All things that chill

Worried about the summer and need for added freezer storage, especially as Eid is almost here already? Well, you are not alone, if the market trends and sales offers are any indication. In the Eid-ul-Adha season, many shopping lists begin with fridges and freezers!

Unlike most other festivals, there is a major logistics aspect to the festival of sacrifice, as many households take on this yearly ritual of slaughtering, distributing, and storing cattle meat with much gusto. From medium local breeds of cattle, which yield around 80 to 100 kg of meat each, to those humongous ones, which can yield many times more, storage of the household's own share in the sacrifice becomes an issue. And which homemaker doesn't like to have some extra fridge space throughout the year as well? 

This brings us to the issue of arranging space, in the form of fridges and freezers. In recent years, freezers have become quite affordable, with the introduction of many new brands, which include some local ones. Also, many fridges now incorporate significant freezing chambers, arranged as either chambers or drawers. 

The first point to consider is what kind of a fridge or freezer you need or want. There is a wealth of options available in the markets now, with box freezers, drawer freezers as well as combos with both fridge and freezer section in vertical designs, with either one of your choice at the top or bottom.  Then comes the issue of capacity and the space available in your home. 

The good thing about the season is the slew of sales and deals many of the local manufacturers and retailers offer in the window leading to Eid. 

For example, the retail outlet Best Electronics, a retailer of brands like Samsung, Hitachi, Sharp, Toshiba, Whirlpool, LG and others, is giving away an oven a day and a fridge to lucky customers during its Eid campaign  all over the country, along with discounts on hundreds of other electronic items. 

Transcom Electronics, another retailer selling most of the well-known electronics brands, is also offering a bunch of goodies, including tickets to Nepal, Bangkok, Pattaya and Maldives to lucky customers through scratch cards given for various purchases. Prizes also include discounts of various amounts, cash-back, and washing machines for free!

Even some of the card companies now make good offers to serve customers sales ahead of the Eid season, like MasterCard cards of various banks are offering EMI facility, spanning 24 months, at about ten leading electronics retailers, like Rangs Electronics, Best Electronics, Electromart, Sony Rangs, Singer Bangladesh, Transcom Digital, and Walton. 

The listed prices of imported refrigerators start at about Tk 30,000 to above 2.25 lakh, depending on capacity and added features like smart fridge and freezers. For local brands prices can be much lower, starting at Tk 16,000 for the smaller combo products at Walton, to as high as Tk 69,000 for large double door fridges. Freezers start at Tk 18,000 for smaller capacity, to Tk 28,000 for large ones. They are also offering various discounts ahead of Eid. 

Happy chilling! 
By Sania Aiman