refrigerator with lcd touch screen and apps free sample

For Samsung Family Hub refrigerators that operate on TIZEN 6.0 Software version and above, the Family Hub app will no longer be supported. Please download and use the SmartThings app instead.

- Food related features like View Inside, Recipe Recommendation, Meal Planner, Shopping List, and Food List can be found within the SmartThings Cooking Service

Whether we want them or not, appliance makers seem hell bent on connecting their creations to the Internet, thereby making them “smart.” Samsung’s latest offering along those lines is a $5,800 touchscreen- and camera-equipped refrigerator, intended as the 21st century’s answer to the Post-It note-covered family fridge.

The centerpiece of Samsung’s refrigerator, called the Family Hub, is a massive 21.5-inch touchscreen. It gives the appearance that the South Korean technology firm slapped a massive smartphone onto a refrigerator door. When activated, the screen becomes a shared space for posting digital sticky notes, viewing photos, and even watching television.

Samsung has shown off touchscreen fridges in the past, but this model offers a larger screen that runs more apps. (Yes, even our refrigerators have apps now. Two examples include Instacart and Groceries by MasterCard, both of which let you order groceries when you’re running low.)

The Family Hub’s standout feature is its camera system. Combined with a smartphone app, the fridge’s three cameras give you a window into your fridge when you’re out at the store but you’ve forgotten if you need more ketchup. That’s potentially handy for the absent-minded among us.

The cameras also work with the fridge’s “Food Reminders” app, which lets you drag and drop expiration date reminders on various foods in the fridge. If you have a bundle of vegetables that expires in four days, for example, you could post a label on the foods to indicate they should be used within that time. The note automatically changes from day to day, meaning that four-day label would turn into a three-day reminder if the items haven’t been used by the following day.

It’s not the first fridge with a camera — LG showcased one in 2014 — but apps like Food Reminder make more use of this functionality. Still, we’re not quite at the holy grail of smart refrigerators. What some pine for is the fridge that can sense we’re low on Sriracha and place an order for us automatically.

While the Family Hub has potential, its asking price is far and away above what most families are likely willing to spend on a refrigerator. Those who desperately want a smarter fridge could find a cheaper alternative in Whirlpool’s $3,800 Smart French Door Refrigerator, which offers some Internet-powered convenience for thousands less.

Other technology firms are also hoping to prosper by adding Internet-based functionality into decidedly old-school technologies. Amazon, for example, recently unveiled a water pitcher it created with Brita that can automatically order new filters when needed.

Smart refrigerators feature a touchscreen interface and the ability to connect to the internet through Wi-Fi to provide a number of additional features. Smart refrigerators include internal cameras, more flexible user-controlled cooling options, and the ability for you to interact with its features using your smartphone or tablet when away from home. Some smart refrigerators can even connect with other smart devices in your home; such as speakers, smart TVs, and even your smart dishwasher or smart microwave.

While exact features included will vary by brand and model, here is an overview of some of the many things you never knew a fridge could do. Keep in mind, not all smart refrigerators have the same features.

Some models of smart refrigerators provide both cold and hot water. You select a temperature and amount of water you want to be heated and your smart refrigerator sends a notification to your smartphone when your heated water is ready. A few even come with a Keurig single-cup coffee maker built in, saving counter space and making your morning routine just a bit simpler.

Smart refrigerators have also incorporated sensors to make opening the door with your hands full no trouble at all. Sensors in the door respond to a gentle bump by opening the door for you. Some models have sensors at the bottom of the unit that respond to foot gestures to open the fridge door for you. And if the door isn’t closed securely, the sensors respond and automatically pull the door shut to keep your food fresh and prevent cool air from getting out and running up your energy bills.

With all of the features and connectivity, many people have concerns about whether a smart refrigerator is a smart decision. Let"s go over some of the common concerns many people have when it comes to making the investment in a smart fridge.

While they started out quite a bit more expensive, the prices have come down significantly as more brands and models have become available. Choosing a smart fridge over (non-smart) ones with a bottom-drawer freezer or a french-door style could cost as little a couple hundred bucks more or as much as a couple of thousand dollars more. It all depends on the model and brand you choose.

The important thing to remember about all smart home technology that connects to the internet is that it typically uses the same Wi-Fi access you have set up for your other devices to access the internet, such as your smartphones, tablets, computers, and TV streamer devices. You always want to have your modem or router configured with proper security and complex passwords to ensure the safety of all of your connected devices and appliances.

You might also be wondering what could be hacked. Well, the smart in smart refrigerator usually means a built-in computer with a screen and access to the internet. You can log into services you use every day so that, for instance, your calendar appears on the refrigerator"s screen. That login information could be taken and used in other places (another reason why unique passwords for every service you use makes a lot of sense). Everything has some sort of vulnerability, so it remains to be seen how manufacturers handle these kinds of problems.

Yes and no. The main components of the refrigerator such as condenser coils, fans, compressors, and so on would cost the same to maintain or repair as a regular refrigerator. It"s still a fridge, ultimately. Where there could potentially be extra costs for repairs would be if special features such as hands-free door opening sensors, built-in coffee maker, or the touchscreen interface were to break down or fail. However, manufacturers designed smart refrigerators with typical family use and the average fridge lifespan (about 15 years) in mind.

Wi-Fi connectivity means your smart refrigerator could receive new software updates and likely new features as they are developed and released. Your smart fridge should get smarter and stay up-to-date with the latest technology over time. And most technology companies send through software updates during the night to avoid hassles for users, so updates should seem almost seamless.

To run a Smart Diagnosis, download the LG ThinQ mobile app for iOS or Android. Launch the app and select Settings > Smart Diagnosis > Start Smart Diagnosis.

Internet-connected refrigerators were a reality as far back as 1998, but LG launched one of the first smart fridges to the public in June 2000. The Internet Digital DIOS model had a price tag of more than $20,000.

What if your refrigerator could tell you if its door has been left open, or it"s running out of ice? What if you could ask it — while you"re at the grocery store — if you need to get more eggs or milk?

Those are some of the features available with "smart" refrigerators that are connected to your smartphone via the internet. This guide will help show what smart refrigerators can do, how much they cost, who makes them — and if they"re worth it.

