8 Best Refrigerators for Home Use (Philippines - 2021) - 101Appliances (2023)

Are you planning to start a home-based food business in the Philippines soon? If so, invest in a refrigerator to help you in your endeavor. However, refrigerators come in a variety of configurations, functions and price ranges – it can be difficult to choose the best model for your business.

Our top picks are:

• The best all-round refrigerator: Condura CTD-311MNi
• Best all-round lite refrigerator: Haier HR-IV158SBP-S
• The best beverage cooler for mini markets: Condura CBC227-NL
• The ultimate beverage cooler for small sari-sari shops: Fujidenzo SU-35A
• Best Compact Upright Freezer: Panasonic NR-A8013FTG
• The ultimate chest freezer for small sari-sari stores: Fujidenzo FC-35 GDF
• The best chest freezer for the online grocery business: Haier BD-206HVD6
• The best chest freezer mini markets with meat options: Fujidenzo FS-11 CDF

In this article, we will discuss why we think these 8 refrigerators are best suited for several types of home businesses that are common in the Philippines.

Buying guide for home refrigerators

The rules of thumb for buying refrigerators for your home business will be a bit different than withhousehold refrigerator. Here are some points to consider:

Capacity

A larger refrigerator is not always a better choice in this case.

First, you may not need that much storage space in your refrigerator to begin with. The device itself may not even fit into the small space of your home.

Second, buying a large refrigerator will incur large fixed costs that will make your home business financially worse off. In addition, the larger the refrigerator, the higher its operating costs.

The best way to estimate how large your refrigerator should be is to estimate the nominal storage level for each item you intend to store in the refrigerator. Here is the formula:

Basic level = (weekly stock usage + buffer stock) / Weekly delivery

So if you can sell 20 whole chickens a week and the supplier can deliver twice a week, also assuming you have set aside 20% extra as buffer stock, the formula is

Basic level = (20 whole chickens + 4 whole chickens buffer broth) / 2
Nominal level = 12 whole chickens

This means that there must be enough space in the fridge to store 12 whole chickens at a time. Now do this for each SKU to be stored in the fridge or freezer. With all the answers added together, you can now estimate how much space you will need to run your home business.

By the way, refrigerators in the Philippines have two declared volumes: gross capacity and net capacity (sometimes called capacity). Always base your decision onnet capacitybecause it is a more accurate way to measure the actual usable storage space for this model.

Space

The available refrigerator space for your home business will be the main limiting factor when choosing a model. This will most likely be separate from the main household refrigerator. As such, you may have to compromise the space you allocate in order to use it. You may also have to compromise on model size, because even if you can afford a large model, if you don't have room for it, you can't use it.

Some people get around this space limitation by placing their ownrefrigerators or freezers outside the home. Although this is a common sight in the Philippines, we should also be aware of the effects of the elements on our refrigerator and how it works.

In addition, you may have problems finding a free socket for the refrigerator, and you mayplug the refrigerator into an extension cord. But as we noted earlier: this is a fire hazard and should not be attempted unless you buy the right type of extension cord for your refrigerator.

configuration

Refrigerators come in different configurations; you should also consider what kind of goods you sell and choose the setup that makes the most sense for you.

The four most common types of refrigerators for commercial use are:

• Single-door or double-door refrigerator
• Chest freezer
• Upright freezer
• Beverage cooler

Here are some tips to help you choose the best refrigerators for your home business:

Single door and double door refrigerator

Of these four configurations, single door and double door refrigeratorsare among the most versatile. Since they have a fridge, freezer and freezer, you can put most common perishables in them. The only downside is that storage space for both fresh food and frozen products is limited.

It is a good choice for sari-sari stores, kitchenettes and online grocery stores. However, for more specialized stores, the other three types may be a better choice for you.

Chest freezer

If most items arefrozen goodsthen is the best type of refrigerator for youchest freezer.

There are two types of chest freezers: those with a solid top and those with a sliding glass door.

INchest freezer with sliding glass dooris the best choice when your business has customers who want to see what you have in stock. Therefore mini markets should have at least one of these.

Solid top chest freezersis a better choice foronline grocery storeowners andsmall food kiosksbecause you don't need a clear glass door because you don't have any customers anyway.

If you sell fresh food or drinks but want a chest freezer, you should buy a dual function model as it allows you to use the freezer as a cooler. There are also models of chest freezers that have separate freezer and refrigerator compartments.

Upright freezer

The downside to chest freezers is their size; they tend to be bulky and wide. Small home businesses can have trouble finding the right space for them. If you want a freezer, but have little space to work with, you should choose a freezervertical freezer.

It is also a good choice if you have many types of frozen food, as the shelves in an upright freezer are much easier to organize compared to a chest freezer.

Beverage cooler

INbeverage cooleris a refrigerator with a transparent glass door. It's a good fridge if you have to servekitchenettethemini marketbecause customers can see what you have in stock.

