Product Recommendation - [Room Heater]

In this post, we are providing at glance the products we consider to be some of the best offerings in the market in their respective categories. The products mentioned below have been put to rigorous tests, compared against the competing products from multiple brands, and have been analysed on various aspects pertaining to their intended use. For a comprehensive post on Room heaters, you may read our detailed guide - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-room-heater.html

Convection/Fan Heaters:-
Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9 and Best Choice 10

Quartz Heaters:-
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7 and Best Choice 8

Oil-filled Radiator Heaters:-
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

Recapitulating on the most crucial aspects of buying a room heater -

• AREA OF THE ROOM

The overall area of the room one would use the heater for, has a major influence on the wattage specifications one should purchase it with. As a thumb rule, 10–11 watts of power is required to heat 1 square foot of space inside your room. So if your room has an area of about 200 square feet, it would be wise to decide on a heater having wattage 2000 watts or more for obtaining effective heating from it.

• COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

It is imperative to be aware of the ways in which some manufacturers resort to cutting production costs in order to maximize profits and in turn deliver a sub-standard product to the customers, the components of which have a very short shelf life and may require frequent repairs/replacements.

• Low-grade blower fan. A potent, high-grade fan is one of the most crucial components of a heater as it is responsible for dispersing the heat produced by the heating element into the surroundings, thereby raising the temperature of the room. Unfortunately, most buyers do not pay attention to the blower fan deployed in the room heater, and this gives some manufacturers a perfect opportunity to increase their profit margin. In order to reduce production costs, they tend to install an inferior, substandard fan in the room heaters they produce that is very inept in spreading the heat into the surroundings, resulting in inefficient heating of the room. Such practices increase one's energy consumption as one tends to keep the room heater running for longer durations than one would have otherwise done. Furthermore, over a period of few months, the excessive heat build-up inside the heater causes the components of the heater to malfunction and finally melt, causing the entire unit to be non-operational. Cost of repairing the heater might range from a few hundred bucks to more than a thousand bucks and this process is often recurring.

• Poor quality diathermic oil. As discussed previously in this post, the two characteristics of diathermic oil for which it finds its application in oil-filled heaters are high specific heat capacity and high boiling point. For these characteristics, diathermic oil is costly in nature. Thus, to save production costs and to maximize profits, some manufacturers fill low-grade diathermic oil in the heaters they manufacture adulterated with mixtures of other economical oils, consequently lowering the specific heat capacity and boiling point. The result - oil that takes a little while to reach high temperatures, thus the user needs to keep the heater running for longer in order to adequately heat the room. Also, this poor-grade oil tends to cool down a lot faster than the high-quality one, hence, the electricity consumption is more, and one may incur higher running costs.

For an extensive buying guide on room heaters, head over to our detailed post - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-room-heater.html

A detailed guide to buying a Room Heater

The months of December and January can put even the most warm blooded and adrenaline pumped people to shiver down with cold and to retreat in their homes as soon as the sun sets. But, the shelter of the homes don’t help much either when it comes to restraining the cold temperatures. This is when room/space heaters come to the rescue.

Now, if you are a frequent visitor to the posts on this blog, you might be probably aware that we take each topic from the grass root level and we’ll do the same with this post as well. We’ll begin with the basics first, understand how the room heater works, then we’ll discuss the various configurations of room heaters available in the market and which one among them should one decide on as per one's preference. Post this, we would be analyzing the ways by which some manufacturers resort to maximizing their profits and install sub-par components in the room heaters they manufacture which may lead to increased energy consumption and might be reduce the usable life of the heaters themselves. After this, we will move onto deciding which are some of the best room heaters available in the market that are not only made of high-quality durable components but also provide efficient heating capabilities, thus offering most value for one’s money.

You might be glad to know that my father works at a company that manufactures home and kitchen appliances like washing machines, refrigerators, air coolers, vacuum cleaners, etc. So, at home, we frequently have a conversation about these appliances, what goes into making them, how some brands try to cut manufacturing costs to increase their profit margin etc.
Today, I will try my best to pass on the knowledge that I have acquired from my father over the years to you so as to help you make a good buying decision.

So without further a do, let’s begin…

The Basics
A room/space heater is a device that works on the principle of energy conversion, specifically, conversion of electric current to heat energy. Every room/space heater is fitted with a device known as heating element which is made up of several resistors. These resistors have very high resistance which converts the electric energy into heat as current flows through them. This heat is dissipated to the surroundings via either a fan or by radiation.

