Refrigerators are a staple of modern kitchens. They’re there to help keep perishables fresh, which is a good thing! But, there are plenty of other reasons you should have one in your kitchen too. It’s an essential part of the kitchen because it keeps all the ingredients you use for cooking, from making snacks to cooking meals for the entire week. Refrigerators are also a staple because they’re not just for keeping food fresh. They’re also a great place to store leftovers from your meals too. They can become your go-to for storing snacks, lunches and even leftovers from your main course. So, let’s find out why you should have a refrigerator in your kitchen, and the different types of refrigerators available.
What is a Refrigerator?
A refrigerator is a cooling appliance used to store foods below freezing point. This can be accomplished by using a cryogenic process or by using ice packs, ice cream or other frozen ingredients. Refrigerators are generally categorized as small, medium, or large depending on the volume of space they take up. Typically, a refrigerator has an interior volume greater than 30 liters. In many Western countries, the household is the only place to store food. This is due to the fact that it is not possible to keep food fresh for more than a few days without refrigeration.
The basic function of any refrigerator is to keep food cold. Refrigerators can be air-cooled, liquid-cooled, or ice-cooling. Air-cooled refrigerators are cheaper and lighter in weight, but they are not very efficient. In a typical kitchen, in which there is a fridge, a freezer, and a refrigerator, the space occupied by the refrigerator (especially keeping in mind its contents) will be much less than that of the other two appliances combined. More importantly, the taste of food keeps improving as time passes, whereas no such thing happens with frozen food.
How Do Refrigerators Work?
One of the reasons you should have a refrigerator in your kitchen is so that you can store food. They keep food chilled by letting cool air flow in from the exterior of the refrigerator and then through the food, dropping a few degrees in temperature on its way out.
Before a refrigerator can chill the air, it needs to extract heat from the inside of the building. This can be done in a couple of ways, though a simpler way is by using electricity. Some fridges still use a real fridge, which you can read about here .
- The compressor: This is the heart of the refrigerator; it compresses refrigerant gas. The gas is then used to cool the inside of the fridge and extract heat from the building.
- The condenser: The refrigerant gas is then cooled down by the condenser, and the resulting liquid is collected in an outside tank.
- The fan system: The gas is then transferred through the fan system, which draws the air inside the fridge through the compressor and condenser.
- The Electronic control system: Once inside the fridge, the electricity from the compressor is used to power the electronic control system. This then controls the fan system and light system.
- The light system: The light system uses LEDs. These are energy efficient and last a long time. The fridge can also be controlled remotely.
Who Invented the Refrigerator?
The refrigerator was invented in 1879 by Alexander Fayol, a French chemist. This was after he made the discovery that storing food in sealed bottles of oxygen or an airtight environment would keep it fresh. The refrigerator also has a section dedicated to the chemical process of refrigeration.
How to Choose the Right Refrigerator for your Kitchen
- Make sure the fridge fits in the space you have. Your kitchen will be very cramped if you choose a refrigerator that doesn’t fit. This will cause a lot of inconvenience in your daily life.
- Consider the amount of food you normally eat. People with a smaller family size or people who don’t eat a lot don’t require a large refrigerator. In such cases, a compact or a regular-size refrigerator is enough. The extra-large refrigerators are ideal for people who eat a lot.
- Also, think about the kind of environment your kitchen is in. If your kitchen is very humid or if it gets very hot in the summer, you should choose a refrigerator with a condenser system. This will help you keep your food fresher.
- Finally, choose a refrigerator that has plenty of shelving or drawers inside. This will help you store more food while making your refrigerator look neater.
Conclusion
Thanks to refrigerators, we can now easily store food in a way that will keep it fresh for a long time. They are also great for freezing leftovers and snacks!
They are useful appliances that keep your food safe and fresh, even during disasters when electricity is cut off. They can also be used to cool down hot temperatures in your home.
People now have the freedom to eat fresh and healthy foods without worry, as long as they have a refrigerator.