10 Best Budget Fridge Freezer Under £300 UK 2022 – Cheap But Quality

Once again the appliance hunter hit the trail, this time searching high and low for the Best Budget Fridge Freezer Under £300.

And once again he has had great success!

I’ve found 5 great contenders for the best budget fridge freezer and reviewed them further down. The prices tend to vary across the year but at the time of writing, they were all around the £300 mark, my apologies if they’ve gone up in price slightly.

Before that, I’ve gone into some of the features you might want to look out for when shopping for yours, but before that I’ve put them all into table so you can have a quick overview, just click the name if you want to find out more.

Top 5 Best Fridge Freezer Under £300

• Top Choice – INDESIT IBD 5517 W UK 1 50/50 Fridge Freezer
• Runner Up – MONTPELLIER MS175BK 50/50 Fridge Freezer
• Cheapest To run – ESSENTIALS CE55CW18 50/50 Fridge Freezer
• Best Under £400 – LOGIK LFF55S18 50/50 Fridge Freezer
• Best Under £500 – KENWOOD KNFD2MX20 70/30 Fridge Freezer with Water Dispenser

1. Top Choice – INDESIT IBD 5517 W UK 1 50/50 Fridge Freezer

The Indesit is the absolute perfect combination of price and quality, with a 10 years part guarantee and ample space inside even for a family this is the best value fridge you can get.

It’s cheap to run at an estimated 255 kWh a year, which isn’t the cheapest on the list but it’s the closest, and the only model cheaper to run is the Curry’s essentials below which is smaller too, so there’s a trade-off to be made.

You’ve also got 3 shelves in the fridge, two salad cripsers, and 3 compartments in the door which you can adjust to your own needs. And the freezer has 4 drawers in, ample space for everything you could need.

Having looked at a lot of these I can tell you more drawers is much easier to manage what’s in your freezer, easier to see what you have and easier to fill more efficiently so you’re not having to wrestle everything out of them.

Apart from that you’ve got a reversible door so you can have it just as you need it in your kitchen and the fridge has anti-bacterial liners to keep your food fresh. Everything you could possibly want in a budget fridge freezer, all the quality of a much more expensive fridge freezer.

2. Runner Up – MONTPELLIER MS175BK 50/50 Fridge Freezer

Now this runner up is arguably better than the top choice of the Indesit above in terms of specifications, it’s £1 cheaper a year, slightly bigger space and is slightly quieter. It’s normally £10 more expensive as a trade off but that’s a pretty good deal.

So why is it the runner up? Well it should be better all-round, and I think it is, but Montpellier are a newer brand, about 5 years old, and they have a 2 year guarantee compared to the 10 year of the Indesit.

So without those decades of experience to really test out their products I’m hesitant to put all my eggs in their fridge.

But I believe they do have an excellent product, by all accounts it should be great and all the big appliance retailers are happy to stock it so it must be good. But I need a few more years of proof before I give away the prized top spot here at Appliance Hunter.

But if you like bang for your buck and want the extra space and savings, or you even like the black more than the white, then this is a great choice.

3. Cheapest to Run – Currys ESSENTIALS CE55CW18 50/50 Fridge Freezer

This is as cheap as they come while still being new and actually useful, it’s the lowest price and the cheapest to use but is also the smallest on the list.

If you’re looking to get a fridge freezer for a parent this is a great choice, equally if you’ve just got a small kitchen and you’re looking to maximize space you couldn’t ask for better.

The only people who won’t get on well with it are the ones who like to do big shops all at once rather than a buy-as-you-go situation.

So long as you’re not looking to do “a big shop” to last you a week plus then you’re going to get on just fine.

I will say that the trays seem a little flimsy, and a lot of the reviews from users seem to agree, it’s just not quite up to scratch, but you’ve gone below £200 in price so something’s got to give.

And luckily it’s not the t temperature that gives, works perfectly well and I think the smaller size allows it to be a little more energy efficient compared to the other models. All of these have an A+ rating so you’re going to get good efficiency no matter which you choose.

But if you’re looking for the best cheapest fridge freezer then look no further.

4. Best Under £400 – LOGIK LFF55S18 50/50 Fridge Freezer

So why is this model the runner up? Well it’s the balance of whether or not you want your freezer to be frost free. This model does have a frost free freezer but the cost of that is that the freezer capacity is a lot less because it’s better insulated.

You have about 40% less freezer space, and similar fridge space for 2 models that are near enough the same size. Now for some people this will be worth it, if your freezer is mostly for keeping peas and the odd tub of ice cream then this is going to be ideal.

