Cheap Refrigerator: How to Buy a Good Fridge on a Low Budget

A new, cheap fridge with No Frost costs, per store prices, about ₪⁦1,470–2,400⁩ for 333 liters, about ₪⁦2,450–3,400⁩ for ⁦480–530⁩ liters, and about ₪⁦2,700–3,500⁩ for a basic 4-door fridge.

What counts as cheap: a family fridge from a leading brand with certified Shabbat mode now costs ₪⁦5,000–9,000⁩ and more. A cheap fridge, for this guide, is a new fridge from an official importer at ₪⁦1,500–3,500,⁩ suitable for daily use by a couple or a family.

The prices we saw, cheapest to most expensive:

• Haier HNF395SS (333 liters, top freezer): about ₪⁦1,470–1,990.⁩
• Haier HRF2390SS (333 liters, top freezer): about ₪⁦1,500–2,390.⁩
• CHiQ MC-R2353SL (348 liters, top freezer): about ₪2,000 in one store, but it was temporarily out of stock.
• Electra EL47GW (347 liters, bottom freezer): about ₪⁦2,290–2,890.⁩
• Haier HRF-840SS (483 liters): about ₪⁦2,450–3,550.⁩
• Electra EL571 (528 liters): about ₪⁦2,690–2,830⁩ per the model list on Zap.
• Haier HRF-4494 (4-door, about 400 liters net): from about ₪2,700.
• Electra EL522DN (4-door, 466 liters net): about ₪⁦2,800–3,500.⁩
• Electrolux ETM5002BC (505 liters): about ₪3,000.
• Haier HRF-940SS (527 liters): about ₪⁦3,050–3,400.⁩

Under ₪1,400: you will mainly find small fridges of ⁦120–200⁩ liters, like the 120-liter Normande ND-140 for about ₪⁦1,150–1,300,⁩ and office fridges. They suit a student or rental unit, not a family. We detailed them in our small refrigerator guide.

The best-value range: ₪⁦2,400–3,000.⁩ In this range you get ⁦480–530⁩ liters with No Frost, and sometimes inverter and Shabbat mode too, enough for a family of 4.

The simplest way to compare cheap fridges is to divide the price by the net capacity; in the cheap range, a top freezer costs about ₪⁦4.4–5.9⁩ per liter, and a bottom freezer or 4-door about ₪⁦6–6.8⁩ per liter.

Our calculation, by the lowest price we saw for each model:

• Haier HNF395SS: ₪1,470 / 333 liters = about ₪4.4 per liter.
• Haier HRF2390SS: ₪1,495 / 333 liters = about ₪4.5 per liter.
• Haier HRF-840SS: ₪2,450 / 483 liters = about ₪5.1 per liter.
• Electra EL571: ₪2,690 / 528 liters = about ₪5.1 per liter.
• Haier HRF-940SS: ₪3,045 / 527 liters = about ₪5.8 per liter.
• Electrolux ETM5002BC: ₪2,990 / 505 liters = about ₪5.9 per liter.
• Electra EL522DN: ₪2,795 / 466 liters net = about ₪6 per liter.
• Electra EL47GW: ₪2,290 / 347 liters = about ₪6.6 per liter.
• Haier HRF-4494: ₪2,727 / about 401 liters net = about ₪6.8 per liter.

For comparison, the Samsung RB35C6225 with certified Shabbat mode costs about ₪20 per liter, and the 604-liter Sharp SJ-GTR820G-BK about ₪7.9 per liter.

What the calculation does not tell you: it does not distinguish between gross and net. On the HRF-940SS, for example, the title says 527 liters, and one offer lists 505 net. It also does not account for inverter, Shabbat, warranty and power use.

How to use it: as a first filter. If two fridges of the same size differ by ₪⁦1–2⁩ per liter, the difference is a few hundred shekels, and it is worth checking what it buys: inverter, Shabbat or long warranty. If the difference is ₪10 per liter or more, you are paying for a brand and features you may not need.

A cheap 500-liter fridge is almost always a 2-door top-freezer fridge, and per store prices it costs about ₪⁦2,450–3,400⁩; a 500-liter 4-door fridge will usually cost ₪3,800 and up.

The options we saw around 500 liters:

• Haier HRF-840SS (483 liters): from about ₪2,450, No Frost.
• Electra EL571 (528 liters): about ₪⁦2,690–2,830⁩ per the model list on Zap. The DN version's title lists the Mishmeret HaShabbat device and Tzomet Institute certification.
• Electrolux ETM5002BC (505 liters): about ₪3,000, inverter, No Frost, Shabbat mode, 80 × 172.5 × ⁦72.5 cm⁩.
• Haier HRF-940SS (527 liters): about ₪⁦3,050–3,400.⁩

4-door, around 500 liters: Electra EL560 (505 liters, zero-clearance) about ₪⁦3,800–4,100,⁩ and Haier HRF5500F (505 liters) from about ₪3,870, per the model lists on Zap.

