A single door refrigerator is the best choice for a bachelor or a small family with 2-3 members. Not only is it budget friendly, it is best in terms of energy efficiency. However, on the flip side, it needs to be frequently defrosted and lack cooling efficiency of a double door refrigerator.
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The market today is inundated with most modern refrigerators that are rich in features and with eye-catchy designs making it difficult for a customer to round up to a single choice. That is why, we have gone through various models of refrigerators and shortlisted few of the best models that you could consider as your next refrigerator. Our top picks are Haier 195 L HRD-1954BS-R and LG GL-D201APOX. Other top contenders are Samsung and Whirlpool.
Best Single Door Refrigerator in India
Haier 195 L 4 Star Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator (HRD-1954BS-R)
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With 80% of buyers rating being highly satisfactory, Haier 195 L HRD-1953BS is one of the best single door refrigerators in India. Not only is it affordable, but it also rates highly in terms of energy efficiency and cooling technology.
Haier and LG on the other hand are rich in features, budget-friendly and highly energy efficient with 4-star energy rating. We recommend Haier over LG because it is more economic, has higher power efficiency and comes with 1 hour cooling technology.
- Cooling pad that retains freezer temperature for up to 10 hours
- High energy efficiency consuming least units of electricity in the segment.
- Requires regular defrosting.
- Body scratches easily.
Food Freshness
Haier HRD 1954BS-R doesn’t boast of a moist control crisper like LG D201APOX, but makes up for it by using Vitamin C Fresh filter which acts as a natural anti-oxidant and sterilizer to keep vegetables and fruits fresh for up to 7 days retaining the nutritional value and freshness. It also employs anti-bacterial system for extending life of produces kept inside it.
In case of power failure, the cooling pad in freezer retains the cooling for up to 10 hours. In addition, the 1 hour icing technology helps bring down the temperature in freezer to -5 degree Celsius in one hour.
Energy Efficiency
Consuming just 153 units of electricity a year, Haier HRD 1954 BS-R ranks best in terms of energy efficiency in the segment. The refrigerator employs direct cooling technology and has 6.5-inch-thick insulation in its body to retain the cooling.
The refrigerator also runs stabilizer free protecting itself against fluctuations ranging from 135-290 Volts.
Design
Haier HRD 1954 BS-R features a brushed silver finish that gives it an elegant appearance. Though the interiors are spacious, the freezer is found to be small and will fit only about 1-1.5 kg of fish or meat. The hardened glass shelves are height adjustable. The middle door rack fits 2 litre bottles comfortably, while the lower rack can fit smaller half litre bottles and sauces. The top LED light ensures that all racks get uniform lighting.
A drawback however is that it doesn’t have a chill tray to keep dairy products.
Variants:
Haier 195 L 4 star Direct Cool Refrigerator Black
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Haier 195 L 4 star Direct Cool Refrigerator Blue
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Haier 220 L 4 star Direct Cool Refrigerator Brushed Silver
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LG 190 L 4 Star Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator (GL-D201APOX.APOZEBN)
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Though expensive, LG GL-D201APOX features in this list of best single door refrigerators as it has superior features like smart inverter compressor, moisture balancing crisper and ranks high in terms of energy efficiency. For this reason, the refrigerator also features in our list of best refrigerators.
- Smart Inverter compressor that ensures optimal cooling and energy savings
- Moisture balancing crisper that maintains the right level of humidity for fresher vegetables
- Comparatively expensive in the segment
Food Freshness
LG GL-D201APOX uses smart inverter compressor that ensures optimal level of cooling is maintained all time. To add to it, the vegetable box comes with a lattice shaped lid that retains the moisture that is evaporated from the vegetables to maintain a right level of humidity inside the crisper. Though it doesn’t have the efficacy of the Vitamin C Fresh filter, the lattice shaped lid still does a good job of preserving the vegetables for a sufficient period.
In order to maintain the cooling inside the refrigerator during power failures, LG uses Powercut Evercool, which is a unique material that maintains the cooling for up to 7 hours.