But if you like doing a big shop and packing your freezer full of meat and meals then you’ll want to go with the Hoover above and accept that it will eventually need defrosting.

Apart from that it’s got all the features you’d look for, Salad crisper and two shelves, plus two door shelves and an egg tray. The silver colour is also nice and classy compared to a plain white fridge.

Finally it’s slightly more energy efficient, but probably not enough of a difference to sway you one way or the other.

I’d say go for the Hoover above unless you want the freezer to be frost free then this Logic will be the way to go.

5. Best Under £500 – KENWOOD KNFD2MX20 70/30 Fridge Freezer with Water Dispenser

Isn’t it great that the difference between the cheapest to run and the most expensive to run on this list is £20?

If you went back 20 years suddenly your fridge was costing you £100-£200 a year!

So while this fridge isn’t the most economical on the list it still has an A+ rating and is about as good as it can be and you get a water dispenser!

I know this is slightly more expensive than the others on the list but I know for some of you getting that water dispenser will be absolutely worth it. The water dispenser isn’t plumbed in but does have a 3 liter capacity so doesn’t need filled up too often. Plus you get some other cool benefits to boot…

The total frost free maintains the (slightly smaller) freezer as a completely frost free environment by auto defrosting any ice that builds up in the back of the freezer. Plus, a frost free freezer means easy opening and closing of drawers, plus it’s more energy efficient and requires less maintenance.

Then besides that you’ve got an enormous fridge section for all your groceries, with 2 salad crispers, a wine rack, 4 door compartments and 2 shelves. More than enough room to keep everything you could need in the fridge.

A little more expensive but if the water dispenser interests you then it’s definitely worth it.

Energy Consumption

A very important question when buying a fridge.

How much is going to cost to run?

Because if you’re looking for a budget freezer the chances are you don’t want to buy one that’s going to be very expensive to run.

Well, each fridge freezer comes with an energy rating and this helps as a rough guide to how much power it will use but what about actual cost?

In general you want an energy rating of A+ or higher, that works out at about £25-£30 a year. It varies for each fridge but I’ve included the cost per year when I review them further down so you can get an idea.

A good fridge freezer (like the ones recommended here) should last about 9-13 years, so a £5 difference in energy cost will be about £60 over its lifetime. Not a huge amount but I bet if 10 years ago you suddenly gave you £60 you’d be pretty pleased right?

Height And Width

The other need to know is the dimensions of the whole thing.

More important if you have a specific space in your kitchen you want to put it in, but you definitely don’t want it to arrive and not be able to put it in your kitchen. Disaster!

So a quick check of the dimensions and making sure it’ll fit is a good idea just to prevent any unpleasant situations.

Fridge On Top Or Bottom?

You also have to decide if you’d like the fridge compartment at the top or the bottom.

I prefer the fridge on top because you use it far more often than the freezer making it easier to get to.

But if you want more storage bottom fridges normally have a smaller freezer compartment on top.

Like Taking Ice?

Most fridge freezers have ice trays built into them which is so much handier than having to try to squash a loose ice tray filled with water onto a crowded shelf.

But if you don’t like taking ice then you can just remove the trays and have a little more space in the drawers underneath.

F.A.Q On The Best Budget Fridge Freezers Under £300

My freezer is full of frost and the drawers won’t go in, what can I do?

First off, DON’T try and scrape the ice off!

Scraping the ice off with a nice would be fine, but you’re quite likely to stab into one of the cooling pipes, then the whole thing is broken and needs replaced.

What you need to do is defrost the freezer compartment. That involves turning it off and leaving the freezer door open. Best put down a load of towels to catch the run off and leave it overnight.

If you leave the fridge door closed it should stay cold and keep your food if you just leave it overnight. But I wouldn’t leave much in there just in case. You don’t want to come through and find all your food spoiled.

What do I do with my old fridge?

You’ll want to get in touch with your local council to organise a pick up and disposal. They might want it taken outside as a heads up but that depends on where you are I think.

Other and Older Budget Fridge Freezer Reviews

Hotpoint First Edition HBD5517S 50/50 Fridge Freezer

This is the most popular fridge freezer under £300, which is no surprise because it’s fantastic. It’s great value, has a 2 year guarantee and a 10 year warranty on parts.

One thing I really loved was the anti-bacterial liners that are included in the fridge. This keeps the air inside fresh and helps your food last longer by keeping bacteria out of the air. Nothing worse than all your veggies going off at once.

The salad drawer is split into two separate drawers which I love, one drawer can be a pain in the neck because you can’t keep things separate and so it piles up and gets lost until you smell something at the bottom. No good.