A smart refrigerator is one that"s connected to the cloud. Depending on the features built into the fridge, it lets you do such things as use your smartphone to see what"s inside; send and receive notes and calendar entries that will appear on the fridge"s screen; and even get alerts if the refrigerator"s door is left open.

At the moment, very few manufacturers make smart refrigerators. Only LG, Samsung and GE (under its Café brand) make smart refrigerators, and each has only a couple of models with connected features.

It really depends on the company. Samsung"s Family Hub refrigerator is the most packed, featurewise, with a large display that lets you look at a calendar, leave notes, look up recipes, watch TV, play music and more. However, most other smart refrigerators have fewer functions — ones that are less splashy but still useful, such as sending your phone a notification if the door has been left open or letting you know if the ice is running low.

It"s tough to say, because refrigerator manufacturers don"t make analogous smart and nonsmart models. In addition, Wi-Fi connectivity is a relatively new feature, so it"s only found on higher-end refrigerators, which already command a premium price. Because it includes a large display, Samsung"s Family Hub refrigerator has the biggest difference in price. For example, this Samsung three-door French Door nonsmart refrigerator costs $1,699(opens in new tab), while a similar-capacity three-door Family Hub refrigerator is $2,499(opens in new tab).

Refrigerators have been around for 100 years and have functioned just fine without any smart features. At the moment, the features they have, such as a door-open alert, are nice to have, but they"re not necessary. Consumer Reports tested the Samsung Family Hub v. 3.0 for a couple weeks, and found that while the fridge itself performed well, its smart features had a number of issues and quirks that didn"t make it worth the premium price.

A slightly less expensive model than the Café series, GE Profile refrigerators also have the Keurig K-Cup brewing system but lack the small LCD display of the Café series. This model is a French Door style available in four finishes: Black Slate, Black Stainless Steel, Slate and Stainless Steel.

While it doesn"t have a built-in touch screen, LG"s InstaView refrigerator has a tinted glass panel that, when knocked on twice, becomes transparent, letting you see what"s inside. A Door-in-Door feature then lets you open the outer section so you can grab frequently used items without fully opening the refrigerator. The InstaView refrigerator is available in several configurations, including counter- and full-depth, 3- and 4-door French Door, and side by side. This refrigerator connects to LG"s SmartThinQ app (Android and iOS) and alerts you if the doors are left open. It also works with Alexa and Google Assistant.

Samsung"s Family Hub refrigerator, now in its third generation, has come to define what a smart refrigerator should be. It has a large touch-screen display, through which you can do a number of things: Look up recipes, jot down notes and send them to family members" phones (and vice versa), peer at the contents inside the fridge (thanks to its interior cameras), control smart home devices and perform general searches using Bixby, stream music, create shopping lists, order groceries and more.

The refrigerator that kick-started the smart-appliances movement, the Family Hub refrigerator, is now in its third generation but still retains its signature 21.5-inch touch screen.

Samsung offers eight different configurations of the Family Hub refrigerator. You can get it in 22, 24, or 28 cubic-inch capacities, and in three styles: a traditional 3-door French Door, a 4-door French Door with a FlexZone drawer or a 4-door Flex Door, which lets you convert one section from a refrigerator to a freezer.

Samsung"s 4-Door Flex Food Showcase refrigerator is a French-door-style refrigerator in which the lower-right compartment can be converted from a refrigerator to a freezer, depending on your needs. The upper-right section doesn"t have a touch screen like the Family Hub, but it does have a door-in-door feature, letting you get to items in the door without having to fully open the fridge. This refrigerator is available in two sizes (22 and 28 cubic inches).

Samsung makes French Door refrigerators in both full- and counter-depth size and with either a traditional 3-door French Door style or with a fourth FlexZone, pull-out shelf. One model (RF23HTEDBSR, $2,199) has the Food Showcase door-in-door feature. There"s also a 22-cubic-foot counter-depth, side-by-side refrigerator (the left side is the freezer and the right is the refrigerator) that can be configured with a full-length Food Showcase door-in-door.

The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items.

Digital advances are emerging as one of the hottest trends in the home appliance space. Think refrigerators that track your food inventory and expiration dates; washers and dryers you control remotely with a smartphone; robotic vacuum cleaners. “2012 is becoming the year, when connected appliances become more mass marketable and more mainstream,” says Shawn DuBravac, chief economist and director of research for the Consumer Electronics Association, which produces the annual show. The evolution o

Digital advances are emerging as one of the hottest trends in the home appliance space. Think refrigerators that track your food inventory and expiration dates; washers and dryers you control remotely with a smartphone; robotic vacuum cleaners. “2012 is becoming the year, when connected appliances become more mass marketable and more mainstream,” says Shawn DuBravac, chief economist and director of research for the Consumer Electronics Association, which produces the annual show.

The evolution of these new appliances can be traced to the explosion of mobile devices. Another factor is cloud computing, which allows your many devices to easily communicate and sync with one another. Tech savvy consumers want their traditional white-box appliances do the same. In addition to smart technology, more consumers demand energy-efficient appliances. In fact, with higher utility bills and gasoline prices, consumers are more concerned about saving energy and money than saving water and using less plastic, according to a recent study by the Consumer Electronics Association.

The upshot is some of the most sophisticated appliances — some with four-figure prices to match. DuBravac says the market for connected appliances is just beginning. Looking ahead, he imagines a futuristic home, where your digital body scale and refrigerator sync to offer healthy meal ideas and recipes; maybe even a polite, audio reminder to stay away from the ice cream. “Consumers are just now being presented with the opportunity of accessing a host of different information from different devices,” DuBravac says.

Price: Not available (product debuts late 2012) Digital Smarts: The company is hoping to make a splash with its “Smart ThinQ” technology. Not only can appliances be controlled remotely from smartphones and TVs, the appliances and digital devices all communicate with one another. For example, as you watch your favorite program on TV, you can get laundry cycle updates on your TV screen. There’s no need to go to the machine. When you’re out of the house and worried about your laundry, just pull out

Digital Smarts: The company is hoping to make a splash with its “Smart ThinQ” technology. Not only can appliances be controlled remotely from smartphones and TVs, the appliances and digital devices communicate with one another. For example, as you watch your favorite program on TV, you can get laundry-cycle updates on your TV screen. There’s no need to go to the machine.