Energy Efficiency
The smart inverter compressor is found to be very useful in saving energy as the refrigerator uses just the enough power to maintain optimal cooling in the refrigerator. This helps in minimizing power consumption to just 164 units per year.
The refrigerator also enjoys stabilizer free operation when power fluctuates between 100-290 Volts and can also be directly connected to inverter so that the food is preserved even in case of extended power outage.
As with other newer model LG refrigerators, GL-D201APOX is also solar smart—meaning it can be powered directly from solar energy provided you have a DC to AC converter.
Design
Design perhaps is the major plus point of LG GL-D201APOX. The refrigerator is available in numerous colours and stylish designs. It has a lock facility on the door and a 12 litre drawer on the bottom that can be used to store potato, onion and other vegetables that don’t need refrigeration. The drawer also conceals the legs of the refrigerator, overall improving its aesthetic appeal.
The interiors don’t come with any surprises. The freezer is almost the same size as that of Haier 195 Litre refrigerator. Beneath the freezer, there is a chill tray for dairy and deli products. The hardened glass shelves are height adjustable and capable of holding up to 175 Kg weight. There are three smaller racks on the door that can be used for keeping jars and canister, while the longer middle rack can be used for sauces and smaller bottles and the bottom-most rack for keeping 2 litre bottles. Overall, the space is efficiently managed to increase the storage capacity.
Variants:
Scarlet Orchid- LG 190 L 4 Star Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator (GL-D201ASOX.ASOZEBN
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Purple Dazzle- LG 190 L 4 star Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator (GL-B201APDX.APDZEBN
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Shiny Steel: LG 190 L 3 star Direct Cool Refrigerator GL-B201APZW
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Whirlpool 190 L 3 Star Direct-Cool Single Door Refrigerator (205 GENIUS CLS PLUS 3S )
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Even though Whirlpool 205 Genius CLS Plus has just 3-star energy rating, we considered this for our list of best single door refrigerator owing to its high cooling efficiency and pocket-friendly price.
- Fast cooling and best in class cooling retention of 12 hours in case of power failure
- Moisture control vent in the crisper to adjust the humidity level
- Not best in terms of power efficiency
- Only 5 year warranty on compressor, while most brands offer 10 year warranty.
Food Freshness
Whirlpool 205 Genius CLS Plus has one of the best-in-class cooling efficiency. We found that the refrigerator brought down the temperature of food and beverages rapidly and maintained a consistent temperature throughout all the compartments.
The refrigerator uses 6th sense power cool technology and insulated capillary technology for improving its cooling efficiency.
So, what is 6th sense power cooling technology? Whenever the temperature inside the fridge increases due to fridge door being left open for long or during power failures or due to increase in fridge load, the advanced sensor in it activates a special compressor mode that works quickly to bring down the temperature inside the refrigerator. The manufacturers claim that this system is five times faster than conventional refrigerators which in turn helps in preserving the nutritional value of the food.
The insulated capillary technology is yet another technology that helps with faster cooling and longer cooling retention. In most refrigerators, the capillary through which the refrigerant passes is not insulated, whereas in Whirlpool, the capillary is surrounded by super cool gas that retain its cooling and thus helps improve cooling efficiency. This not only maintains the cooling throughout the compartment, but also brings down the freezer temperature to -26 degree Celsius—which is best-in-class.
The combination of insulated capillary technology and 6th sense power cooling helps maintain the cooling inside the entire refrigerator for up to 9 hours in case of power outages.
Next, in order to maintain the freshness of the fruits and vegetables, the crisper has an adjustable vent that can be opened to let out the moisture and closed to maintain the moisture level as it is. This retains an optimal level of humidity that helps preserve the nutritional value and freshness of the produces.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency perhaps is not a forte of Whirlpool 205 Genius CLS Plus. Consuming 203 units of electricity, the refrigerator has 3-star energy rating.
Just like other refrigerators in the segment, Whirlpool 205 Genius CLS Plus too doesn’t need a stabilizer and is capable of withstanding fluctuations between 130-300 Volts.
Design
Available in different colours, Whirlpool 205 Genius CLS Plus features a door with recessed handle and has a door lock too.
