Choosing a refrigerator and kitchen appliances for a UAE home

Kitchen appliances are bought for years, and in many apartments they have to fit an exact space. Before you compare features, measure the space, check the connections and think about the heat of a kitchen in summer. This guide starts with refrigerators, then covers ovens, cooktops, dishwashers and washing machines.

Measure the space, then leave room to breathe

Measure the width, depth and height of the space where the appliance will stand, at more than one point, because walls and floors are rarely perfectly straight. Then read the installation instructions of the model you are considering. Refrigerators and freezers need gaps around them so that air can flow, and a fridge squeezed into a tight space has to work harder. Remember the door as well:

Check which side the door hinges on, and whether the hinges can be moved to the other side.
Make sure the door can open wide enough to pull out the drawers and shelves inside. Next to a wall, some doors cannot.
Measure the depth including the handles, and allow for the door swing when you plan the walkway in front of the appliance.

Finally, check the way in. A tall fridge freezer has to pass through the building entrance, the lift and the kitchen door, often standing upright. Our measuring guide lists what to measure.

Choose the type of refrigerator

Top-freezer and bottom-freezer models are the most common and usually the most compact. A bottom freezer puts the fridge, which you open most often, at eye level.
Side-by-side models have tall fridge and freezer sections next to each other, with two narrow doors that need less room to swing open.
French-door models have two fridge doors above a freezer drawer. They are wide and suit larger kitchens.
A separate fridge and freezer gives flexibility, for example a fridge in the kitchen and a freezer in a store room.
Built-in models sit behind kitchen cabinet doors and must match the cabinet opening exactly.

For capacity, think about how you shop. A large weekly shop or a big family needs more space than daily shopping for two. Compare the usable capacity in litres given by the manufacturer rather than the outside size.

Check the climate class for a hot kitchen

Refrigerators are designed to work within a range of room temperatures, shown as a climate class on the rating plate or in the manual:

SN: about 10 to 32 °C
N: about 16 to 32 °C
ST: about 16 to 38 °C
T: about 16 to 43 °C

Many kitchens in the region get warm in summer, especially when the air conditioning is off during the day, and a fridge in a store room or a laundry area can stand somewhere hotter still. A model rated ST or T is designed to keep food cold in those conditions. Many models list several classes, for example SN-T, which covers the whole range.

Power, energy and noise

Power supply. Homes in the UAE are supplied at 220 to 240 volts and 50 hertz, and the usual wall socket is the three-pin type also used in the United Kingdom. Appliances made for 110 to 120 volt markets are not designed for this supply, so check the rating label, especially on an imported product.
A suitable socket. Large appliances should be plugged into a wall socket that can carry their load, as their manuals usually ask, rather than into an extension lead.
Energy use. Look at the energy label and compare the yearly energy figure, in kilowatt-hours per year, between models of a similar size. A fridge runs day and night, so small differences add up over the years.
Noise. In open-plan apartments, compare the noise level in decibels (dB) when the manufacturer gives it. A lower number is quieter.
Water and ice. Fridges with a water or ice dispenser need either a water connection or a tank that you refill, and their filters need changing from time to time.

Ovens, cooktops and microwaves

Gas or electric. Check what your kitchen has: a gas supply, piped or from a cylinder, or electricity only. A gas cooktop needs a gas connection made by a qualified technician; electric and induction cooktops need a suitable electrical supply.
Induction works only with pans that a magnet sticks to. Test your pans with a fridge magnet before you switch.
Built-in or freestanding. Built-in ovens and hobs must match the cut-out in the cabinet or the worktop; a freestanding cooker needs the right width and a level floor.
Microwaves can stand on the worktop or be built into a cabinet. Check the inside size against your largest plate or dish.
Cooker hoods deal with steam and smells. Check whether a hood vents to the outside or recirculates the air through a filter.

Dishwashers and washing machines

Dishwashers commonly come in two widths, about 45 cm (slimline) and about 60 cm (full size). Both need a water supply and a drain close by.
Washing machines are front loaders or top loaders. A front loader can fit under a worktop; a top loader needs space above it to open the lid. Check the drum capacity in kilograms against your household's laundry, the depth including the door and the hoses, and that the floor is level and firm.

Find appliances on FurnitureOnGo

Many appliances on FurnitureOnGo have a 3D model, so you can place a fridge or a washing machine in your kitchen with AR and check the door and the walkway in front of it. Some appliances are sold by other retailers on their own websites and are marked "On seller's website": you buy those on the retailer's website, under its own terms.

Checklist

The space fits the appliance plus the gaps in its installation instructions.
The door opens far enough, on the side you need.
The climate class suits a warm kitchen (ST or T).
The voltage and the plug suit a UAE home, and the right socket, water or gas connection is in place.
It fits through the doors and the lift on the way in.