When you’re out of the house and worried about your laundry, just pull out your smartphone, which will alert you if there’s a problem like a water input issue. And if you poured in the fabric softener and changed your mind, that’s not a problem. Just adjust the washing machine controls. The washers are scheduled to hit retailers in the third quarter.

Price: NA (product debuts late 2012) Digital Smarts: If you buy this high-tech refrigerator, you’ll be better organized. When you come home with groceries, scan your receipt with your smartphone. The fridge will keep an inventory of your items and expiration dates. Alternatively, you can scan the bar codes off individual items. The fridge will alert you when you’re out of items or they’re about to expire. Enter family health and dietary details and your fridge can recommend recipes based on its

Digital Smarts: If you buy this high-tech refrigerator, you’ll be better organized. When you come home with groceries, scan your receipt with your smartphone. The fridge will keep an inventory of your items and expiration dates. Alternatively, you can scan the bar codes off individual items.

The fridge will alert you when you’re out of items or they’re about to expire. Enter family health and dietary details and your fridge can recommend recipes based on its contents. When you’re out of food, no need to reach for a laptop or tablet and order from an online grocery store. Just click on the fridge’s display screen, or LCD panel, that has a wireless connection to the Internet — and order what you need. You may never jot down a grocery list again. The fridge will be available around the fourth quarter.

Price: $159 Digital Smarts: This is one fancy, WiFi-enabled scale. Every time you step onto the scale, it automatically measures your weight, lean-and-fat mass and body mass index. You can access this data through a web browser or your smartphone and track your progress over time. The scale’s dashboard lets you manage up to eight users.

Digital Smarts: This is one fancy, WiFi-enabled scale. Every time you step onto the scale, it automatically measures your weight, lean-and-fat mass and body mass index. You can access this data through a web browser or your smartphone and track your progress over time. The scale’s dashboard lets you manage up to eight users.

Price: $599.99 Digital Smarts: Admit it. You’ve probably considered buying one of these chord-less devices, if only to confuse your pet. The robot automatically adjusts to different surfaces including hardwood, tile and linoleum. The vacuum robot’s head was designed with pet owners in mind and picks up pet hair, as well as dirt, dust and allergens. Of course, a key part of the allure is the robot’s ability to roam your home, including those hard to reach places. Roomba also returns to its “Home

Digital Smarts: Admit it. You’ve probably considered buying one of these chordless devices, if only to confuse your pet. The robot automatically adjusts to different surfaces including hardwood, tile and linoleum. The vacuum robot’s head was designed with pet owners in mind and picks up pet hair, as well as dirt, dust and allergens.

Price: $2699 or $3499 Digital Smarts: Samsung’s advanced refrigerators feature four temperature-setting options. Meat and fish, for example, can be stored at 29°F and wine can be kept slightly warmer at 42 degrees. There are separate cooling systems in the refrigerator and freezer to regulate temperature and humidity. One drawer is adjustable so kids easily can reach for it. But the fun really begins with the fridge’s touch screen LCD panel. Select the “Grocery Manager” that tracks your food inv

Digital Smarts: Samsung’s advanced refrigerators feature four temperature-setting options. Meat and fish, for example, can be stored at 29 degrees Fahrenheit and wine can be kept slightly warmer at 42 degrees. There are separate cooling systems in the refrigerator and freezer to regulate temperature and humidity. One drawer is adjustable so kids easily can reach for it.

But the fun really begins with the fridge’s touch screen LCD panel. Select the “Grocery Manager” that tracks your food inventory. For example, when you buy eggs, hit the egg carton icon on the LCD panel and the refrigerator will alert you when the food is about to expire. Additional apps include Epicurious recipes, a Google calendar, Internet radio service Pandora and weather updates.

Price: $3,398 for both Digital Smarts: Samsung’s WF457 Wi-Fi-enabled washer and dryer perform a multitude of tasks — short of placing and removing your clothes, and folding them. The front-loading washer features a 4.5-cubic-feet capacity, one of the largest in the industry. The machine comes with a smart-phone application so you can monitor cycles remotely and receive alerts if there are problems. The washer’s advanced rinsing systems means a cycle that’s up to 25 percent shorter compared to co

Digital Smarts: Samsung’s WF457 Wi-Fi-enabled washer and dryer perform a multitude of tasks — short of placing, removing and folding your clothes. The front-loading washer features a 4.5-cubic-foot capacity, one of the largest in the industry. The machine comes with a smart-phone application so you can monitor cycles remotely and receive alerts if there are problems. The washer’s advanced rinsing systems means a cycle that’s up to 25 percent shorter compared to conventional washers. The washer and dryer will be available beginning in May.

Price: $399.95 Digital Smarts: Forget the old-fashioned dead bolt. This home camera-security system is right out of the movies. The WiFi wireless network camera allows you to monitor and control your camera from anywhere in the world. The secret is the camera’s built-in web server and continuous DVR recording ability, which streams video on your smartphone. Built-in infrared LED lighting allows vision and recording up to 30 feet in complete darkness.

Digital Smarts: Forget the old-fashioned dead bolt. This home camera-security system is right out of the movies. The WiFi wireless network camera allows you to monitor and control your camera from anywhere in the world. The secret is the camera’s built-in web server and continuous DVR recording ability, which streams video on your smartphone. Built-in infrared LED lighting allows vision and recording up to 30 feet in complete darkness.

Price: $2,945 Digital Smarts: This under-the-counter unit has lots of bells and whistles, designed to control the temperature, humidity and light exposure that could affect your precious bottles. The tinted, tempered glass door includes a UV filter. The LED lighting system doesn"t affect the interior temperature. There are two separate cooling zones, so you can store white and red wines and champagne simultaneously. Fresh air is distributed throughout the wine unit. An alarm sounds if there’s a

Digital Smarts: This under-the-counter unit has lots of bells and whistles, designed to control the temperature, humidity and light exposure that could affect your precious bottles. The tinted, tempered glass door includes a UV filter. The LED lighting system doesn"t affect the interior temperature. There are two separate cooling zones, so you can store white and red wines and champagne simultaneously. Fresh air is distributed throughout the wine unit. An alarm sounds if there’s a power failure, rise in temperature or if the door is left ajar.

