SAMSUNG'S DREAM MACHINE (Samsung SRL-628EV)

Member Name: anniedundle

Product:	Samsung SRL-628EV
Date:	10/01/01 (1253 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Air mixing system, huge capacity,style

Disadvantages: Too big for the average kitchen

Fridge-freezers aren’t normally associated with love at first sight but it was twisted eye-beams across the electricity showroom when we first encountered Samsungs ‘Cool Tech Plus’ - SR-L628EV.

Mighty, monolithic, cool, hi-tech, 50’s American Dream-brought-up-to-date in a HUGE example of Korean white goods at their best.

One of the first things you notice about this fridge-freezer is that it is BIG. Measuring 80cm wide by 68cm deep, it stands tall at 178cm and regretfully it will not fit into the ‘average’ kitchen. It demands space and, such is it’s charm, that we completely re-organised our kitchen so that it could have it!

We were looking for a replacement for our ailing fridge which, tall as it was, never gave us as much useable space as its outward size suggested. Being drawn to American styling, we were immediately taken by this machine which, although not exactly cheap, was still less than half the price of the other ‘American’ machines, with their double doors and their instant ice machines. These, of course, require to be plumbed in, further adding to the cost and disruption.

This machine has a cold drinks dispenser on the front door which can be filled with anything uncarbonated. This is great for the summer when the kids can help themselves to cool water. (I don’t like putting juice into such containers as I always think it is too difficult to clean properly.)

The controls for both fridge and freezer are on the front door, above the drinks dispenser. At the press of a button you can increase, or decrease, the temperature and an LED type display shows at what level the machine is operating. A ‘fast-freeze’ option is available for both fridge and freezer if you are stocking up.

Should you forget to close the door, an alarm will sound after a couple of minutes. This can be turned off for cleaning or any other times you need
to have the doors opened for a prolonged period of time by pressing a button on the control panel.

The upper fridge section is really roomy. It has a special air mixing flow system which ensures that the whole area is kept at the same temperature, without cold spots, or warm spots. There is a ‘deodorising’ compartment at the top where you can put cheese, or fish and next to that is an enclosed ‘chilled room’. Not going in for many cheesecakes or gateau, we tend to use this for storing photographic film and tins of corned beef!

The toughened glass shelves are easy to remove and easy to clean which is a boon in any fridge. There are three of these, all spacious.

The massive drawer at the bottom is labelled ‘High Moisture for Vegetables’ and fruit can come, too! A smaller, internal shelf, is ideal for storing fiddly things like garlic and ginger which would get lost in the big drawer.

The door storage in this machine is excellent. Six separate compartments of varying lengths and heights ensure that there is a place for most shapes, and depths, of bottle or container. Separators help stop bottles clanking together.

A removable covered perspex egg box holds up to a dozen eggs and is rather stylish, as egg containers go.

The lighting in the fridge is the best I’ve ever seen. A small double strip at the front illuminates the whole fridge leaving no dark and murky corners!

Now, to the lower regions - the freezer. The ‘cutest’ feature of this area is the ice container. OK, so most of you probably find it hard to enthuse about an ice-cube tray but THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT! – I promise you! Two, conjoined ice-cube trays are filled in the normal way and the ice allowed to form. Then, you simply turn a couple of dials round to flip the ice cubes into a container below. This way, you can make sure that you have plenty ice made in advance of the
party and you haven’t gone to all the trouble and expense of having one of those plumbed-in machines!

The storage space in the freezer comprises two and a half drawers giving adequate storage for most peoples’ needs. I must say, however, that the freezer section is nowhere near as capacious as the external dimensions would suggest. I suppose there is a motor in there somewhere taking up space! We actually have a separate, larger freezer for longer-term storage.

All things considered, this is a machine to be reckoned with. The door of ours had to be taken off to get it into the house. The delivery men were skilled in re-assembly and manouevred it into position with no problems.

Memories flood back of machines, dumped in living rooms, still in their wrappings….

As I said earlier, it was love at first sight for us and we went to enormous lengths to accommodate this machine in our home. A complete re-oranisation of the kitchen was stimulated by our desire for this machine and I must say, we haven’t regretted it once!

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