No Frost or Defrost Refrigerator: Which to Choose?

When buying a refrigerator or freezer, one of the most important criteria to consider is the type of cooling technology: No Frost , Low Frost or Defrost (static cold) . These systems influence user comfort, maintenance, energy consumption and food preservation. Here's everything you need to know to make the right choice, with examples from popular brands like Hisense , Samsung , LG or Beko .

1. What is a No Frost system?

The No Frost system (ventilated cooling) prevents frost from forming. It works using a fan that distributes cold air evenly and an evaporator that eliminates humidity.

• Benefits :
  • No manual defrosting required
  • Uniform temperature
  • Ideal for frozen and packaged foods
• Disadvantages:
  • Higher purchase price
  • Foods are drier if not well packaged
  • Slight excess energy consumption

Popular brands: Hisense No Frost, Samsung Twin Cooling Plus, LG Total No Frost, Bosch No Frost

👉 Read more about No Frost - Samsung

2. What is a Defrost (or static cold) system?

The Defrost system, also called static cooling, operates without a fan. Cold air naturally descends, creating different temperature zones within the refrigerator.

• Benefits :
  • More economical devices
  • Less energy-consuming
  • Good preservation of fruits and vegetables
• Disadvantages:
  • Frost formation (requires manual defrosting)
  • Less uniform temperature

Popular brands: Beko Defrost, Hisense Defrost, Whirlpool static, Candy static

👉 Read more about static cooling - Beko

3. The Low Frost system: a good compromise

Low Frost is an intermediate solution. It reduces frost formation (up to 80%) thanks to a built-in evaporator, but requires occasional defrosting.

• Benefits :
  • Less frost than static cold
  • Controlled energy consumption
  • Fewer defrost cycles to plan for
• Disadvantages:
  • Not totally frost-free
  • Less efficient than a real No Frost

Popular brands: Bosch Low Frost, Siemens Low Frost, Hisense Low Frost

👉 See the Bosch article - Low Frost vs No Frost

4. Which system to choose?

Choose No Frost if:

• You don't want to defrost anymore
• You store a lot of frozen food
• You want a modern and practical device

Choose Low Frost if:

• You want less frost without paying more
• You have an intermediate budget

Choose Defrost if:

• Are you looking for a simple and economical device?
• You agree to defrost manually

Conclusion

The choice between No Frost, Low Frost, and Defrost depends on your budget, eating habits, and maintenance tolerance. Brands like Hisense, LG, Samsung, Beko , and Bosch offer models to suit every need.