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Best Refrigerators in India (Single & Double Door) in 2024 Buyer's Guide

By on January 9, 2023

Refrigerators or fridges are one of the few appliances, apart from televisions, which have become omnipresent today. Almost in every urban household you might find a refrigerator standing in a corner of the house. It would not be an exaggeration if it is said that refrigerators have become an integral part of urban lives today. It performs a myriad of functions and contribute largely towards making our lives more comfortable. So it is needless to say that one must do a lot of research before going ahead with buying a refrigerator in order to buy a product which is best suited to one’s needs. If you are looking for the best single or double door refrigerator/fridge in India in 2024, then you have landed at the right place.

In this post we will try to provide you some tips to buy a new Refrigerator. But before that, we will provide you the information that you came here to look for: The Best Refrigerator/Fridge Brands and Best Models in Refrigerators. For the Buying Guide, click: here. To read about Latest Technologies in Refrigerators in India click here.

Best Refrigerator / Fridge in India in 2024

Here are some selected models:

Top BEE Star Rated Refrigerators in India (as per BEE data)

Direct Cool Models:

  • 1
    SAMSUNG RR23A2G3WDX/HL
    Gross Volume: 225.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 107.00 kWh/year
    Star Rating: 5
  • 2
    Voltas Beko RDC245A60
    Gross Volume: 225.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 107.00 kWh/year
    Star Rating: 5
  • 3
    Voltas Beko RDC240A
    Gross Volume: 220.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 107.00 kWh/year
    Star Rating: 5
  • 4
    GODREJ RD UNO 2155
    Gross Volume: 215.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 105.00 kWh/year
    Star Rating: 5
  • 5
    Voltas Beko RDC240AXNST
    Gross Volume: 220.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 109.00 kWh/year
    Star Rating: 5
  • 6
    LG GL-B221ARSZ
    Gross Volume: 215.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 107.00 kWh/year
    Star Rating: 5

Frost Free models:

  • 1
    LG GL-T302RRS4
    Gross Volume: 284.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 161.00 kWh/year
    Star Rating: 4
  • 2
    BOSCH CTC29S04DI
    Gross Volume: 290.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 166.00 kWh/year
    Star Rating: 4
  • 3
    SAMSUNG RT30T3454S8/HL
    Gross Volume: 275.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 159.00 kWh/year
    Star Rating: 4
  • 4
    LG GL-T322RRS4
    Gross Volume: 308.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 164.00 kWh
    Star Rating: 4
  • 5
    SAMSUNG RT39B553EBS/HL
    Gross Volume: 394.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 221.00 kWh
    Star Rating: 3
  • 6
    SAMSUNG RT39M553ESL/TL
    Gross Volume: 394.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 221.00 kWh
    Star Rating: 3
  • 7
    LG GL-T502FES4
    Gross Volume: 471.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 190.00 kWh
    Star Rating: 4
  • 8
    HAIER HRB-4805
    Gross Volume: 460.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 190.00 kWh
    Star Rating: 4
  • 9
    Whirlpool IF 480 D
    Gross Volume: 465.00 Lts
    Annual Electricity Consumption: 230.00 kWh
    Star Rating: 3

Popular BEE Star Rated Refrigerators in India (on Amazon)

Direct Cool models:

Frost Free models:

If you are looking for Refrigerator / fridge within a specific budget check these pages on Bijli Bachao

Best Refrigerators under 50000

Best Refrigerators under 40000

Best Refrigerators under 30000

Best Refrigerators under 25000

Best Refrigerators under 20000

Best Refrigerators under 15000

Best Refrigerators / Fridge Brands in India in 2024

These are the most popular brands for refrigerators / fridge in India. These brands always compete for top most energy efficient model as well. Among the Indian brands Godrej Fridge is quite popular. If you are looking for bigger sized models then Hitachi Fridge and Panasonic Fridge also have some good models.

If you are looking for reviews of various brands, you can check our brand review section over here: Link. Or you can click on the specific brand name mentioned above.

Buying Guide:

Different types of refrigerators / fridge

The basic function of all the refrigerators remains the same. It contains a refrigerant which absorbs the heat from the articles kept inside and transfers it to the surroundings (this is why it is advisable to keep a refrigerator at least 6 inches away from any obstruction).

Refrigerators can be broadly classified into these categories:

  1. Direct Cool Refrigerators – Also called as Single door refrigerator, as these have only one door on them. The freezer is inside the refrigerator. One thing which is attributed to this kind of refrigerators is that they tend to form frost in the freezer in a matter of a few days on continuous use (depends on the usage). In a single door refrigerator, the refrigerant passes near the freezer first to maximise the cooling in the freezer. These refrigerators are available in the capacity only upto 300 Litres and not more than that. So if you are looking to buy a refrigerator with more capacity, single door refrigerators are not for you.
  1. Frost-free refrigerator – As the name suggests, they prevent the formation of frost in the freezer consequently providing convenience of not switching of the refrigerator to remove ice, hence the name ‘frost-free’. They have a small pre-installed heating element which prevents the formation of frost in the freezer. However, this heating element also consumes electricity thus increasing the electricity consumption of the refrigerator. The minimum capacity in this type of refrigerators is 240 Litres. Frost free refrigerators can be further divided into the following types:
    • Top mount refrigerator – In this, the freezer is on the top and the fridge is beneath it. It is very common in household now-a-days. It is popularly known as Double Door Refrigerator.
    • Bottom top refrigerator – Its again a double door refrigerator in which the freezer is below the fridge. It is gaining grounds as the user does not need to bend to put or take out articles in/from the fridge. As the refrigerator is used more often than the freezer in a household, this offers a good alternative to the existing refrigerators. These refrigerators consume more energy than Top mount refrigerator.
    • Multi-door refrigerator – There are more than two doors in a multi-door refrigerator. There are different doors/drawers to access different sections of the same refrigerator. Needless to say, its electricity consumption is higher too.
    • Side by side refrigerator – Side by side refrigerators offer ever more space and flexibility. It usually is double door, one door provides access to the freezer and the other to the fridge. There are some models in this category that have attached water dispenser or ice dispenser wherein one can directly obtain chilled water or ice without opening the door of the refrigerator. Since they provide an altogether separate space of the size equal to the fridge itself, it is needless to say that the electricity consumption is higher, and so is the cost of buying it. The water and ice dispensers may further add to electricity consumption as it may provide some space for leakage of air inside the refrigerator.