Why 500 liters: it is the capacity that suits most families of 4. By the common rule of about 100 liters per person plus about 100 liters base, 500 liters is enough for four, with room for Shabbat cooking.

What to check in a cheap 500-liter fridge:

• Width: ⁦80 cm⁩ on the ETM5002BC. It will not fit a ⁦70 cm⁩ niche.
• Height: ⁦172.5 cm⁩ on the ETM5002BC, relatively low, convenient for a top freezer.
• Net: ask for the split. On the ETM5002BC, 386 fridge and 119 freezer.
• Wide fridge door: on an ⁦80 cm⁩ top freezer, the open door takes about ⁦80 cm⁩ in front of the fridge.

For 2-door fridges in detail, including Sharp and 3-door, see our 2-door refrigerator guide.

A cheap 4-door fridge of about ⁦400–466⁩ liters net costs per store prices about ₪⁦2,700–3,500,⁩ and a cheap ⁦60 cm⁩ bottom freezer about ₪⁦2,290–2,890⁩; both cost more per liter than a top freezer, and are more convenient.

4-door:

• Electra EL522DN: 466 liters net, 79 × 180 × ⁦73 cm⁩, No Frost, Tzomet Institute Shabbat certification per the product page, about ₪⁦2,800–3,500.⁩
• Haier HRF-4494: 472 liters gross, about 401 net, ⁦79 cm⁩ wide, inverter, from about ₪2,700.
• Electra EL486 (421 liters): about ₪2,890 per the model list.

The first two fit an ⁦80 cm⁩ niche. Electra gives more net capacity and broad Shabbat certification; Haier gives inverter. We detailed the differences in our Electra refrigerator and Haier 4-door refrigerator guides.

Bottom freezer:

• Electra EL47GW: 347 liters, No Frost, inverter, about ₪⁦2,290–2,890.⁩
• LG GRB479BF: 451 liters at ⁦70 cm⁩ wide, from about ₪3,150 per the model page on Zap.

When to pay the extra: if the kitchen is narrow and a wide fridge door will block the passage, 4-door. If bending to vegetable drawers is hard for you, a bottom freezer. If neither bothers you, a top freezer will save a few hundred shekels.

For bottom freezers in detail see our bottom-freezer refrigerator guide, and for 4-door fridges at all prices, our 4-door refrigerator guide.

With a cheap fridge you mainly give up a certified, documented Shabbat mode, an inverter compressor on some models, finish, and complete data on the product page; No Frost and importer warranty usually remain.

Shabbat mode: on the cheapest models, like the Haier HNF395SS, there is at most a switch to turn off the light. A full Shabbat mode certified by an institute appears on slightly less cheap fridges: the Electra EL522DN with broad Tzomet certification, or the Electrolux ETM5002BC with a built-in Shabbat mode. If Shabbat is a requirement, start with them.

Inverter: the Electra EL47GW and Electrolux ETM5002BC have inverter per the product pages. On Haier's 333-liter models it is not mentioned. A regular compressor works, but is usually noisier when switching on and off.

Data: on many cheap fridges, the model page does not include annual kWh consumption, dimensions or even a consistent energy rating. That does not mean the fridge is bad, just that you need to ask the seller for the spec.

Finish: cheap fridges come mainly in white or stainless. Black and white glass cost more on the same model.

What not to give up:

• No Frost on a main fridge.
• Official importer warranty. A technician call cost ₪289 on the Electra page.
• Dimensions that fit the niche, including ventilation clearance.

Power use: a cheap fridge that uses more will cost you the difference over the years. If two models cost the same, prefer the one with inverter or a lower kWh figure. Israel moved to the European label on 1.9.2022, so compare kWh, not letters.

A used (yad 2) fridge can be much cheaper, but with no warranty and unknown power use; in most cases, a new ₪⁦1,500–3,000⁩ fridge with importer warranty is the safer choice.

When used makes sense:

• As a second fridge for the service balcony or for holidays, when a fault will not shut down the home.
• For a temporary rental unit or a student for a year or two.
• When the fridge is young, still has transferable importer warranty, and the seller shows an invoice.

When new is better:

• When it is the only fridge at home.
• When the used fridge is more than a few years old, without an invoice or warranty.
• When delivering a large fridge costs a few hundred shekels, closing the gap with a new one on sale.

