An upright fridge is the most common appliance you will find in any kitchen. This basic design of the fridge has been there since the very beginning, and now lot of features have been added with the advancement of technology, and there are hundreds of different kinds of models available in the market.

The upright fridge models differ in size, the placement of doors, compartments, colors and the material of the body. There are different sizes available, to suit all kinds of storage requirements. From the smallest which can be kept under a counter top to the massive two door one with many compartments; the upright fridge is there for every requirement.

The number of doors and their placement has radically revolutionised the design of the upright fridge. Most upright fridges now, have two doors. Usually one is for the freezer compartment and the other bigger one is for the general fresh food compartment, and they are one below the other. The placement of these compartments also differs. Some models have the freezer on top while some manufacture the unit with a bottom freezer. Also some doors are the standard swinging type, while some are like drawers that have to be pulled out. The upright fridge having a larger capacity has vertical doors side-by-side like in a bureau. Some of the doors also have a cold water dispenser or an ice dispenser built into them.

The body of the upright fridge is now available in stainless steel and also fiberglass or high quality PVC. The fiberglass models now come in various colors to suit the decor of the kitchen. The steel upright fridge can take a lot of rough use and is resistant to scratches and dents.

Apart from the design the cooling technology used in the upright fridge has changed with the times. Many models use superior technology in their cooling and are very energy efficient. There are controls to set the humidity, which can keep the food fresh for a much longer period. The cooling is now even, inside all the compartments, with superior air flow technology and the foods kept on the door compartments also get the same cooling effect.

A major change which is now seen in the new upright fridge is the frost-free feature which has made it possible to eliminate the process of manually defrosting the fridge at regular intervals. Previously due the formation of extra frost and ice the fridge had to be defrosted and the water collected in a drip tray. Now this cycle of defrosting takes place automatically and the extra water is drained and evaporated without any manual intervention. These models are also energy efficient and can save a lot of electricity. The compressor of the upright fridge now runs in cycles, and you can hear a low hum when the compressor is working. If you find this sound going on all the time, then you have either overloaded your fridge or the sealing in the door is defective, and may have to be replaced.