However, this company is also Energy-Star certified, along with tons of reviews.
Are they probably fine? So, whats good in this price range? 
These 100 useful things were the most-purchased Wirecutter picks in March 2022. Refrigerators feature adjustable temperature controls via a manual dial, digital control, or touch-screen climate control.
So keep a good eye on these settings to monitor a well-balanced temperature range to preserve your food and other items. Well walk you through some of the major choices you need to make, and well point out some of the brands, designs, and features that real-world owners tend to like. All fresh foods stay near eye level for most people, and wide-item storage (pizza, deli trays) is easy.
These fridges do their job efficiently, but they arent that ergonomic and tend not to have any upscale features or designs.
But you might not need quite as much space as you think.
Tossing out an old window AC unit is complicatedbut with major potential consequences for improper disposal, its worth doing it right. But even then, the gap between the most-reliable and least-reliable brands looks pretty narrow.
Most people seem to prefer this style because the layout is convenient, and possibly because it looks trendy. Adjustable gallon door bins store large containers, and a two-tier freezer design helps users keep the bottom freezer organized.
But the point to praise is that you can set the limit of water filling on the Measure Fill option. And longevity isn't everything: A reliable, decades-old fridge uses a lot more energy than a new one, and sticking with it could potentially have a bigger environmental impact than replacing it. We dont have official recommendations for specific refrigerator models. The in-built defrost mechanism melts the unwanted ice to maintain a balanced temperature to prevent this incident. The best Whirlpool refrigerators in this list boast a bevy of user-friendly features to keep food and drinks fresh so you can choose which refrigerator is the best for your household. Our guide to small kitchen ideas struck a chord with space-challenged readers. The challenge with these brands might be getting service under warranty or spare parts for repairs in the future. These fridges are still uncommon, and we dont have a ton of info about how much their owners like them or whether they perform well, but the large handful of models for sale (Whirlpool, Samsung, and Haier all sell some) have decent (though not always great) customer reviews. Bucket-style freezers (on some models) can be hard to organize, and swing-open freezers (on other models) are very low to the ground.
And then the nearly identical-looking Samsung RF28R7551S has essentially no complaints about its ice maker jamming. The most consistent complaint about the French-door design concerns the bucket-style freezer. After size, you get to decide what else is important to you, in whichever order you choose. This guide doesnt have all the answers.
If your top priority is to use as little energy as possible, check out the Energy Star Most Efficient list. Small models (10 cubic feet) from smaller brands, such as the Magic Chef MCDR1000WE, start around $400. Through researching the available products and considering consumer reviews, we selected refrigerators that are highly rated for maintaining a consistent temperature to keep food safe and fresh. Choose a model that maximizes efficiency and sustainability. This refrigerators most important yet crucial point is the cooling system regulated by a high-end mechanism that assures the temperature maintenance and cooling equilibrium in the best possible way. Whirlpool offers two different styles as depth models.
Once you select the limit, it will automatically fill in the required amount. Their simple configuration typically has a basic interior, and they often lack the more robust shelving and storage bin options of other models. The downside is that owners tend not to be all that happy to own them. Then around $2,500, you start to move into truly premium territory.
They have designed their cooling machines that offer 30% extra storage. These fridges are big enough to help minimize shopping trips, they might reduce the amount of time you spend looking for items, and they are compact enough to save some energy. In a Wirecutter reader survey, far more real-life LG owners said they were satisfied with their fridges than owners of other brands did, and fewer said they hated their fridges.
An adjustable gallon on-door bin stores large containers. This article was edited by Winnie Yang and Christine Cyr Clisset. Nice-to-haves, such as a through-the-door ice dispenser and a second drawer, can each add a few hundred dollars to the price, as can a counter-depth design. Top-freezer fridges cost less to manufacture, so they typically cost less to purchase. There is some data, however, to suggest that some brands have been slightly less problematic on average than others over the past handful of years, and weve incorporated those findings (from our reader survey, the blog of Boston-based retailer Yale Appliance and Lighting, and Consumer Reportss How The Brands Stack Up from its August 2021 issue, pages 4849) into our buying advice.
