If you’re anything like me, your dream house when you were a child didn’t just have a white picket fence, four big windows and an apple tree in the garden, but an American-style fridge-freezer taking pride of place in an enormous open-plan kitchen (the latter of which I’ve since rescinded on – increasingly passé).
It’s hardly surprising. These massive appliances were the jewels in the crown of any kitchen shown on American TV – whether cooking shows or sitcoms – and would be filled with all kinds of goodies that British children were never allowed (chocolate milk and Diet Coke included).
Now, they’ve since made their way from the US to the UK – the first models were introduced in the 1990s as seriously high-end innovations across showrooms - while rising in popularity in the 2000s as quality food and home cooking became more of a priority and our kitchens expanded to accommodate both.
Not only did these fancy pieces of kit add a touch of supersized American glamour to drab suburban British houses, but they were highly functional, too, whether for high-capacity storage or cutting-edge features (water and ice on-demand? The dream).
The lowdown
“American-style fridge-freezers – or ‘side-by-side’ models as they’re often referred to – are the perfect option for those who require a significant amount of food storage space in their kitchens,” explains Matthew Glynn, product marketing manager at Hisense UK, the appliance and electronics giant.
“These statement models typically come with an abundance of enhanced features such as ice and water dispensers, touch-screens and smart functionality, making them the epitome of high-end kitchen design. Suiting large families looking for equal fridge and freezer capacity, an American-style design offers a generous amount of food storage but also requires a significant amount of floor and kitchen space.”
Key considerations
Glynn spells it out: “It’s important to look beyond mere aesthetics. There are several practical factors to consider, particularly around kitchen layout and storage needs. These models are generally larger than standard fridge-freezers, so ensure there’s sufficient space, not just for the appliance, but also for the doors to open fully. This is especially crucial for side-by-side models where full access to both compartments relies on unobstructed door swing.”
He adds: “Another consideration is whether to choose a plumbed or non-plumbed water and ice dispenser. Plumbed models require access to a water supply, which might involve additional plumbing work and the associated cost if one isn’t readily available. In contrast, non-plumbed options offer greater flexibility in placement but will require periodic refilling of an internal water tank.
Capacity is often a major draw for people choosing an American-style model but it’s important to assess how usable that space really is. Some designs may advertise a high total volume but include narrow compartments, particularly in the freezer, which can make it difficult to store bulkier items such as frozen pizzas.”
The expert concludes: “Finally, think about which additional features could enhance your day-to-day life. Many designs include smart connectivity, touch controls or advanced cooling systems that maintain stable temperatures and help keep food fresh for longer. These extras can add real value in terms of convenience and long-term energy efficiency.”
Best American-style fridge-freezers at a glance
How we tested
Because of their size and capacity, American-style fridge-freezers aren’t often too hot on energy-efficiency, so we’ve made that our number one consideration when it comes to testing these appliances – followed by chilling and freezer power. Next? Hollywood-style, movie-star good looks, of course.
Here are the coolest kids on the block.
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HISENSE PureFlat Smart Fridge Freezer
Best: overall
Done with defrosting? This sleek and sexy American-style fridge-freezer from Hisense features Total No Frost technology that evenly distributes cold air inside and prevents ice and water from building up.
Its helpful side-by-side door design lets you see your ingredients clearly, while the built-in water dispenser doesn’t need to be plumbed in (simply refill manually). The PureFlat name references the streamlined front with integrated handles that maximise space and sits flush with standard kitchen cabinetry.
Other covetable features include a clever compartment that can become an extra fridge or freezer as you see fit – the zone has a huge temperature span ranging from -18°C to +5°C – and cantilever shelves that can sit at different heights for more flexibility.
In short, I’m sold.
Buy now £1199.00, Currys
SMEG Four Door Fridge Freezer
Best for: Food waste (and bragging rights)
As American-style fridge-freezers go, this one’s quite the catch, as is pretty much any appliance from SMEG. Newly launched, this four-door model features cutting-edge technology to help reduce food waste, which, let’s face it, we could all do more of.
Indeed, the Life Plus 0°C drawer and Multiflow cooling system maintain optimal storage conditions to ensure freshness for perishable foods, while the touchscreen feature lets you easily manage temperatures and activate modes like Rapid Freezing to lock in nutrients while saving energy.
There’s more: the Multizone technology means the freezer can be converted into a fridge to create up to 425 litres of fresh-food capacity; the whole thing features an impressive D energy-rating; and the dark finish, LED lighting and stainless-steel accents add Italian good looks. Bellisimo!
Buy now £1999.00, AO
H-Fridge 700 Maxi Freestanding 4 Door Fridge Freezer
Best for: Slimline proportions
So synonymous has Hoover become with vacuum cleaners, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that the eponymous brand also offers other household appliances.
