"Storage capacity is the first and foremost thing consumers should consider," says Anthony Starck, president and CEO of Luxury Appliance Wholesalers, a Maspeth, New York-based luxury appliance consulting service. “If they have a large, active family and perhaps entertain, they would naturally want a larger unit.” No matter what size kitchen or what size appetite you and your family have, there are many options to keep your dairy, produce, and frozen foods fresh and tasty. Even better? Some of these appliances are downright beauties, creating a kitchen that’s also a feast for the eyes. To compile this list of best refrigerators, we researched appliances to find the top ones based on food preserving capability, energy efficiency, smart features (where applicable), cooling technology, appearance and more. We also consulted Anthony Starck and Michael Clarke, founder of Pulled, an online platform for hiring home improvement contractors. Our overall pick for the best refrigerator is the Whirlpool French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker and Interior Water Dispenser. Aside from its beautiful, sleek silhouette, it’s got plenty of features that preserve your food while also saving you money on energy bills. Here are the best refrigerators.
Best Overall: Whirlpool French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker and Interior Water Dispenser Best Budget: Insignia Top-Freezer Refrigerator Best Counter-Depth: LG French Door Counter-Depth Refrigerator with Double Freezer and Internal Water Dispenser Best French Door: Bosch 800 Series Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker Best Side-by-Side: GE Side-by-Side Refrigerator with Ice Maker Best for Garages: GE Top Freezer Refrigerator in Fingerprint Resistant Stainless Steel Best Top Freezer: Frigidaire Top-Freezer Refrigerator Best Bottom Freezer: LG Bottom Freezer Refrigerator with Filtered Ice and Smart Cooling Best Smart: Samsung Family Hub French Door Smart Refrigerator
What We Recommend
Why You Should Get It: A built-in produce preserver keeps your fruits and veggies fresher for longer. Keep in Mind: There is no door alarm to warn you that one of the fridge’s doors is ajar. We chose the Whirlpool French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker and Interior Water Dispenser as our overall choice for best refrigerator, because it ticks off the most boxes as far as desirable features. French doors that offer easy access? Check. A variety of colors and finishes? Check. It even has an interior water dispenser so you can stay hydrated without an exterior dispenser getting in the way of the appliance’s sleek silhouette. You can also choose from black, white, and stainless steel, the latter of which comes in fingerprint-resistant silver and black finishes to keep your appliance looking clean—even if you have kids. This Whirlpool fridge has a temperature-controlled full-width drawer that’s perfect for tucking away more produce or for storing wide food items, like platters, sheet cakes, and pizzas. The frameless glass shelves run wall to wall within the refrigerator so you can take full advantage of the space, while a built-in produce preserver helps your fruits and vegetables stay fresh longer. Plus, there’s plenty of LED interior lighting so you can actually see the food at the back of your fridge. Can a refrigerator actually be beautiful? This one can, thanks to the French doors that make it easy to open and access items. We especially love French doors for tight spaces where a full-width door might block movement in the kitchen when opened. The spacious pullout freezer drawer makes it easy to access frozen foods and goodies, and wide shelving on the doors allow you to store gallon bottles and other large jars. Plus it’s Energy Star certified, which means this fridge is proven to be more energy efficient than other non-certified options. The refrigerator doesn’t have a door alarm that tells you when a door has been left open, though, so you’ll want to always make sure you shut the doors completely. Size: 70.125 x 35.625 x 35.5 inches | Capacity: 25.2 cubic feet | Certifications: Energy Star Keep in Mind: It doesn’t include an ice maker, so you’ll have to purchase one separately at an additional cost. If you’re in the market for the best refrigerator on a budget, consider this stainless steel model from Insignia, which offers a luxe appearance without the high-end price tag. With an 18-cubic-feet capacity, this fridge has a slim silhouette that makes it a perfect fit for smaller kitchens. Open the door using the recessed handles to find spill-safe glass shelves that have a raised trim to capture spilled liquids before they can dribble down onto other shelves. The shelving is also easy to adjust so you can keep your refrigerator organized just as you’d like. Spacious storage on the door allows you to keep bottled drinks, eggs, butter, and more within reach, while two crisper drawers are perfect for keeping your produce fresh. The freezer on top has a wire shelf and two racks on the door to give you plenty of room for storage. You can also add an ice maker, but keep in mind that it’s sold separately. A dial lets you set the temperature control just how you like it, and there’s no need for manual defrosting. Plus, you won’t need to worry if your kitchen is on the smaller side. Thanks to a reversible door, you can set the fridge to open from whichever side best suits your layout. Whichever way it opens, LED lighting illuminates the contents of your fridge. Size: 66.625 x 29.5 x 30.125 inches | Capacity: 18 cubic feet | Certifications: Energy Star Why You Should Get It: It has a spacious interior