Buying guide — home and kitchen

How to choose a refrigerator

A fridge runs non-stop for years, and your kitchen's summer heat decides much of how it performs. Start with the climate class, the energy label and the space around it, then choose the layout and size.

Published 2026-10-12

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Start from the kitchen and its heat

A refrigerator runs day and night for ten years or more, and the biggest influence on how it performs in our homes is the heat of the place it stands in. A kitchen without air-conditioning in summer, or a second fridge in a storeroom or annex, can see temperatures that not every refrigerator is built for.

Every refrigerator has a climate class on the rating plate inside it, stating the room-temperature range it was designed for. Liebherr, for example, explains that class SN-T means the appliance works at ambient temperatures from 10 to 43 °C, and T is the tropical class reaching 43 °C. Classes N and ST stop at lower temperatures. In the Saudi climate, look for T or a combined class ending in T, especially if the fridge will stand somewhere without air-conditioning.

The Saudi energy label

Refrigerators and freezers in the Kingdom fall under SASO 2892 for minimum energy performance and labelling, and carry the "levels" label. An updated edition of the standard was published in November 2025 and applies about two years after publication, so for a while you may see labels under both editions. The practical rule: compare two fridges of the same type and size, read the annual consumption in kWh, and check that the model number on the label matches the appliance.

Layout and capacity

Mind the difference between gross and usable net capacity. The big figure in the advert is usually gross; net is lower. And think about your habits: someone who cooks for occasions and stores meat in bulk may need a larger freezer, or a separate one.

If you are considering a second fridge or a separate freezer for an annex or storeroom, the climate class there matters more than any other feature, because those spaces usually get hotter in summer than the kitchen. Ask too whether it copes with a cold room in winter, since some classes do not work well below a certain minimum.

What really separates one fridge from another

• The compressor. A variable-speed (inverter) compressor adjusts its speed to demand instead of switching on and off repeatedly. Ask for the compressor warranty in writing; it often differs from the rest of the appliance.
• No-frost cooling. Saves you manual defrosting, but moves air inside the fridge, so keep vegetables in their closed drawers.
• Water and ice dispenser. Convenient, but needs a filter changed periodically, and mineral-heavy water shortens its life. Check the original filter is available and that there is a water supply nearby if the dispenser is plumbed in.
• Noise. If the kitchen opens onto the living room, ask for the stated noise level.
• Power. Power in Saudi Arabia is 230 V at 60 Hz and the common plug is type G. Choose the local-market version, and ask whether the agent recommends a voltage protector for your area.

Space, ventilation and delivery

A fridge needs space around it so the condenser can shed heat. Samsung publishes, in its support guide for Gulf customers, the ventilation clearances needed behind, beside and above its refrigerators, and they vary by model. A fridge squeezed into a tight gap between cabinets works harder, uses more power, and may shorten its compressor's life.

• Measure the space for the fridge and add the ventilation gaps given in that model's manual.
• Check the door opens wide enough to pull out drawers, especially next to a wall.
• Measure doors, corridors, the lift and stairs on the delivery route.
• After delivery, leave the fridge standing for the time the manual asks before switching it on.

Common mistakes

• Putting a class N fridge in an annex or storeroom without air-conditioning.
• Comparing one fridge's gross capacity with another's net capacity.
• Buying a fridge a few centimetres narrower than the gap with no room to breathe.
• Forgetting the water filter until the dispenser's flow weakens.
• Not asking for the compressor warranty in writing.

Before you pay

• Confirm the climate class on the rating plate or spec sheet.
• Photograph the energy label and the model number.
• Get the compressor and appliance warranty in writing with the agent's name.
• Compare listings on the Products page and look for a code on the Codes page.

If you are equipping the kitchen and laundry together, the washing machine guide explains measuring the installation route in detail.

Limits of this guide

• This is a criteria guide, not a laboratory test. WESH has not tested any product itself and reports no measurements.
• No price appears here. Price, availability, shipping and tax are set by the merchant at checkout.
• Specifications change between revisions and markets. Check the merchant product page and the manufacturer spec sheet before buying.
• WESH gives no medical or engineering recommendation and does not warrant that a product suits your case.

Brand names are the property of their owners and are used to identify a category, not to imply endorsement or partnership.

More guides in the WESH guide; current products on the Products page and codes on the Coupons page.