Moreover, even though it is calleddrinkingcooler, it can certainly cool a lot more – you can store butter, margarine, cheese and other things that can be stored in the fridge. However, remember:it is not a freezer. Do not put meat or fish in the beverage cooler.

Our top picks:

Now without further ado, our picks for the best refrigerators for your home business:

1. The best all-round business refrigerator: Condura CTD-311MNi

With a 176 L (6.2 cu ft) refrigerator, 102 L (3.6 cu ft) freezer, swing-out wire shelves and a bottle holder, this fridge can do it all! You can use it for your kitchenette or sari-sari shop. You can also use its large freezer for home usesiomai.

It is also equipped with an inverter, which means that its running costs will be significantly lower compared to other models.

This model also comes with Condura's generous warranty policy: 10 years on the compressor, 3 years on system parts and labor, 2 years on LED lighting, 1 year on the inverter board and 3 months on plastic parts.

For more information, please check this modelHer.

2. The best all-round business refrigeratorlekki: Haier HR-IV158SBP-S

If the former is a little below your budget, you can opt for Haier's HR-IV158SBP-S. It may be compact in size, but it certainly punches above its weight class. It is also a good value for money choice.

The 126 L (4.4 cu ft) fridge and 31 L (1.1 cu ft) freezer can hold a decent amount of food. Its compact size makes it one of the best refrigerators for home businesses with limited space. You can also easily defrost it with the one-touch defrost function.

It is also equipped with an inverter compressor, which significantly reduces operating costs. how low? Users only0.44 kWh/24 hours, and with a power factor of 9.744/kW this corresponds to₱4.28 per day– well below the average of ₱7.89 per day for this capacity!

we wrote aboutaverage power consumption for refrigeratorsfor capacity before - check if you are interested!

You can also have this item delivered right to your doorlacing. Check it out!

3. The Ultimate Mini Market Beverage Cooler: Condura CBC227-NL

For convenience store owners looking for the beverage cooler with the most bang for their buck, Condura's CBC227-NL cooler will not disappoint.

At 8.0 cubic feet, the Condura CBC227-NL can hold 204 330ml cans at a time. Of course, you can also store milk products in it.

This model is packed with features: a moisture-proof glass door and LED lighting make the display always visible. It also has a lock and key to protect your belongings during lockdown.

Another advantage of this model is that it automatically defrosts the unit for you; less time for cleaning and maintenance, more time for your business!

For more information, please check this modelHer.

4. Best beverage cooler for small sari-sari shops: Fujidenzo SU-35A

If your sari-sari shop has a small space but still wants to add a beverage cooler to display your inventory, you can choose the Fujidenzo SU-35A. Its compact size means it fits into most small spaces.

It has a fan cooling system that evenly distributes the cold air in the unit. The double glass door configuration minimizes the formation of condensation on the door.

For more information, please check this modelHer.

5. Best upright freezer for tight spaces: Panasonic NR-A8013FTG

For those who have a wide selection of frozen foods but don't have space for a chest freezer, the Panasonic NR-A8013FTG Upright Freezer may be the best solution.

Although it has a capacity of 8.0 cubic feet, its width is just over half a meter (54.5 cm). This makes it ideal for tight spaces.

It also has bigger, taller and wider shelves, which means you can fit many more items in it. Shelves also make it easier to organize these items.

For more information, please check this modelHer.

6. The best chest freezer for small sari-sari stores: Fujidenzo FC-35 GDF

If you are looking for a chest freezer that can be placed in a small space, you should pay attention to the Fujidenzo FC-35 GDF model, as its small size (only 0.55 meters wide) makes it ideal for most tight spaces.

It also has a dual-purpose function, so it can be used as a freezer or a cooler.

For more information, please check this modelHer.

7. Best chest freezer for online grocery business: Haier BD-206HDV6

For an online food business, you need a simple chest freezer that is large enough to hold raw materials and finished goods at the same time. Haier's BD-206HDV6 Freezer is a solid choice in this case.

Not only can it be converted from a refrigerator to a freezer (dual-purpose), it also has a high-efficiency compressor that is environmentally friendly and helps you save money!

This model is also useful during power outages; its aluminum inner plate allows it to hold cold air for 100 hours without power. usuallythe fridge can only stay cold for a few hours after dark.

For more information, please check this model Her.

8. Best Mini Market Chest Freezer With Meat Options: Fujidenzo FS-11 CDF

A chest freezer with a curved glass door will make the goods inside more visible to customers compared to a model with a flat glass door; and display visibility are the main objectives of the Fujidenzo FS-11 CDF.

This model is ideal for mini markets selling frozen foods, ice cream, meat and drinks as its dual function makes it versatile enough to handle a wide range of products. Plus, with 11.0 cubic feet of storage space, you can fit a lot of inventory in it, too.

For more information, please check this modelHer.

Application

We hope our top picks of the best refrigerators for home businesses in the Philippines will ease your decision-making process when you finally embark on your entrepreneurial journey.

Good luck!