Haier Bottom Mount Refrigerator Review – is it good?

A Refrigerator That Can Make a Difference To Your Kitchen

Like all Indians, I value my family above everything else. So, as soon as my existing refrigerator conked out, I immediately decided that we needed a fridge that could cater to each of our varied requirements. Fortunately, we did not have to search very far because we zeroed in on the Haier HEB-35TDS Bottom mount refrigerator available on Amazon.

So, shall we have a first-hand review of this 346L Haier 3-star refrigerator?

Today, a refrigerator is an indispensable kitchen appliance. I feel that no kitchen is ever complete without a fridge providing the best preservation options. Since a refrigerator is integral to our lives, you deserve an honest review, with all its pros and cons appropriately listed to enable you to make an informed decision.

Benefits – Haier HEB-35TDS

• The Haier HEB-35TDS is a 346L refrigerator, ideal for a medium-sized family of 4 to 6 persons. We are five in our family. Hence, I found it to be ideally suited for our requirements.
• I loved the display on the door. It shows the temperature and other settings making it easy for me to know which convertible mode I am using without opening the door. Usually, convertible refrigerators have these settings inside the appliance.
• The bottom-mounted freezer is the feature I loved the most. First, my mother has a dodgy back and cannot bend too much. So, a conventional refrigerator with a top-mounted freezer would require my mother to bend heavily while keeping and removing vegetables. The bottom-mounted freezer in the Haier HEB-35TDS allows the vegetable box to be placed at a comfortable height that does not require my mother to bend too much. Secondly, we do not use the freezer much because of our vegetarian dietary preferences.
• I love to have my fruit drinks chilled. The Haier HEB-35TDS has Turbo Icing Technology that promises to deliver ice within 60 minutes.
• Saving power is crucial. But, at the same time, the budget is critical. While a 5-star refrigerator would have been excellent, the cost would have exceeded my budget. So, under the present circumstances, the Haier HEB-35TDS, a 3-star refrigerator, is the best bet. The energy label says that this refrigerator consumes 210kWh. Time alone will tell whether it lives up to its claim. But, the initial performances are encouraging.
• The Haier HEB-35TDS connects to my home inverter. I love this feature because power cuts are frequent in my area, and I would not like to see my food getting spoiled inside the refrigerator.
• The vegetable box is sufficiently big to store a week’s quota of vegetables for an average Indian household. Moreover, it is placed at a comfortable height, making it easy to use.
• The LED lighting inside the Haier HEB-35TDS is a good feature that illuminates the appliance’s interiors well.

The Drawbacks – Haier HEB-35TDS

• The topmost inner portion of the door compartment has a tiny shelf that is not of much use, except for placing lemons and ginger. Maybe, it would be ideal for putting an egg tray.
• Similarly, the bottom inner portion of the door is equally inconvenient. It is useful only for storing small bottles containing spices. It cannot accommodate even a biscuit packet. However, the other door compartments are suitable for storing water and juice bottles.
• Some users have complained of unsatisfactory customer service. But, that depends on the specific location. Though Haier is a Chinese model, the company has a manufacturing plant in India. So, you can consider it is designed to suit Indian conditions.

If you are a vegetarian family, we recommend the Haier HEB-35TDS because of its efficient cooling performance and bottom-placed freezer compartment.

Buying Guide For Refrigerators

The Haier HEB-35TDS is ideal for my requirements. But, your requirements could be different. This buying guide should help you choose the perfect appliance.

The Size Matters

Refrigerators come in various sizes. However, we advise you to purchase one that suits your family requirements better. This table should be helpful.

The Freezer Position

Usually, the double-door refrigerators in India have a freezer arrangement at the top. As a result, the vegetable crisper box gets relegated to the bottommost of the fridge. It can be inconvenient, especially if you have spinal cord problems. In addition, it can be challenging to bend down frequently to remove or place vegetables inside the fridge.

Haier is among the first refrigerator manufacturers to offer the bottom-mounted freezer in refrigerators in India. Other brands include Samsung, Bosch, Whirlpool, etc. The advantages of the bottom-mounted freezer are as follows.

• You do not have to bend your back to use the refrigerator. Generally, people do not use the freezer as frequently as the refrigerator compartments. So, a conventional top-mounted freezer appliance requires people to bend down often to use the bottommost chambers, like the vegetable crisper box. People with back problems can find it challenging. So, the bottom-mounted freezer is a better option because the refrigerator compartments start at a comfortable height that does not require frequent bending down.
• Vegetarian families do not use the freezer as frequently as their non-vegetarian counterparts. The bottom-mounted freezer is better because they do not open it much.

However, non-vegetarian consumers with spinal issues will find using the Haier bottom freezer-mounted appliances challenging. But, they have an extensive range of Haier top freezer-mounted devices with similar features.   

Inverter Compressors

Everyone knows that inverter compressors save power while delivering uninterrupted cooling to keep your food fresh. However, the inverter compressor differs from the conventional compressor in many ways.

