Have you ever talked with your friends about buying a new refrigerator or probably discussed repairing it? You probably used the word fridge, and when someone said “refrigerator”, you must have wondered why they didn’t use the shorter version. Surprisingly, the majority of people during their day-to-day conversations do not even know that refrigerator and fridge are not the same items. Some people think that the fridge is used in slang and the refrigerator is a “formal version”, while others assume that they are synonyms and there is no difference even in linguistic forms. Even if you look at the most popular online dictionaries and linguistic websites, you will notice that they do not outline the discrepancy between them. However, experts never misuse refrigerator with the fridge as they know very well their technological differences and the history behind them. We’re here to surprise you that even though these two appliances are from the same family, they are totally different products.
Frigidaire
The word “fridge” is a shortened version of Frigidaire, which is a kitchen appliance company. Electrolux’s consumer and commercial home appliance brand, Frigidaire Appliance Company, is based in the United States. The firm was created in 1916, and it became so famous and renowned within a short time that in the 1900s, people started to call any refrigerator “Frigidaire”. Later on, people started to use the shortened versions of this word and simply started to say “fridge”. In sum, we can conclude that Fridgidaire began to become a generic brand as people widely misused it as a synonym for refrigerator rather than a distinct brand.
The Technical Differences
Having talked about the “Fridgaire” brand and the spelling differences, it’s crucial to mention there are also technical differences, and professionals never use these two words interchangeably. So here are the following differences.
1)Size-Fridges are usually smaller versions of refrigerators, and they typically have one compartment. Thanks to their large size, refrigerators have two boxes and include freezers.
2)Temperature-The temperature is another apparent difference between these two appliances. As mentioned above, refrigerators are larger and upgraded versions of fridges, and they also have “freezing” boxes. Refrigerators allow storing a few degrees above water freezing points, which is optimal for preserving easy deteriorating food. Fridges, on the other hand, are only suitable for maintaining a cool environment temperature for the stored food. Despite the fact that both fridges and refrigerators are different, they are commonly used, and it is crucial to know how to store the food to keep the particular appliance in an excellent working condition for possibly a long time.
Typical Food Storage Missteps
As we already mentioned, refrigerators are larger and have more space the fridges. However, because of a busy household, we sometimes may overload the appliance without even noticing it. Depending on the refrigerator’s or fridge’s size, it’s recommended to fill only 2/3 of it. So now, after covering all the necessary information, it’s time for you to get practical advice.
Which one should you choose?
We can run to the conclusion that refrigerators are always a better choice. In fact, with their functionality, size and durability, refrigerators are more preferable ones. But for instance, if you want to use it not for the house but for commercial purposes, a fridge can be a better option. Fridges are usually suitable for storing fizzy drinks, packaged food, bread, pasta, and something that typically does not deteriorate and does not need to be cooled to above-average temperature. Whereas refrigerator is the best option for household objectives as you need to store food like meat, fruits vegetables etc.
Final Thoughts Before You Make A Purchase
Considering all of the mentioned points above, we would like to provide you with a quick recap. The fundamental discrepancies between fridge and refrigerator can be divided into three sections; compactness and size, cooling capacity, storage needs and demands.
a)Compactness and size-Fridges are tinier as they have only one compartment. In contrast, refrigerators that are large have 2 or sometimes even more boxes and are capable of storing more significant amounts of products.
b)Temperature and cooling capacity- Because of their less complex and easy-to-use functionality, fridges are not programmed to keep food that needs substantially cool temperatures. If you try to program your fridge as a refrigerator by turning on the lowest possible temperature, you may harm it and shorten its durability.
c)The storage needs and demands
Just due to its upgraded version, it does not necessarily mean that refrigerators are the only option you should go for and that you should ignore the possibility of picking up the fridge. As mentioned above, bars, cafes and some shops always prefer using fridges. Whereas for household intents, it’s generally advised to use the refrigerator.
Thanks for reading, and wishing you good luck with your future purchase!