Price: $2,849 Digital Smarts: This dishwasher includes an “AutoSensor” that determines the amount of water and detergent needed based on the number of dishes in the machine. Its “RemoteVision” technology system alerts Miele if there’s a malfunction through a wireless Internet connection. Additional features include LED lighting, 10 wash cycles and less noise when in operation.

Digital Smarts: This dishwasher includes an “AutoSensor” that determines the amount of water and detergent needed, based on the number of dishes in the machine. Its “RemoteVision” technology system alerts Miele if there’s a malfunction through a wireless Internet connection. Additional features include LED lighting, 10 wash cycles and less noise when in operation.

Price: $3,998 for both Digital Smarts: First of all, the washer-dryer pair looks really cool. Inside the washer, “Cycle-Logic” technology offers 33 multiple cycle choices including athletic wear, baby items, jeans, bath mats, shower curtains, shoes, swimwear and stuffed animals. If those don’t grab you, program your own. If you’re a laundry newbie and perplexed by fabric stains, an LCD touch screen offers cleaning tips. For example, enter chocolate stain and cotton shirt and the machine offers c

Digital Smarts: First of all, the washer-dryer pair looks really cool. Inside the washer, “Cycle-Logic” technology offers 33 multiple-cycle choices including athletic wear, baby items, jeans, bath mats, shower curtains, shoes, swimwear and stuffed animals. If those don’t grab you, program your own.

If you’re a laundry newbie and perplexed by fabric stains, an LCD touch screen offers cleaning tips. For example, enter chocolate stain and cotton shirt and the machine offers cleaning tips.

The machines are also extremely energy efficient. The washer senses the amount of clothes inside and adjusts water use accordingly. The washer generally uses 76 percent less water and 75 percent less energy compared to conventional machines manufactured before 2004. The dryer includes and energy-efficient setting. The Vantage dryer features an eco-setting, which cuts energy use through efficient heat management. Plus, an “EcoMonitor” system for both machines tracks the amount of energy saved per load so consumers can track their savings over time.

A household refrigerator is designed to store food products for consumption such as meat, dairy, and vegetables. The temperature may be adjusted through a thermostat dial and is not strictly regulated to a specific set point since food items generally do not need precise temperature regulation. It is a low-cost equipment, which is why it is usually purchased as substitute equipment for sample storage. On the contrary, a lab grade refrigerator cost more. It is equipped with a microprocessor controller that ensures accurate temperature setting and provides alarms to signal critical conditions for storage of temperature-sensitive products. It is the right equipment to store biological samples, vaccines, reagents, and other temperature-sensitive products in the lab.

Get ready for a smart fridge showdown at CES 2020, because Samsung and LG will both be unveiling fridges with added artificial intelligence capabilities this year. Samsung’s latest edition of its Family Hub refrigerator and LG’s second-generation InstaView ThinQ fridge both tout AI-equipped cameras that can identify food. The idea is that the cameras can scan what’s inside and let users know what items they’re short on, even making meal suggestions based on the ingredients they still have.

Samsung’s Family Hub smart fridge was first unveiled at CES 2016, and since then, the company has been rolling out updated iterations with Bixby support, SmartThings integration, and AKG speakers. The latest edition adds software upgrades to enable AI image recognition in its View Inside cameras.

Before, the cameras let users see what’s in their fridges from their smartphones, a useful feature if you happen to be out grocery shopping and can’t remember what you need to stock up on. With the AI-enabled updates, Family Hub will supposedly make these recommendations for you on its own, identifying which ingredients you’re low on. Though it’s to be determined how well the image recognition will work — for example, how will it deal with ingredients stored in tubs of Tupperware?

The software upgrades also include improved meal planning with the help of Whisk, a food tech startup Samsung acquired last year. Whisk lets users plan meals for up to a week and then creates smart shopping lists using ingredients that apply to multiple recipes.

Finally, the huge built-in touchscreen that can be used as a virtual bulletin board can now support video clips, as well as mirror content from Samsung TVs and phones. That means you can watch vertical videos like IGTV on your Samsung fridge, as God intended.

LG is showing off two models of its InstaView fridges, both of which feature a 22-inch display that can turn transparent to let users see what’s inside without opening the door and letting the cold air out. There’s the AI-equipped InstaView ThinQ and the InstaView with Craft Ice, which makes fancy, two-inch spherical ice balls. Those are supposed to melt slower than regular ice, if that’s a problem that you have. The InstaView with Craft Ice was released in the US last year, but will now be available in more markets.

There’s no pricing information yet, but based on the prices for LG and Samsung’s previous fridge models, customers can expect prices to range from $4,500 to $6,000. Samsung says its Family Hub updates will be available in the spring.

I’m not opposed to the idea of a huge Wi-Fi-connected touchscreen on a fridge — in fact, it seems like a genuinely useful way to look up recipes or display cute photos and videos. I’m skeptical how well the AI will identify different ingredients, and whether using a computer to see what items you’re low on is really better than just taking a look for yourself.

A refrigerator, colloquially fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to its external environment so that its inside is cooled to a temperature below the room temperature. Refrigeration is an essential food storage technique around the world. The lower temperature lowers the reproduction rate of bacteria, so the refrigerator reduces the rate of spoilage. A refrigerator maintains a temperature a few degrees above the freezing point of water. The optimal temperature range for perishable food storage is 3 to 5 °C (37 to 41 °F).freezer. The refrigerator replaced the icebox, which had been a common household appliance for almost a century and a half. The United States Food and Drug Administration recommends that the refrigerator be kept at or below 4 °C (40 °F) and that the freezer be regulated at −18 °C (0 °F).

The first cooling systems for food involved ice. Artificial refrigeration began in the mid-1750s, and developed in the early 1800s. In 1834, the first working vapor-compression refrigeration system was built. The first commercial ice-making machine was invented in 1854. In 1913, refrigerators for home use were invented. In 1923 Frigidaire introduced the first self-contained unit. The introduction of Freon in the 1920s expanded the refrigerator market during the 1930s. Home freezers as separate compartments (larger than necessary just for ice cubes) were introduced in 1940. Frozen foods, previously a luxury item, became commonplace.