Now, having learnt the principle, let’s proceed to the types of room/space heaters available in the market currently.

Configurations of Room Heaters:-

• Convection/Fan Heaters - This kind of room heater converts the electrical energy into heat by the help of heating element and the heat generated is blown out into the surroundings via the inbuilt fan. This type of room/space heater provide even heating to the entire room. The best advantage of this type of heater is that it consumes lesser energy than the others, which means lesser electricity bill and thus is very friendly on your pocket. On the flip side, it tends to be a little noisy, due to the presence of fan and reduces the humidity inside the room and should be best avoided in the households that has children under 5 years of age and people having breathing issues.

• Quartz Heaters - These work on the principle of radiation of heat. The heat generated by the heating element is localized, since there is absence of fan. Thus, Quartz heaters are best suited for heating relatively small spaces and generally serve the purpose of bedside heaters. On the flip side, this is the cheapest option available in the market and is very cost effective.

• Oil-filled Radiator heaters - This type of room heaters are the most effective when it comes to heating the entire space inside the room. They release heat into the surroundings by the means of radiation. The source of heat, i.e., the diathermic oil circulates in the multiple fins of the heater and has two crucial properties - high specific heat capacity and high boiling point. Together, these two factors mean that the oil inside the heater can store a lot of heat without getting hot enough to boil. A distinct advantage of such characteristics is that the oil stays warm for quite some time after the power supply to the heater is turned off, thus one is able to extract some extra heat from the heater for some time at no cost. Other advantage of such heaters is that they tend to be less noisy than the convection heaters, thus the users can take a sound sleep. Moreover, they happen to be quite health friendly as they don’t dry out the surroundings, unlike other two configurations and thus the moisture level inside the room is always maintained which reduces the chances of having dry eyes, suffocation and other breathing issues.

(Image of a quartz heater)

Having said that, while deciding on a room heater, one must also keep one's room size into consideration -

• Area of the Room

The overall area of the room one would use the heater for, has a major influence on the wattage specifications one should purchase it with. As a thumb rule, 10–11 watts of power is required to heat 1 square foot of space inside your room. So if your room has an area of about 200 square feet, it would be wise to decide on a heater having wattage 2000 watts or more for obtaining effective heating from it.

So, having learnt about the various configurations of room heaters available in the market along with their Pros and Cons, let us proceed to discuss the ways in which some manufacturers (names not taken) try to cut manufacturing costs in order to maximize their own profits and in turn deliver a sub-standard product to the customers the components installed in which are highly inefficient in performing their intended purpose and require frequent repairs.

COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

• Low-grade blower fan. A potent, high-grade fan is one of the most crucial components of a heater as it is responsible for dispersing the heat produced by the heating element into the surroundings, thereby raising the temperature of the room. Unfortunately, most buyers do not pay attention to the blower fan deployed in the room heater, and this gives some manufacturers a perfect opportunity to increase their profit margin. In order to reduce production costs, they tend to install an inferior, substandard fan in the room heaters they produce that is very inept in spreading the heat into the surroundings, resulting in inefficient heating of the room. Such practices increase one's energy consumption as one tends to keep the room heater running for longer durations than one would have otherwise done. Furthermore, over a period of few months, the excessive heat build-up inside the heater causes the components of the heater to malfunction and finally melt, causing the entire unit to be non-operational. Cost of repairing the heater might range from a few hundred bucks to more than a thousand bucks and this process is often recurring.

• Poor quality diathermic oil. As discussed previously in this post, the two characteristics of diathermic oil for which it finds its application in oil-filled heaters are high specific heat capacity and high boiling point. For these characteristics, diathermic oil is costly in nature. Thus, to save production costs and to maximize profits, some manufacturers fill low-grade diathermic oil in the heaters they manufacture adulterated with mixtures of other economical oils, consequently lowering the specific heat capacity and boiling point. The result - oil that takes a little while to reach high temperatures, thus the user needs to keep the heater running for longer in order to adequately heat the room. Also, this poor-grade oil tends to cool down a lot faster than the high-quality one, hence, the electricity consumption is more, and one may incur higher running costs.

Now, having learnt how some room heater manufacturers cut costs, let us proceed to zero down on some of the best room heaters available in the market, both in terms of the durability of the components installed and the efficiency with which they impart heat, thus providing most value for the money spent.

