In the United States and many other advanced countries, refrigerators are taken for granted. But the truth is that the refrigerator is a relatively recent invention that even today is not an option for parts of the Third World. Refrigerators first came into being at the turn of the century, but it wasn't until the mid-1940s that they were mass produced. With every decade, they have become larger, safer, more convenient, and more efficient.

Is your refrigerator over the hill? If it's noisy, frosty, difficult to clean, costly to run, and too small, your answer is probably "yes." The good news is that today's refrigerators have solved nearly all of these issues. Today's models are typically frost free and offer features such as a power failure warning, chilled water and ice in the door, adjustable shelves and trays, and cooling zones. They're made in a range of sizes from small under-counter models to huge built-in side-by-side refrigerator/freezer combinations.

When a standard refrigerator/freezer combination just doesn't offer you enough space for your frozen food and goods, you may want to consider buying a seperate freezer unit. Freezers are usually used for more long-term storage of bulk and seldom-used food items.

In this section of HomeTips, you will find plenty of free advice to help in selecting a new refrigerator or freezer. Or, if you just need to get your current appliance working properly, this will walk you through solving most common problems.