Sick of bending down every time you grab the milk?
A bottom-mount fridge bends the rules of fridge design and turns the traditional 'freezer on top, fridge on the bottom' form on its head (quite literally) to make it easier to grab those fridge faves that you reach for multiple times a day.
A bottom-mount fridge makes it easier to grab those fridge faves that you reach for multiple times a day
If you're still not sold on flipping the script fridge-wise, our resident refrigeration expert talks top features of bottom mounts, and more importantly, which ones to avoid.
Plus, for CHOICE members only, we'll reveal the four best bottom-mount fridges from our rigorous lab testing.
If you want to find out which bottom-mount fridge comes out on top, join CHOICE to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.
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Why buy a bottom-mount fridge?
It's probably important to acknowledge upfront that the term 'bottom-mount fridge' may be a bit confusing.
It really means a fridge with a bottom-mounted freezer – so the fridge on top, freezer on the bottom – but for better or worse, that's been shortened to 'bottom-mount fridge'.
Now, if you grew up with the old-fashioned freezer-on-top fridges, you might be wondering what the point is of a fridge with a freezer on the bottom. We asked CHOICE whitegoods expert Ashley Iredale.
Why would you want a bottom-mount fridge? It's all about convenience
Ashley Iredale, CHOICE whitegoods expert
"Why would you want a bottom-mount fridge? It's all about convenience," he says.
"Having the fridge on top means you don't need to bend down to get the milk, or any fresh food for that matter, and I can guarantee you do that far more often than diving into your freezer."
In a bottom-mount fridge, the things you're likely to be reaching for most are much closer to eye level, making them easier to find and pick up.
"Purchase price and running costs tend to be slightly higher for bottom-mount fridges than their top-mount counterparts, but it's a small price to pay for the improved utility and convenience," says Ashley.
The freezer capacity tends to be around the same in both types. But freezers on the bottom are generally built with sliding drawers, whereas freezers up the top generally have shelves, and these can make it harder to access frozen goods buried deep at the back of the freezer.
Ultimately, which one is best comes down to personal preference.
The Smeg FAB38 and FAB32 get a thumbs down from Ashley.
The worst bottom-mount fridge
Smeg FAB38RCRAU
- CHOICE Expert Rating: 22%
- Keeping food fresh longer: 26%
- RRP: $3990
Don't be fooled by the cult brand and glitzy marketing: this Smeg shocker received much worse than just a frosty reception when it was reviewed by our expert fridge fanatics.
They were so appalled at this appliance's poor performance, they gave it the lowest score they have ever given a fridge in CHOICE's long history. Ever.
Why is it so bad? As well as using a tonne of energy and being expensive to run, our testers uncovered wild fluctuations in temperature, which means your food is likely to go off far more quickly than it should.
Add to that an eye-watering price tag, and this is definitely one to avoid.
This $4000 Smeg fridge may appeal if you love the retro look, but not if you also like your food fresh.
Still have your heart set on a retro-style fridge? Here's another one to avoid, a newer model from Smeg: the FAB32RPB5AU.
For a cool $3990, you'll get a fridge that's marginally better than its predecessor – but not by much.
It rated 43% overall, but was once again roasted by our experts, scoring 0% for temperature stability due to its tendency to fluctuate by a huge 8.4°C in the fresh food compartment.
It was roasted by our experts due to its tendency to fluctuate by a huge 8.4°C in the fresh food compartment
And with a total capacity of just 331L, that's a heck of a lot to pay for a small fridge that won't keep your food fresh.
If you're looking for a similarly-sized fridge that'll actually do the job, check our list of expert-recommended models below.
What are the best bottom-mount fridges?
The sheer range of fridges on the market can make it hard to pick the right one – but that's where we come in.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