Convection/Fan Heaters:-
Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9 and Best Choice 10

Quartz Heaters:-
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7 and Best Choice 8

Oil-filled Radiator Heaters:-
Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12

Drafts

https://www.getresponse.com?ab=hRpC7aDcvF

https://affiliate.ipvanish.com/aff_c?offer_id=41&aff_id=1295

https://constant-contact.ibfwsl.net/b34r4B

Product Recommendation - [Water Geyser]

In this post, we are providing at glance the products we consider to be some of the best offerings in the market in their respective categories. The products mentioned below have been put to rigorous tests, compared against the competing products from multiple brands, and have been analysed on various aspects pertaining to their intended use. For a comprehensive post on Water Geysers, you may read our detailed guide - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/09/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-water-geyser.html

1-5 litre instant
For Indian residents - Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12

6-10 litre storage tank capacity
For Indian residents - Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12 and Best Choice 13

15 litre storage tank capacity
For Indian residents - Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12 and Best Choice 13

25 litre storage tank capacity
For Indian residents - Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9 and Best Choice 10

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

Recapitulating on the most crucial aspects of buying a water geyser -

• STORAGE TANK CAPACITY

• For individual use, one would have one’s needs met by a water geyser that has a tank capacity of 1–5 litres. Geysers available in such capacities of storage tank are also called instant geysers. 

• For a family consisting of two-three members, it would be wise to opt for a geyser with storage tank capacity of 6 litres.  

• When four-five family members are to use the hot water obtained from water geyser, one would require a water geyser that has at least 10 litres of storage capacity, preferably 15 litres. 

• If more than five members are to use the water geyser, a 25 litres tank capacity water geyser would make for a decent choice.

• COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

It is imperative to be aware of the ways in which some manufacturers resort to cutting production costs in order to maximize profits and in turn deliver a sub-standard product to the customers, the components of which have a very short shelf life and may require frequent repairs/replacements.

• Substandard Water Storage Tank. Storage tank is one of the most crucial components of a geyser as it is responsible for storing the hot water and maintaining its temperature. For its paramount importance, it accounts for almost 40% of the entire cost of the geyser. So, in order to save production costs and to maximize profits, some brands resort to making use of of substandard, inferior-grade metals in the fabrication of the storage tank which catches rusts and corrosion in just a season or two. Eventually small holes develop in the storage tank from which water leaks out, and in worst cases the tank collapses altogether. In order for the geyser to serve its purpose well, the storage tank must be built out of structurally strong, resilient materials such as Stainless/Titanium steel or some other equally durable metal. Using such inert materials in the construction ensure that saline or hard water does not react with the walls of the storage tank and the geyser well stands the test of time, thereby providing a great value for one’s money spent.

• Material used in the fabrication of heating element. Heating element is one of the most crucial components of a geyser as it is responsible for raising the temperature of water and hence accounts for almost 40% of the entire cost of the appliance. So, to cut costs and increase profits, some brands resort to making use of ceramic coated heating element in the geysers they manufacture. Such heating element is relatively cheaper to produce which facilitates the manufacturer to lure customers citing low prices of the product. However, in reality, ceramic coated heating elements are highly non-durable and are prone to rapid corrosion. Such geysers require replacement of the heating element every season or two. Rather, one should ensure that the geyser one opts for has a glass-lined/copper heating element. 



For an extensive buying guide on water geysers, head over to our detailed post - The Smart Shopper: A thorough guide to buying a Water Geyser

A detailed guide to buying a Water Geyser

With temperatures dropping below 10°C in most parts of the country in the months from December to February, merely washing the hands becomes an uncomfortable experience, leave alone taking a bath. The water feels like a thousand needles are trying to pierce your skin. In this cold season, a water geyser has become more of a need than a want or a luxury. However, people often fall for the marketing tricks of some sub par brands that offer these geysers and go onto invest in a poorly built product. So today, we'll discuss how to avoid that.

Now, if you are a frequent visitor to the posts on this blog, you might be probably aware that we take each topic from the grass root level and we will do the same with this post as well. We will begin with the basics of the working of a geyser. Next we'll take a look at the tactics of some brands to loot your hard earned money and then we'll take a look at the requirements a geyser must have that will ensure its durability. We'll finally conclude with some options available in the market that offer the most bang for the buck at variety of tank sizes.

You might be glad to know that my father works at a company that manufactures home and kitchen appliances like washing machines, water geysers, refrigerators, cooking appliances, kitchen chimneys etc. So, at home, we frequently have a conversation about these appliances, what goes into making them, how some brands try to cut manufacturing costs to increase their profit margin etc. Today, I will try my best to pass on the knowledge that I have acquired from my father over the years, to you so as to help you make a good buying decision.

