If you want a trusted name with frost free, a Hisense is a strong option; for a smaller household or kitchen, a compact 174-litre model saves space and money; and if you shop fresh and freeze little, a fridge-heavy 60/40 split suits better. Two things decide the right one: the fridge-to-freezer split (how you shop) and whether you want frost free to skip defrosting. And always measure your space first. Below we cover all of it, plus why the energy rating matters more here than on most appliances.
Last reviewed 14 October 2026
Prices and stock on this page are pulled live from each listing and refresh several times a day. A fridge freezer runs 24 hours a day for years, so match it to how you shop (the fridge-to-freezer split), decide whether frost free is worth avoiding the defrosting chore, and measure your space first. A Fridgemaster 50/50 is our value pick. How we choose: we compare the live Amazon listings, the makers' published specs and the owner reviews, including the 1 to 3 star ones, and we don't test hands-on, so we never claim to.
The top 4, ranked
★ Our pick · Best overallFridgemaster MC55240ES Fridge Freezer (252L, 50/50)A 252-litre 50/50 fridge freezer from a recognised UK brand: the balanced family choice.£259.00£279.00Save 7%In stockBuy on Amazon
Best brandHisense RB327N4WCE Fridge Freezer (256L, 50/50)A trusted-brand 256-litre 50/50 fridge freezer, a reassuring everyday choice.£369.00In stockBuy on Amazon
Best for small spacesCOMFEE' 174L Fridge Freezer (Low Frost)A compact 174-litre fridge freezer for smaller households and kitchens, at a value price.See alternativesOut of stockBuy on Amazon
Best budget / fridge-heavyFridgemaster MC50175A Fridge Freezer (175L, 60/40)A slim 50cm, 60/40 fridge-heavy machine for around £179: the cheapest, if you shop fresh.£179.00£189.00Save 5%In stockBuy on AmazonCompare the specs
| Product | Capacity | Split | Frost free | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fridgemaster MC55240ES Fridge Freezer (252L, 50/50)★ Best Overall | 252L | 50/50 | Check listing | Balanced family use | £259.00 |
| Hisense RB327N4WCE Fridge Freezer (256L, 50/50)Best Brand | 256L | 50/50 | Check listing | Brand reassurance | £369.00 |
| COMFEE' 174L Fridge Freezer (Low Frost)Best for Small Spaces | 174L | Compact | Low frost | Small households, flats | See alternatives |
| Fridgemaster MC50175A Fridge Freezer (175L, 60/40)Best Budget / Fridge-Heavy | 175L | 60/40 | Check listing | Fresh shoppers, slim gaps, budget | £179.00 |
Prices are live from Amazon and refresh through the day; last page update 14 October 2026.
The fridge-to-freezer split: match it to how you shop
The split is how the space divides between fridge and freezer, and it is the decision most people overlook. Match it to how you actually shop and cook:
- 50/50: an even split, roughly half fridge, half freezer. Suits households that keep plenty of fresh food and also freeze a fair amount, batch cookers, families stocking up. The most versatile all-rounder.
- 60/40 or 70/30 (fridge-heavy): a larger fridge and smaller freezer. Suits people who shop fresh, cook from scratch and only freeze the odd thing.
- Freezer-heavy splits exist too, for people who batch-cook and freeze a lot, though they are less common.
There is no universally "best" split, only the one that matches your habits. Think about whether your fridge or your freezer is the one that always runs out of room, and buy accordingly.
Frost free, low frost or static?
- Frost free: circulates air to stop ice building up, so you never have to defrost the freezer, no chipping away at ice or emptying it out. The big convenience win. Costs a bit more and can run marginally higher on energy, but most people find it well worth it.
- Low frost: reduces ice build-up so you defrost far less often than an old model, a middle ground on price.
- Static / manual defrost: cheapest, but ice builds up and you have to defrost it periodically, which is a chore and temporarily empties the freezer.
If you hate defrosting (most people do), frost free is worth the small extra. If budget is tight and you do not mind an occasional defrost, low frost or static saves money. It is a convenience-versus-cost trade, so decide how much the defrosting chore bothers you.
Measure first: it runs 24/7, so get it right
- Measure the gap, width, height and depth, and remember to allow ventilation space around and behind it, which the manual specifies, or it runs hotter and less efficiently.
- Check door clearance: make sure the door opens fully and the drawers pull out in your kitchen layout, and which way the door is hinged (some are reversible).
- Width matters: standard freestanding machines are around 55 to 60cm; slim 50cm models fit narrower gaps but hold less.
- Getting it in: check it fits through doorways and round corners on the way to the kitchen.
Our picks in detail
Fridgemaster MC55240ES Fridge Freezer (252L, 50/50)
A 252-litre 50/50 fridge freezer from a recognised UK brand: the balanced family choice.