Read: Inverter Technology in Refrigerators

• The conventional compressor works at a fixed speed, irrespective of the refrigeration demands. On the other hand, the inverter compressor functions at variable speeds depending on the cooling loads. Therefore, the inverter compressor-equipped refrigerators consume less power.
• The inverter compressor does not switch off as long as the power supply is available. The motor reduces its speeds when the cooling reaches the maximum. In contrast, the conventional compressor switches off after reaching maximum cooling. Once the temperature rises to a threshold level, it starts again and functions at full speed. The frequent switching off and on process results in spikes in power consumption.  
• The conventional compressors make a constant whirring sound whenever they function. In contrast, the inverter compressors do not make any noise.

Haier HEB-35TDS has a triple inverter compressor that allows for more energy savings and reduced noise levels. Besides, this refrigerator comes equipped with an innovative Dual Fan technology that allows multiple air flow inside the appliance to maintain the different foods stored in the appliance fresher for extended periods. Besides, it ensures retaining the original flavors, textures, and smells.

The Haier Triple inverter compressor enables 14-in-1 convertibility, a unique feature not available in any other refrigerator brand.

Convertibility

There was a time when all the refrigerators did was keep the food chilled. The temperature throughout the fridge used to be the same. As a result, foods get spoilt quickly because different foods require different temperatures to maintain optimum freshness. For example, your vegetables can be fresh at 9 degrees Celsius, whereas milk would need a temperature of around 0 degrees. Similarly, ice cream might require temperatures below zero degrees Celsius. Therefore, the freezer temperature has to be at -18 degrees Celsius to deliver optimum performance.

Therefore, Samsung introduced the first convertible refrigerator in India that could work in five different modes, depending on your requirements. LG, Whirlpool, etc., have also introduced convertible refrigerators where you can use the refrigerator and fridge compartments interchangeably.

For example, you can use the freezer as a fridge and enhance refrigeration space. Besides, you can shut off specific compartments to save power.

Haier takes the convertibility factor to a new level by introducing a 14-in-1 convertibility feature that allows you to control the temperature in a wide range between 9 and -24 degrees Celsius. This 14-in-1 convertibility mode enables the Haier HEB-35TDS to work in 14 different modes. In addition, it allows precise temperature control by 1 degree Celsius to store your various foods, including seafood, chicken, desserts, cereals, vegetables, ice creams, etc., at their favorable temperature.

The Haier HEB-35TDS and other models working on the 14-in-1 convertibility feature come equipped with a unique, innovative display on the appliance door that allows users to set the different temperatures and modes. 

Home Inverter Compatibility

Usually, people never connect their refrigerator to their home inverters because the sudden spike in the power consumption when the compressor restarts operations can drain the battery off. But, Haier HEB-35TDS works on a triple-inverter compressor that is compatible to work with the home inverter system. So, power cuts do not influence the cooling capacity of this Haier refrigerator.

Turbo Icing Technology

The triple inverter compressor combines with the 14-in-1 convertibility feature to provide Turbo Icing Technology, where the Haier HEB-35TDS freezer can chill up to -24 degrees Celsius to make ice faster. This technology allows ice formation within 60 minutes, much quicker than other refrigerators. So, you are never short of ice cubes when celebrating your parties at home.   

Star Rating

BEE has rated this Haier HEB-35TDS model as a 3-star refrigerator that consumes 210kWh power annually. Hence, it is an energy-efficient refrigerator.

Security Features

This Haier HEB-35TDS refrigerator has a fully covered back portion to protect the compressor, tubes, and wires from damage due to dust, insects, humidity, etc. In addition, the cables come with PUF insulation to make this refrigerator safe to handle.

Voltage Stability

The Haier HEB-35TDS triple inverter compressor can work in an extensive voltage range that does not require the installation of a separate voltage stabilizer. It provides stabilizer-free operations.

Refrigerant

The Haier HEB-35TDS works on the 600A refrigerant, an HFC-free refrigerant with zero ozone depletion and lower global warming potential than other refrigerants.

Other standard features

The Haier HEB-35TDS offers a range of other features like toughened glass shelves, LED lighting, a movable ice tray, a 2L bottle guard, and a large vegetable box for enhanced storage.

Warranty

Haier offers a one-year warranty on the product and ten years on the compressor and fan motor, thus ensuring a trouble-free performance.

Comparison with similar refrigerators

We have discussed the benefits and the drawbacks of the Haier refrigerator model. However, comparing other top models like Samsung, LG, or Whirlpool offering similar features should help us better understand the products.

How does Haier compare with the Whirlpool and Samsung models?

On comparing three similar refrigerator models, here is our inference.

• Capacity-wise, the Samsung and Whirlpool models are spacious. But the Samsung model has a 112L freezer that makes for less refrigerator space. In comparison, Haier and Whirlpool offer a 99L freezer. In addition, the Whirlpool model provides additional storage on the freezer door, whereas Haier and Samsung do not.
• Energy Rating-wise, Samsung seems less efficient because it consumes 300kWh annually, whereas Haier and Whirlpool offer equal performance.
• Haier offers a triple inverter compressor with dual fan technology. Samsung provides a comparable digital inverter compressor, and Whirlpool has an advanced Adaptive Intelligence Intellisense inverter compressor.
• The Haier model offers 14-in-1 convertibility, whereas Whirlpool provides 10-in-1 convertibility. However, this Samsung model does not offer convertibility features.
• Design-wise, all three models offer bottom-mounted freezers. However, Haier gets the credit for introducing the bottom-mounted freezer series in India.