(Image of a water geyser installed in the washroom)

THE BASICS

See, there is a very simple and basic principle behind the working of geysers. There is a heating element which warms the water and that warm water is stored in an insulated tank which is offered in various sizes. This is the simple functioning of any geyser of any brand.

Now, when it comes to deciding on a water geyser, one of the most crucial factors is deciding on the water storing capacity of its storage tank -

• Storage Tank Capacity

• For individual use, one would have one’s needs met by a water geyser that has a tank capacity of 1–5 litres. Geysers available in such capacities of storage tank are also called instant geysers. 

• For a family consisting of two-three members, it would be wise to opt for a geyser with storage tank capacity of 6 litres. 

• When four-five family members are to use the hot water obtained from water geyser, one would require a water geyser that has at least 10 litres of storage capacity, preferably 15 litres. 

• If more than five members are to use the water geyser, a 25 litres tank capacity water geyser would make for a decent choice.

Now, having discussed about the storage tank capacities and which one should purchase a geyser with as per one's family size, let us proceed to gain insights on some essential specifications a water geyser must possess in order to provide reliable service over a long term.

ESSENTIAL SPECIFICATIONS

Having said that, before we go on to decide which is the geyser you should go for, we must understand what you must look for in a geyser.

• Energy Consumption - Using a geyser in your home can really take a toll on your savings, if it is not energy efficient. So always go for at least a 4 or 5 star rating appliance, not only in geysers but also in other categories of home appliances.

• Wattage - Now, here we do not need to go into technicalities of this term, for a layman wattage means how fast or how readily you can get hot water after the geyser has been turned ON. In my suggestion, always go for a higher watt geyser as it saves time as well as electricity.

• Additional Features -

a. Automatic thermal cut-off

b. Safety valve for pressure release

c. Adjustable thermostat settings

d. Rust-proof outer and inner body 

Now, having gained knowledge of the essential specifications a water geyser should possess in order to perform reliably, let us proceed to understand how some companies that make water geysers resort to cutting production costs and maximizing their profits.

COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

• Substandard Water Storage Tank. Storage tank is one of the most crucial components of a geyser as it is responsible for storing the hot water and maintaining its temperature. For its paramount importance, it accounts for almost 40% of the entire cost of the geyser. So, in order to save production costs and to maximize profits, some brands resort to making use of of substandard, inferior-grade metals in the fabrication of the storage tank which catches rusts and corrosion in just a season or two. Eventually small holes develop in the storage tank from which water leaks out, and in worst cases the tank collapses altogether. In order for the geyser to serve its purpose well, the storage tank must be built out of structurally strong, resilient materials such as Stainless/Titanium steel or some other equally durable metal. Using such inert materials in the construction ensure that saline or hard water does not react with the walls of the storage tank and the geyser well stands the test of time, thereby providing a great value for one’s money spent.

• Material used in the fabrication of heating element. Heating element is one of the most crucial components of a geyser as it is responsible for raising the temperature of water and hence accounts for almost 40% of the entire cost of the appliance. So, to cut costs and increase profits, some brands resort to making use of ceramic coated heating element in the geysers they manufacture. Such heating element is relatively cheaper to produce which facilitates the manufacturer to lure customers citing low prices of the product. However, in reality, ceramic coated heating elements are highly non-durable and are prone to rapid corrosion. Such geysers require replacement of the heating element every season or two. Rather, one should ensure that the geyser one opts for has a glass-lined/copper heating element.

Now, having gained insights on the ways by which some manufacturers cut production costs in order to maximize their profits, let us proceed to zero in on some of the best water geysers available in the market that not only offer superior build quality of the storage tank, but are also manufactured using durable, long-lasting components, hence offering great value for one’s money.

