No fuss, no frost

MANILA, Philippines - The time is 7 p.m. You’re stuck in the office and can’t decide what to serve your family for dinner. So you pick up the phone and call home. Your refrigerator can give you a quick inventory of what food items you have in the fridge and suggest various dishes you can whip up in a jiffy using the available ingredients. In fact, it can also provide a grocery list of the items you need to buy on your way home. Call it the ref of the future. Impossible?

“Well, it’s not, especially if your market is ready for it. Unfortunately, the Philippine market isn’t,” says Jan Roman, Samsung home appliance manager, Consumer Electronics Business.

According to Roman, 80 percent of Filipino households still cling to their old, rusty, direct-cooling refrigerators. So while our Asian counterparts have been enjoying the many benefits of a no-frost ref for years, some of us are still stuck with our old units.

“Imagine, only 20 percent of Filipino households use no-frost refrigerators. Some are hesitant to make the switch mainly because of electric bill concerns since the refrigerator is the only kitchen appliance that’s in use 24 hours a day,” notes Roman.

Actually, what most us fail to acknowledge is that the refrigerator’s energy efficiency factor (EER) rating relies heavily on the way we use it. The energy-saving feature of a direct-cooling ref is rendered useless kung bukas-sara palagi ang ref. It consumes more electricity because the compressor has to work hard to keep the freezer cold. From the freezer, the cold air will travel to the chiller, then to the wire shelves in the ref area down to the crisper.

“With a no-frost refrigerator, you are assured that the ref’s temperature is stable,” explains Roman.

A refrigerator, to most of us, is just a cooling box. Its main purpose is to keep the water cold and prolong the life of our seafood, meat, dairy products, fruits and veggies.

“What we don’t realize is that the ref can actually do more than that,” adds Roman.

More Than Just A Cooling Box

Samsung’s no-frost refrigerator boasts other breakthrough features that are guaranteed to make one’s life easier and healthier.

In a recent survey conducted by Samsung, the respondents were asked to enumerate the things they look for when buying a refrigerator.

“We were surprised to find out that the majority of the respondents are convinced that all refrigerators are the same except for their size, color, price, and brand. That’s when we saw the need to educate the public on the different features of our refrigerators and how they can benefit from them,” relates Roman.

• No-frost technology. No-frost refrigerators are ideal for working moms and young couples who don’t have the time to clean up their units regularly. Just wipe it clean and you’re good to go. Users can also maximize freezer space since ice doesn’t accumulate on its walls. Health-wise, no-frost refrigerators keep food fresh longer because the temperature inside is stable. In direct-cooling units, the temperature fluctuates so the bacteria present in the food have the tendency to grow. The spoilage rate is also lower.

• Coolever Zone. This technology can be found in the ref’s gapless vegetable bin. Coolever Zone controls the humidity level of the crisper and protects fruits and vegetables from direct exposure to harsh freezing air. It also maintains a constant temperature and humidity level.

Samsung also introduced new features for its nine-, 10- and 11-cubic-foot no-frost models (the RT37SDIS).

“It’s called the Evergreen Zone. It uses LED light, which helps activate the chlorophyll and vitamin C in fruits and veggies, similar to how the sun’s rays would affect the plants,” explains Roman.

• Cool booster. It provides a three-dimensional cooling action that increases the ref’s cooling efficiency. The UV chilled room (which is present in the new RT37SDIS model), on the other hand, keeps the freshness of your fish, meat and deli food items at a constant and non-fluctuating temperature of -1 degree Celsius. The UV light prevents the growth and spread of unwanted bacteria.

• Air shower. The freezing air comes from the top and back of the compartment so it freezes meat products quickly. It also provides safer storage conditions and prevents the growth of bacteria.

• Silver Nano deodorizer. From its production, the inner walls of the refrigerator are coated with silver nano particles that destroy 99.9 percent of bacteria. Since bacteria virtually seem to multiply, there are substantial benefits in terms of the hygienic and fresh storage of food. Every shelf of the refrigerator has its own vent just to make sure there’s an equal distribution of cold air. “We have this habit of putting leftover food in the ref uncovered. When cold air touches it, the bacteria will circulate inside. Silver Nano kills the bacteria the moment it hits the walls of the ref and prevents it from multiplying,” explains Roman. The Silver Nano deodorizer also keeps the greens and fruits fresher by eliminating bad odors.

With all these added features, don’t you think it’s about time you got an upgrade?

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Samsung no-frost refrigerators (in seven and eight cubic feet) are available in leading appliance stores nationwide.