Case in point is this high-capacity, four-door fridge-freezer which comes with Total No Frost technology to prevent ice from building up, a Humidity Zone to maintain optimal moisture levels for fresh fruit and veg and the Convertible MyZone for different temperatures for varying food types, all wrapped up in a slimline and modern stainless-steel design.
Better still, there’s 400 litres of storage inside and a non-plumbed water dispenser, making this a no-brainer at such a bargainous price.
Buy now £699.00, Hoover
Fridgemaster American Fridge-Freezer
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Best for: Modern aesthetics
Once seen as a bit ‘90s bachelor pad’, black is fast making a comeback in our bathrooms and kitchens, although used sparingly as accents rather than dominating the entire scheme.
With that in mind, this modern American-style fridge freezer from Fridgemaster is just the thing to tap into the trend with its glossy black finish, while it has capacity for 24 bags of food shopping (equating to 440 litres) with Multi Air Flow technology that circulates cool air around the interior to keep everything in tip-top condition (including the salad bad you bought and left to fester).
There’s Total No Frost technology in the freezer, too, which keeps the temperature even to cut down on those icy build-ups, and the smart LED panel means you can easily stay in control – at least of the fridge-freezer, if not in life.
Buy now £499.00, AO
HISENSE Cross Door Refrigerator
Best for: Busy households
The stand-out feature on the Cross Door Refrigerator from HISENSE is the snazzy multi-functional touch screen that can be used as a message board and shopping list between family members in busy households. It also turns into a helpful inventory whereby you can view and manage ingredients, as well as receive notifications when food is about to expire, plus access more than 150 recipes to inspire dinner choices throughout the week. Cute, right? But the fun doesn’t stop there. Smart WiFi Mode makes life significantly more convenient by enabling you to adjust the temperature settings using your phone via the ConnectLife app even when you’re far from home (ideal for chilling that bottle of Sauvvy B fast). Elsewhere, the anti-bacterial interior keeps everything fresh and hygienic, a clever compartment can be turned into a fridge or freezer depending on what’s required, the ice dispenser can churn out 2.2kg per day (perfect for parties) and Triple Cooling Zone technology independently controls the temperature and humidity across three areas. Finally, the flat door design features recessed handles that mean the whole thing can integrate seamlessly within your kitchen cabinetry – making it as slick on the outside as it is in.
Buy now £2499.00, Currys
Liebherr The Monolith
Best for: Complete customisation
The Monolith is a range of swanky fridges, freezers and wine fridges from Liebherr – the premium German manufacturer – that can be integrated into your existing cabinetry or left with stainless-steel frontages (either with single or French doors to suit your taste and space).
Unlike off-the-shelf appliances, these posh designs enable you to build your own by specifying elements (square, round or flat handles? Left or right-hand hinges?) and the appliances can be set up as individual freestanding appliances or in a combination of two or three appliances to create that American-feel unit.
Each model is, as the name suggests, absolutely enormous, so they are better suited to large rooms and high ceilings, with some of the best features including BioFresh-Plus in which different temperatures can be tweaked for different compartment, while keeping food fresh for up to five times longer, PowerCooling which circulates cool air is evenly, InfinitySwipe relating to an intuitive touchscreen, and the SmartDevice Box, which enables you to control the appliance from your smartphone or tablet anywhere in the world via an app. All this, plus super quiet operation.
I’d suggest pairing the combined fridge-freezer with the built-in multi-temperature wine fridge.
Buy now £10000.00, Appliance Centre
Haier FD 90 Series 7 Fridge-Freezer
Best for: Intuitive use
Combining exceptional storage capacity and innovative cooling technology, the Haier FD 90 Series 7 Fridge-Freezer isn’t just a pretty face with its sapphire-glass finish and sexy French doors.
It can store up to 703 litres of fresh ingredients with customisable drawers and compartments for different food and precise temperature and humidity control across the board.
Better still, every corner is bathed in a soft, almost-ethereal glow, not just illuminating the interior so you can actually see what you have, but providing an inviting glow in a darkened kitchen (call me a geek, but I appreciate that).
Elsewhere, Super Freeze and Super Cool functions allow you to lower temperatures quickly to lock in freshness and chill that bottle of bubbles you’ve only just remembered to put in, while the ice dispenser, although unplumbed, can hold 1.4kg of ice, which means you’re always set for soirées.
Buy now £1799.00, Haier
Verdict
If I had all the money in the world, I’d blow upwards of £10K on The Monolith by Liebherr as it’s seriously impressive.
Yet alas, I don’t, so I would happily settle for the HISENSE PureFlat Smart Fridge Freezer at just under a grand. It offers fantastic value with all the features you generally need for an American-style fridge-freezer, plus a sleek design that slots seamlessly into your kitchen. It’s one cool cat.