The interiors are designed efficiently with a sufficiently spacious freezer and a dairy zone beneath the freezer. The two hardened glass shelves are height adjustable and the crisper lid too acts as a shelf to keep food. The door racks are wide and spaced evenly to provide ample space for storing water bottles. As many as three 2 Litre bottles and five 1 litre bottles can be kept at a time in the two racks together.
The only drawback is that it doesn’t have a top LED light, thus hampering the visibility in bottom shelves.
Variants:
Wine- Whirlpool 190 L 3 Star Direct Cool refrigerator 205 Genius CLS Plus 3S Wine.
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Samsung 212 L 3 Star Direct Cool Single Door Refrigerator
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Moderately priced, Samsung 212 L 3 star direct cool refrigerator is stylish yet functional with its digital inverter compressor, cool wave technology and a host of features that you would love. If used moderately, needs of even families with 4 members can be met with this refrigerator.
- Digital inverter technology adjusts compressor speed in seven different levels to maintain optimal cooling and enhance life of compressor
- Stylish design
- Not best in terms of energy efficiency
Food Freshness
The refrigerator unfortunately doesn’t have any feature to adjust the humidity level or retain moisture inside the vegetable crisper. So, fruits and vegetables stored inside for extended duration may lose its moisture and suppleness.
However, a perfect level of cooling is maintained inside to keep the food fresh, thanks to the digital inverter compressor. The anti-bacterial gasket is also helpful as it keeps away bacteria, fungi and other microbes from entering the refrigerator.
Energy Efficiency
Even though the refrigerator uses digital inverter compressor that adjusts the speed to 7 levels depending on the ambient temperature and food load, the energy efficiency is not quite best in class. However, digital inverter compressors are found to have longer life and minimal complaints during its life span.
Just like the LG single door refrigerator, Samsung too makes Solar smart refrigerator that works with electricity from solar panel and also works stabilizer free when voltage fluctuates between 100-300 V. If the voltage fluctuates further, the refrigerator switches off itself in order to prevent any electrical damage.
Design
With an elegant bar chrome handle, crown design and stainless steel finish, the Samsung 212 L refrigerator is a beautiful addition to a stylish kitchen.
The interiors are pretty spacious with a roomy 25 L freezer and a chill tray to keep dairy as well as 1 litre bottles. The hardened glass shelves are height adjustable and the door baskets are wide and spacious enough to fit 2 litre bottles comfortably.
The catch however is that the lid of the crisper doesn’t close snuggly leading to loss of moisture in the vegetables. Also, conventional bulb is used instead of LED which compromises on even lighting throughout the compartments.
Variants
Star Flower Blue- Samsung 212 L 4 Star Direct Cool Single Door Refrigerator (RR22M287YU2/NL)
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Star Flower Black- Samsung 212 L 4 Star Direct Cool Refrigerator (RR22M282YB2/NL)
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Rose Mallow Plum- Samsung 212 L 4 Star Direct-Cool Single-Door Refrigerator (RR22M287YR3/NL)
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Verdict
Overall, the best all rounded choice is Haier 4 Star 195 L Single door refrigerator. It is optimal in terms of energy efficiency, cooling and design.
If you are flexible on budget and appearance is a priority and you would love to have some extra space, without much compromise on energy efficiency and other features, then LG single door 190 L refrigerator is the best bet.
Frequent party hosts who need ample supply of chilled beverages would be happier with Whirlpool 190 L refrigerator. Moreover, it is the least expensive refrigerator in the list.
Also check our list of best refrigerators under Rs. 10,000
How We Picked?
The best refrigerator brands in terms of durability, trustworthiness, customer service and affordability are LG, Samsung, Haier and Whirlpool.
The single door refrigerator sold by Samsung and Whirlpool are feature rich, but they lack energy efficiency. Most of the refrigerators have 3-star BEE rating. So, they rank third and fourth in our list.
Haier and LG on the other hand are rich in features, budget-friendly and highly energy efficient with 4-star energy rating. We recommend Haier over LG because it is more economic, has higher power efficiency and comes with 1 hour cooling technology.
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