the secret so that cheese doesn’t taste like fish

You go to a store to buy a refrigerator and see that, in addition to having very different prices, one of them has a double cold circuit. You choose the cheapest one without taking into account that with the most expensive one your food may taste better. Why is this happening? Today we are going to explain How traditional refrigerators differ from Twin Cooling refrigerators.

How a traditional refrigerator works

Image 1
Image 1

Traditional refrigerators operate through a closed refrigeration cycle. The main objective is to extract heat to the outsideand it does so through two condensation and evaporation coils respectively, which are tubes through which the refrigerant fluid circulates. These two coils are placed between a compressor and an expansion valve.

To understand it, in the traditional system the dry and cold air from the freezer is mixed with that from the refrigerator. It is, so to speak, as if it were a single lung for two bodies, which causes odors to mix, there to be no optimal humidity and the engine to turn on regardless of whether we open the freezer or refrigerator compartment.

To understand it, the refrigerant fluid travels through the condensation coil to the expansion valve, thus reducing its pressure and temperature. This process causes the liquid to evaporate when it reaches the second evaporation coil, which, as you can already imagine, evaporates the fluid until it reaches the condenser in the form of a gas. In this section, the condenser provides energy to the gas so that it can flow, increasing the pressure to become liquid again so that the heat goes outside through the walls of the condenser tube.

As a summarythe cycle through which the refrigerant fluid travels is: condensation coil, expansion valve, evaporation coil and compressor and compressor tubes.

This cycle is constant until the refrigerator temperature reaches what we have set on the thermostat.

Refrigerators with freezers work in a very similar way. The refrigerant fluid travels first to the freezer areaand once it has reached the desired temperature it travels to the refrigerator area. The compressor ensures that the refrigerator has a different temperature, stopping the fluid before reaching the refrigerator area if the temperature is the same as what we have on the thermostat.

How a refrigerator with a double cooling circuit works

Image 2
Image 2

Refrigerators with a double cold circuit work in a very similar way, but they have a fairly big difference: instead of having one circuit, they have two. To clarify, the fact that it has two circuits does not mean that they consume more electricity, since it is quite the opposite because they are usually more efficient.

Because? By having two independent circuits, the engine work is less because it cools only the freezer or the refrigerator, and not both. If, for example, you open the refrigerator in a traditional refrigerator, the cooling fluid has to travel through the entire circuit, while in a refrigerator with a double cooling circuit the fluid travels only through the refrigerator and not through the freezer.

And it is not the only advantage. These refrigerators with double cold circuit are especially interesting so that food odors do not mix placed in the refrigerator and freezer. This also means that the moisture collected from the refrigerator does not reach the freezer, thus obtaining a drier area and better preserved food. And, be careful, this is important, since with a double circuit the humidity stays where it should be, making the tomatoes stay fresh for twice as long.

Of course, just because a refrigerator is No Frost does not mean it is good. Almost all modern refrigerators are No Frost, but the single circuit one is a ‘Total No Frost’ that dehydrates the food. The double circuit ones are a ‘Smart No Frost’.

Furthermore, the fact that a refrigerator has a double circuit means that, in most cases, it can be attractive for when we go on vacation. And this is because you can turn off only the refrigerator part while leaving the freezer part on. And this represents savings.

The good and the bad of both options, face to face

Refrigerator (traditional)

Refrigerator (double cold circuit)

THE GOOD 🟢

They are more economical and require less maintenance in the long term.

It maintains higher humidity in the refrigerator, does not mix odors and is usually more energy efficient.

THE BAD 🔴

Odors can mix, food can dry out, and it is more difficult to maintain constant humidity and temperature.

They are more expensive and usually require more maintenance in the long term.

Ideal for:

Tight budgets and for families of one or two people.

Prevent odors from mixing and for families of three or more people.

In summary:

👉 Choose a traditional refrigerator if: You are a person who lives alone or in a family of two people or you are looking for a refrigerator that does not increase too much in price.

👉 Choose a refrigerator with a double cold circuit: You are looking for a better flavor in food or you live at home with two or more people.

Recommended models

Traditional refrigerator: Hisense RB372N4AWE

The Hisense RB372N4AWE is a 292-liter refrigerator with a single cold circuit that is interesting because it has a technology that means that if you leave the yogurt at the bottom it will not freeze or if you have the milk on the door it will not stay warm, the temperature is uniform in every corner. Also It comes with micro perforations to inject cold air into each shelf of the refrigeratorpreserving food better, and with technology Total No Frost to prevent frost from forming in the freezer.

In addition, this refrigerator includes a fruit and vegetable drawer that allows you to control the humidity to keep food fresh and comes with a vacation mode so that it operates at a constant temperature of 15ºC, which can save energy. As a curiosity, its door is reversible, so you can choose to open it to the left or to the right.


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LG GBV5240APY

The refrigerator is also interesting. LG GBV5240APY because it has a cascade cooling system, which reduces the temperature inside the refrigerator door. It also includes another technology to select the optimal humidity so that the vegetables last longer and comes with a drawer to adapt the temperature of the drawer to each type of food, whether beers, vegetables, meat or fish.

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Refrigerator with double cooling circuit: Samsung RB38C7B6AS9

On the other hand, the Samsung RB38C7B6AS9 is a 387-liter Bespoke AI refrigerator with a double cold circuit that also has artificial intelligence functions to notify your cell phone if you have left the door improperly closed, preventing the purchase of 200 euros for the week from being ruined. In fact, from the SmartThings app you can see a lot more information, such as energy saving tips, and you can even make a shopping list.

It also comes with a metal plate inside that reduces the dispersion of cold to preserve the temperature and its drawer preserves the freshness of food by minimizing moisture evaporation.


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Bosch Series 6

On the other hand, the Bosch Series 6 It is another refrigerator that incorporates a double cold circuit. It also comes with a system that keeps food fresh for longer and its drawer, in addition to being large, has temperature and humidity regulation. In addition, it includes a bottle rack.


Bosch Series 6 – KBN96ADD0

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Do you want to see more models?

If neither of these two convinces you, you can consult our purchasing guide for the more efficient and cheaper refrigerators with which to save on your electricity bill.

Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary.

Images | Samsung, Hisense

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