Cold Comfort

If that refrigerator wheezing away in the corner of your kitchen is on the verge of a meltdown and you’re planning to replace the old clunker, shopping will not be the same as you may remember.

According to appliance industry figures, refrigerators are replaced, on average, every 10 to 15 years. A lot can change in that time, and, in fact, a lot has changed in only the past couple of years.

Refrigerators have always been the hardest-working appliances in the home, and manufacturers are not about to cut them any slack there. The list of technological advances and conveniences is constantly growing to enable refrigerators to do more so we can do less.

If you think the automatic ice-cube maker in your current refrigerator ranks right up there with the wheel, then what about an ice maker that lets you choose the consistency of that ice--from crushed to cube--with the turn of a knob?

Through-the-door water dispensers are not new. What is new, though, are dispensers with integral filters designed to skim lead, chlorine and other impurities out of the water that goes into a glass or an ice tray to make it clearer and better-tasting.

Then there are electronic controls that monitor individual cold-air supplies so different areas of the refrigerator can maintain ideal temperatures for meats, fruits and vegetables; shelves that lift up to provide “headroom” for tall bottles and slide out in the down position for easy access to items stored in back; and even models that can stand alone or be mixed and matched to provide specialized service anywhere in the house.

All the enhancements, industry sources say, are in response to the renewed popularity of the kitchen as a center of contemporary family life. “Because families are spending more time in the kitchen, appliances have become the design focal point, and consumers want their appliances to look good and expect them to perform even better,” says Fred Turner, vice president of sales for the Frigidaire Co. in Dublin, Ohio.

Frigidaire’s contributions to the changes in the form and function of refrigerators are representative of what has happened only recently. Going beyond established industry standards, such as ice makers and water dispensers, some Frigidaire models contain a water filter that removes certain impurities in tap water. The filter cartridge is inside the refrigeration compartment and lasts six months or 200 gallons.

Many models are shallower than older refrigerators, sacrificing some capacity to make them fit flush with base cabinets and give them a built-in look.

Another feature in some new models is a shelf that tilts up to make room for large bottles and jugs and slides out for cleaning or for easily reaching items stored in the back of the refrigerator.

Other examples of the evolution of refrigerators come from Amana Refrigeration Inc. of Amana, Iowa. The company also incorporates an in-line water filter and, like other manufacturers, has designed flexible storage space such as roll-out shelves and door bins that can accommodate large bottles and gallon containers.

In addition, the company has reintroduced a feature that had been a standard in the industry at one time: a bottom-mount freezer. The consumer favorite is still the top-mount freezer, which accounts for 75% of refrigerator sales, according to industry estimates. But, says Karla Lynn, product manager for Amana, since consumers use the refrigerator section seven to 10 times more often than the freezer, the bottom-mount design puts fresh food at easier-to-reach eye level and reduces stooping and bending.

Despite continued improvements in appearance and performance, a refrigerator remains a traditional appliance used in a traditional setting--the kitchen. But there are products that go beyond the kitchen.

Why not have chilled wine or champagne at your fingertips as you soak in a soothing bath? Or a beverage and a snack in the living room so you don’t have to leave during a crucial moment in a TV movie? Or, for that matter, why not have a refrigerator anywhere you feel like having one?

Sub-Zero Freezer Co. Inc. of Madison, Wis., a producer of standard-size, built-in refrigerators and freezers, last year introduced a line of compact units that can stand alone or be combined to provide discreet and stylish refrigeration in any room of the house.

The line consists of a tall cabinet unit and a two-drawer base unit. Each comes either as a freezer or a refrigerator, allowing mixing and matching to create all-refrigerator, all-freezer or combination units.

The bases fit under kitchen counters and center islands, and the refrigerator version has two separate temperature zones. The tall refrigerator combination has three individual temperature zones that are controlled electronically.

Marvel Industries of Richmond, Va., is another manufacturer of compact refrigerators that can be dispersed around the house. But one of the more interesting features in its product line is the Wine Grotto, a compact, under-the-counter wine cellar. The slide-out racks hold up to 50 bottles that are kept at the proper temperature and humidity. The Wine Grotto can be mixed with the company’s other modular units to create a variety of cool combinations.