Freezer units are used in households as well as in industry and commerce. Commercial refrigerator and freezer units were in use for almost 40 years prior to the common home models. The freezer-over-refrigerator style had been the basic style since the 1940s, until modern, side-by-side refrigerators broke the trend. A vapor compression cycle is used in most household refrigerators, refrigerator–freezers and freezers. Newer refrigerators may include automatic defrosting, chilled water, and ice from a dispenser in the door.

Domestic refrigerators and freezers for food storage are made in a range of sizes. Among the smallest are Peltier-type refrigerators designed to chill beverages. A large domestic refrigerator stands as tall as a person and may be about one metre (3 ft 3 in) wide with a capacity of 0.6 m3 (21 cu ft). Refrigerators and freezers may be free-standing, or built into a kitchen. The refrigerator allows the modern household to keep food fresh for longer than before. Freezers allow people to buy perishable food in bulk and eat it at leisure, and make bulk purchases.

Ancient Iranians were among the first to invent a form of large evaporative cooler called yakhchāls using subterranean storage spaces, a large domed above-ground structure made with thick walls and outfitted with wind catchers (called "badgirs"), walled off further into a series of "qanats", or a style of aqueduct used in Ancient Iran.

In modern times, before the invention of the modern electric refrigerator, icehouses and iceboxes were used to provide cool storage for most of the year. Placed near freshwater lakes or packed with snow and ice during the winter, they were once very common. Natural means are still used to cool foods today. On mountainsides, runoff from melting snow is a convenient way to cool drinks, and during the winter one can keep milk fresh much longer just by keeping it outdoors. The word "refrigeratory" was used at least as early as the 17th century.

In 1805, American inventor Oliver Evans described a closed vapor-compression refrigeration cycle for the production of ice by ether under vacuum. In 1820, the British scientist Michael Faraday liquefied ammonia and other gases by using high pressures and low temperatures, and in 1834, an American expatriate in Great Britain, Jacob Perkins, built the first working vapor-compression refrigeration system. It was a closed-cycle device that could operate continuously.John Gorrie,Alexander Twining took out a British patent in 1850 for a vapor compression system that used ether.

The first practical vapor compression refrigeration system was built by James Harrison, a Scottish Australian. His 1856 patent was for a vapor compression system using ether, alcohol or ammonia. He built a mechanical ice-making machine in 1851 on the banks of the Barwon River at Rocky Point in Geelong, Victoria, and his first commercial ice-making machine followed in 1854. Harrison also introduced commercial vapor-compression refrigeration to breweries and meat packing houses, and by 1861, a dozen of his systems were in operation.

The first gas absorption refrigeration system (compressor-less and powered by a heat-source) was developed by Ferdinand Carré of France in 1859 and patented in 1860. It used gaseous ammonia dissolved in water ("aqua ammonia").

Carl von Linde, an engineering professor at the Technological University Munich in Germany, patented an improved method of liquefying gases in 1876. His new process made possible the use of gases such as ammonia (NH3), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and methyl chloride (CH3Cl) as refrigerants, which were widely used for that purpose until the late 1920s despite safety concerns.

In 1894, Hungarian inventor and industrialist István Röck started to manufacture a large industrial ammonia refrigerator which was powered by electric compressors (together with the Esslingen Machine Works). Its electric compressors were manufactured by the Ganz Works. At the 1896 Millennium Exhibition, Röck and the Esslingen Machine Works presented a 6-tonne capacity artificial ice producing plant. In 1906, the first large Hungarian cold store (with a capacity of 3,000 tonnes, the largest in Europe) opened in Tóth Kálmán Street, Budapest, the machine was manufactured by the Ganz Works. Until nationalisation after the Second World War, large-scale industrial refrigerator production in Hungary was in the hands of Röck and Ganz Works.

Commercial refrigerator and freezer units, which go by many other names, were in use for almost 40 years prior to the common home models. They used gas systems such as ammonia (R-717) or sulfur dioxide (R-764), which occasionally leaked, making them unsafe for home use. Practical household refrigerators were introduced in 1915 and gained wider acceptance in the United States in the 1930s as prices fell and non-toxic, non-flammable synthetic refrigerants such as Freon-12 (R-12) were introduced. However, R-12 proved to be damaging to the ozone layer, causing governments to issue a ban on its use in new refrigerators and air-conditioning systems in 1994. The less harmful replacement for R-12, R-134a (tetrafluoroethane), has been in common use since 1990, but R-12 is still found in many old systems.

A common commercial refrigerator is the glass fronted beverage cooler. These type of appliances are typically designed for specific re-load conditions meaning that they generally have a larger cooling system. This ensures that they are able to cope with a large throughput of drinks and frequent door opening. As a result, it is common for these types of commercial refrigerators to have energy consumption of over 4 kWh per day.

In 1913, the first electric refrigerators for home and domestic use were invented and produced by Fred W. Wolf of Fort Wayne, Indiana, with models consisting of a unit that was mounted on top of an ice box.DOMELRE.Nathaniel B. Wales of Detroit, Michigan, introduced an idea for a practical electric refrigeration unit, which later became the basis for the Kelvinator. A self-contained refrigerator, with a compressor on the bottom of the cabinet was invented by Alfred Mellowes in 1916. Mellowes produced this refrigerator commercially but was bought out by William C. Durant in 1918, who started the Frigidaire company to mass-produce refrigerators. In 1918, Kelvinator company introduced the first refrigerator with any type of automatic control. The absorption refrigerator was invented by Baltzar von Platen and Carl Munters from Sweden in 1922, while they were still students at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. It became a worldwide success and was commercialized by Electrolux. Other pioneers included Charles Tellier, David Boyle, and Raoul Pictet. Carl von Linde was the first to patent and make a practical and compact refrigerator.

These home units usually required the installation of the mechanical parts, motor and compressor, in the basement or an adjacent room while the cold box was located in the kitchen. There was a 1922 model that consisted of a wooden cold box, water-cooled compressor, an ice cube tray and a 0.25-cubic-metre (9 cu ft) compartment, and cost $714. (A 1922 Model-T Ford cost about $476.) By 1923, Kelvinator held 80 percent of the market for electric refrigerators. Also in 1923 Frigidaire introduced the first self-contained unit. About this same time porcelain-covered metal cabinets began to appear. Ice cube trays were introduced more and more during the 1920s; up to this time freezing was not an auxiliary function of the modern refrigerator.

