Ordered a Crystal Athena 13 ice cream freezer cabinet from FFD, the product had a warranty of 2 years. I'm a seasonal business so the cabinet only gets used from april to October. 5 weeks outside the... See more
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As a new business owner the stress levels are pretty high and FFD did not add to the stress levels, I found the service and personal contact great from the Order up until the final delivery and instal... See more
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We’ve had such a positive experience with FFD Commercial Refrigeration. Everything was easy to order and delivery was straightforward. A special thank you to Nicola Jones, who has been incredibly kind... See more
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Hi I would just like to say it was great to deal with your staff firstly Nicola Jones in sales, in organizing everything after the freezer failed to work after delivery, in a engineer call out, the... See more
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Company details
Written by the company
We are a leading commercial refrigeration supplier in the UK offering a full range of commercial bottle coolers, catering fridges and freezers, display refrigeration, multideck display fridges, serve over counters, prep counters and commercial ice machines plus much more. Find major brands at the lowest possible prices with FFD Commercial Refrigeration.
Contact info
Unit B2, The Rise, Moat Way, Barwell. Leicestershire , LE9 8EY, Hinckley, United Kingdom
- 01455 815200
- sales@ffdgroup.co.uk
- fridgefreezerdirect.co.uk
3.8
Great
76 reviews
No recent history of asking for reviews
This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative
Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 1 week
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PAID FOR BRAND NEW BUT ARRIVED USED ONE
⭐ Very disappointing experience — expensive order, used equipment and weeks of stress
I purchased two brand-new commercial display freezers from FFD (Fri Free Ltd) for £3,511.60. Unfortunately, when the delivery arrived, it was immediately understood those freezers was not new.
One freezer was not even boxed, and it was obvious from the condition that the compressor had been changed and welded. I took multiple photographs and videos as evidence and sent them to FFD. Initially, I was told they would speak to their supplier.
After sending numerous pictures and videos showing that the freezer was not new, FFD eventually agreed to take the freezer(s) back, which I appreciated. However, the whole process after that has been extremely frustrating.
I was told that it was my responsibility to keep the freezers safe, secure and protected from the rain while waiting for collection. The delivery drivers had left the very heavy equipment on my driveway, despite us asking them to put it inside the garage. This meant I had to arrange protection from the weather and take additional measures to keep expensive equipment secure.
I repeatedly contacted FFD asking them to arrange collection. Eventually, collection was booked for Friday. I was also asked to take pictures during collection, so I had to miss work and lose income to stay at home and wait.
I waited all day — and nobody came to collect them.
I then called FFD. I was later told that collection would now be the following Monday. I explained that this was a school holiday weekend and that I had made plans with my children, but I couldn’t simply leave £3,500+ worth of equipment sitting unsecured on my driveway. Unfortunately, I was told there was nothing they could do.
The entire experience has caused around two weeks of unnecessary stress, inconvenience and financial loss. I paid £3,511.60 expecting brand-new commercial equipment, only to receive equipment that appeared used and had clear signs of previous repair.
I have now mainly received apologies, but apologies don’t compensate for the lost working day’s, the time spent dealing with this issue, the inconvenience, or the stress caused by having expensive equipment left on my property waiting for collection.
I hope FFD takes this seriously and improves how it deals with suppliers and customers. If you are paying over £3,500 for equipment advertised as brand new, you should be able to expect exactly that — not equipment that appears to have already been used or repaired.
**Very disappointing experience. I would strongly recommend buy from somewhere else. **
I managed to get my refund after long wait and calling them.
August 18, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
We're sorry to see this review. We want to reply properly rather than let it sit unanswered.
The photos and videos you sent us make it clear the units weren't in the condition you should expect. We're sorry for that. All the equipment we supply is new and unused. On the rare occasion something isn't up to standard when it arrives, we take it very seriously.
As soon as you reported it, we contacted the manufacturer, Combisteel. Within two and a half hours we had an agreement for the units to be collected, and we passed that on to you straight away. We know you then spent time carefully rewrapping the units in their original packaging ahead of the Friday collection. We appreciated that effort. Combisteel arranged a courier for the Friday, but this was delayed and had to be rescheduled. The units were collected on the Monday. We're sorry for the extra wait that caused you.
Our standard refund process is controlled by the card issuer and can take 7-10 days to reach you. As you wanted your refund quickly, we made the decision to refund you by direct bank transfer instead so that it would be instant.
