Best Refrigerators
Based on In-Depth Reviews

Best smart option and best for foodies

(Value Score: 85/100)

Screenshot samsung.com, February 2020.

Why for foodies?

Foodies have very specific needs when it comes to their refrigerators. Some might not be that picky, but even then, there are certain aspects they will definitely appreciate, such as a separate drawer for meats and cheese, and good organizational customization for their diverse and unpredictable repertoire of ingredients. It’s important for home chefs to keep their valuable ingredients in optimal conditions so through-the-door dispensers, open-door alarms, and that one exterior drawer to keep beers or condiments might come in very handy.

The Samsung 4-Door French-Door model with the FlexZone drawer delivers for them. There are size options, so they could go smaller or get the 30 cubic feet model if the cooking never stops. The fact that it’s a bottom-freezer is very important due to this size versatility, for one, and because food connoisseurs tend to favor fresh foods, which means that the refrigerator gets far more use than the freezer. Then there’s the extra drawer, the FlexZone, which will give foodies the ability to change the temperatures for specific foods, especially considering fresh meat. This model also offers versatility when it comes to organization, as there are different shelves that can move around, or even flip up to store tall bottles of wine, or flip them down when you need more surface space. At the end of the day, the Samsung 4-Door French-Door (and don’t forget the FlexZone drawer!) will accommodate most needs for food lovers.

Why the best smart refrigerator?

Smart refrigerators have taken the market by storm in the past years. What a smart refrigerator actually is, however, is still up for debate. One factor persists, though: everyone expects a touch screen. And no, not all smart refrigerators have a touch screen to stain with BBQ sauce and frying oil. Some will simply connect to your smartphone or work as an extra smart speaker for your home. However, the Samsung FamilyHub puts a big screen on the right panel of your french-door or side-by-side refrigerator.

Although the definition of what a smart refrigerator actually exactly still generates some debate, the concept has taken the market by storm. Most smart refrigerators will connect to your smartphone so you can control the temperature, others will work as an extra smart speaker for your home; some, like the Samsung FamilyHub have a big screen right on the door, and this is what most people expect when they think “smart.”

Now, is the FamilyHub the epitome of smart appliance possibilities? No, we’ll talk about that. What it is at the moment, though, is the clearest look into the future of smart refrigerators. The basic concept, as the name implies, is to continue the tradition of the refrigerator being the center of the home. It allows you to display pictures, notes and calendars as the permanent background, just like when you put those Paris souvenirs with magnets on a regular fridge. You can set up each family member with a profile and they can interact with the FamiyHub through their phones. They can even send notes or voice messages directly to the fridge so that anyone who passes by it sees it, or surprise the rest of the family with a wholesome or funny picture that randomly pops up. 

On a more food-related note, the FamilyHub provides full synchronization with Android, and every list you make right on your fridge by writing or talking to Bixby (Samsung’s smart assistant) will be available on your smartphone. Also, it has cameras inside so you can see what you have or not while at the supermarket. Now that’s something we’ve all dreamed about, isn’t it?

The flip side

Samsung has had some reliability issues due to their dual cooling system and the electronic-heavy construction. The more circuit boards an appliance has, the more likely it is to break down, and according to Dan K., owner of Atlanta Appliance Repair, the most common issue with refrigerators that stop cooling overall has to do with electronics, not the compressor itself. 

For foodies that want a simpler, yet more reliable option, here’s an option you might want to look at: Whirlpool Pantry Style Counter Depth Refrigerator.

Best for Big Families

(Value Score: 83/100)

Screenshot geappliances.com, February 2020.

A big family needs a big refrigerator, there’s no doubt about that. Space and reliability should be the first requirements for any parents looking to get a new fridge. Other concerns might include keeping the important foods cool when everybody is opening the doors a thousand times a day looking for snacks. This makes through-the-door dispensers and a temperature-controlled pantry that much more important. 

The GE Profile checks these boxes pretty well. First, they offer their French-Door model in a spacious 27.7 cubic feet, so you’ll be able to fit all of your family’s groceries and more. It has good organizational capabilities, with flexible shelves divided right in the center for adjustable height, including one with a push-back section for tall items that don’t require that much area. (As a bonus, three of those selves are spill-proof because, well, kids). It also has a pantry with separate temperature controls so that your cheese and fresh meat don’t have to suffer with the constant opening of doors. To top it off, the GE Profile has a Turbo Cool feature that lowers the temperature to make up for long or frequent searches for snacks and a through-the-door water and ice dispenser with hands-free autofill so that your kids don’t make a mess trying to hydrate after the game. All of these make the GE Profile Series a very good selection for a big family, delivering on the space, organization, and temperature control they need. Also, Profile models have a five-year sealed refrigeration system coverage that other GE series do not, so you can feel a bit more at peace for longer.

It’s important to note that it is also American with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant with, so if anyone in your family has functional diversity and needs lower positioning, smoother door-hinge action, or accessible handles, this fridge is up to par.

The flip side:

The only flip side is that there is competition with more features, but not as much predicted reliability, and with some issues that might be a problem with children, like confusing door-in-door mechanisms.  If you’re willing to put up with that and want a fully-featured refrigerator with even more space, check out the LG LMXS30776D 30 cu. ft. Door-in-Door French-Door Refrigerator.

Best for Small Spaces

(Value Score: 81/100)

Screenshot geappliance.com, February 2020.

Small apartments aren’t just a student thing anymore. All types of people living in big cities tend to live in small spaces, and tiny houses are becoming more and more popular along with lifestyle philosophies like minimalism and frugality. A small but spacious refrigerator that delivers on reliability and features is important. The big brands have noticed and have started to produce stylish, feature-friendly models that don’t come with the excess of size.