(For what its worth, as of February 2022, none of these three models appears to be available for sale anywhere but on LGs own site.). Weve pointed them out wherever relevant throughout this guide. Theres not really a useful performance metric that would separate good fridges from bad fridges, and theres not enough strong data about reliability or longevity to make good predictions, either. Big capacity and cool features are available at reasonable prices, and the half-width doors are convenient in tight kitchen layouts. What do you get when you pay more for a fridge?
These two options may vary depending upon the size and design of the individual refrigerator. Some of the pieces have the water and ice maker outside the door. French-door models earn much more praise and less criticism related to shelving, storage, and organization than side-by-side or top-freezer fridges.
Were reasonably confident that Miele and Sub-Zero fridges, which are very expensive, should last significantly longer than a typical refrigeratorboth brands told us that they build their products to last for at least two decades, about double the typical lifespan for this category.
So its durability is quite doubtful. A fingerprint-resistant stainless steel finish makes the refrigerator attractive and easy to clean.
One of the French-door refrigerators we list below, the GNE27JYMFS, is affected by the recall (specifically, all of the models manufactured from February 2020 to August 2021). Also, we have added the wholesome specifications you might want to know before buying.
Some models allow users to access climate controls from outside the fridge or even remotely, so the doors dont have to open to adjust the temperature.
fridges. Usually such models let you adjust the temperature independently of the fridge or freezer, so you can turn it down a tick to help preserve meats and cheeses or nudge it up a bit to keep produce more appetizing or drinks at a better serving temperature. Water reservoirs use the formed ice to lower the temperature of the water, thus making it cool for you.
The [drawers] on the freezer make it easy to see my food without having to reach so far back. The exception here is counter-depth French-door fridges with door dispensers: Owners are more likely to cite these models as being cramped or hard to organize, we found. Fisher & Paykel earned similar ratings. It has a capacity of 33 inches wide, which is the biggest among all the other models that we have tested.
You will also find an indicator to replace the filter for the ice, maker-another amazing spec. But were confident that the survey results point toward some broader truths about the category, particularly among the best-selling styles and brands. The premium features on some of LGs higher-end models are especially popular among owners. Its equipped with LED lighting inside, and the controls are well-organized for easy operation.
Price range: At this writing, side-by-sides cost between $1,100 and $1,350 for a basic model with or without through-the door ice, up to $3,000 for well-equipped freestanding models from major brands, and up to $15,000 for built-in models from luxury brands. This fridge has an automatic defrost function, and you can use the defrost timer if you want. This displays energy requirements and average operating costs, which are broken down into an Estimated Yearly Operating Cost (a dollar estimate) and Estimated Yearly Electric Use (measured in kilowatt-hours [kWh]).
Their ratings of the organizational features werent quite as high, either.
And the PVD28BYNFS has a door-in-door feature, though owners seem to be less enthusiastic about it than LG owners are about their door-in-door features. Bottom-freezer refrigerators are a bit of a hidden gem.
If you need a fridge on short notice and a Samsung model looks like a top bet, it probably wont be a disaster. Get the Whirlpool 36-Inch Side-by-Side Refrigerator at Appliances Connection or Lowes. LG was very bureaucratic and we spent at least 8 hours on phone calls and emails. The first, simplest step toward picking a more sustainable fridge is to make sure it uses climate-friendly R600a refrigerant, as many current models do. For those on a budget, the affordable Whirlpool 20.5 cu. Wide but shallow fridges, like counter-depth French-door models, might represent a happy medium.
(Its a matter of thermodynamics.).
As with other kitchen appliances, some refrigerators feature smart Wi-Fi connectivity, apps, touch screens, and voice-enabled systems that offer a wide array of controls and features.
Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. GEs higher-end French-door models are particularly impressive. Its worth every penny and is a great addition to your kitchen. If youre on a tight budget and want a fridge that can store lots of food items and keep them fresh, then the Whirlpool refrigerator is the best budget pick. In our analysis of customer reviews, we found very few reports of cooling-related failureswe actually found no such complaints reported in the past year for the WRF535SWHZ French-door model, which we had previously highlighted in this guide as a big, basic option that should work well for most people. From dishwashers to a cooking range, they have it all. This fridge also has humidity-controlled crispers to keep produce fresh.
What we can say, based on the limited data we collected, is that people who own luxury brands tend to be really happy with their refrigerators.
So the efficiency of each model varies. Its often used as a kids drawer for parent-approved snacks at a tyke-friendly height, but you can use it for anything youd usually stick in a fridgeproduce, deli items, canned or bottled or boxed drinks, whatever.
