Hotpoint total no frost H9X 94T SX fridge freezer
Buy now £779, Markselectrical.co.uk
Rating: 9/10
- Noise level: 33dB
- Type: Freestanding
- Energy rating: C
- Capacity: 367l (fridge 263l/freezer 104l)
- Annual energy consumption: 162 kilowatts
- Dimensions: H2027cm, W596cm, D678cm
There’s no ignoring a full-size fridge freezer in any kitchen so it’s a real bonus when it looks as good as this. Though the appliance also comes in black or white, we tested the saturn steel colour, a sleek matt silver that proved astonishingly resistant to annoying fingerprints even with two children constantly opening the fridge door in search of snacks.
Square edges rather than rounded corners make this model look particularly high-end and impressive, and we felt it appeared a lot more expensive than it really was. Just be aware the door opens to the right and is not reversible, which could affect where you position it, although the drawers can be accessed fully even if it’s installed next to a wall.
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Everything is controlled by a discreet electronic control panel on the front of the fridge door which clearly displays the temperature in the fridge and freezer, so you can rest assured everything’s working as it should be. This is also where you can easily turn on extra functions including super freeze, which should be pressed to freeze fresh food as quickly as possible to best preserve it. Inside, bright LED lighting means it’s easy to see every corner even when the fridge is fully stocked too – perfect for midnight raids.
PerformanceWe were bowled over by how much space there was inside this fridge freezer, with over two-thirds given to the refrigerator. Though it was almost identical in size to our own fridge freezer, we had far more space than normal once it was stocked with our usual shopping, particularly in the freezer. The model’s C energy rating is also far better than most fridge freezers currently on the market, with ratings of E and F more typical.
Inside the fridge, there are four shelves, a bottle rack and an egg tray. Handily, one shelf is entirely foldable which is fantastic for tall items, and we especially liked the fact it can be folded to half-depth so the back of the upper shelf could still be used with something taller positioned in front.
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On the door, there are five surprisingly deep door bins that can be adjusted to fit bottles or jugs, and are easily big enough for a large six pint bottle of milk. The freezer has a further three deep drawers that seem decently sturdy and give us real hope we might not end up breaking one within weeks like usual (just us?).
The fridge’s two drawers are really ingenious though. One allows you to customise the temperature with a dial on the drawer to best suit the food inside and is designed for meat and fish, dairy products, or fruit and vegetables. The second has a dial to control humidity to help fruit and vegetables stay crisp for longer and can be adjusted for just fruit, just vegetables or a mixture of both.
We felt both these made a noticeable difference to food freshness, keeping lettuce crisper for longer and stopping berries going soft too quickly. We noticed cucumber and peppers both seemed shop-fresh when we might otherwise have considered them past their best, so we’re certain this fridge freezer would help us cut down on food waste.
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Preservation is also helped with the appliance’s active inverter compressor. This reduces temperature fluctuation to stop food going off and keeps energy consumption down for maximum efficiency. Best of all, total no frost technology circulates air around the fridge and freezer so moisture and ice can’t build up, and tedious defrosting can finally become a thing of the past.
We noticed even when we pushed items right to the back, they didn’t develop ice crystals as we’d normally expect. There was also no sign of crystals on frozen items that often show them first such as ice lollies, glass dishes and even loosely wrapped bread.
In addition, food is kept in top nick with active oxygen technology. This releases ozone molecules inside the refrigerator to limit odours, improve air quality and reduce 99 per cent of viruses and bacteria to preserve food for longer. A blue light indicates when the function is activated, but it can also be easily deactivated on the touchscreen panel if preferred. It’s hard to measure exactly how much difference this made to our food, but it certainly gives a little extra reassurance when loading the fridge up with fresh food straight after shopping.
The verdict: Hotpoint total no frost H9X 94T SX fridge freezerIf you’re keen to cut down on waste, but still want food at its freshest and tastiest, this Hotpoint H9X 94T SX frost free fridge freezer will make a real difference in your kitchen. We were certain our fruit and vegetables lasted longer without losing their flavour – a game changer if you don’t have time to keep popping to the shop during a busy week. We also loved the flexibility to fit in bigger dishes and bottles and definitely won’t miss defrosting. All this and it’s a real looker too.