In addition to the types mentioned above, there are some technologies which are being introduced in the refrigerators now-a-days:

  • Inverter Technology is the most promising technology available in market these days. This technology not only improves energy efficiency (electricity consumption), but it also keeps temperature more consistent thereby keeping food fresh for long. It saves 20-40% of electricity as compared to regular compressors. To know more about Inverter Technology Refrigerators, click this link: Refrigerators with Inverter technology can help save electricity. To Know more about different types of Inverter Compressors marketed by different brands click on this link: Types of Inverter Compressors in Different Brands of Refrigerators in India
  • There are some models of refrigerators in which you are provided with an option to convert the freezer to the refrigerator if and when you have more requirement of storage space in the refrigerator. To read more about it, click this link: All You Need To Know About Convertible Refrigerators in India
  • There is one path-breaking technology which has been doing rounds in the refrigerators lately. It concerns keeping the contents of the refrigerator cool even during a power cut. There are a few variants available in the market depending on the brand concerned. For instance, LG Durachill has a feature of ensuring the coolness of the contents of the freezer for 2 hours during power cut. Another variant, LG Power Cut Evercool is a step further. It keeps the contents of the fridge as well as the freezer cool for 7 hours during power cuts. The prices of these variants are higher than the regular ones.

The green angle

For all the environment-enthusiasts out there, refrigerator manufacturers now-a-days are coming with the eco-friendly variants. The only harm a refrigerator can cause to the environment is through the refrigerant. CFC is the most common refrigerant used now-a-days and it contributes to the greenhouse emission. However R-134 or R600A are viable and eco-friendly alternatives to this. A detailed description of the types of refrigerants can be found in “Comparison of various refrigerants (R-410A, R-22, R-290, R-134A) used for Air Conditioners and Refrigerators”.

Always look for BEE star rating

Bureau of Energy efficiency rates various brands and models of refrigerators on their efficient use of electricity. So always look for star rating. To know more about the BEE star rating program check our link:

Please note that currently BEE star rating is available only for Single Door (Direct Cool) and Double Door (Frost Free) type of models. It is not available for multi door, side-by-side and bottom freezer models. In case you are looking for refrigerator of such type, then the best way to ensure that it is energy efficient is to look for models with inverter technology.

A few important things you should keep in mind

  • The inverter technology, which is available in air conditioners, is also available in refrigerators. It optimises the electricity consumption of the refrigerator by regulating the power supply to the compressor. These are the most electricity-efficient models available in the market both in single door as well as double door.
  • Your eating habits also have an impact on the decision of the right refrigerator for you and your family. Refrigerators today are available also according to the fridge to freezer ratio. (usually 70:30 or 80:20). So if you are a vegetarian, then it is advisable to go for 80:20 model as you would need more space for storing veggies. If you are a non-vegetarian 70:30 model is recommended.
  • People have a tendency of stuffing the refrigerator disregarding the fact that this increases the electricity consumption of the refrigerator. So it is advisable to store only those articles which might perish otherwise. Avoid buying oversized refrigerators and using refrigerator as an almirah.

How size effects electricity consumption

With increasing prosperity demands of the families in India are increasing and with increasing demand, the size of refrigerators is also increasing. But increased size increases the electricity consumption of the refrigerator as well. It is observed (based on BEE data) that with every liter increase in the volume the electricity consumption of refrigerators increase by 0.5-1 units (in the same star rating band). So a 5 star 350 liters refrigerator may consume about 50-100 units per year more than a 5 star 250 liters model. Thus it is very important to pick refrigerator of right size while buying. Also refrigerators are most efficient when they are full (not over loaded). With empty refrigerators you pay more for what you use.

Other factors that impact electricity consumption

Defrost Mode: A direct cool refrigerator that needs manual defrost consumes lesser electricity than auto defrost or frost free refrigerator. A frost-free consumes 30-50% more electricity for same volume and star rating. But a frost-free gives a lot more convenience.

Ice Makers: Many new side-by-side models have ice makers that increase the electricity consumption by 10-15% as the ice dispenser creates a low insulation area, which increases electricity consumption.

More features more electricity consumption: Modern day refrigerators are loaded with features like moisture control, etc. Every feature adds to the electricity consumption (unless it is a feature designed for electricity saving). So choose the features that are helpful for your daily use. Do not just buy a loaded refrigerator just for having a feel of every feature. As every feature comes for extra cost: upfront for buying and on going for use.

About the Author:
Abhishek Jain is an Alumnus of IIT Bombay with almost 10 years of experience in corporate before starting Bijli Bachao in 2012. His passion for solving problems moved him towards Energy Sector and he is keen to learn about customer behavior towards Energy and find ways to influence the same towards Sustainability. .

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