It's not a rare scenario for us to see lots of ice in our refrigerator. Frost refrigerators tend to make and gather ice in the compartment, unlike No Frost refrigerators. This type of refrigerator does not use the extra heater to prevent creating ice chunks inside the refrigerator. And because of its nature we call this refrigerator “The Frost Refrigerator”.

Working Principle of Frost Refrigerator

Frost Refrigerator’s working principle is simple : 1. Vapor Condensation and 2. Natural Convection. In this process, there are no external or artificial sources like fan or blower to create the cooling inside the fridge.

Frost Refrigerator uses the traditional form of refrigeration technology or we can call it direct cooling method.

In this method, the refrigerating space comes to direct contact with the evaporator coil to cool it.

As a result, the refrigerator distributes cooling unevenly inside. The water vapor comes in contact with the cold surface and it starts freezing the fridge. This is why there is a manual defrosting button in the fridge.One must turn it off and open the doors to defrost it. The defrosted and dripping water from the tray must be drained out, and the refrigerator compartment must be wiped dry and vented. The frequency of defrosting the refrigerated table is specified in the technical specifications of each type. 

The Difference between Frost and No-Frost Refrigerator 

1. Ice Frosting: The main difference is “ice”. Frost Refrigerators let chunky ice grow inside the refrigerator, unlike No- Frost refrigerator. If we need to take out meat or other food stored in the freezer in the refrigerator we need to turn off the switch of the refrigerator. We wait until we can pull out the food. 

2. No Heater: Frost's refrigerator does not contain a heater, unlike No- frost Refrigerator. It has a basic and traditional feature to run the refrigerator. 

3. Temperature Stability: Uneven cooling and temperature fluctuation is seen in the Frost Refrigerator because Static refrigeration is a typical cooling technology used in laboratory refrigeration. It does not allow for optimal ventilation within the storage cabinet. 

4. Defrost Cycle: Frost Refrigerators have no control over the defrosting cycle. Because moisture does not evaporate inside, conventional or static refrigeration systems require regular defrosting. To compensate for the unequal cold storage, these cabinets accumulate ice and require defrosting settings in models.  (Bioline Global , n.d.)

5. Outlook: Outlook can be one of the major differences between Frost and No- Frost refrigerators. Maximum Frost refrigerators are old model refrigerators that are not that impressive. But there are some with a stylish outlook. 

Pros and Cons of Frost Refrigerator

# Frost refrigerators are less expensive than non-frost refrigerators. It is also more cost-effective. The difference can be seen in the electricity bill. Frost refrigerators use less electricity than non-frost refrigerators since they don't have a heater, fan, or other devices to run. When the electricity is down for several hours, it can readily revert to chunked ice.

# Frost Refrigerators are less complicated and easy to maintain. The maintenance cost is less than The No- Frost refrigerator. It does not have complex features and extra devices. 

# Frost Refrigerators do not dry out the part of your food unlike No- Frost Refrigerator.  You do not have to bother about keeping them in boxes.

# Frost refrigerators tend to get messy with the chunked ice. It needs regular cleaning more than Frost Ice. You have to clean a minimum of thrice a month if you use a frost refrigerator. Also, The chunked ice makes the cleaning process tough. 

# Frost Refrigerators do not have an auto defrosting system. If you are a Frost refrigerator user you may need to follow a schedule about defrosting issue. Also, it does not have any feature like a fan or something t ensure even cooling. 

# The storage problem is another con of Frost Fridge. Chunked ice makes the compartment less spacious which is a major con of Frost Refrigerators. It becomes difficult to fir all the food in that case. 

# Food Taste starts to change as the food is covered with ice. If you store the food for a long time in Frost Fridge the color may get changed as well. 

For Whom the Frost Free Fridges are For?

If you live in an area where load shedding is not a surprise, you should not be concerned about stored food in the fridge if it's a Frost Fridge. The chunky ice of the frost refrigerator can work great to maintain optimum temperature to prevent food bacteria.

Conclusion

Which refrigerator to buy? There is no particular answer to this question. If you have a limited budget and you want a less expensive cost-effective refrigerator then you go for Frost Refrigerator. It can give you back up if the electricity went out for a couple of hours. Aside from keeping your food fresh, you undoubtedly want your refrigerator to blend in with the rest of your kitchen design. Make certain you select the appropriate color and design.