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

1-5 litre instant
For Indian residents - Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12

6-10 litre storage tank capacity
For Indian residents - Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12 and Best Choice 13

15 litre storage tank capacity
For Indian residents - Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12 and Best Choice 13

25 litre storage tank capacity
For Indian residents - Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9 and Best Choice 10

Product Recommendation - [Refrigerator]

In this post, we are providing at glance the products we consider to be some of the best offerings in the market in their respective categories. The products mentioned below have been put to rigorous tests, compared against the competing products from multiple brands, and have been analysed on various aspects pertaining to their intended use. For a comprehensive post on Refrigerators, you may read our detailed guide - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/07/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-refrigerator.html

For bachelors
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13 and Best Choice 14

For nuclear family
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13, Best Choice 14 and Best Choice 15

For joint family
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10 and Best Choice 11

For large joint family
For Indian citizens:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

Recapitulating on the most crucial aspects of buying a refrigerator -

• STORAGE CAPACITY

• For bachelors. If you stay in a flat or as a paying guest with a few room mates and mostly you store pouches of milk, eggs, curd, water bottles, loaves of bread in your refrigerator etc., the maximum capacity of refrigerator you would need is between 190-235 L.

• For a nuclear family consisting of 3 to 4 family members and you wish to store healthy quantity of food items in your refrigerator including vegetables, dairy products, non-vegetarian products, juice cans etc. The capacity of the refrigerator you should aim for is 350 L.

• For a joint family having 5 to 8 family members and you require a refrigerator to store a lot of food items, most of them including fresh vegetables, non-vegetarian food items like fish, chicken etc., and you do not store food for longer periods and consume the stored items in a day or two. In this case, go for at least a 410 L capacity refrigerator.

• For a large joint family with more than 8 members. Keeping this into consideration, you require to store a lot of food items in your refrigerator, from non-vegetarian content to dairy products to eggs to soft drink bottles etc., and prefer to keep most of the food items in deep freeze mode so as to consume only a small part of it daily and store the rest for the days to come. In this case, choosing a double door refrigerator with at least 580 L capacity would be a wise decision.

• COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

In order to minimize the production costs, some manufacturers resort to producing their products installed with below-par components. It is imperative to be aware of their unscrupulous methods used in order to save costs and one should decide on a product only after thorough deliberation. Some of the crafty measures they resort to are stated below -

• Poor fabrication of condenser coils leading to refrigerant leaks. Condenser coils are one of the most important aspects of a refrigerator as they contain the liquid refrigerant and account for almost 30 to 35 per cent of the entire cost of the refrigerator. Needless to say, the condenser coils are one of the favourite areas of the manufacturers to make huge profits. Some manufacturers resort to using poor grade copper condenser coils that develop minute holes and cracks over a period of time that lead to refrigerant leak which may prove to be dangerous to humans if inhaled in excess.

• Improper insulation. Keeping the contents of the refrigerator sealed from outside hot temperatures is a very essential aspect of refrigeration. To ensure proper insulation, high quality door seals must be used. However, most people do not pay much attention to the insulation aspect of the refrigerator while buying it. Hence, door seal becomes another major area where some manufacturers cut costs. A poor door seal deployed by those manufacturers does not completely attach itself to the body of the refrigerator which leads to very minute gaps between the seal and the body. As a result, hot air from outside continuously seeps inside the refrigerator causing the food contents to get spoiled.

For an extensive buying guide on Refrigerators, head over to our detailed post - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/07/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-refrigerator.html

A detailed guide to buying a Refrigerator

With the global temperatures showing a steady rise, humans are resorting to visiting and working at places that have an effective air conditioning system. The reason is simple, the human body works efficiently when the surrounding temperatures are between 15 degree and 35 degree Celsius. Any more than that takes a toll on our productivity. Similarly, the food that we consume also has a temperature range at which it provides the most nutritional value. Most cooked food items need to be stored at temperatures below 10 degree Celsius for them to remain fresh and to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi on them. This is when a refrigerator comes to the rescue.

Now, if you are a frequent visitor to the posts on this blog, you might be probably aware that we take each topic from the grass root level and we will do the same with this post as well. We will begin with the basics first, understand how a refrigerator works. Then, we will discuss what capacity of refrigerator one should purchase as per one's requirements. After that we will proceed onto discussing the essential features one should look for when buying a refrigerator. Following which, we will learn how some brands try to cut costs and manufacture below par products that delay the cooling process and have frequent refrigerant leaks. Then, we will move onto deciding which are the best refrigerators available in the market that are not only efficient in their operation but also offer the most value for money.

You might be glad to know that my father works at a company that manufactures home and kitchen appliances like washing machines, refrigerators, cooking appliances, food processors, kitchen chimneys etc. So, at home, we frequently have a conversation about these appliances, what goes into making them, how some brands try to cut manufacturing costs to increase their profit margin etc.
Today, I will try my best to pass on the knowledge that I have acquired from my father over the years, to you so as to help you make a good buying decision.