Our standard delivery service is kerbside. This means the courier delivers to the nearest safe, level point of access rather than carrying items into a building, or in your case a garage. This applies to all deliveries of this size and weight. It's set out in our delivery FAQs on the website and confirmed again on your order acknowledgement and order confirmation.
We appreciate this has caused inconvenience. Deliveries occasionally do go wrong, and that's exactly why we strived to get this resolved as quickly as possible. We're glad we got there, and if you would like to discuss this further, please get in touch with the team.
The FFD Team
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New business owner
As a new business owner the stress levels are pretty high and FFD did not add to the stress levels, I found the service and personal contact great from the Order up until the final delivery and installation of my walk in freezer. With out hesitation I would use this company again. A personal thank you to Nicola who was always on the end of a email when I had any enquiries.
August 25, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you so much for your kind review. We're pleased we could help you get the equipment you needed and to make the process as smooth and stress free as possible.
We'll pass your thanks on to Nicola and if we can help with anything else please don't hesitate to contact us.
Ordered a Crystal Athena 13 ice cream…
Ordered a Crystal Athena 13 ice cream freezer cabinet from FFD, the product had a warranty of 2 years. I'm a seasonal business so the cabinet only gets used from april to October. 5 weeks outside the 2 year warranty I go to turn on the freezer and it doesn't freeze down. First thoughts it's the compressor has gone, so got in an engineer after FFD said they wouldn't do anything about it as out of warranty. Instead the engineer finds it's a gas leak and it's deep inside the cabinet unable to be repaired. £2350 cabinet rendered useless with no way of repairing it. Avoid Crystal freezers as according to the engineer there cabinets are unrepairable if they leak gas from deep within the freezer.
March 30, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you for your feedback. Unfortunately as your equipment was out of warranty, the manufacturer would not cover the cost of engineer call out or repair.
We will pass on your concerns about this unit to the manufacturer for them to review.
The FFD Team
Easy company to deal with
Easy company to deal with. Great customer service from Laura from start to finish. I will be returning for more
July 27, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
We really appreciate your 5 star review and we're delighted we could help. We'll make sure that Laura gets your positive feedback. Please get in touch with the team if we can help with anything else. We'd love to hear from you.
Amazing service
My existing ultra low freezer lost temperature yesterday just before noon, with no refrigeration engineers available in the area due to high summer temperatures, I purchased a replacement freezer from FFD just before 1pm, Nicola was extremely helpful, polite and assuring, we requested a next day delivery and the new freezer arrived safely at around 10.30 am, less than 24 hours later. Amazing service. Thank you so much.
August 11, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you for your glowing review. We're so happy we could help you get the equipment you needed as quickly as possible. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words to Nicola.
If you have any queries or need anything moving forward we'd be happy to help.
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Faulty Tefcold DB201S and disappointing customer service – be cautious when buying from FFD
I purchased a Tefcold DB201S commercial fridge from Fridge Freezer Direct (FFD) and unfortunately had a very poor experience with both the product and the customer service. I’m leaving this review to help others who may be researching FFD reviews, commercial refrigeration suppliers, or Tefcold fridge performance.
The fridge arrived with multiple faults:
- It did not reach the correct temperature, staying around 6°C even when set lower.
- It produced excessive condensation, leaking onto the floor.
- It ran at 50 dB, noticeably louder than the advertised 44 dB specification.
When I reported these issues, FFD initially tried to classify my purchase as a business transaction, even though I bought it as a private consumer. This meant they attempted to deny me normal consumer rights, which was extremely frustrating and unfair.
After pushing back, they eventually agreed to send an engineer, but the process has been slow, complicated, and far more stressful than it should be for a simple return of a faulty commercial fridge. Communication has been inconsistent, and I’ve had to repeat information multiple times just to get basic support.
Overall, my experience with Fridge Freezer Direct has been disappointing. The product did not perform to specification, and the customer service made resolving the issue unnecessarily difficult. Based on my experience, I would advise others to be cautious when buying from FFD and to check reviews carefully before purchasing.
August 6, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you for taking the time to write this, Mr Nevin, and I am sorry your purchase has not gone well.
On the timeline I would gently correct the record. We offered a manufacturer's engineer on the morning you first reported the problem, and we sent you a full written response two days later. That offer still stands and will remain open: an engineer at no cost to you, and if he confirms any of the faults you have described, a full refund and collection at our expense — with no repair attempt first, and no deduction for the time you have had it.
We have also asked for a few details — photographs of the unit in position, the room temperature, and where it is installed — because commercial refrigeration behaves differently depending on its surroundings, and we cannot assess the condensation without them. Those questions and that offer are sitting in your inbox whenever you would like to pick them up, and we will arrange the visit whenever suits you.