Overall, the most popular and best fridge freezer under £300 hand down. I love the antibacterial lining and the price.

Indesit IBD5517S 50/50 Fridge Freezer

This one didn’t quite make it under the £200 category like Zanussi above because it’s got a bigger freezer space. But it’s still a great fridge freezer, freezes quickly, keeps your food cold and enough space for two people.

One thing is that the fridge door can be a little hard to open, this is good really because it means it has a good seal to keep the cold in but it can be a little annoying.

The energy rating is still an A+ and the cost per year is a little more but still very cheap.

Overall, a great budget fridge freezer, the second cheapest on the list ideal if you were looking for a bigger freezer than the Zanussi.

Zanussi ZRT18101WV 80/20 Fridge Freezer

This Zanussi fridge freezer is the cheapest on the list, there’s certainly nothing special about it but it’ll do what it says on the tin and keep doing it for years to come.

The price is kept lower because it has a bigger fridge and smaller freezer. So it’s perfect for an individual or a couple but a family might struggle unless they eat a lot of fresh food (which I fully advocate).

The fridge has everything you need, safety glass, plenty of room in the door, although it could do with another shelf personally.

Overall, the best budget pick on the list. Does what it says in the tin and will be a reliable fridge freezer.

Beko CFG1582S 50/50 Frost Free Fridge Freezer

The Beko is cool (pun absolutely intended) because it can operate in temperatures down to -15 C so you can keep it in a garage, shed, work cabin, anywhere like that.

The only downside is that it’s the least efficient on the list, not by a huge amount, just a couple of extra pounds a year so it’s not too bad really.

The freezer has technology in it to stop excessive frost build up which is great. Because defrosting the freezer just sucks, you have to empty it, reliving all your past bad food decisions and then water gets everywhere, no fun.

The door also has an antibacterial seal to stop germs getting in and spoiling your food which is, of course, great.

Overall, a great fridge freezer best for outdoor use but great for indoor use too.

Hoover HVN 6182W5K 50/50 Fridge Freezer Fridge Freezer

HOOVER H-Fridge 300 HCLM 572 WKN 50/50 Fridge Freezer

This is everything you could possibly want in a cheap fridge freezer, it’s got a solid build quality, plenty of space inside, and it’s only about £8 more expensive a year compared to the cheapest to run model.

It’s nice and tall without being too deep, which is the sweet spot for storage that lets you see everything so nothing goes off at the back.

The shelves have adjustable height and they’re lipped to stop anything spilling, and while the freezer isn’t frost free (a feature normally reserved for more expensive models, and one that lowers freezer capacity) it is low frost so defrosting the freezer won’t need to be done often, once every few years as long as nothing hot goes into it.

With the fridge door it does need to be pushed closed so it doesn’t stay open a crack, but again for the price point these are the compromises you have to make, and for the amount of storage and energy efficiency of it, it’s a worthy balance.

You couldn’t ask for more out of a fridge freezer for less than £300, an easy top choice.

The biggest disappointment? It’s a hoover but doesn’t vacuum anything!

Just kidding.

Hoover has a great range of electronic appliances and their budget fridge freezer is as good as the rest of them.

It’s got a really great capacity in it’s fridge and you’ll have loads of space to put a ton of shopping inside. The freezer is a good size too and is frost free so you won’t have to go through the trouble of defrosting it periodically.

The downside is it’s a bit noisy, all fridges freezers are of course but this one is especially so. If you have an open plan kitchen living room then there’s a good chance you’ll notice the noise, otherwise it’ll just fade into the background.

Overall, it’s the best washing fridge freezer for people who need a lot of space.

BEKO CXFG3552W 50/50 Fridge Freezer

The biggest selling point for this Beko is that it can operate in temperatures of -15C, which makes it perfect for a garage or even an outbuilding. I live in the Scottish Highlands and even my outbuilding doesn’t get that cold!

It’s just a little smaller than your average fridge freezer but is still plenty big enough for most families, especially if this is a secondary fridge freezer. You get three shelves which are adjustable in height inside the fridge and a nice big salad crisper for storing vegetables.

The door is reversible, not that it works inside out, but you can have the hinge on either side, which is a small feature but if you’ve always had your fridge open from one side and suddenly it changes…

Well let’s just say that on more than one occasion I’ve been known to swear at a fridge in someone else’s house after the 3rd or 4th time in a row out of sheer frustration.

But it’s also good to have it properly align with the room it’s in.

The power usage is reasonable and you get 3 drawers in the freezer, everything you could want for a fridge freezer in your garage.

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