Refrigerators · Comparison
Samsung RT28C3733S8 vs Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278
Which should you buy?
Buy the Samsung RT28C3733S8 if you are a couple or small family in a compact flat: it used less electricity, cooled faster, ran quieter and lists a 20-year compressor warranty. Buy the Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278 if a family of three to four needs its larger 265 L body.
Choose the Samsung RT28C3733S8/HL 236 L 3-Star Frost-Free Convertible Double-Door Refrigerator if
- You want lower running cost: 0.82 kWh a day at 32 °C against 0.96 kWh
- You want quieter running, about 39 dB in steady use
- You want a listed 20-year compressor warranty
- Your kitchen is narrow and space is tight
Choose the Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278 265 L 3-Star Frost-Free Double-Door Convertible Refrigerator if
- You cook for three to four people and need 265 L
- You want frost-free cooling and a convertible freezer at a moderate price
- You want Whirlpool's service network, which reaches most towns in two to three days
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Samsung RT28C3733S8/HL 236 L 3-Star Frost-Free Convertible Double-Door Refrigerator vs Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278 265 L 3-Star Frost-Free Double-Door Convertible Refrigerator: side by side
| Samsung RT28C3733S8/HL 236 L 3-Star Frost-Free Convertible Double-Door Refrigerator | Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278 265 L 3-Star Frost-Free Double-Door Convertible Refrigerator | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||
| Our grade | B 7.8 (better result) | B− 7.1 |
| Test results | ||
| Electricity use at 32 °C How we test this : Electricity use at 32 °C | 0.82 kWh/day (better result) | 0.96 kWh/day |
| Electricity use at 40 °C How we test this : Electricity use at 40 °C | 1.08 kWh/day (better result) | 1.25 kWh/day |
| Fresh-food pull-down to 4 °C How we test this : Fresh-food pull-down to 4 °C | 140 min (better result) | 150 min |
| Freezer pull-down to -18 °C How we test this : Freezer pull-down to -18 °C | 400 min (better result) | 420 min |
| Fresh-food temperature after a 3-hour cut How we test this : Fresh-food temperature after a 3-hour cut | 7 °C | 7 °C |
| Recovery after a warm load How we test this : Recovery after a warm load | 70 min | Not tested |
| Noise in steady running How we test this : Noise in steady running | 39 dB (better result) | 41 dB |
| Power draw while running How we test this : Power draw while running | 90 W | Not tested |
| Voltage range for reliable running How we test this : Voltage range for reliable running | 165 to 255 V | 165 to 255 V |
| Coriander freshness in the crisper How we test this : Coriander freshness in the crisper | 5 days | 5 days |
| Key specs | ||
| Capacity | 236 L (freezer about 53 L) | 265 L |
| Type | Frost-free double door, top freezer, convertible | Frost-free double door, top freezer, convertible |
| BEE rating | 3 star | 3 star |
| Compressor | Digital Inverter | Intellisense Inverter |
| Rated power | 229 W (as listed by a comparison site) | — |
| Warranty | 1 year product, 20 years compressor (per Croma and Smartprix; check the card) | 1 year product, 10 years compressor (as listed by retailers) |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | — | 159 x 57 x 67 cm |
| Weight | — | 56 kg |
Both are 3-star frost-free double doors with inverter compressors and a convertible freezer, sized for small families. The Samsung is the more efficient, quieter and better-warranted fridge; the Whirlpool gives you more space for a family of four.
Which is cheaper to run?
The Samsung. It used 0.82 kWh a day at 32 °C against 0.96 kWh for the Whirlpool, and the gap held at 40 °C. Over years of round-the-clock running, that difference shows up on the bill, though part of it comes from the Samsung’s smaller cabinet.
Which cools faster in a 40 °C kitchen?
The Samsung, slightly. From a 38 °C start its fresh-food compartment reached 4 °C in about 2 hours 20 minutes against about 2 hours 30 minutes for the Whirlpool, and its freezer reached -18 °C in about 6 hours 40 minutes against about 7 hours. Both held within about 1 °C of the set point once stable.
Is 236 L enough, or do you need 265 L?
For two to three people, 236 L is enough: a 5 litre milk can, an atta container and a week of vegetables fitted on the Samsung’s shelves. For a family of four that shops weekly, the Whirlpool’s extra space helps, and its convertible mode added about 40 litres of fridge space during a festival week. The Whirlpool’s door shelves flexed under a heavy 2 litre bottle, and its crisper is shallow.
How do warranty and service compare?
Croma and Smartprix list a 20-year compressor warranty on the Samsung, while retailers list 10 years on the Whirlpool’s compressor; both have one year on the product. Whirlpool’s technicians reach most towns within two to three days, while Samsung’s service is strongest in metros and tier-2 cities.
Questions buyers ask
Which uses less electricity, the Samsung RT28C3733S8 or the Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278?
The Samsung RT28C3733S8 used 0.82 kWh a day at 32 °C and 1.08 kWh at 40 °C in our tests, against 0.96 kWh and 1.25 kWh for the Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278. Both are 3-star frost-free fridges, but the Samsung is smaller.
Is the Samsung RT28C3733S8 big enough for a family of four?
The Samsung RT28C3733S8 holds 236 L, enough for two to four people who shop weekly, but its roughly 53 L freezer is tight for bulk frozen food. A family of four that stocks up should look at the 265 L Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278.
Which keeps food cold longer in a power cut?
They were close. Over a 3-hour cut both fresh-food compartments rose from 4 °C to 7 °C. The Samsung RT28C3733S8 freezer went from -18 °C to -12 °C and the Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278 freezer from -18 °C to -11 °C.
Read the full reviews
- Samsung
Refrigerators
Samsung RT28C3733S8 236 L 3-Star Convertible Double-Door Review
The Samsung RT28C3733S8 is a compact 236 L frost-free Digital Inverter fridge with a convertible freezer and a 20-year compressor warranty, best for couples and small families with tight kitchen space.
- Whirlpool
Refrigerators
Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278 265 L Convertible Double-Door Review
The Whirlpool IF INV CNV 278 is a 265 L frost-free inverter fridge with a convertible freezer that suits families of three to four, though its shelves and finish feel basic and 3-star running costs are only average.