The last time I bought a fridge was about 8 years ago and my budget was capped at under $1000. I got a great fridge and have been very happy with it but its time to upgrade to something bigger. In the $2500-3000 range that I have been looking at I am seeing a function that I have not known before and to be honest don’t really understand. There are compartments with removable metal floors that are called “soft freeze” drawers, usually above the freezer compartment. I understand directional freezing in terms of ice making, but what is going on here for meats etc? How do you use this technology and why? What’s wrong with buying fresh meat and either keeping it in the fridge for a couple days til you are ready to cook it, or pop it right in the freezer for a later date?
Some people like their ice cream to be soft, maybe it’s for that.
Surely the world hasn’t gone that topsy turvy
Oh yes. Ice-cream aficionados may have a separate freezer as the standard -18c makes it too hard, the best temperature for scoopability, mouth feel and taste is about -10c. Soft ice-cream is a relative term, it doesn’t mean melted.
I hadn’t heard if the ‘technology’ before. Here are some manufacturer explanations on the purpose of the technology…
Is it hype, well it could be if one has no use for it.
If we bought a fridge with such a feature we possibly would use it from time to time to partially freeze meats so they can be sliced very thin for dishes such as stirfry. We currently freeze meat for a hour or two/defrost in the fridge for half a day to achieve the same outcome. I personally wouldn’t be chasing a fridge with such a feature and might bypass one which has the feature if it significantly affects storage volumes or makes cleaning a fridge difficult.
Interesting.
If one is looking for an excuse not to join the trend, dump the old and purchase new for a feature that may have limited appeal.
For ice cream, most enjoyed in the Aussie summer, and not so in winter. Around here the extra effort to scoop direct from the extra cold freezer is rewarded by it not being a pool of melted slush by the time it gets to the table, or dribbling out the bottom of a cone?
For meat lovers, our butcher will vacuum pack fresh meat on request. This also prolongs the shelf life of the product when stored in the fridge, subject to the storage temperature. There’s no need to thaw the product. It’s suggested it also aids the aging process for some products. We also find it great as it does not take up valued freezer space.
Yes, a useful shortcut suggestion.
But is it also a traditional Asian food preparation technique, perfected over centuries in Japan. Worth watching the bespoke TV chefs to see how soon it’s rediscovered. 
