Hotpoint H5X 82O W Review
A great combination of performance and space
Verdict
A good size fridge freezer, the Hotpoint H5X 82O W has a flexible fridge space and a decent amount of room in the freezer. It’s a little more expensive to buy than its little brother in the range, but the lower running costs here make this a better buy for anyone looking for an entry-level 60cm wide fridge freezer.
Pros
- Stable temperature control
- Flexible interior
- Decent amount of space
Cons
- No freezer temperature control
Availability
- UKRRP: £530
Key Features
- TypeThis is a 60cm wide freestanding fridge freezer.
- CapacityThere’s 231 litres of fridge space and 104 litres of freezer space.
Introduction
Part of the frost-free range, the Hotpoint H5X 82O W is a step up from the entry-level H3X, offering lower running costs, although the fridge freezer is the same physical size.
A flexible interior, stable temperatures and a low asking price make this a great mid-range 60cm wide fridge freezer.
Design and features
- Available in stainless steel and white
- Fridge temperature control only
- Flexible fridge interior
I’ve reviewed the Hotpoint H5X 82O W fridge freezer, but for an extra £20 there’s also the silver Hotpoint H5X 82O SX model. If you want a fridge freezer to match your decor, it could well be worth spending that extra.
Externally, the Hotpoint H5X 82O W is exactly the same size as the cheaper H3X model (1912 x 596 x 678mm), which is in turn a little shorter than the high-end Hotpoint H9X 94T SX. That means a total fridge space of 231-litres (32-litres less than the H9X) and the same 104-litres of freezer space.
Having a slightly shorter fridge freezer may not be a problem, as the top shelf on this model is much easier to reach, particularly at the back. You definitely won’t need a stool to get things placed on the shelf here.
Internally, there’s a standard layout, with four shelves. The top two can each be placed at two different heights. I think moving the shelves down may help, as the default layout means that there’s only enough height on the top shelf for a can of coke.
At the bottom of the fridge is a single drawer, which has no humidity control. Look to the H9X if you want dual drawers with humidity control, for storing more fresh food.
I’m impressed by the door pockets. The bottom pocket is large enough to easily accommodate bigger items, such as 2-litre milk cartons.
The top shelf is quite deep and tall enough to take a can of coke. In the middle of the door are two shelves, the right one of which can be placed at two different heights. From storing sauces to bottles of drink, this flexibility is appreciated. For the fridge, there’s an egg rack, but you don’t get the bottle rack that the H9X has.
LED lighting nicely lights up the inside of the fridge. It’s well placed, too, so that it’s hard to block the light, even with the fridge fully loaded on the top shelf.
This fridge has Hotpoint’s Active Fresh tech inside, which is designed to restore temperature and humidity fast to keep food for longer.
The freezer is straightforward: three large pull-out drawers give enough space to store all of your frozen staples, from pizzas to chips. If you store a lot more frozen food, a larger fridge freezer may make more sense: a side-by-side design will give a fair amount of additional space.
As with its little brother, the Hotpoint H5X 82O W only has temperature control for the fridge, although this time it’s located on a front panel. The freezer is set automatically, with a button to turn on Super Freeze, which drops the temperature to freeze fresh food fast.
Performance
- Stable temperatures
- Freezer is a little cold
- Good running costs
I loaded the fridge freezer with ice packs, and then fitted the automatic door openers, which open and close the fridge door at the same time every day. I then used temperature sensors to monitor how well the Hotpoint H5X 82O W maintained temperatures.
With the fridge set to 4°C, my temperature readings showed that, on average, the actual temperature was only 0.59°C different at 3.41°C. And, temperature fluctuation was mostly +/- 0.57°C from that average (anything under 1°C is good. With a maximum recorded temperature of 7.2°C and a minimum of 1.6, this fridge holds the temperature well. Hotpoint’s Multicool Flow air distribution technology clearly works well.
Moving to the freezer, I’d normally set the temperature to -18°C. I couldn’t do that here, so the average temperature was -24.21°C, which is 6.21°C colder than I’d have set. Temperature variance was a little higher than in the fridge, fluctuating +/-1.72°C on average, but at least at these temperatures food will stay frozen and will last.
The main difference with the Hotpoint H5X 82O W compared to its little brother is that there’s an Active Inverter Compressor, which saves power. As a result, the Hotpoint H5X 82O W is cheaper to run and has a better E-class rating (the H3X is an F).
At an energy cost of 34p per kW/h, the Hotpoint H5X 82O W will cost £85.68 a year to run or 26p per cubic litre. That’s not the cheapest you’ll get, but you’ll save £21.42 a year compared to the H3X model.
This fridge freezer has Hotpoint’s Total No Frost technology, which circulates air through the fridge and freezer to prevent ice buildup. Over the entire testing period, I didn’t get any frost build-up, so there’s no need to defrost this model, which is good in both terms of effort and efficiency: ice-filled fridge freezers cost more to run.
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Should you buy it?
If you want a flexible mid-range fridge freezer with plenty of space, good running costs and low temperature fluctuations, this is it.
If you want control over freezer temperatures and selectable humidity control in the drawers, a different model may be better.
Final Thoughts
A good size and price, the Hotpoint H5X 82O W has a flexible fridge interior and a good amount of freezer space. It costs a little more than the H3X, but factor in the running costs, and the Hotpoint H5X 82O W is the better buy: you’ll get the extra money back in a couple of years, and then continue to benefit from it.
If you’re looking for an entry-level fridge freezer, then this one’s low cost and stable temperatures make it a winner, but you can check out my guide to the best fridge freezers if you’re after something else.
How we test
Unlike other sites, we test every fridge freezer we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
We test for at least two weeks.
We use temperature sensors to monitor the internal temperature to help us accurately compare models from different manufacturers.
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FAQs
No, this model has fridge temperature controls only.
This model has a 104-litre freezer and a 231-litre fridge.
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