The FFD Team
We’ve had such a positive experience…
We’ve had such a positive experience with FFD Commercial Refrigeration. Everything was easy to order and delivery was straightforward. A special thank you to Nicola Jones, who has been incredibly kind and helpful — she truly went above and beyond for us during a challenging time. We’re delighted with our items and highly recommend them.
June 8, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you for your kind review, we really appreciate the feedback. Excellent customer service is one of our top priorities so we're delighted to hear that you're happy with the service you received from Nicola. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words to her.
If there's anything else we can help with, please get in touch, we'd be happy to help.
Extremely helpful with rearranging a…
Extremely helpful with rearranging a delivery date. Polite and quick response.
Would definitely recommend and use again.
April 28, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thanks for your great review. We're happy we could help you to a arrange suitable delivery time for your equipment. If you have any questions regarding your order, please get in touch and we'll be happy to help.
Good customer service
Yes, there was a problem during delivery but FFD resolved the matter promptly and professionally.
Service pre-purchase was excellent.
April 17, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you for your feedback. We apologise for the issue you experienced during delivery but we're happy we could rectify this problem satisfactorily. If you need any further help, please get in touch.
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Hi I would just like to say it was…Freezer Failure
Hi I would just like to say it was great to deal with your staff firstly Nicola Jones in sales, in organizing everything after the freezer failed to work after delivery, in a engineer call out, the lads that came out worked hard to find the fault only to find a manufacturers fault. then organizing a quick replacement and pick up of the faulty unit and making sure payments were refunded without asking. They are a credit to your company along with everybody in the background who has worked hard to make this happen quickly. It helps us at Carrs pasties to maintain good standards of food delivery.
Thanks Kelvin Lowe Maintenance engineer
April 16, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you so much for your kind review. We apologise for the initial problems you experienced upon delivery but we're pleased we could sort this out for you quickly and to your satisfaction. We'll be sure to pass your sentiments on to Nic and if you need any further help, the team are always available.
I was a bit worried about ordering a…
I was a bit worried about ordering a bottle Refrigerator as I had a bad experience from another supplier.
When I called to explain Nicola on the sales team was so helpful, and reassured me that my product and delivery would be ok.
It was delivered yesterday and im very pleased with it.
I would recommend FFD and the service they give.
Thank you Nicola.
Debbie x
March 31, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
We're pleased we could help! Thank you for your great review and we'll be sure to pass on your kind comments to Nic. If we can help with anything else please get in touch.
Laura Perridge was so easy to work with…
Laura Perridge was so easy to work with and very helpful made the whole ordering process simple and quick
February 23, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you for your glowing 5 star review! We'll be sure to pass on your kind feedback and appreciation to Laura. If you need any assistance or advice moving forward, please get in touch, we'd love to help.
Excellent Service..
Quick active service..with problem with a machine,replacement sent out ASAP
Excellent service..would highly recommend..
January 6, 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thanks for your 5 star feedback. Unfortunately issues do sometimes arise however we take great pride in our level of customer service to rectify problems and reach a satisfactory resolution. If we can help with anything else, please get in touch, we'd love to hear from you.
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Fantastic from start to finish
Ordered a double door fridge which had a small dent in. Contracted the after sales team who were fantastic gave me different options and we resolved the issue very quickly Thanks Laura. Highly Recommend
October 9, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you for your review. We apologise that your product wasn't perfect upon delivery. Damage during transit is something which seldom happens, but the risk is unavoidable. We understand the inconvenience and disappointment when this happens, so always work quickly to rectify the situation where possible. We're pleased you are happy with your experience with FFD and would be happy to help with any future commercial refrigeration needs.
Had a great experience with these guys
Had a great experience with these guys. Thank you Laura for being so patient with us as I know we are getting on a bit. Wouldn't use anyone else.
October 22, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you for your great 5 star review. We always work with our customers to find the right equipment for their individual needs & we're happy we could help you find yours!
Quality service
Well. Im impressed. My expectations were low as always. FFD not only delivered exactly what I wanted they've worked with me to get me what I actually needed. After sales is brilliant and its not just one person that shines I feel like its a great team that has looked after me. Keep it up and im a customer for life
August 15, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you for your glowing 5 star review. We're happy we could help you find the equipment you and your business needed. If you need anything else, please get in touch and we'd be happy to help.
Disappointing experience..
