So what about the fridge of the future? Here it is!

The next generation of refrigerators will be smart and sensitive towards our needs. They have just been presented at IFA, the most important trade show for consumer electronics in Europe which takes place in Berlin every September.

Our fridge is almost like an electronic butler, we make certain that our foods are well-stored and kept fresh longer; it even provides recipes for those foods that are nearing the expiration date. The way people access information or handle devices is changing, and this also includes the way they interact with their home appliances. Digital displays and touch screens are in line with the most advanced technology… new generation devices are smart and proactive towards all of the consumers’ needs. They learn consumers’ habits and are able to fully meet all their requests.
European consumers’ requests and needs have changed: they are more and more attentive towards energy saving, they need models limited in size for their small kitchen, but at the same time, large enough in terms of capacity and, above all, they must be “green”.
According to research carried out by Samsung and Human Highway, 95% of Italian families believe eco-friendly technology is a very important factor because it allows a reduction in home management costs. The most requested energy class is A+++, even for large fridges. The new range SmartCool by Bosch is able to reduce consumption by half (compared to an A+ fridge), while the new Panasonic NR-B32FE2 is the first No Frost model with the highest European energy efficiency class: A+++. Having taken into account all these new trends, Samsung developed advanced technologies and launched its Space Max, more space inside while keeping the same outer dimensions of a traditional fridge (series GGH, side by side, 615L).
The market is showing an increasing demand for all different variations of the popular American model Side by Side, a type of refrigerator that today is produced by most brands, Bosch, LG, Whirpool…
At IFA 2012 Panasonic presented the first model in the world of Side by Side Class A+++: a very simple yet elegant design, digital mirror display, the patented drawer Vitamin-Safe and the Hygiene Active system. LG launched its Side by Side innovative collection composed of a linear compressor and a patented highly efficient and advanced engine, unique in the market. There are no mechanical components between motor and piston, which insures the lowest percentage in faults compared to standard compressors.
New collections provide an advanced temperature control system that is possible to set according to the various personal habits and to adjust for every type of food.
The new RD-43 Technology meets Design by Hisense (Asian brand) is now achieving a significant market share also in Italy, presented as “My Fresh Choice”, a system for the optimal food storage. It offers a special compartment that, due to an air-flow control mechanism, a temperature regulation system and a sensor, allows to have a different temperature in the lower level of the refrigerator (from -2°C to +3°C ). The new collection Design by Electrolux Rex includes refrigerators equipped with the advanced cooling technology Twin-Tech™ and MultiFlow to provide the ideal temperature and to prolong freshness. Salad keeps fresh up to 7 days without losing its freshness, and vitamins in fresh fruit and vegetables are preserved even after 10 days. AEG also targeted A+++ energy efficiency: its door-on-door refrigerator-freezer is equipped with self-closing hinges and advanced Touch Controls, as well as other functions such as Coolmatic for rapid cooling, Holiday for energy saving during holidays, and Frostmatic for rapid freezing with automatic deactivation. The new Side by Side collection No Frost Smart Cool from Bosch is equipped with pull out containers and sliding shelves, a special crisper box for fruit and vegetables, a chiller for meat and fish and touch display to regulate temperature. It’s the only one of its kind with the special drawer – Hydro- Fresh – to preserve freshness of fruits and vegetables up to 2 times more than traditional vegetables containers, and is also equipped with a regulation system to customize humidity level.
A group of researchers from the University of Central Lancashire have been studying a unique third-generation refrigerator in cooperation with the British online supermarket Ocado.
It deals with a refrigerator, that according to the ingredients available in the fridge, is able to find recipes online and display them on the touch screen on the door: the fridge will take into account your tastes and calorie count, for example, Asian food… Due to ultrasound scanners and chemical sensors, it will be able to detect possible decomposition processes and will suggest what to throw away in the super wet waste bins. But the most desired fridge is undoubtedly the electronic one-room apartment equipped with a TV, a coffee machine and a large pantry. Unfortunately the one negative aspect is the price, costing over €32,000.