Are single-door refrigerators making a silent comeback?

Minimalism is no longer just a design fad, it’s quietly creeping into how people buy their devices. And nowhere is this shift more visible than in the renewed curiosity surrounding single-door refrigerators. Festive surprise at the showroom When I visited Croma and Vijay Sales this festive season, the usual suspects, double door and convertible fridges, dominated the sales charts. But among the big, shiny units was an interesting trend: people were asking about single-door refrigerators. Sales executives said that while conversions were still higher for double-door models, the volume of inquiries for single-door units increased significantly. Nor was the interest limited to smaller towns or budget buyers. This spanned students, renters, and even some homeowners who wanted “just enough fridge.” The 20-something logic: Less is more (and easier to clean) Among those in their early 20s, living alone or with roommates, single-door refrigerators make perfect sense. Most of them told me that owning a bigger fridge feels like an obligation, like an empty shelf requires a grocery run. The simplicity of a single-door unit suits their lifestyle: basic cooling, less maintenance, and no guilt for underutilizing space. Cleaning is faster, electricity bills stay in check, and there is no unnecessary technology they will never touch. The Late-20s Twist: Landlords and Power Bills Here’s where things got interesting. Several friends in their late 20s said they convinced landlords of fully furnished apartments to trade out double-door refrigerators for single-door refrigerators. The reason? Efficiency. With more 5-star options available in single-door models, they save power and still get enough capacity for two people. For renters who move often, portability is another win. No one wants to lug a 70kg double door fridge up three flights of stairs again. The 30 people are divided Among those who build houses from scratch, opinions are split cleanly down the middle. Some wanted the convenience and compactness of a single door, while others saw the extra freezer and shelf space as essential. A peculiar preference has also emerged for single-door refrigerators with separate vegetable drawers, a design that is now gaining traction. It solves two problems at once: space management in small kitchens and easy separation of fresh produce without wasting fridge real estate. Parents’ perspective: Size still matters, but efficiency wins The older generation still leans towards double-door models, mostly out of habit and necessity. For households with more than four people or frequent guests, that choice still makes sense. But even here there is a growing awareness around energy efficiency. Many parents said they’d rather buy a high-efficiency single-door and pair it with a compact mini-fridge than own one bulky, power-hungry model. Shift in thinking, not just shopping. The resurgence of single-door refrigerators does not indicate nostalgia. It points to changing priorities, smaller families, flexible living and a sharper focus on efficiency. People don’t downsize just to save money. They do this to simplify their lives, consume less and only own what they actually use. Maybe the single-door refrigerator isn’t making a comeback as much as it’s making sense again.