A popular family fridge freezer.
The Fridgemaster MC55240ES is the fridge freezer most families should buy. Its even 50/50 split gives you a generous fridge and a generous freezer, which suits the common household that keeps plenty of fresh food and also freezes a fair amount, and at around 252 litres it has the capacity for a family's weekly shop. Fridgemaster is a long-established UK appliance brand, and at a sensible price this is a well-balanced, no-drama machine that does the everyday job well.
It is a value brand rather than a premium name, so the finish and features are practical rather than fancy, and you should check the energy rating for running cost since it runs around the clock. But the fundamentals, a balanced split, family capacity and a recognised brand, are all here for the money. If you freeze little and shop fresh, a fridge-heavy 60/40 suits better; if you want a trusted name with frost free, see the Hisense. For the best-balanced family fridge freezer, this is the pick.
Hisense RB327N4WCE Fridge Freezer (256L, 50/50)
A trusted-brand 256-litre 50/50 fridge freezer, a reassuring everyday choice.
If you want a recognised brand, the Hisense RB327N4WCE is a dependable 256-litre 50/50 fridge freezer. Hisense is an established name across home appliances, and this gives you a balanced split, family-sized capacity and the reassurance of a bigger brand's reliability record and support, in a clean 55cm-wide design that fits standard kitchen gaps. It is a well-rounded machine for the everyday job of keeping food fresh and frozen.
It costs a touch more than the value brands for a similar core spec, so you are partly paying for the name and its backing, and stock can come and go. But for buyers who want a known appliance brand at a fair price, it is a sensible, reassuring choice. If you want the lowest price or a smaller size, the other picks suit better; for a trusted-brand 50/50 fridge freezer, this is the one. (Stock can be limited.)
COMFEE' 174L Fridge Freezer (Low Frost)
A compact 174-litre fridge freezer for smaller households and kitchens, at a value price.
If you cook for one or two or have a small kitchen, a full family fridge freezer is more than you need, and the COMFEE 174-litre is a tidy, value-priced fit. The smaller footprint suits flats, compact kitchens and smaller households, it still gives you a usable fridge and freezer for everyday food, and the low-frost design reduces how often you need to defrost compared with an old static model. For the space and the money, it is a sensible compact choice.
The obvious limit is capacity, it will not hold a big family's weekly shop or a lot of batch-frozen food, so it is the wrong pick for larger households. And low frost is not quite full frost free, so occasional defrosting is still needed. But for smaller homes it is the right size rather than a compromise, and buying compact when compact suits you saves space and money. If you need family capacity, the Fridgemaster or Hisense are better; for a small space, this is the pick.
Fridgemaster MC50175A Fridge Freezer (175L, 60/40)
A slim 50cm, 60/40 fridge-heavy machine for around £179: the cheapest, if you shop fresh.
If you shop fresh and freeze little, and want to spend as little as possible, the Fridgemaster MC50175A is the pick at around £179. Its 60/40 split gives you a larger fridge and a smaller freezer, which suits people who keep lots of fresh food and only freeze the odd thing, and at a slim 50cm wide it squeezes into narrower gaps than standard 55cm machines. It is the cheapest sensible full fridge freezer here from a recognised UK brand.
At this price and size the freezer is small, so it is the wrong choice for batch cookers or anyone who freezes a lot, and the features are basic. But for a fresh-food shopper who wants a larger fridge, a slim footprint and the lowest price, it is honest value. If you freeze a fair amount, a 50/50 split suits better; if you shop fresh, want a slim machine and the cheapest price, this is the one.
Why the energy rating matters more here
Unlike a washing machine or oven that runs for an hour at a time, a fridge freezer is on 24 hours a day, every day, for years. That makes its efficiency matter more than almost any other appliance, because a small difference in daily consumption adds up over a decade of continuous running.
- Check the energy rating and the annual kWh figure on the label. A more efficient model costs less to run every year, which over its long life can outweigh a higher purchase price.
- At the Ofgem cap of 26.32p per kWh, the running cost of a fridge freezer is a real, ongoing line on your bill, so efficiency is worth paying a little for.
- Help it run efficiently: leave ventilation space, do not set it colder than needed (around 3 to 5 degrees fridge, minus 18 freezer), keep it reasonably full, and let hot food cool before putting it in.
Common myths, corrected
- "Bigger is always better." No. An over-large fridge freezer wastes space and energy if you do not fill it, and may not fit your kitchen. Match the capacity and split to your household and shopping.
- "Frost free is just marketing." No, it genuinely means you never defrost the freezer, which is a real convenience. It costs a little more but saves a tedious chore.
