Home » Product Reviews » Fridge Freezers » Candy CCH1S513EWK-1 136cm 50/50 Small Fridge Freezer review
The Candy CCH1S513EWK-1 is a slim, 136.5cm-tall 50/50 fridge freezer designed for smaller kitchens and tighter spaces. With a 185-litre total capacity and a simple white finish, it focuses on practicality rather than flashy extras.
Candy is known for wallet-friendly appliances, and this model fits that bill, offering essential cooling and freezing without pushing the price up with smart features. It’s a traditional static fridge freezer, so you’re not paying for frost-free technology or Wi‑Fi.
An average user rating of 4.8 out of 5 from a large number of reviews suggests owners are very happy with how it performs day to day, especially at this price point.
The Candy CCH1S513EWK-1 suits smaller households – singles, couples or a compact family – who don’t need a full-height fridge freezer but still want a proper split between fresh and frozen food. Its 185-litre capacity (around 10 bags of shopping) is ideal if you do regular top-up shops rather than huge weekly hauls.
At 136.5cm tall and just 55cm wide, it’s a good option for flats, galley kitchens and spaces where wall cupboards or windows limit how tall your appliance can be. The reversible door gives you flexibility on where it can sit, which is handy in awkward layouts.
If you’re working to a tighter budget and just want something reliable and straightforward, this is aimed squarely at you. The rotary dial control, LED interior lighting and adjustable shelves keep everything simple to set up and use, even if you’re buying your first fridge freezer.
It’s less suitable for bigger families, batch cookers or anyone who wants premium touches like frost-free technology, fast-freeze modes or built-in water dispensers. For those needs, a taller, more feature-rich model would be a better fit.
The compact height is one of this model’s biggest strengths. At 136.5cm, it fits comfortably under many wall units and into smaller kitchen spaces where a standard 180cm+ fridge freezer simply wouldn’t go.
Storage is surprisingly practical for the size. You get a 50/50 split with 114 litres of fridge space and a 71-litre freezer, three freezer drawers for organising frozen food, and a dedicated salad crisper to keep fruit and veg tidier and fresher for longer.
Adjustable tempered-glass shelves and two door balconies make it easy to rearrange the interior for taller bottles, leftovers or bulky items. The glass shelves also feel sturdier than basic wire racks and are easier to wipe clean.
The reversible door helps the Candy slot into more kitchen layouts, so you’re not locked into one opening direction. LED lighting and a simple internal control dial round off a user-friendly, no-nonsense design.
Finally, energy usage of 199 kWh a year with an E rating is reasonable for a small, budget fridge freezer, and the strong owner rating (4.8/5 from hundreds of reviews) backs up its reliability and day-to-day performance.
The main compromise is the lack of frost-free technology. Both the fridge and freezer are static cooling with no NoFrost system, so you’ll need to manually defrost the freezer from time to time to keep ice build-up under control.
Capacity is modest. While 185 litres is fine for smaller households, families who like to batch cook or store lots of frozen food may find the 71-litre freezer on the tight side and may outgrow it fairly quickly.
At 40 dB, it isn’t the quietest fridge freezer on the market. It’s not loud, but in an open-plan living space you may notice it more than ultra-quiet premium models. The C noise rating underlines that it’s average rather than whisper-silent.
You also miss out on extras that are becoming increasingly common: there’s no fast-freeze, no super-cool option, no water dispenser, no egg tray and no included ice cube tray. The one-year manufacturer warranty is on the short side compared with brands that offer longer cover.
If you’re after something feature-packed or future-proofed with smart connectivity, this basic, analogue-controlled design may feel a bit dated.
Living with the Candy CCH1S513EWK-1 should be refreshingly straightforward. The rotary temperature control is inside the cabinet, so there’s no complicated digital panel to learn, and once set you can largely forget about it.
The interior layout is simple but effective. Two main fridge shelves plus a salad drawer and door balconies give you clear zones for fresh food, bottles and jars. Being able to move the glass shelves lets you quickly make space for tall items like milk, juice or a birthday cake.
The LED interior light makes it easy to see what’s in the fridge, even at night, and the white finish looks neutral in most kitchens. The bottom-positioned freezer with three drawers keeps frozen food reasonably accessible and organised, though you will need to bend down if you’re using it a lot.
Manual defrosting is the bit of extra work you’ll notice over time. Because there’s no frost-free system, you’ll need to empty and defrost the freezer occasionally, which can be a bit of a faff. On the plus side, static cooling systems are simple and generally reliable, with fewer parts to go wrong.
Noise at 40 dB is comparable to a low background hum. In a separate kitchen it’s unlikely to bother you, but in a small flat or studio you may be aware of it when the compressor cycles on.
For day-to-day chilling and freezing, the Candy CCH1S513EWK-1 covers the basics well. The 4-star freezer rating means it’s suitable for long-term food storage and freezing fresh items, not just keeping pre-frozen food cold. The 13-hour power failure safe storage time is reassuring, giving you a decent window before food quality is at risk in the event of a power cut.
The static cooling system keeps things simple and helps keep the price down, but it does mean you’ll see some frost forming in the freezer over time. Without fast-freeze or super-cool functions, it’s not focused on rapid chilling; it’s more about steady, dependable performance.
On the fridge side, a 114-litre capacity with two tempered-glass shelves, a salad crisper and two door balconies is ample for everyday essentials. The glass shelves are solid and help contain any spills, while the salad crisper keeps fruit and veg separate and tidier, aiding freshness.
There’s no digital display, no Wi‑Fi and no multi-airflow system, underlining that this is a traditional, budget-focused appliance. However, the reversible door, LED lighting and 50/50 split are all practical touches that make it easier to live with.
Energy performance is rated E with an annual consumption of 199 kWh, which is respectable for a smaller, affordable fridge freezer. It won’t be the most efficient unit in a line-up of the latest premium models, but running costs should remain manageable for a typical household.
At around £249, the Candy CCH1S513EWK-1 sits firmly in the budget end of the fridge freezer market. You’re clearly paying for compact dimensions and essential functionality rather than extra features.
For the money, you get a decent 185-litre capacity, a true 50/50 split, a 4-star freezer and a flexible interior layout, which is good going at this price. The trade-offs – manual defrosting, a basic control dial and the lack of fast-freeze or water dispenser – are understandable in a budget model.
Owner satisfaction is a strong point. A 4.8 out of 5 rating from 370 reviews suggests that most buyers feel they’ve had very good value, with real-world performance living up to expectations.
If you’re comfortable with the smaller size and don’t mind an occasional manual defrost, this Candy offers solid value for money. Those who want frost-free convenience or premium styling may need to spend more.
The Candy CCH1S513EWK-1 is a sensible, no-frills choice for smaller homes and tighter budgets. It delivers reliable cooling and freezing in a compact footprint, with flexible shelving, a useful salad crisper and a practical 50/50 split that suits mixed fresh and frozen shopping.
You do have to accept some compromises: there’s no frost-free system, the feature set is basic, the warranty is only a year and the capacity won’t suit larger families or serious batch cookers. Yet, judged against its price and size, it does the fundamentals very well.
If you’re looking for an affordable, space-saving fridge freezer from a mainstream brand, and you’re happy to keep things simple, this Candy model is an easy one to recommend. If you want more capacity, frost-free convenience or smart features, it’s worth stepping up to a taller, more advanced alternative.