What to check on a used fridge:

• Cooling: ask to see it running. After about an hour, the fridge compartment should be clearly cold and the freezer starting to freeze.
• Compressor: unusual noise, knocking or a compressor that never stops are warning signs.
• Seals: check that the doors close and seal along their full length. A damaged seal raises consumption and builds ice.
• Odor and mold: in the corners and drawers.
• Ice in a No Frost freezer: if there is a layer of ice in a freezer that is supposed to be No Frost, something is not working.
• Model sticker: photograph it and check the model's age and spec at home.

Electricity: an old fridge usually uses more than a new fridge of the same capacity. The difference is not visible on purchase day, but it adds up on the electricity bill over the years.

Delivery: a fridge of ⁦180 cm⁩ or more needs two people and a suitable vehicle. Price the delivery before deciding the used one is cheaper.

The right budget depends on who will use the fridge: for a couple ₪⁦1,500–2,000⁩ is enough, a family of 4 needs about ₪⁦2,500–3,000,⁩ and for a landlord, reliability and warranty matter most.

Young couple in a rental: a 333-liter top freezer with No Frost, like the Haier HNF395SS. At ⁦60.5 cm⁩ wide it is relatively easy to move, and it will go with you to the next apartment. If the next apartment's kitchen is bigger, it will become a second fridge.

Family of 4 on a tight budget: a top freezer of about ⁦480–530⁩ liters. The difference between 333 and 483 liters is about ₪1,000, and it is the difference between a fridge that fills up on Thursday and one that holds the Shabbat shopping.

Shabbat-observant family: do not skimp on Shabbat mode. The difference between a cheap fridge without certification and the Electra EL522DN with Tzomet Institute certification is a few hundred shekels, and it saves workarounds every Shabbat.

Landlord: buy from an official importer, with No Frost and a warranty you can use even when the tenant calls. A very cheap fridge from an unknown seller will cost you more on the first technician call.

Second fridge for the service balcony: here you can compromise more: a 333-liter fridge, a used fridge in good condition, or even a 6-drawer freezer if what you mainly lack is freezer space.

Student or rental unit: a small ⁦120–200⁩ liter fridge, about ₪⁦1,150–1,300,⁩ or an office fridge of about 90 liters. See our small refrigerator guide.

You usually find the lowest price by comparing prices across several stores, in chain promotions and on display models, provided the official importer's warranty is kept.

Price comparison: for the same model we saw large gaps between stores: the Haier HRF-840SS sold for about ₪2,450 to about ₪3,550, and the LG GRB479BF for about ₪3,150 to about ₪5,490. Price comparison sites (like Zap) show the range, but make sure the cheapest offer includes importer warranty and delivery.

Sales: at the chains we saw discounts of a few hundred shekels: the Electra EL47GW from about ₪2,890 to about ₪2,290, and the Electra EL522DN from about ₪3,390 to about ₪2,795. If you are not in a hurry, track the price for a few weeks.

Display and open-box products: stores sometimes sell display fridges at a discount. Check that the fridge is intact, that there is a full warranty certificate from an official importer, and that the discount justifies the scratches.

Parallel import: a parallel-import fridge (yevu makbil) can be cheaper, but if the compressor or control board fails, a repair without warranty can cost more than the difference. On a cheap fridge the difference itself is smaller, so the risk pays off less.

Extra costs: delivery (on the Electra page we saw ₪199 for home delivery), carrying up to your floor, removing doors, removing the old fridge and the warranty extension. Calculate the final price before comparing.

Installation: a fridge does not need a technician, but it should be transported upright, left to stand for a few hours before plugging in per the manual, and connected to a grounded outlet. (Israel uses 230V/50Hz.)

For a couple or as a second fridge, buy a 333-liter top freezer with No Frost for about ₪⁦1,470–2,000⁩; for a family of 4, a fridge of about ⁦480–530⁩ liters for about ₪⁦2,450–3,000⁩; and for Shabbat observers who want a cheap 4-door, the Electra EL522DN.

• Cheapest full-size fridge: Haier HNF395SS, about ₪4.4 per liter.
• Family of ⁦3–4⁩ for about ₪2,500: Haier HRF-840SS, 483 liters.
• 500 liters with inverter and Shabbat mode: Electrolux ETM5002BC, about ₪3,000.
• Cheap bottom freezer: Electra EL47GW, about ₪⁦2,290–2,890.⁩
• 4-door with Shabbat certification: Electra EL522DN, about ₪⁦2,800–3,500.⁩

What not to do: give up No Frost and importer warranty to save ₪200, compare gross to net, forget the cost of delivery and the extension, and buy a used fridge as your only fridge without seeing it running.

If your budget is more flexible, see the recommendations in our best refrigerator guide, and if you need a small fridge for a room or office, our mini fridge and office fridge guides.