StovesSXS905 BLK
- American
- Frost-free freezer
Colour:Black
Colour:Black
If you're looking for a side-by-side fridge freezer with plenty of features, the Stoves SXS905 BLK may have caught your eye. Read our expert review to find out how this fridge freezer fared in our tests.
Chilling power | |
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Freezing power | |
Energy efficiency |
The overall Which? test score is made up of the following star ratings, all determined by our rigorous lab tests.
How we test chilling power
We test how quickly a fridge chills, as the faster food cools the longer it will last, the more nutrients it will retain and the less chance there is for harmful bacteria to thrive.
How we test ease of use
To see whether a fridge freezer is easy to use, we rate aspects such as how sturdy the shelves and drawers are, how smoothly the drawers slide in and out, whether there are enough door racks and shelves for the size of the machine, whether the fridge freezer is easy to programme and whether the thermostat is easy to adjust.
How we test ease of cleaning
We spray cherry juice inside each fridge, let it dry to a sticky mess and then rate how easy it is to clean, to see how likely food and drink spills are to seep into hard-to-reach spots and crevices.
How we test freezing power
How quickly it can freeze, or how much it can freeze in one go. The greater the freezer power, the faster it will freeze your food - minimising the chance for bacteria to grow and helping ensure food is as fresh and nutrient-rich as possible when you defrost it.
How we test temperature stability - cold rooms
We test how closely the fridge freezer maintains the correct temperature when the room temperature drops, just as it does in your kitchen at home. We do this by turning the room temperature down to a chilly 10°C and testing the temperature of the food-equivalent gel packs inside. Five stars means the gel packs stay perfectly chilled and frozen, which is what you want for your food. But two stars or less means the gel packs either warm up or over-cool.
How we test temperature stability - hot rooms
We test how closely the fridge freezer maintains the correct temperature when the room temperature rises, just as it does in your kitchen at home during a heatwave. We do this by turning the temperature in our test chamber up to 35°C and testing the temperature of the food-equivalent gel packs. Five stars means the gel packs stay perfectly chilled and frozen, which is what you want for your food. But two stars or less means the gel packs either warm up or become too icy in the fridge compartment.
How we test recommended thermostat setting
To see whether you can rely on a fridge freezer's thermostat to create perfect temperatures for storing chilled and frozen food, we set the appliance up following the manufacturer's recommended thermostat setting. Models scoring five stars have reliable thermostats that are spot on, whereas models scoring two stars or less would need to be set up using a separate thermometer to adjust the temperature.
How we test energy efficiency
How energy-efficient the fridge freezer is for the amount of usable space it offers. Fridge freezers are switched on 24/7, so it's important to choose one that won't cost a fortune to run. The best models score four or five stars and use a minimal amount of energy to cool food. You can spot the real energy guzzlers as they're awarded a poor one or two stars in this test.
How we test quietness
We rate how quiet and unobtrusive the sounds made by each fridge freezer are when the compressor's running and when it switches on and off.
General | |
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Fridge freezer type | American |
Freezer position | Side (American) |
Retro fridge freezer | No |
Dimensions - HxWxD (cm) | 177x90x78 |
Height | 177cm |
Width | 90cm |
Depth | 78cm |
Claimed fridge volume | 346 litres |
Claimed freezer volume | 158 litres |
Usable fridge storage volume | |
Usable freezer storage volume | |
Total usable volume | |
Volume in shopping bags | |
Fridge to freezer ratio | |
Climate class | 10 to 43 |
Material of backing | Metal |
Flame-retardant backing? | Yes |
Old energy rating | A+ |
Annual energy cost (£) | £103.17 |
Manufacturer guarantee | 1 year |
Testing information | This model was tested before we changed our fridge freezer test programme in 2023. For full details on how we've changed our testing, head to our guide on 'how we test fridge freezers'. |
Features | |
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Frost-free freezer | Yes |
Super cool | Yes |
Fast freeze | Yes |
Multizone compartment | No |
Plumbed-in water dispenser | Yes |
Manually-refillable water dispenser | No |
Ice maker | Yes |
Holiday mode | Yes |
Smart compatible | No |
High temperature warning light | No |
High temperature warning alarm | No |
Fridge door alarm | Yes |
Freezer door alarm | Yes |
Reversible doors | No |
Rollers or castors | Yes |
Fridge shelves (including half-width shelves) | 4 |
Bottle shelf | No |
Number of full-width crisper drawers | 2 |
Number of half-width crisper drawers | 0 |
Humidity controlled compartment | No |
Chill compartment | No |
Number of door racks in fridge | 5 |
Bottle grip or rack divider | No |
Type of light in fridge | LED |
Number of freezer drawers, shelves and compartments | 2 |
TESTING IN NUMBERS
224
Fridge freezers33
Best Buys4
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