We had a costly and disappointing experience via FFD and had to wait almost five weeks for a working freezer. A Tefcold commercial freezer supplied by them to one of our shops arrived not working, then was repaired but failed again after only a few days and we lost a lot of new stock. Delivery of a very slightly more expensive machine was offered (after some persuasion on my part) as a replacement but was then delayed. When it did arrive, it was a different model to the one pictured on the website! The faulty freezer is not the fault of FFD but I found their customer care lacked understanding and didn't take into account the massive amount of inconvenience and the negative effect on sales for a small business this issue caused, not to mention time wasted trying to get things sorted. Maybe they should have a dedicated customer service dept, rather than have their Sales team deal with issues. Then again, they are probably no different to most commercial refrigeration suppliers, who hide behind warranties and largely refuse to take responsibility if things go wrong. The customer gets caught between the supplier and the manufacturer..
PS, for balance, maybe best to take their mainly positive reviews on the REVIEWS.Io website with a pinch of salt. After I received an email from them encouraging me to review them, I posted a Two Star review but it wasn't published...
August 1, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thank you for your feedback Tim. We are sorry to hear of your disappointment. You will understand only too well as a small business owner, how important good customer service along with truthful & transparent reviews are.
We would just like to recap on the issues you have raised. You received a new cabinet that unfortunately would appear was delivered with a factory fault. Following an initial engineer call out, either a further fault occurred or the original fault was not satisfactorily resolved. We sincerely apologise for this.
A second engineer visit deemed the cabinet beyond economical repair. A small point but, you have omitted from your review the fact that we replaced the cabinet with a more expensive model, at our own cost as a gesture of goodwill and in recognition of the inconvenience that you had experienced.
We can assure you that our reviews platform is completely impartial. All Google Approved Review Platforms must follow the same guidelines. We have no control over what is published other than if we can factually demonstrate a review is untruthful or incorrect.
The reason we asked Reviews.IO to "moderate" your review is because you left the review late evening on July 31st, complaining of a breakdown. We followed up the next morning Friday August 1st by email asking if your issue was resolved and the cabinet was in working order. You replied the same day stating "Yes, the issue with the freezer was resolved by the engineer when he visited" therefore we asked for the review to be moderated. You then sent an email on Saturday August 2nd stating there was another fault or the original fault was not resolved. We raised a 2nd call out, first thing Monday morning August 4th when we opened for business.
Similarly with this review, you have stated the Sterling Pro cabinet delivered was different to the image on our website but you haven't informed us of any issue therefore, we have been unable to assist you with this.
You have made a number of purchases from us over the years and left varying reviews. The oldest review being 9 years old which is 3 stars along with a 1 star product review for your most recent purchase. All your reviews with exception of one moderated review mentioned above are all publicly listed and viewable. I think this proves we do not and cannot tamper with reviews.
With regards to the structure of our sales & customer service departments. We have implemented various tactics over the last 18 - 20 years in business. In our personal experience, we find having the original sales adviser handle any after sales cases works well because there is an established relationship and understanding of the customer specifics (site, product etc) in place, allowing a smoother experience for our customers.
Finally, we absolutely value your long term custom as we do all our customers, new & old. Customer service and satisfaction is paramount to us. We would like to think our longevity in the industry demonstrates this and on this basis if there is anything we can do to assist you or there is anything you would like to discuss further, our MD will happily chat with you.
Best regards the FFD team.
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Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Hi Dardann. Our apologies if you had issues with delivery. We would love to look into this for you to see what happened but we can't seem to find you on our system and so we are unsure as to the situation to which this review relates. Can you please provide a business name or order number to our team either on 01455 815200 or via email to sales@ffdgroup.co.uk so that we locate your order and then address the issue?
Excellent company..
Excellent company... high levels of professionalism from start to finish ... highly recommend
January 29, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
Thanks for your great review, we're pleased we could help!
Spot on firm.
Spot on firm.
Have a fair amout of kit from these guys now.
Tell them what we need, they send back a few options and a few days later we have it.
When we have needed things like extra shelves for fridges and oven the service has been just as good and arrived the next day. That's where I rate the service, the £20 quid shelves etc that make a huge difference to us are treated the same as the £0000 kit.
Thanks Ffd
January 29, 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from FFD Commercial Refrigeration
We aim to deliver a high level of service to every one of our customers to make sure they get the equipment best for their business and to ensure the whole buying process is as smooth and stress free as possible. Thank you for your lovely review and 5 stars! If you need anything in the future, give the team a ring and we'll be happy to help.
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