Home » Product Reviews » Fridge Freezers » Indesit IB55532BUK 152cm 50/50 Small Fridge Freezer review
The Indesit IB55532BUK is a 152.5cm tall, 50/50 freestanding fridge freezer that’s designed to give you solid everyday cooling without taking over the kitchen. With a total 229-litre capacity in a slim 54cm-wide body, it’s aimed squarely at smaller households and tighter spaces.
Indesit is known for budget-friendly, no-nonsense appliances, and this model fits that brief. You’re not paying for fancy screens or Wi‑Fi – instead you get practical touches like a Fresh Space+ drawer to keep your fruit and veg in better shape, and a low frost system to cut down on defrosting.
With a strong 4.5 out of 5 rating from a very large number of reviews, it’s clearly a well-liked choice among owners looking for reliable, affordable cold storage rather than a feature-packed showpiece.
This Indesit fridge freezer is best suited to singles, couples or smaller families who do a regular weekly shop rather than bulk buying. The 229-litre capacity (143L fridge, 86L freezer) is enough for around 12 bags of food, which comfortably covers day-to-day staples without demanding a huge amount of floor space.
It’s a good option if you’re working to a sensible budget. You get a modern LED-lit interior, adjustable glass shelves and two vegetable drawers, but you don’t pay extra for premium styling or smart features that many people never use.
The 50/50 split and bottom freezer layout will suit households that use fresh and frozen food in fairly equal measure. Three freezer drawers make organising frozen meals straightforward, and the four-star rating means it’s safe for long-term storage.
It also makes sense for first-time buyers or anyone kitting out a rental or utility room. The controls are simple rotary dials, there’s a reversible door for flexible installation, and the 152.5cm height is easier to fit under cupboards than a full-height model.
The 50/50 split with 143 litres of fridge space and 86 litres of freezer capacity gives a useful balance for everyday family use, especially if you rely on both fresh ingredients and frozen backups.
Fresh Space+ and the dedicated vegetable drawers help keep salad, greens and fruit fresher for longer by giving them a more stable environment than the open shelves, so you waste less food between shops.
The low frost system is a real practical win at this price. It slows down ice build-up in the freezer, so you won’t be chipping away at thick frost every few weeks – defrosts are less frequent and quicker when you do need to do them.
Adjustable glass shelves and a compact 54cm width make it easy to tailor the interior to your needs and slot the appliance into smaller kitchens, flats or galley layouts.
Noise is rated at 37 dB, which is pleasantly quiet for an affordable fridge freezer. It should hum away unobtrusively in open-plan spaces.
A strong user rating backed by a very high number of reviews suggests that, in real homes, it proves reliable and straightforward to live with.
This is not a frost-free model, so while the low frost system helps, you will still need to defrost the freezer manually from time to time. If you want completely hands-off maintenance, you’ll need to look higher up the range.
The energy rating is E with an annual consumption of around 212 kWh, which is acceptable but not class-leading. Very energy-conscious buyers may prefer a more efficient model, especially for long-term running costs.
There’s no dedicated bottle rack, which slightly limits how neatly you can store larger bottles and cartons on the shelves or in the door.
The one-year manufacturer warranty is on the short side compared with some rivals that offer longer cover, so it’s worth considering extended protection if you like longer peace of mind.
Day to day, the Indesit IB55532BUK is designed to be a fit-and-forget appliance. The simple rotary temperature control is easy to understand, so there’s little setup beyond plugging it in, letting it cool and adjusting to suit your food.
Inside, the LED lighting makes it easy to see what’s pushed to the back of the shelves, even in a dim kitchen. Three adjustable glass shelves mean you can raise or lower them to fit taller items like milk jugs, leftover pots or birthday cakes without juggling everything else.
The two vegetable drawers and Fresh Space+ zone help keep produce tidy and separated, so salad is less likely to get squashed under heavier items. In the freezer, three clear-fronted drawers make it simple to spot what you’ve stored without having to rummage.
With a noise level of 37 dB, it should fade into the background in most homes, including open-plan layouts. The reversible door and adjustable feet are practical touches when you’re installing it in a tight corner or slightly uneven space, and the 2.1 metre power cable gives you a bit of flexibility on positioning.
Maintenance is straightforward: the fridge section has auto defrost, so you won’t need to manually wipe away condensation, and the low frost freezer means occasional, not constant, defrosting. The glass shelves and drawers lift out for easy cleaning when it’s time for a deeper tidy.
In performance terms, this Indesit focuses on steady, reliable cooling rather than headline-grabbing extras. The 229-litre total capacity is well judged for smaller households, giving enough space for a weekly shop while keeping everything within easy reach in a 152.5cm-tall cabinet.
The fridge’s auto-defrost function maintains a consistent temperature and prevents ice forming on the back wall. Coupled with the LED lighting and clear glass shelves, it makes it easier to keep food organised and visible, which helps you use what you have before it goes off.
Fresh Space+ and the dedicated fresh zone are the standout features. By giving fruit and vegetables a slightly different climate to the rest of the fridge, they help lock in crunch and colour for longer, which is especially handy if you buy a lot of fresh produce or only shop once a week.
In the freezer, the four-star rating confirms it can safely store food for months, not just days, and handle fresh food freezing as well as long-term storage. Three drawers make portioning out meat, veg, and ready meals simple, and the power-failure safe storage of up to 11 hours means your food has a better chance of staying frozen in a short outage.
You won’t find advanced extras like digital displays, water dispensers or No Frost technology here, but you do get the essentials: quiet operation, a reversible door, adjustable feet and a sensible internal layout that makes the most of the compact footprint.
For the price, the Indesit IB55532BUK offers strong value if your priorities are practicality and reliability rather than luxury finishes. You get a balanced 50/50 split, a dedicated fresh zone, auto-defrost in the fridge and a low frost freezer – all features that make a noticeable difference to everyday use.
The specification is basic in places, with no frost-free system, no bottle rack and a short one-year warranty, but those compromises are typical of budget-friendly models and are reflected in the cost. Running costs from the E energy rating are reasonable, even if more efficient options exist at higher prices.
Crucially, the very solid owner rating combined with a large number of reviews suggests that most buyers feel they’ve had good value from their purchase. If you’re after dependable cooling on a sensible budget, this fridge freezer makes a convincing case.
The Indesit IB55532BUK is a quietly capable fridge freezer that does the basics very well. It’s compact, sensibly laid out and easy to live with, offering a good mix of fridge and freezer space for smaller households and couples.
Features like the Fresh Space+ drawer, auto-defrost fridge and low frost freezer lift it above the most stripped-back budget models, while the low noise level and reversible door add everyday convenience. You do give up full frost-free technology, a bottle rack and a longer warranty, but those omissions are understandable at this price point.
If you want a stylish, high-tech centrepiece for a large family kitchen, you’ll need to look elsewhere. But if you’re after an affordable, well-reviewed 50/50 fridge freezer that fits neatly into a modest space and just gets on with the job, this Indesit is a very solid choice.