The first refrigerator to see widespread use was the General Electric "Monitor-Top" refrigerator introduced in 1927, so-called, by the public, because of its resemblance to the gun turret on the ironclad warship USS Monitor of the 1860s.sulfur dioxide, which is corrosive to the eyes and may cause loss of vision, painful skin burns and lesions, or methyl formate, which is highly flammable, harmful to the eyes, and toxic if inhaled or ingested.

The introduction of Freon in the 1920s expanded the refrigerator market during the 1930s and provided a safer, low-toxicity alternative to previously used refrigerants. Separate freezers became common during the 1940s; the term for the unit, popular at the time, was deep freeze. These devices, or defrosting and automatic ice making. More efficient refrigerators were developed in the 1970s and 1980s, even though environmental issues led to the banning of very effective (Freon) refrigerants. Early refrigerator models (from 1916) had a cold compartment for ice cube trays. From the late 1920s fresh vegetables were successfully processed through freezing by the Postum Company (the forerunner of General Foods), which had acquired the technology when it bought the rights to Clarence Birdseye"s successful fresh freezing methods.

In the early 1950s most refrigerators were white, but from the mid-1950s to the present day, designers and manufacturers have put color onto refrigerators. In the late-1950s/early-1960s, pastel colors like turquoise and pink became popular, and brushed chrome-plating (similar to a stainless steel finish) was available on some models. In the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, earth tone colors were popular, including Harvest Gold, Avocado Green and almond. In the 1980s, black became fashionable. In the late 1990s stainless steel came into vogue. Since 1961 the Color Marketing Group has attempted to coordinate the colors of appliances and other consumer goods.

Freezer units are used in households and in industry and commerce. Food stored at or below −18 °C (0 °F) is safe indefinitely.chest freezers, wider than tall with the lid or door on top, sacrificing convenience for efficiency and partial immunity to power outages.

Vapor compression cycle – A: hot compartment (kitchen), B: cold compartment (refrigerator box), I: insulation, 1: Condenser, 2: Expansion valve, 3: Evaporator unit, 4: Compressor

A vapor compression cycle is used in most household refrigerators, refrigerator–freezers and freezers. In this cycle, a circulating refrigerant such as R134a enters a compressor as low-pressure vapor at or slightly below the temperature of the refrigerator interior. The vapor is compressed and exits the compressor as high-pressure superheated vapor. The superheated vapor travels under pressure through coils or tubes that make up the condenser; the coils or tubes are passively cooled by exposure to air in the room. The condenser cools the vapor, which liquefies. As the refrigerant leaves the condenser, it is still under pressure but is now only slightly above room temperature. This liquid refrigerant is forced through a metering or throttling device, also known as an expansion valve (essentially a pin-hole sized constriction in the tubing) to an area of much lower pressure. The sudden decrease in pressure results in explosive-like flash evaporation of a portion (typically about half) of the liquid. The latent heat absorbed by this flash evaporation is drawn mostly from adjacent still-liquid refrigerant, a phenomenon known as auto-refrigeration. This cold and partially vaporized refrigerant continues through the coils or tubes of the evaporator unit. A fan blows air from the compartment ("box air") across these coils or tubes and the refrigerant completely vaporizes, drawing further latent heat from the box air. This cooled air is returned to the refrigerator or freezer compartment, and so keeps the box air cold. Note that the cool air in the refrigerator or freezer is still warmer than the refrigerant in the evaporator. Refrigerant leaves the evaporator, now fully vaporized and slightly heated, and returns to the compressor inlet to continue the cycle.

Modern domestic refrigerators are extremely reliable because motor and compressor are integrated within a welded container, "sealed unit", with greatly reduced likelihood of leakage or contamination. By comparison, externally-coupled refrigeration compressors, such as those in automobile air conditioning, inevitably leak fluid and lubricant past the shaft seals. This leads to a requirement for periodic recharging and, if ignored, possible compressor failure.

Refrigerators with two compartments need special design to control the cooling of refrigerator or freezer compartments. Typically, the compressors and condenser coils are mounted at the top of the cabinet, with a single fan to cool them both. This arrangement has a few downsides: each compartment cannot be controlled independently and the more humid refrigerator air is mixed with the dry freezer air.

Multiple manufacturers offer dual compressor models. These models have separate freezer and refrigerator compartments that operate independently of each other, sometimes mounted within a single cabinet. Each has its own separate compressor, condenser and evaporator coils, insulation, thermostat, and door.

A hybrid between the two designs is using a separate fan for each compartment, the Dual Fan approach. Doing so allows for separate control and airflow on a single compressor system.

An absorption refrigerator works differently from a compressor refrigerator, using a source of heat, such as combustion of liquefied petroleum gas, solar thermal energy or an electric heating element. These heat sources are much quieter than the compressor motor in a typical refrigerator. A fan or pump might be the only mechanical moving parts; reliance on convection is considered impractical.

Other uses of an absorption refrigerator (or "chiller") include large systems used in office buildings or complexes such as hospitals and universities. These large systems are used to chill a brine solution that is circulated through the building.

The Peltier effect uses electricity to pump heat directly; refrigerators employing this system are sometimes used for camping, or in situations where noise is not acceptable. They can be totally silent (if a fan for air circulation is not fitted) but are less energy-efficient than other methods.

"Ultra-cold" or "ultra-low temperature (ULT)" (typically −80°C or −86°C) freezers, as used for storing biological samples, also generally employ two stages of cooling, but in cascade. The lower temperature stage uses methane, or a similar gas, as a refrigerant, with its condenser kept at around −40°C by a second stage which uses a more conventional refrigerant. Well known brands include Forma and Revco (both now Thermo Scientific). For much lower temperatures, laboratories usually purchase liquid nitrogen (−196 °C), kept in a Dewar flask, into which the samples are suspended. Cryogenic chest freezers can achieve temperatures of down to −150°C, and may include a liquid nitrogen backup.

Many modern refrigerator/freezers have the freezer on top and the refrigerator on the bottom. Most refrigerator-freezers—except for manual defrost models or cheaper units—use what appears to be two thermostats. Only the refrigerator compartment is properly temperature controlled. When the refrigerator gets too warm, the thermostat starts the cooling process and a fan circulates the air around the freezer. During this time, the refrigerator also gets colder. The freezer control knob only controls the amount of air that flows into the refrigerator via a damper system.

