Frost-Free vs. Defrost Refrigerator: Ice, Electricity, and Price

The difference in two lines

Defrost fridges cool without a fan, so humidity freezes on the freezer walls and forms a layer of ice that you have to melt periodically. Frost-free fridges have a fan that circulates cold air, and a small heater that melts the ice on its own every few hours, so the freezer stays clean without you having to unplug the fridge.

And keep in mind: in many defrost models, the fridge compartment itself defrosts on its own, and the freezer is where the ice collects. That's why sales pages sometimes write "automatic defrost" and the freezer still needs manual defrosting. And if the fridge location is in a hot kitchen, look for a Tropical compressor in both types.

Ice and cleaning

In a defrost fridge, the ice layer grows with every door opening, and the thicker it gets, the more freezer space it takes up and the weaker the cooling becomes. When defrosting, you must unplug the fridge, take out the food in a cooler or ice box, and wait for hours. In a frost-free fridge, there is no such thing, but you must cover your food and wrap vegetables because the circulating air dries them out.

Electricity

Frost-free fridges have a fan and a heater, so they may consume more than a defrost fridge of the same size. But defrost fridges also consume more when the ice gets thick, because the compressor works harder to cool from behind the layer of ice. An inverter reduces the consumption of frost-free models. The true verdict is the annual consumption figure in kilowatt-hours on the energy label, not just the fridge type.

Price and repairs

Defrost fridges are cheaper and simpler to install: no fan, no heater, and no defrost timer, so there are fewer parts that can break and repairs are cheaper. Frost-free fridges are more expensive to buy, and any malfunction in the fan or heater shows up in the cooling immediately. But on Amazon Egypt, the Fresh 329L frost-free is close in price to the Kiriazi 350L double-door defrost, so the price difference is no longer big in smaller sizes. The difference grows in larger sizes and inverter models.

Who does each suit?

• Defrost: One or two people, a second fridge for water and juices, a rental apartment, or a very limited budget.
• Frost-free: A family that opens the fridge often, stores meat, chicken, and frozen vegetables, or someone who doesn't want the hassle of defrosting.
• If the electricity cuts out often: In both cases, do not open the door during the outage, and install a voltage stabilizer to protect the compressor when the electricity comes back.

If you choose a defrost fridge, defrost it right

• Unplug the electricity and take out the food, and put a towel under the freezer to absorb the water.
• Do not break the ice with a knife or any sharp thing, because you might puncture the gas pipes.
• Put a pot of hot water inside the freezer and close the door, so the ice melts faster.
• Dry it well before turning it on again, and wait until it is cold before putting the food back.

How to make your defrost fridge build up less ice

• Don't leave the door open while you think about what to take out, and reduce opening the freezer.
• Don't put hot food inside the fridge, let it cool first on the counter.
• Cover any water, broth, or food with moisture, because this steam is what turns into ice.
• Test the door gasket: close the door on a piece of paper, and if it pulls out easily, the gasket needs to be replaced.

Before buying any type

Read the word No Frost or Defrost in the specs themselves, because sales pages sometimes write one thing in the title and another in the table. Check who the seller is and the type of warranty, make sure it is 220 volts, measure the space, and inspect the body before receiving it.