TL;DR - Over 10 years a smart fridge costs roughly 2,000 GBP more than a normal one once you add purchase price and electricity. Samsung's own figures put a 636-litre Family Hub at 365 kWh a year against 162 kWh for a Bosch KGN39VICT. Buy the best normal fridge you can afford, unless you will use the screen daily.
Scope note: This post is the cost argument, smart versus normal over ten years, including energy. For which smart features are worth having and how to check sizing, read the smart fridge buying guide. For named models with prices, see the best smart refrigerators round-up.
Updated October 2026: Prices, energy figures and the electricity rate were re-checked. The earlier version's 24.5p rate is now 26.32p per kWh (Ofgem cap, October to December 2026), one "normal" Samsung turned out to be Wi-Fi enabled itself, and a Family Hub model number pointed at a fridge without a screen. The personal camera test, the repair-cost row and the 60 GBP food waste figure were removed because none could be sourced.
How much more does a smart fridge cost?
Here is an honest comparison, starting with what the manufacturers publish. A Bosch KGN39VICT Series 4 has 363 litres (260 fridge, 103 freezer), a C energy rating and 162 kWh a year. Retail prices vary a lot. Graded units start near 800 GBP and new ones were listed above 1,200 GBP at one large retailer, so shop around.
The Samsung Series 5 RB38C602CS9 sits in the middle. It has 390 litres, a C rating and 169 kWh a year. It also has Wi-Fi and SmartThings, which makes it a connected fridge without a screen. Samsung's recommended price was 869 GBP, with retailers listing it between 679 and 849 GBP, and one lists it as discontinued.
At the top, Samsung UK listed the RF65DG9H0ESR, a 636-litre French door model with a 21.5-inch Family Hub screen, at 2,399 GBP, reduced from 3,299 GBP. It isn't available there any more.
That's a gap of more than 1,500 GBP between the screen model and the cheapest of the other two. Is a screen on your fridge door worth more than a decent holiday? I don't think so, not for most families.
What smart fridges actually offer
Smart fridges from Samsung and LG pack in a lot of features. Here's what you're paying for.
Internal cameras and food recognition
Samsung's UK page for the RF65DG9H0ESR describes an AI Vision camera that recognises up to 33 food items, with expiry management and recipe suggestions through SmartThings Cooking. Older Family Hub models used three cameras that photographed the shelves each time the door closed.
The idea is that you check your phone at the supermarket. The limits are obvious from the design: a camera can't see an item behind another item. Retail reviewers of Samsung's US Family Hub models say the same, that the camera shows only part of the shelves. You'd still buy the odd duplicate.
Touchscreen and apps
The Family Hub screen runs Samsung's software, with a calendar, recipes, music and a note board. LG takes a different route with InstaView, where you knock twice on a glass panel and it turns see-through so you can look inside without opening the door.
Knock-to-view reduces door openings, which saves a small amount of energy. I couldn't find a measured figure for how small. Don't count on it paying for the model.
Food management and expiry tracking
Some models let you log items and expiry dates. Nobody does this consistently, in my experience of how people treat these features. It's the kitchen equivalent of a gym membership in January.
What normal fridges do better
Fewer parts to fail
A standard fridge has one job. No Wi-Fi module, no touchscreen, no software to go stale. Samsung's 10-year compressor cover on the Family Hub is good, but the same page says nothing about how long the screen and app will be supported. I couldn't find a published price for a replacement screen, so I won't invent one.
Value for money
The Bosch KGN39VICT has VitaFresh drawers, a C rating and no app to maintain. Even at the higher prices I found, it undercuts the screen model by well over 1,000 GBP. The money you don't spend on a touchscreen can go toward better food.
Energy efficiency
This matters more than people realise. Samsung lists the RF65DG9H0ESR at an E rating and 365 kWh a year. The Bosch KGN39VICT is a C at 162 kWh, and the Samsung RB38C602CS9 is a C at 169 kWh.
At the Ofgem price cap for October to December 2026, 26.32p per kWh, that is roughly 96 GBP a year for the Family Hub against 43 GBP for the Bosch and 44 GBP for the RB38C602CS9. Part of that gap is size. The Family Hub is a 636-litre fridge and the others are around 363 to 390 litres, so some of the extra energy buys extra space, not a screen. Even so, it adds up to about 530 GBP more electricity over ten years than the Bosch.
When a smart fridge makes sense
I'll be fair. There are situations where the premium isn't completely mad:
- You're already renovating a kitchen and the budget allows it. Samsung's Bespoke 4-door French door does look stunning in a modern kitchen, and aesthetics count. That review covers the US model, and the UK counterpart is the RF65DG9H0ESR above.
- You have a genuine food waste problem and you're disciplined enough to use the inventory features. WRAP puts household food waste at about 1,000 GBP a year for a family of four, so the upside is real if the habit sticks.
- You want a household command centre. If your family would actually use the shared calendar and meal planner on the door, it earns its place.
But here's the thing: a tablet on a magnetic mount does most of that for a fraction of the price, and it will run better apps.
What's the 10-year running cost difference?
Here's a breakdown over 10 years. It uses published prices and kWh figures, with electricity at 26.32p per kWh. It doesn't include repairs, because I couldn't source a repair cost for either type.
| Cost | Samsung RB38C602CS9 | Bosch KGN39VICT | Samsung RF65DG9H0ESR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Connected, no screen | Normal | Family Hub, 636 L |
| Purchase price | 679-849 GBP | about 800-1,207 GBP | 2,399 GBP |
| Energy per year | 169 kWh | 162 kWh | 365 kWh |
| Electricity per year | about 44 GBP | about 43 GBP | about 96 GBP |
| 10-year electricity | about 445 GBP | about 426 GBP | about 961 GBP |
| 10-year total | about 1,125-1,295 GBP | about 1,225-1,635 GBP | about 3,360 GBP |
That's roughly 2,000 GBP more than the cheaper choices over a decade, before any repairs, for a fridge that's also much bigger. Does that sound like a good deal to you? It depends how much of the extra size you need.
Our verdict
Buy the best normal fridge you can afford. A model with a C rating and a good drawer layout from Bosch or Samsung costs a fraction of the screen model and uses less than half the electricity per year on the published numbers. Put the savings toward better groceries, a chest freezer for batch cooking, or anything else.
If you're drawn to the connected side, the RB38C602CS9 shows there's a middle path: Wi-Fi and an app without a screen. Smart fridges are impressive technology looking for a problem most kitchens don't have. The touchscreen will feel dated well before the compressor does.
If you're still considering a smart model, read the buying guide above for feature breakdowns, or see the round-up for the models that justify some of their premium.