This means the refrigerator may become too warm. However, because only enough air is diverted to the refrigerator compartment, the freezer usually re-acquires the set temperature quickly, unless the door is opened. When a door is opened, either in the refrigerator or the freezer, the fan in some units stops immediately to prevent excessive frost build up on the freezer"s evaporator coil, because this coil is cooling two areas. When the freezer reaches temperature, the unit cycles off, no matter what the refrigerator temperature is. Modern computerized refrigerators do not use the damper system. The computer manages fan speed for both compartments, although air is still blown from the freezer.

A power failure warning that alerts the user by flashing a temperature display. It may display the maximum temperature reached during the power failure, and whether frozen food has defrosted or may contain harmful bacteria.

Chilled water and ice from a dispenser in the door. Water and ice dispensing became available in the 1970s. In some refrigerators, the process of making ice is built-in so the user doesn"t have to manually use ice trays. Some refrigerators have water chillers and water filtration systems.

An in-door ice caddy, which relocates the ice-maker storage to the freezer door and saves approximately 60 litres (2 cu ft) of usable freezer space. It is also removable, and helps to prevent ice-maker clogging.

A cooling zone in the refrigerator door shelves. Air from the freezer section is diverted to the refrigerator door, to cool milk or juice stored in the door shelf.

A drop down door built into the refrigerator main door, giving easy access to frequently used items such as milk, thus saving energy by not having to open the main door.

A Fast Freeze function to rapidly cool foods by running the compressor for a predetermined amount of time and thus temporarily lowering the freezer temperature below normal operating levels. It is recommended to use this feature several hours before adding more than 1 kg of unfrozen food to the freezer. For freezers without this feature, lowering the temperature setting to the coldest will have the same effect.

Freezer Defrost: Early freezer units accumulated ice crystals around the freezing units. This was a result of humidity introduced into the units when the doors to the freezer were opened condensing on the cold parts, then freezing. This frost buildup required periodic thawing ("defrosting") of the units to maintain their efficiency. Manual Defrost (referred to as Cyclic) units are still available. Advances in automatic defrosting eliminating the thawing task were introduced in the 1950s, but are not universal, due to energy performance and cost. These units used a counter that only defrosted the freezer compartment (Freezer Chest) when a specific number of door openings had been made. The units were just a small timer combined with an electrical heater wire that heated the freezer"s walls for a short amount of time to remove all traces of frost/frosting. Also, early units featured freezer compartments located within the larger refrigerator, and accessed by opening the refrigerator door, and then the smaller internal freezer door; units featuring an entirely separate freezer compartment were introduced in the early 1960s, becoming the industry standard by the middle of that decade.

These older freezer compartments were the main cooling body of the refrigerator, and only maintained a temperature of around −6 °C (21 °F), which is suitable for keeping food for a week.

Butter heater: In the early 1950s, the butter conditioner"s patent was filed and published by the inventor Nave Alfred E. This feature was supposed to "provide a new and improved food storage receptacle for storing butter or the like which may quickly and easily be removed from the refrigerator cabinet for the purpose of cleaning."

Domestic refrigerators and freezers for food storage are made in a range of sizes. Among the smallest is a 4 L Peltier refrigerator advertised as being able to hold 6 cans of beer. A large domestic refrigerator stands as tall as a person and may be about 1 m wide with a capacity of 600 L. Some models for small households fit under kitchen work surfaces, usually about 86 cm high. Refrigerators may be combined with freezers, either stacked with refrigerator or freezer above, below, or side by side. A refrigerator without a frozen food storage compartment may have a small section just to make ice cubes. Freezers may have drawers to store food in, or they may have no divisions (chest freezers).

Compressor refrigerators are by far the most common type; they make a noticeable noise, but are most efficient and give greatest cooling effect. Portable compressor refrigerators for recreational vehicle (RV) and camping use are expensive but effective and reliable. Refrigeration units for commercial and industrial applications can be made in various sizes, shapes and styles to fit customer needs. Commercial and industrial refrigerators may have their compressors located away from the cabinet (similar to split system air conditioners) to reduce noise nuisance and reduce the load on air conditioning in hot weather.

Absorption refrigerators may be used in caravans and trailers, and dwellings lacking electricity, such as farms or rural cabins, where they have a long history. They may be powered by any heat source: gas (natural or propane) or kerosene being common. Models made for camping and RV use often have the option of running (inefficiently) on 12 volt battery power.

Peltier refrigerators are powered by electricity, usually 12 volt DC, but mains-powered wine coolers are available. Peltier refrigerators are inexpensive but inefficient and become progressively more inefficient with increased cooling effect; much of this inefficiency may be related to the temperature differential across the short distance between the "hot" and "cold" sides of the Peltier cell. Peltier refrigerators generally use heat sinks and fans to lower this differential; the only noise produced comes from the fan. Reversing the polarity of the voltage applied to the Peltier cells results in a heating rather than cooling effect.

Magnetic refrigerators are refrigerators that work on the magnetocaloric effect. The cooling effect is triggered by placing a metal alloy in a magnetic field.

Acoustic refrigerators are refrigerators that use resonant linear reciprocating motors/alternators to generate a sound that is converted to heat and cold using compressed helium gas. The heat is discarded and the cold is routed to the refrigerator.

In a house without air-conditioning (space heating and/or cooling) refrigerators consumed more energy than any other home device.Energy Star qualified use 50% less energy than the average models made in 1974.energy efficiency rating label instead of the Energy Star; thus EU refrigerators at the point of sale are labelled according to how energy-efficient they are.

For US refrigerators, the Consortium on Energy Efficiency (CEE) further differentiates between Energy Star qualified refrigerators. Tier 1 refrigerators are those that are 20% to 24.9% more efficient than the Federal minimum standards set by the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA). Tier 2 are those that are 25% to 29.9% more efficient. Tier 3 is the highest qualification, for those refrigerators that are at least 30% more efficient than Federal standards.

Besides the standard style of compressor refrigeration used in normal household refrigerators and freezers, there are technologies such as absorption refrigeration and magnetic refrigeration. Although these designs generally use a much larger amount of energy compared to compressor refrigeration, other qualities such as silent operation or the ability to use gas can favor these refrigeration units in small enclosures, a mobile environment or in environments where unit failure would lead to devastating consequences.

