the fridge temperature via your phone. Also the fridge has an emphasis on 'Fresh Zones' that keep chilled food at its best, by controlling the humidity, makes it a leading fridge. But what about the freezer section?

Happily, the freezer has an auto defrost function, so you don't need to worry about defrosting every again. It has three large drawers, with one that's specifically designed for meat and fish. Just bear in mind that it's a 70/30 split, so there's less freezer space and more of an emphasis on fresh food.

The standout feature of the SAMSUNG Cooling Plus BRB26705DWW/EU is its flexible zone to switch between fridge and freezer space as needed. With 264 litres of capacity, it holds around 14 bags of groceries. It also has a no-frost design to prevent ice build-up, plus rapid cooling functions in both the fridge and freezer to chill food fast.

Samsung’s SpaceMax™ design features thinner walls, creating extra internal space without increasing the appliance's size. This allows you to store more food without needing a larger unit.

The Optimal Fresh + box features customisable temperature zones. You can store meats and fish on a cooler side while keeping fruits and vegetables in a separate zone or set it to a single temperature for larger items, making it easy to keep your food fresh. Cool Select+ allows you to adjust the temperature of a pull-out drawer to suit different foods. For example, you can chill vegetables at 3°C, freeze fish at -5°C, or freeze meat at -12°C. This flexibility helps keep your groceries in the best condition for longer.

Customer reviews highly praise this fridge freezer for its storage capacity and flexible temperature drawer. It's a high-quality appliance with premium features. However, one or two reviews mention the lack of height on the door shelves for storing larger bottles.

Bosch Series 2 KGN34NLEAG Freestanding 50/50 Fridge Freezer, Inox Look has a sleek stainless steel exterior that's a stylish alternative to white. Its 300-litre capacity equates to 18 shopping bags of groceries; four fridge shelves and a three-drawer freezer make this fridge freezer a superb option for families. It's frost-free and has an automatic Super Freezing function to freeze food fast and return it to its normal temperature efficiently. This appliance can be positioned tightly next to walls. It also has low-energy LED lighting.

Customer reviews praise the quality and stylish look of this Bosch appliance. Comments praise how spacious the fridge and freezer sections are. In particular, the Multi Box drawer for fruit and vegetables is large and easy to access. The only thing to note is that the doors are not self-closing; you must push them to fully close manually.

If you purchase from John Lewis, this appliance has a two-year guarantee and free delivery.

The Hisense RB327N4WC1 Fridge Freezer, with a 251-litre capacity for about 13 bags of groceries, is designed for convenience. It features reversible doors for a flexible kitchen layout and a 90° door opening to fit in a tight space. There is an LED light in the fridge to illuminate every corner. Wide-opening freezer drawers provide easy access, so more food is visible, and the fish fingers won't be forgotten.

This is a Total Frost Free freezer, so you'll never need to defrost. Other efficient features, including multi-air flow, ensure even cooling across shelves and preserve fresh food for longer. As a neat touch, the built-in water dispenser requires no plumbing.

Unpacking services and old appliance removal services are available. With over 50 years in the industry, Hisense is an Amazon's Choice recommended brand.

Customer reviews praise this Hisense fridge freezer for being a good size for a small family. They love the novelty of the water dispenser. For some, this is the first fridge freezer they've owned that doesn't need defrosting. In addition, customers praise the layout and the shelving, which is reasonably shallow, so it's easy to reach items. A couple of reviews also praise the freezer's top shelf, which is the ideal height to reach and grab items, such as a favourite tub of ice cream.

The Bosch Series 2 KGN33NWEAG 60/40 Fridge Freezer is a freestanding appliance. It has a comparatively good energy efficiency rating and has a free 5-year warranty when you buy through AO.com. The 60/40 split is ideal if you tend to have more fresh groceries, and the 192-litre fridge has ample storage space for large bottles on the door shelves and a generously sized Salad Crisper drawer. The overall 279-litre capacity holds 15 bags of groceries, making it a good option for a family. Plus, the door shelving in the fridge can accommodate large bottles. The top shelf of the freezer is an easy-access drawer that pulls out. It makes freezing ice cube trays a lot easier.

This appliance has a range of features, including: Frost Free technology, Holiday Setting, Fast Freeze and a reversible door.

Customer reviews praise this fridge freezer for slotting in well and being spacious inside. It's also quieter than their previous appliances. Some customers would have liked an extra shelf in the fridge, but the majority of reviews, highly praise this Bosch appliance, with a rating of 4.7 out of 5 on AO.com.

This Samsung 65/35 fridge freezer is ideal for big households wanting modern features like a water dispenser and ice maker. With a large 634L capacity, it’s ideal for large families and entertaining, storing up to 39 bags of groceries. The SpaceMax design provides a sleek, thinner profile with more interior capacity.

The Twin Cooling Plus™ keeps the fridge and freezer at separate temperatures to maintain food quality. Smart Conversion adds flexibility with five temperature setting. Samsung's unique feature temporarily converts the freezer section into a fridge for extra chilled space. Plus, the vertical freezer design makes it easy to see everything inside, running alongside the full-length fridge. In addition, the Total No Frost technology means no manual defrosting is required, eliminating that dreaded chore.

Reviews indicate that customers enjoy the ice dispenser, which can make cubed and crushed ice. However, remember that the doors are heavier than standard fridge freezer doors, especially when full of groceries.

The advantage of this under-counter fridge freezer is that it has separate doors on the fridge and freezer compartments, so it's a step up from having an ice box. It's a 70/30 split with the freezer section on top, making it easier to reach and see what frozen foods are there. It accommodates four to five bags of groceries with an 85-litre capacity, yet it is neat and compact. The fridge has two adjustable shelves, a crisper drawer and two door racks. The doors are reversible so you can fit them to suit your kitchen layout. This appliance is ideal for an elderly couple or as a great second fridge for storing extra food.

Customer reviews praise how spacious this small fridge freezer is, with good depth. The only difficulty some individuals may have is reaching down to the salad crisper drawer.

If you are living alone, short on space, or looking for a second fridge freezer for drinks, this CHiQ FBM157L4EU 70/30 Fridge Freezer is a great option. For under £250, it's an energy-efficient and low-frost appliance.

This compact, sleek black fridge freezer, is an Amazon's Choice recommended product. It's the perfect size for households of one or two people. It operates at a quiet 39dB, making it suitable for open-plan spaces or bedrooms. The fridge has ample door storage, adjustable shelves for flexibility and a simple temperature control dial.

With low frost technology in the freezer, it requires less defrosting than standard models. It also has low energy consumption and reversible doors to suit your room's layout.

Customers praise its compact, efficient design and quiet operation, making it great value for money. Plus, appliance collection and unpacking are available from Amazon for an additional cost.