Hotpoint FFAA52P review

Review: October 2015

Rating:

In a nutshell: If you're on a tight budget, then you may be tempted by the low price of the Hotpoint Aquarius FFAA52P. Be warned though, that there are reasons why this fridge-freezer is so cheap. The build quality is basic, its reliability is questionable, the storage space is cramped, and it's quite noisy too. On the positive side, it's very compact, cheap to run, and it is very cheap to buy.

Design & features

It only takes a moment in the company of the FFAA52P to realise why this 60cm width fridge-freezer sells at such a low price. The build is plasticky and cheap-looking, and inside, the plastic drawers and door shelves are made of thin plastic that could easily break. The external control above the door looks unsightly, and the freezer door is quite hard to open, requiring a good hard yank.

Inside, the layout seems quite practical, but the FFAA52P manages to do the opposite of Doctor Who's TARDIS, offering much less space than other appliances that are the same size on the outside. To be fair, this is partly because it's not as deep as most other fridge-freezers, so if space is particularly tight, this might be an advantage of this model. Be aware though, that the fridge space is really very limited, and the door storage in particular is very small.

Although this is technically a frost-free appliance, many owners find that it does ice up and needs regular defrosting.

Efficiency, noise & reliability

This appliance is A+ rated for energy efficiency, and is actually quite economical to run, mostly because of its small capacity. It can be quite noisy though, and is in the habit of emitting loud cracking noises from time to time.

You can tell from the build quality of this appliance that it hasn't really been made to last, so even though it's cheap, it might turn out to be a false economy. On the other hand, if you take good care of it, it may prove to be excellent value.

Conclusion - cheap for a reason

Several reasons in fact. It's smaller inside than it looks, and the so-called frost-free function doesn't seem to work very well. Its appearance is plasticky and very basic, and noise can be an issue too.

On the other hand, there's no denying that it's cheap to buy and cheap to run.

Hotpoint FFAA52P features include:

Energy efficiency class: A+
Annual energy consumption: 264 kwh
Net fridge capacity: 150 litres
Net freezer capacity: 78 litres
4 star freezer rating
Noise level: 42dB
Climate class: SN.N.ST.T (not suitable for outbuildings)
Dimensions (H x W x D): 178 cm x 54 cm x 58 cm

User questions

Sorry - questions and comments on this page are now closed.

Where is the temperature control for the freezer and fridge?

Asked by m.e.jones from u.k. on 20th Mar 2018

Hotpoint FFAA52P user reviews

Sorry - reviews and comments on this page are now closed.

Average rating from 2 reviews:

Reviewed by ADN123 from England on 27th Apr 2018
We bought this to replace our slightly smaller Hotpoint Fridge Freezer which had lasted 15 years without issue. We found this one to be noisy and after only being moved once the Fridge section packed up and Feezer was only freezing to -4. Hotpoint want £120 for a callout charge and even then will not guarantee to fix your fridge. Save yourself some money and spend a little bit more.
Rating:

Reviewed by s dennett from uk on 3rd Apr 2018
Early days for my FFA52P1But but some reviews could have put me off. I don't find noisy perhaps on uneven floor? Also some 'sour grapes' as didn't do homework first re capacity.
Rating:

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