Our pick, a GE bottom-freezer with 11.9 cubic feet of space and a 24-inch wide frame is not only a perfect size for tight spaces, but it’s also designed in the coveted stainless steel, and it has a bottom freezer for more refrigerator accessibility and better frozen-food organization. Organization is also present in the refrigerator, as it has flexible shelves that can be pushed back to accommodate long items. It also has a TempZone for which you can choose a separate temperature, ideal for different foods. And to control that temperature there is another cool, modern feature: an LCD display on the outside, where you can manage the temperature of all three sections without opening the doors. 

The flip side

At this size, a bottom-freezer actually means less percentage of the space is usable than that of a top-freezer model. They are also more expensive, and a bit less reliable than the classic top-mounted refrigerators. Keep that in mind, and if you value these things more, search through 24-inch wide top-freezers, which also come in stainless steel.

Most Reliable Refrigerator

(Value Score: 66/100)

Screenshot whirlpool.com, February 2020.

Let’s be honest, if you want reliability, you have to go for simplicity. The less parts any object has, the less parts that can break. Top-freezer refrigerators without a water dispenser or an icemaker fit this bill, although they don’t tend to be the most attractive for consumers. 

In this context, our choice was pretty simple to make. We looked for the simplest model from the most reputable brand in the business, according to most appliance repair surveys and websites. To this day, Whirlpool remains the less serviced brand out of the bunch. First, it’s a top-mounted model. Top-mounted freezers provide more reliability than other bottom-freezer models.  

On top of that, the lack of an ice maker means the number of possible problems drastically decreases. (The most common issues with refrigerators usually involve ice makers). The lack of electronics, separate compressors and separate temperature zones also helps with reliability. Electronics often fail more than the compressor itself, so any extra features that require more circuit boards will just make your appliance more vulnerable to failure. And finally, Whirlpool has a decent warranty service, covering parts and labor for the first year, and the sealed refrigeration system for five.  

The flip side

With simplicity and reliability come almost zero bells and whistles. Also, the size selection is very small compared to other styles like french-door and bottom-freezers. 

Most Efficient Refrigerator

(Value Score: 84.67/100)

Screenshot sears.com, February 2020.

An efficient refrigerator implies the best use of energy for your buck. There are certainly plenty of efficient fridges out there—as a matter of fact, every model featured here is EnergyStar Certified, which means they are all in the top 25% percent of their class in terms of efficiency. (There’s also a list provided by EnergyStar itself where you can find some of the least energy-consuming refrigerators in the market.)

With this said, our pick will not necessarily be at the very top of their list, as we also took into account extra features and space (which, naturally, take up more energy). The Kenmore Elite 74405 in 29.7 cubic feet consumes, on average, 741kWh yearly, which is far lower than most full-featured competition with comparable size. It beats some of its fiercest rivals by a hair while making better use of its space as well (no external divisions, for example). It has a through-the-door water and ice dispenser and adjustable inside shelving, like all modern refrigerators. It also has newer compressor technology, with a linear compressor (with a 10-year warranty) and dual evaporators for independent temperature control. It has two humidity-controlled crispers and a separate pantry drawer with its own settings. Oh, and last but not least, it’s Alexa-compatible, which means you can talk to it and make shopping lists or ask it to turn on the kitchen light. It’s not as smart or connected as our top smart pick, but it has the Kenmore Smart App to control the refrigerator from a distance. 

Along with a one-year limited warranty that covers parts and labor, and a five-year sealed system warranty (without labor), this refrigerator delivers great features with great value.

The flip side

While very efficient, a refrigerator this big and with that many features will undoubtedly consume more than a simpler one would. If saving on your electric bill is your absolute priority, check out EnergyStar’s most efficient refrigerator list.

Best Built-in

(No value score)

Screenshot subzero-wolf.com, February 2020.

When you finally design the kitchen of your dreams, one of the things you’ll want the most is to include a built-in refrigerator that merges smoothly with your cabinetry, whether it matches the wooden panels or provides a bit of an industrial look. These can get expensive, as they will have to be wider than usual to fit perfectly with your counter, and have special organization inside for optimal space usage. Whichever the case, you want control, you want options, and you want quality, especially with something stuck right in your wall. Most of them don’t disappoint, and when money is no issue, you can get the best of the best.

We believe the best of the best is Sub-Zero refrigeration. We can’t pick out a specific model, since that’s part of the charm: personality. Sub-Zero has the most diverse repertoire of options when it comes to building your dream fridge. You can match it to your cabinetry, you can separate the refrigerator and the freezer in different spots of the kitchen, you can even make independent refrigerated drawers that hide seamlessly next to the silverware drawer. Who wouldn’t want to impress their friends by pulling an ice-cold beer from below the sink? 

Going back to separating the freezer and the fridge, Sub-Zero has a signature feature that helped them build the quality reputation they have today: dual compressors. Sub-Zero has two fully functional, independent compressors, one for the refrigerator and one for the freezer. This means that both temperatures are kept independently, don’t interfere with each other, and neither section has to share bacteria, flavors, or smells with the other. This also makes both compressors work more efficiently and, by consequence, last longer. 

Other very important features that improve performance are:

• A filter that cleans the air every 20 minutes to avoid cross-contamination and reduce spoilage

• Nanotechnology shelving that prevents spills from spreading too far

• 4-way vacuum seal to block outside air and keep humidity under control

• Two years full warranty coverage, which is above the usual one year for other companies, as well as a five-year sealed system coverage and an industry-leading 12 years compressor warranty.

The flip side

Sure, prices range up to over $18,000 but, come on…