Many refrigerators made in the 1930s and 1940s were far more efficient than most that were made later. This is partly attributable to the addition of new features, such as auto-defrost, that reduced efficiency. Additionally, after World War 2, refrigerator style became more important than efficiency. This was especially true in the US in the 1970s, when side-by-side models (known as American fridgefreezers outside of the US) with ice dispensers and water chillers became popular. However, the reduction in efficiency also arose partly from reduction in the amount of insulation to cut costs.

Because of the introduction of new energy efficiency standards, refrigerators made today are much more efficient than those made in the 1930s; they consume the same amount of energy while being three times as large.

The efficiency of older refrigerators can be improved by defrosting (if the unit is manual defrost) and cleaning them regularly, replacing old and worn door seals with new ones, adjusting the thermostat to accommodate the actual contents (a refrigerator needn"t be colder than 4 °C (39 °F) to store drinks and non-perishable items) and also replacing insulation, where applicable. Some sites recommend cleaning condenser coils every month or so on units with coils on the rear, to add life to the coils and not suffer an unnoticeable deterioration in efficiency over an extended period, the unit should be able to ventilate or "breathe" with adequate spaces around the front, back, sides and above the unit. If the refrigerator uses a fan to keep the condenser cool, then this must be cleaned or serviced, at per individual manufactures recommendations.

If the defrosting system melts all the ice before the timed defrosting period ends, then a small device (called a defrost limiter) acts like a thermostat and shuts off the heating element to prevent too large a temperature fluctuation, it also prevents hot blasts of air when the system starts again, should it finish defrosting early. On some early frost-free models, the defrost limiter also sends a signal to the defrost timer to start the compressor and fan as soon as it shuts off the heating element before the timed defrost cycle ends. When the defrost cycle is completed, the compressor and fan are allowed to cycle back on.

Frost-free refrigerators, including some early frost-free refrigerators/freezers that used a cold plate in their refrigerator section instead of airflow from the freezer section, generally don"t shut off their refrigerator fans during defrosting. This allows consumers to leave food in the main refrigerator compartment uncovered, and also helps keep vegetables moist. This method also helps reduce energy consumption, because the refrigerator is above freeze point and can pass the warmer-than-freezing air through the evaporator or cold plate to aid the defrosting cycle.

With the advent of digital inverter compressors, the energy consumption is even further reduced than a single-speed induction motor compressor, and thus contributes far less in the way of greenhouse gases.

The energy consumption of a refrigerator is also dependent on the type of refrigeration being done. For instance, Inverter Refrigerators consume comparatively less energy than a typical non-inverter refrigerator. In an inverter refrigerator, the compressor is used conditionally on requirement basis. For instance, an inverter refrigerator might use less energy during the winters than it does during the summers. This is because the compressor works for a shorter time than it does during the summers.

Further, newer models of inverter compressor refrigerators take in to account various external and internal conditions to adjust the compressor speed and thus optimize cooling and energy consumption. Most of them use at least 4 sensors which help detect variance in external temperature, internal temperature owing to opening of the refrigerator door or keeping new food inside; humidity and usage patterns. Depending on the sensor inputs, the compressor adjusts its speed. For example, if door is opened or new food is kept, the sensor detects an increase in temperature inside the cabin and signals the compressor to increase its speed till a pre-determined temperature is attained. After which, the compressor runs at a minimum speed to just maintain the internal temperature. The compressor typically runs between 1200 and 4500 rpm.

Inverter compressors not only optimizes cooling but is also superior in terms of durability and energy efficiency.LG played a significant role in improving inverter compressors as we know it by reducing the friction points in the compressor and thus introducing Linear Inverter Compressors. Conventionally, all domestic refrigerators use a reciprocating drive which is connected to the piston. But in a linear inverter compressor, the piston which is a permanent magnet is suspended between two electromagnets. The AC changes the magnetic poles of the electromagnet, which results in the push and pull that compresses the refrigerant. LG claims that this helps reduce energy consumption by 32% and noise by 25% compared to their conventional compressors.

The phycial design of refrigerators also plays a large part in its energy efficiency. The most efficient is the chest-style freezer, as its top-opening design minimizes convection when opening the doors, reducing the amount of warm moist air entering the freezer. On the other hand, in-door ice dispensers cause more heat leakage, contributing to an increase in energy consumption.

The refrigerator allows households to keep food fresh for longer than before. The most notable improvement is for meat and other highly perishable wares, which needed to be refined to gain anything resembling shelf life.processed, quick-cook foods that are less healthy.) Refrigeration in transit makes it possible to enjoy food from distant places.

Dairy products, meats, fish, poultry and vegetables can be kept refrigerated in the same space within the kitchen (although raw meat should be kept separate from other food for reasons of hygiene).

Freezers allow people to buy food in bulk and eat it at leisure, and bulk purchases may save money. Ice cream, a popular commodity of the 20th century, could previously only be obtained by traveling to where the product was made and eating it on the spot. Now it is a common food item. Ice on demand not only adds to the enjoyment of cold drinks, but is useful for first-aid, and for cold packs that can be kept frozen for picnics or in case of emergency.

The capacity of a refrigerator is measured in either liters or cubic feet. Typically the volume of a combined refrigerator-freezer is split with 1/3rds to 1/4th of the volume allocated to the freezer although these values are highly variable.

Temperature settings for refrigerator and freezer compartments are often given arbitrary numbers by manufacturers (for example, 1 through 9, warmest to coldest), but generally 3 to 5 °C (37 to 41 °F)

Although both the three and four star ratings specify the same storage times and same minimum temperature of −18 °C (0 °F), only a four star freezer is intended for freezing fresh food, and may include a "fast freeze" function (runs the compressor continually, down to as low as −26 °C (−15 °F)) to facilitate this. Three (or fewer) stars are used for frozen food compartments that are only suitable for storing frozen food; introducing fresh food into such a compartment is likely to result in unacceptable temperature rises. This difference in categorization is shown in the design of the 4-star logo, where the "standard" three stars are displayed in a box using "positive" colours, denoting the same normal operation as a 3-s