Refrigerator brands to avoid, according to Puls, were Frigidaire and Bosch. Having a second refrigerator in the garage can be really handy, especially for large families. A full-size model can provide room for plenty of extra storage and can help you save money when you buy food in bulk.
Shop for refrigerators that have Energy Star certification. Mini-fridges are also great for garages, basements, dorm rooms, offices and other spots. If freezer capacity space is a priority, keep in mind that full size, top-freezer models usually have larger freezers than bottom, French door and side-to-side refrigerators. Danielle Smyth is a writer and content marketer from upstate New York.
Which Style of Refrigerator Is Best? By Danielle Smyth Updated December 18, Related Articles. Tip The best style of refrigerator is highly dependent on your needs. Elevator shelves crank up and down without needing to be unloaded. Shelf snuggers attach to racks to secure bottles and jars. Pullout shelves or bins make access to stored items easier. We find that refrigerator prices tend to dip in the summer and hit their lowest point around Black Friday.
Because of an ongoing appliance shortage, many models are out of stock or back-ordered for anywhere from a few weeks to more than three months. According to data from market research firm Gap Intelligence, French-doors are the most available type and side-by-sides are more difficult to come by. For more on the appliance shortage, see our guides to shopping for appliances during the shortage and getting a deal during the shortage.
We also recommend that you comparison shop. You can get a higher-end model for a lot less than the retail price. The best places to look for used fridges are used-appliance stores and, believe it or not, appliance repair shops.
Both types of stores will usually give you a warranty, too. For more on purchasing used appliances, see our used-appliances guide. We respect your privacy. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. Sign In. Become a Member. Remember Me. Forgot username or password?
Not a member? Need further assistance? Please call Member Services at Sign in or Become a Member. Refrigerator Buying Guide Last updated: October 29, Find the Best Refrigerator for Your Kitchen We test, evaluate, and compare the latest refrigerators so that you can save time and money.
Latest Trends Refrigerators might not seem as high-tech as smartphones and computers, but manufacturers keep trying to innovate on them, even if some of those innovations might feel gimmicky. How We Rate Refrigerators In our labs, each refrigerator we test gets wired up with temperature sensors. Refrigerator Ratings by Consumer Reports. Consider Size Most refrigerator configurations come in a range of sizes and capacities. Refrigerator Ratings.
Decode the EnergyGuide Label Energy efficiency has become a big selling point with consumers. Visit Our Refrigerator Ratings for More. Five Features You'll Want Refrigerators at all prices are increasingly tricked out with options to make your life easier and more organized. Photo: Maytag. Door-in-Door Storage Access Without opening the entire door, you can grab frequently used beverages and condiments. Photo: Kenmore. Freshness Features Dual evaporators help maintain higher humidity levels in the refrigerated areas and prevent freezer odors from migrating there.
Photo: GE. Temperature Controls You decide how cold your fridge is in certain areas. Photo: Whirlpool. Some fridges situate it up on the top shelf -- the ice drops down through a chute in the door into your waiting glass. That's all well and good, but the icemaker eats up some obvious space inside of the fridge, and the bulky overhang of that in-door chute will tend to block off the in-door shelves underneath it.
That's why I tend to prefer fridges that squeeze the entire icemaker into the door. They tend to make less ice, but they'll also give you more usable space inside of the fridge. That's a fair trade-off in my book. One trend that we've seen over the past few years: creativity from the water dispenser. GE has been leading the pack here, with French-door models that can serve the exact amount of water you want , and even ones capable of shutting off automatically once they detect that your glass, pitcher or pot is full.
You'll even find nifty features in GE's less-expensive top-freezer models -- most notably, ones that come with an Autofill Pitcher that'll fill itself back up whenever you place it back in the fridge. Samsung's in the mix now, too, with an autofilling water pitcher of its own in its higher-end French door models. This GE fridge comes with a special pitcher that fills back up with water whenever you dock it in place.
The brand's Cafe Series line of fridges can dispense hot water at a variety of temperature settings. The newest models even add in a mini K-Cup brewer that'll let your fridge brew up a quick cup of coffee on demand. It's a surprisingly sensible addition, given that refrigerators have dedicated water lines -- that means you won't ever have to worry about keeping a reservoir full. Of course if you keep shopping around, you'll also find refrigerators with touchscreens and built-in Wi-Fi, and plenty of bold manufacturer claims about smartening up your kitchen -- which brings us to one last question:.
First introduced in , the Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator is basically a concept car for the connected kitchen of tomorrow. But should you buy in today? You can certainly live without one, if that's what you're asking, particularly if affordability is your chief concern. Simply put, smart fridges don't come cheap, and whether or not the extra cost is worth it is really up to you.
For some, smart technology gives refrigerators a whole new cool factor, and the fact that we use our refrigerators every day makes these features a sound investment. For others, "smart" just seems like another word for "gimmicky. That said, don't be too quick to slam the door on so-called "smart" features, because there are plenty of them that live up to the name, and a growing variety of options to choose from, too.
In , LG even went so far as to say that it plans to start putting Wi-Fi radios into each and every refrigerator that it manufactures. In other words, we might be quickly approaching a point where smart refrigerators are the norm, not the exception. Again, the question is, "Do you need any of this in your kitchen? None of these smart fridges comes cheap, and none of the smart features is quite compelling enough on its own to justify the extra expense.
That said, most manufacturers are doing their best to tempt you by giving these fridges premium designs and filling them with additional features beyond the smarts: things like door-in-door compartments, temperature-adjustable drawers and even see-through panels that let you peer inside without opening the door. You don't need any of these fridges, but I certainly couldn't blame you for wanting one -- or buying one, for that matter.
Fortunately, you don't need to spend thousands on a top-of-the-line fridge in order to feel like you're getting an upgrade.
With a growing diversity of options across a wide range of prices, there's nothing stopping you from buying a refrigerator that you'll love, provided you're willing to put in a little bit of legwork first. Do your homework and shop smart, and you'll be happy with your fridge for years to come. Smart home matrix : Want to know what will work best with your smart home?
Start here. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. How to buy the right refrigerator Thinking about upgrading your fridge, but don't know where to start? Ry Crist.
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