From the very beginning, we note that we are not talking about freezers, but about freezers. The freezer is an integral part of the refrigerator. Freezer - a separate freezer cabinet, which is designed for long-term storage of a large number of products. It should be noted that not every family needs a freezer.
At present, refrigerators are presented on the domestic market, in which freezers are very spacious and meet the needs of most buyers. So who are freezers made for? A capacious freezer is necessary for people who do not have the opportunity to go to the store every day and buy food no more than once a week (but at the same time they want their house to always have something to eat in case of a “nuclear war”), as well as summer residents, engaged in winter preparations.
After the initial processing, the recommended amount of the product is placed in pre-prepared plastic bags (usually from 200 to 600 g each). The bags are sealed so that they contain as little air as possible (between berries, product portions, slices), labeled (product name, shelf life) and placed in the freezer.
How to determine the right amount?
Of course, it all depends on your habits in everyday life. Typically, the volume of a freezer for food storage per person is 50 liters. Some people are used to buying food in large quantities once a week, others prefer to buy small amounts of food daily. If you are used to storing vegetables and fruits by freezing, then your freezer should have a larger capacity. If you are not going to make such stocks, and only occasionally meat or chicken appears in your freezer, then 50 l. enough volume.
Freezer Functions
A modern freezer can be left in the care of any food. Thanks to the Non-frost system, it does not need to be defrosted. He will take care of saving electricity. It goes well with kitchen furniture. A very convenient addition is the presence of cold accumulators in the freezer. In the event of a power outage, these batteries will ensure that the temperature inside the freezer is maintained at sub-zero temperatures for 9-24 hours (depending on the model).
If earlier freon was used as a refrigerant, now environmentally friendly chemical compounds R-134a and R-600a are used.
Manufacturers of modern freezers strive to create optimal conditions for food storage, which involves the latest technological advances. Each new model is equipped with new options and has many nice features.
Almost every freezer panel has a temperature regulator and indicator, a mode switch key and color indicators. Green - a symbol of the storage operating status, yellow indicates the fast freezing mode, red indicates an overtemperature or an open door (in some models this indicator is supplemented by an audible signal).
It must be borne in mind that over time, the indicators may begin to show a lower temperature than they actually are. Therefore, once a year, their data must be compared with the data of some other (accurate) thermometer. Sometimes the "E" mode is indicated on the panel (for example, it is available in almost all BOSCH models). This is an energy saving mode used when the freezer is only half loaded.
The fast freezing method allows you to save a maximum of nutrients and vitamins. In addition, if the products freeze instantly, ice crystals do not form in them, which tear the membrane of cellular tissues, as happens with gradual cooling. It is necessary to turn on the fast freezing mode 5 hours before laying food in the freezer. The compressor will start to work continuously, the temperature in the chamber will drop. After that, you can put fresh food - they will quickly freeze and will not warm the already stored supplies with their heat. After 24 hours, turn on the "Storage" mode.
There are two-chamber freezers: one chamber operates in normal mode, the other is designed for quick freezing. Such devices have two compressors, which is rare for freezers. The quick freezing method requires additional energy consumption. In addition, in this mode, the compressor runs without stopping, which accelerates its wear.
Freezers are available in the form of cabinets, cabinets and chests.
Freezer cabinets
They reach a height of 2 m and a width of 60 cm, occupy a relatively small area. Large useful volume (up to 280 l) allows you to store a lot of products in them. Cabinets have several levels, designed in the form of drawers or shelves with doors. Pictograms on the front panels indicate the recommended shelf life of different products. Some models have special trays for freezing berries, fruits and vegetables. The fruits are laid out on a tray and cooled evenly without freezing to each other.
Freezer cabinets
They combine well with kitchen furniture, they can be installed under the countertop or any other work surface. Usually they have a small volume and 3-4 compartments.
Chest freezers
They are elongated and open up. In such capacity it is convenient to freeze large portions of meat or fish. Often, the useful volume of chests is much larger than the volume of cabinets and reaches approximately 370 liters. The latest model of the chest freezer has dimensions of 850 * 1560 * 600 cm and can hardly fit through the door. In fact, a chest freezer is a mobile cellar in your apartment. It can be placed on a loggia or balcony, and the cold will remain even at an ambient temperature of up to +40°C.
A noticeable drawback of this type of appliance is that the chest is deep enough, and it is not always convenient to get food out of it. True, for the storage of packaged products in many models, special boxes and hanging baskets are provided. In addition, plug-in dividing walls can be used. Due to their design, effective thermal insulation and a well-placed refrigerant circuit, chest freezers are more economical than upright freezers (they hold more food per liter). Keeps cold for a long time during a power outage. However, they are not widely used in everyday life. For our small kitchens, the chest freezer is too bulky.
Some Tips
The freezer must be filled to such an extent that free air circulation is not obstructed, which ensures uniform cooling on all shelves and in all compartments. Frozen fruit slices and berries can be used as decorative ice cubes. To do this, they are placed on a tray and pre-frozen, and then packed in bags for deep freezing. With this method, the berries do not freeze and are stored separately.
It is better to store meat cut into pieces of the size you need later, and fish - cleaned and whole. Do not place foods containing gelatin in the freezer.
It is not recommended to freeze cucumbers, bananas, radishes, lettuce, jam, eggs, dairy products, low-fat cheeses.
In the freezer, you can simultaneously put from 4 to 10 kg of fresh food and freeze 18-36 kg per day. But everything has its limit. Do not overload the chiller excessively, otherwise it may simply fail.
Do not risk placing drinks in glass containers in the freezer - they may burst. Cool all foods to room temperature before placing them in the oven.
The freezer does not like the proximity to the stove (both gas and electric) and exposure to direct sunlight. After the quick freeze mode has done its job, be sure to return the freezer to normal operating condition. Otherwise, the compressor will fail and burn out.
Happy shopping!
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December 13, 2024 18:50:32 +0200 GMT
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