We point toward a few notable top-freezer models in our section on budget-friendly fridges. (Thats counting the handles in both cases, but not the 2 inches you should leave between the back of the fridge and the wall for circulation).
But the list has plenty of other efficient models in other styles, as well. This survey gave us solid data on overall satisfaction by brand and door style, an idea of the refrigerator features that make the most people the happiest, and some info about refrigerator reliability. This Whirlpool refrigerator features an ample 28-cubic-foot capacity and a purposeful interior design that makes it ideal for larger families. And LG doesnt sell as wide a variety of that type of fridge as other brands do. Humidity-controlled crispers keep fruits and veggies in ideal condition, while a full-width temperature-controlled drawer is useful for deli items and snacks. All full-size refrigerators contain produce drawers, but additional drawers can be useful. You might go with one of the specific models we mention, or you might use the filtered search function on a retailers website: Home Depot, Best Buy, Lowes, AJ Madison, Appliances Connection, and many, many others offer handy tools. We looked for user-friendly design features, including smart shelving configurations (adjustable shelves or bins earned extra points), comfortable lighting, easy-to-see contents, and glass wall-to-wall shelving to maximize capacity. As a brand, Whirlpool had the fewest complaints in our survey about truly bad reliability (though compared with LG, it had fewer reports of good reliability and more for okay reliability, which is a sign of annoying problems but not critical failures).
Wall-to-wall frameless glass shelves and several adjustable gallon door bins provide flexible storage. When in doubt, check the yellow Energy Guide sticker on any model to get an idea of its energy consumption and estimated costs of operation.
The lines between these styles are blurry and pretty much disappear around $4,000, where many freestanding fridges are both well equipped and well appointed. Whirlpool is distinctive, but it does not always portray the positive side.
Although side-by-sides tend to create much less satisfaction than French-door models, some people genuinely prefer this layout. If you are new to refrigerator shopping, you will be pleased to know these winning features of whirlpool fridges. The more you give money, the better you get. And shallower, counter-depth fridges are big enough for most households. Also consider door storage for large beverage containers and condiments. When you knock twice on the tinted glass panel of the LG LRFVC2406S, it lights up to display the contents behind the door-in-door. Bottom-freezer fridges usually lack the high-end look of French-door models but have a lot of the same practical advantages. More information, including the affected serial numbers, can be found at the GE recall page. GE has issued a recall of six French-door refrigerator models because the freezer handle may detach and pose a fall hazard to someone pulling the freezer door open.
Shopping for a new fridge can be overwhelming.
Overall satisfaction is where we saw the most dramatic difference: All the little ways that French-door fridges are more comfortable to use and convenient for more people add up to a huge statistical advantage. And after a week or two passes, you might forget you ever wanted something different. This allows you to have fresh ice whenever you need it, and its also very convenient for the kids who can easily fill up their own bottles. Premium fridges come in a couple of different flavors that sometimes mix together. Price range: At this writing, bottom-freezer fridges run about $800 for the smallest, most basic models, $1,200 and up for larger capacities and better creature comforts, $1,200 and up for narrow but tall European-style models, and $2,000 to $15,000 (and beyond) for built-in models. In addition, they offer an extended capacity design termed a Gold refrigerator. This is a top-of-the-line refrigerator from Whirlpool, which is made of all-black ABS plastic and is one of the most energy-efficient models available. But the similar Samsung RF27T5201SR has far fewer complaints, with 10% of owners complaining about ice jams (still a bad rate). The defrost cycle will start once the frost has reached 2.5 inches, and it will continue until the frost is completely gone. Mainstream brands often sell standard-depth and counter-depth variants of similar fridges, and the models tend to have a lot in common, apart from the shallower dimensions and smaller storage of the counter-depth versions.
Each fridge in the lineup also has humidity control features or filter options that help slow spoilage.
Most people are mostly happy (or at least not unhappy) with most fridges, so as long as you pick something that fits and wont break (which is almost entirely out of your control anyway), youll probably think your new fridge is at least okay. One owner commented in our reader survey that its easier for small people to open lighter, separate drawers than one large bucket drawer. Now, coming to its refrigerators, lets discuss its performance concerning its quality, specs, and price.