with a compact profile. Keep in Mind: The freezer is 7.2 cubic feet, which might feel a little large if you don’t use it often. Our choice for the best refrigerator for counter-depth spaces, this LG model has plenty of features, yet it still remains compact enough for a small kitchen. It has nearly 23 cubic feet of interior space, and thanks to a shallower depth, it fits in flush with your countertop. The spacious freezer has two drawers instead of one for better organization, so you won’t have to dig to the bottom of a large freezer drawer to find what you need. The freezer capacity is 7.2 cubic feet, which is one of the higher amounts of freezer space for the fridges on this list. If you don’t store many items in your freezer, you might want to opt for a refrigerator that devotes less space to the freezer. The refrigerator features a smart cooling system that maintains ideal temperature conditions so that your food will stay cool and fresh. The full-width pantry drawer offers easy access to items, while door cooling vents prevent foods that are stored in the door’s shelves from becoming too warm when opening and closing the fridge. The refrigerator also features an internal water dispenser to make it easy to stay hydrated as well as two crisper drawers for organizing fresh fruits, vegetables, beverages, and more. The LG’s PrintProof finish keeps the refrigerator looking clean and sleek by keeping fingerprints and smudges at bay. This LG refrigerator is also Energy Star certified, meaning you’ll save on your energy bill. Size: 69.75 x 35.75 inches | Capacity: 22.7 cubic feet | Certifications: Energy Star Keep in Mind: The crisper drawer is separate from the main part of the fridge, so you’ll need to open a separate compartment to see your fruits and vegetables. The Bosch 800 Series Refrigerator’s interior is generously sized and offers flexible storage space, including removable shelves and door bins plus a flex bar that allows you to add extra shelves in unused vertical space. A water dispenser is built into the interior so that the sleek exterior silhouette is not interrupted. And, you can take your ice cubes to the next level with an ice maker that makes pyramid-shaped ice. The fridge’s French doors make it easy to open, and the freezer drawer at the bottom of the appliance makes access to ice cream and frozen foods easier. Plus, pre-programmed settings remove the worry about setting the right temperature for your food. This Bosch refrigerator offers a slim profile thanks to hidden hinges and feet. Plus, its roomy shelves allow for oversized platters and food containers. You also don’t have to worry about food spoiling too quickly thanks to the FarmFresh system, a combination of technologies that helps keep fresh fruits and veggies fresher for longer to reduce waste. Keep in mind that the crisper drawer is not located in the main part of the fridge, so you’ll need to open up an additional drawer to see your produce. Size: 72 x 35.63 inches | Capacity: 21 cubic feet | Certifications: Energy Star Why You Should Get It: This fridge has the largest freezer of all the refrigerators on our list. Keep in Mind: The narrow vertical freezer might limit what you can store inside it. The GE Side-by-Side Refrigerator with Ice Maker is a double-door style that includes both a refrigerator and a freezer. At 9.25 cubic feet, this is the largest freezer on our list, making it a great choice if you like to meal prep and then freeze prepped dishes. The shelves and bins in the refrigerator are clear, so you can easily see through to spot food items without removing containers. Plus, the adjustable shelves extend wall to wall to make the most of the interior space. You’ll be able to get filtered water and ice—cubed or crushed—directly from the dispenser in the door, thanks to a low-profile ice maker. And an electronic display lets you know what the temperature is inside your refrigerator so that you can maintain the precise environment you need to keep your food fresh. The refrigerator, which is only offered in stainless steel, is also resistant to fingerprints, a bonus feature, especially if you have small children. Plus, LED interior lighting makes it easy to find a midnight snack, and a door alarm reminds you to shut the doors tight. Size: 69.625 x 35.75 x 32.75 inches | Capacity: 25.3 cubic feet | Certifications: Not listed Keep in Mind: It doesn’t include an ice maker. For extra storage or on-the-go snacking and hydration, a refrigerator in the garage can certainly be handy. The GE Top Freezer Refrigerator has been tested to withstand temperatures from 38 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, so it can handle the temperature fluctuations that garages experience. The interior is roomy and offers lots of organization options, including spacious bins on the door. You’ll also love organizing food items on the edge-to-edge clear glass shelves—there’s even an adjustable shelf in the freezer. Crisper drawers are also clear and offer plenty of room to arrange snacks, produce, and more. This model doesn’t include an icemaker, but it is available as an add-on option if you need it. LED lighting makes it easy to find what you’re looking for inside the fridge, while the stainless steel finish resists fingerprints and other smudges. Plus, temperature controls are placed up front so you can easily adjust the settings for the ideal temperature.. Size: 60.187 x 27.625 x 29.375 | Capacity: 21.9 cubic feet | Certifications: Not listed Keep in Mind: You have to purchase the ice maker as an add-on. Plus, this fridge has a lower storage capacity than other options on our list. The Frigidaire Top-Freezer