Meet Sub Zero, the refrigerator so smart, it's worth up to $45,000

Time-saving devices – like a fridge so amazing you don’t need to cover food before you put it on a shelf – are promoted on the basis that we’re all so busy these days that we need to save all the time we can. But really what’s great about a Sub Zero – “the Rolls-Royce of fridges” – is that it allows us to be just a little bit lazy.

According to Bruce Cranston, a product expert at Winning Appliances in Sydney, you will also actually save money by buying a super-expensive fridge like the Sub Zero (prices start at $18,000 for a basic model and rise to $45,000 for a barn door-sized whopper).

“It’s all about food preservation,’’ he says. ‘‘The air is so stable you’re not having to throw food out so much. You know when the ice-cream goes icy on top? That won’t happen in this fridge, because there’s no moisture in the air.

It’s also great for a holiday house, he adds, because food won’t spoil from weekend to weekend. “You can put food straight in and not cover it, unless it’s going to be over two weeks.” Can you imagine the bliss of never having to unpick a roll of sticky cling film again?

Sub Zero fridges use a filter developed by NASA that cleans the inside air every 20 minutes, absorbing odours, bacteria and the ethylene given off by fruit and vegetables.

And, while most fridges have one compressor diverting air between your fridge and freezer cabinets, Sub Zero has “two of everything”. Just as importantly, they come with hefty doors that would feel at home on a Bentley.

“[Architect] Frank Lloyd Wright wanted better-looking fridges for his kitchens – He commissioned Sub Zero equipment for his homes,” Cranston says. “They really do have a classic look that goes back decades.”

Customers who buy a Sub Zero ‘‘want the best’’, Cranston says, or perhaps do a lot of entertaining. “Of course, we do get some people who come in and say, ‘I’ve just been to my neighbour’s house and they’ve bought this amazing fridge. How much is it for one that’s slightly bigger and better than theirs?’ ”

A worthy kitchen

This Sunshine Beach property is an entertainer’s dream, with an open-plan chef’s kitchen, white Corian bench tops and lots of storage.

The stark white ambience of the house would also nicely complement your super-cool Sub Zero fridge.

Nic Hunter of Tom Offermann Real Estate is fielding offers with intent to sell for about $4.3 million.