Comparison of 6 Major Brand Products
Stand Type Suitable for Multiple Uses
Lid Type Has Lower Electricity Costs
The Korea Consumer Agency reported significant differences in energy consumption and capacity between stand-type and lid-type kimchi refrigerators released domestically, urging consumers to carefully compare products when making a selection.
According to the Consumer Agency on the 31st, after testing and evaluating the quality and performance of six major brands of kimchi refrigerators on the market, all products were rated as Grade 1 in energy efficiency, consistent with their labeled ratings.
These products were also evaluated as having excellent quality, as the actual storage temperature inside the kimchi container was maintained according to the set temperature.
However, there was a difference in energy consumption between lid-type and stand-type models. Lid-type products averaged 8.9 kWh, which is about 42.6% less monthly power consumption compared to stand-type models (average 15.5 kWh).
Energy consumption differences became more pronounced depending on the ambient temperature of the installation space. When the ambient temperature rose from 16℃ to 25℃, the annual electricity bill increased by an average of 1.7 times, and when it rose from 16℃ to 32℃, it increased by an average of up to 2.6 times.
The actual storage capacity of the kimchi containers was similar for both stand-type and lid-type models. The total effective capacity of stand-type refrigerators averaged 482.7L, which was about 2.2 times larger than lid-type models (average 220.3L), but the kimchi container storage capacity was 159.1L for stand-type and 140.7L for lid-type.
The Consumer Agency advised, "Since kimchi refrigerators are used not only for kimchi but also as multipurpose refrigerators for storing various foods, it is necessary to carefully check whether the required functions such as storage capabilities and convenience features are included before purchasing a product."
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