- "Premium brands keep food fresher." Not meaningfully. All decent fridge freezers hold safe temperatures. You pay more for brand, finish, features and sometimes efficiency, not dramatically fresher food.
- "The energy rating barely matters." It matters more here than on most appliances, because it runs 24/7 for years. A small efficiency difference adds up over a decade.
What we’d skip
- Buying the wrong split for how you shopA fridge-heavy 60/40 wastes freezer space if you batch-cook, and a 50/50 gives you less fridge if you shop fresh daily. Work out whether your fridge or freezer always runs out of room, and match the split to that.
- Buying static or manual-defrost to save money if you hate defrostingIce builds up and you have to periodically empty and defrost the freezer, which is a chore. Frost free avoids it entirely for a small extra cost, which most people find well worth it.
- Ordering without measuring your space, ventilation and door clearanceIt runs 24/7 and is a big item to return, so measure the gap, allow the ventilation space the manual requires, check the door opens and hinges the right way, and confirm it fits through your doorways.
- Ignoring the energy ratingA fridge freezer runs around the clock for years, so efficiency matters more than on most appliances. Check the annual kWh figure, as a more efficient model saves money every year and can outweigh a higher purchase price over its life.
- Buying a huge machine you will not fillAn over-large, half-empty fridge freezer wastes energy and space and may not fit your kitchen. Match the capacity to your household rather than buying the biggest; around 250 litres suits most families, less for smaller homes.
Frequently asked questions
What fridge-to-freezer split should I choose?
Match it to how you shop. A 50/50 split gives roughly equal fridge and freezer and suits households that keep plenty fresh and also freeze a fair amount, like batch cookers and families stocking up. A fridge-heavy 60/40 or 70/30 gives a larger fridge and smaller freezer, suiting people who shop fresh and only freeze the odd thing. There is no universally best split, so think about whether your fridge or freezer always runs out of room and buy accordingly.
Is a frost free fridge freezer worth it?
For most people, yes. Frost free circulates air to stop ice building up in the freezer, so you never have to defrost it, no chipping away at ice or emptying it out, which is a tedious chore on older static models. It costs a bit more and can run marginally higher on energy, but the convenience of never defrosting is well worth it for most households. If budget is tight and you do not mind occasional defrosting, a low-frost or static model saves money.
What size fridge freezer do I need?
Match the capacity to your household: around 250 litres suits most families, while smaller households and flats can do with 150 to 200 litres. Bigger is not automatically better, as an over-large machine wastes energy if you do not fill it and may not fit your kitchen. Also consider the split between fridge and freezer based on how you shop. And always measure your space, including ventilation clearance, before buying, since it is a big item to return.
How much does a fridge freezer cost to run?
It is a real, ongoing cost because a fridge freezer runs 24 hours a day, every day, for years, unlike appliances used in short bursts. The exact cost depends on the model's efficiency and your tariff, but at the Ofgem cap of 26.32p per kWh, the annual running cost is a genuine line on your bill. Check the energy rating and the annual kWh figure when buying, as a more efficient model saves money every year and can outweigh a higher purchase price over its long life.
Does the energy rating really matter on a fridge freezer?
More than on most appliances, because it runs continuously for years rather than for an hour at a time. A small difference in daily consumption adds up significantly over a decade of 24/7 running, so a more efficient fridge freezer saves money every year. Check the energy label and the annual kWh figure, and help it run efficiently by leaving ventilation space, not setting it colder than needed, keeping it reasonably full, and letting hot food cool before putting it in.
Do expensive fridge freezers keep food fresher?
Not meaningfully. All decent fridge freezers hold safe, stable temperatures that keep food fresh and frozen properly, so a premium machine does not keep food dramatically fresher than a good value one. What you pay more for is brand, finish, features like water dispensers or fast-freeze functions, and sometimes better efficiency or quieter running. For keeping food fresh, a well-matched value-brand fridge freezer at the right temperature does the job just as well.
What temperature should a fridge freezer be set to?
The fridge should be around 3 to 5 degrees Celsius and the freezer at minus 18 degrees, which keeps food safe without running colder, and using more energy, than necessary. Setting the fridge too cold wastes energy and can freeze items at the back, while too warm risks food safety. A fridge thermometer helps you check, as dial settings are not always accurate. Keeping it reasonably full and not overpacking it so air can circulate also helps it hold temperature efficiently.
How do I measure for a fridge freezer?
Measure the width, height and depth of the gap, then check the manual for the ventilation clearance it needs around and behind, as fridge freezers run hotter and less efficiently in a tight space. Check the door can open fully and the drawers pull out in your layout, and which way the door is hinged (some are reversible). Finally, make sure it will fit through your doorways and round any corners on the way to the kitchen, since it is a large, heavy item.