Refrigerator features a cooling system that encourages ideal airflow to prevent warm spots or unwanted freezing in the fridge and freezer. A crisper drawer for produce lets you control the humidity level to avoid spoil, and you’ll never have to worry about leaving the door open because the doors close automatically when left ajar five inches or less. The refrigerator also has flexible storage features, including roomy door bins, a sliding half-width deli drawer, and full glass shelving in both the freezer and the refrigerator. Keep in mind that you do have to purchase an ice maker separately if you’d like your fridge to have this feature. Size: 60.5 x 29.375 x 27.625 | Capacity: 13.9 cubic feet | Certifications: Energy Star Why You Should Get It: It has a clean silhouette that will blend in well with any kitchen. Keep in Mind: It doesn’t have a water dispenser, unlike other similar models. If you prefer to pull out a freezer drawer at the bottom of the refrigerator, the LG Bottom Freezer Refrigerator with Filtered Ice and Smart Cooling is a winner. It features multiple cooling technologies to keep temperature levels just where they need to be. The Multi-Air Flow system maintains the right humidity and temperature levels, while door cooling technology ensures everything is kept cold, including items stored in the doors, which are subject to being warmer overall from opening and closing the fridge. Humidity-controlled crispers help keep small snacks, fruits, and vegetables fresh, so you’ll always have some if you want to make a smoothie or salad. The refrigerator features recessed LED lights that’ll brighten the interior each time you open the fridge, and the appliance also has smart technology capabilities, too. Download the LG ThinQ app, and use it to regulate the temperature in both your refrigerator and freezer from your phone or tablet. Size: 69.88 x 32.75 x 34.88 inches | Capacity: 25.5 cubic feet | Certifications: Energy Star Keep in Mind: Some features might not be compatible if you don’t use a Samsung tablet or phone. The Samsung Family Hub French Door Smart Refrigerator isn’t just a refrigerator that keeps your food fresh. It’s also a smart hub that allows everyone in your household to access calendars, share pictures, and even play music on Spotify. It includes the Family Board, a digital bulletin board that allows you to leave notes and pictures on display, so you’ll no longer need to have pieces of paper and magnets cluttering up the front of your fridge. The refrigerator features a FlexZone drawer that has four different temperature zones to make it even easier to store all of your food. You can monitor and adjust your fridge’s settings from your tablet or smartphone—it connects to Samsung’s virtual assistant Bixby, but other platforms are compatible as well. You can also adjust the inner shelves to fit taller bottles and jars. High-efficiency LED lights illuminate the interior, while the ice maker will hold around 4 pounds of ice, so you’ll never be without a cool beverage. Size: 70 x 36.5 x 35.75 inches | Capacity: 28 cubic feet | Certifications: Energy Star
Layout
Refrigerators also come in various layouts, and your personal preference should determine your choice. Do you like a pull-out freezer on the bottom or do you like a more traditional freezer on the top? Do you prefer French doors that open wide? Do you want a water dispenser on the outside of the fridge or inside the appliance? It’s also worth noting which way the doors open, as the direction may not work for every kitchen layout.
Special Features
At the very least, you need a refrigerator to keep some food cold and other food frozen. But refrigerators have come a long way and offer so much more. If there’s a feature that’s a must-have for you, like French doors that are easy to open wide, you’ve got plenty of options at various budget points. There are also options with water dispensers, ice makers, and digital displays, depending on your needs.
Your Questions, Answered
How long do refrigerators last?
According to Clarke, most refrigerator models have a lifetime span of 10 to 20 years, though problems will often start to appear around the 19-year mark. “It’s often best to replace a refrigerator after 10 years rather than repair it because new models are often more energy efficient and will cost just a bit more than replacing parts on older models,” Clarke says.
How do you clean refrigerator coils?
Between spills, crumbs, and other debris, cleaning your refrigerator is an important step. To clean the coils, Clarke recommends that users remove the toe kick cover from the bottom of the refrigerator and vacuum the coils with a hose or soft brush. You can also use a coil condenser brush to remove any dust. You should also pull out the refrigerator from its nook to vacuum or sweep out any pet hair, food crumbs, and other debris that might have gotten stuck there, especially if you have pets.
What temperature should a refrigerator be set to?
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the refrigerator should be at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, while the freezer should be at 0 degrees.
Who We Are
Barbara Bellesi Zito writes about home and garden topics for various lifestyle publications. To compile this list, she researched dozens of appliances from top brands based on their cooling technology, layout, appearance, and other features. She consulted with Anthony Starck, president and CEO of Luxury Appliance Wholesalers, a Maspeth, New York-based luxury appliance consulting resource, as well as Michael Clarke, founder of Pulled, an online platform for hiring home improvement contractors.