So without further a do, let’s begin…

THE BASICS

A refrigerator works on the principle of evaporation. The principle states that when a liquid evaporates, it absorbs heat in the process. A refrigerator consists of a coolant called as refrigerant which is trapped inside a series of coils. As the refrigerant makes its way through the coils, it repeatedly transforms from liquid state to gaseous one.

A refrigerator mainly consists of four major components, namely:-

• Expansion valves
• Compressor
• Radiator pipes
• Condenser

The refrigeration process begins with the liquid refrigerant entering the expansion valves. As it passes through, the sudden drop in pressure expands the liquid and turns it into gas. The compressor takes in the gas refrigerant and squeezes it, thus raising its temperature and pressure. The hot, pressurized refrigerant gas flows through the thick and rounded copper radiator pipes which are present at the back of the refrigerator. As the gas passes through the radiator pipes, it cools down quickly and turns back into its liquid state. The cooled liquid refrigerant then flows back into the condenser and the process starts again.

Now, having discussed how a refrigerator works, let us proceed to discuss the capacity of refrigerator that would be best suited for your home as per your requirements:-

• For bachelors. If you stay in a flat or as a paying guest with a few room mates and mostly you store pouches of milk, eggs, curd, water bottles, loaves of bread in your refrigerator etc., the maximum capacity of refrigerator you would need is between 190-235 L.

• For a nuclear family consisting of 3 to 4 family members and you wish to store healthy quantity of food items in your refrigerator including vegetables, dairy products, non-vegetarian products, juice cans etc. The capacity of the refrigerator you should aim for is 350 L.

• For a joint family having 5 to 8 family members and you require a refrigerator to store a lot of food items, most of them including fresh vegetables, non-vegetarian food items like fish, chicken etc., and you do not store food for longer periods and consume the stored items in a day or two. In this case, go for at least a 410 L capacity refrigerator.

• For a large joint family with more than 8 members. Keeping this into consideration, you require to store a lot of food items in your refrigerator, from non-vegetarian content to dairy products to eggs to soft drink bottles etc., and prefer to keep most of the food items in deep freeze mode so as to consume only a small part of it daily and store the rest for the days to come. In this case, choosing a double door refrigerator with at least 580 L capacity would be a wise decision.

(Image of the inside view of a refrigerator)

So, having learnt what capacity of refrigerator one should purchase depending upon one's requirements, let us proceed to discuss some of the crucial features that one should look for when buying a refrigerator:-

• Inverter Compressor Technology: More durable and consumes lesser electricity in comparison to a reciprocating compressor.
• At least a 3 Star rating: For Energy savings up to 35%.
• Frost Free: Auto fridge defrost to stop ice-build up.
• Built in Stabilizer: No need to purchase a separate voltage stabilizer.

Now, having discussed what features one should look for when buying a refrigerator, let us proceed to discuss the ways in which some manufacturers (names not taken) try to cut manufacturing costs to maximize their own profits and in turn deliver a sub-standard product to the customers which has a very short shelf life and may prove to be hazardous to the users.

COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

• Poor fabrication of condenser coils leading to refrigerant leaks. Condenser coils are one of the most important aspects of a refrigerator as they contain the liquid refrigerant and account for almost 30 to 35 per cent of the entire cost of the refrigerator. Needless to say, the condenser coils are one of the favourite areas of the manufacturers to make huge profits. Some manufacturers resort to using poor grade copper condenser coils that develop minute holes and cracks over a period of time that lead to refrigerant leak which may prove to be dangerous to humans if inhaled in excess.

• Improper insulation. Keeping the contents of the refrigerator sealed from outside hot temperatures is a very essential aspect of refrigeration. To ensure proper insulation, high quality door seals must be used. However, most people do not pay much attention to the insulation aspect of the refrigerator while buying it. Hence, door seal becomes another major area where some manufacturers cut costs. A poor door seal deployed by those manufacturers does not completely attach itself to the body of the refrigerator which leads to very minute gaps between the seal and the body. As a result, hot air from outside continuously seeps inside the refrigerator causing the food contents to get spoiled.

Now, having discussed how some refrigerator manufacturers cut costs, let us proceed to zero down on some of the best refrigerators available in the market that not only make use of long-lasting and efficient components but also offer the most value for the money spent.

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

For bachelors
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13 and Best Choice 14

For nuclear family
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11, Best Choice 12, Best Choice 13, Best Choice 14 and Best Choice 15

For joint family
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10 and Best Choice 11

For large joint family
For Indian citizens:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12