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The best refrigerators for $700, $1,300, or $2,000
The best refrigerators for $700, $1,300, or $2,000
Olivia AbelOct 29, 2019, 02:10 IST
Every kitchen needs a good refrigerator, and finding one that's energy efficient, budget-friendly, and spacious enough to hold your weekly grocery haul is key.
When I was growing up, my family always had a standard white, freezer-on-top refrigerator. At some point, many of my friends started getting fridges with built-in water and ice dispensers on the door. I was enamored with this high-tech feature and never tired of helping myself to a glass of water.
Of course, refrigerators have come a long way since then. Recently, at Home Depot my eight-year-old daughter and her friend amused themselves for half an hour playing with a futuristic Samsung Family Hub Smart Refrigerator. They used their fingers to draw pictures and make notes on the whiteboard and then recorded silly messages and played them back as other customers giggled. Other high-tech features on this fridge include three built-in cameras so you can see the inside of your fridge from anywhere and the ability to stream music or watch TV right there on your appliance.
It's fun stuff, but smart fridges are expensive, and not everyone needs the advanced features. Most people just want an energy efficient fridge with sufficient storage and a reasonable price tag, which is why our picks range from $700 to $2,000 with plenty of $1,000 to $1,500 options in between.
When choosing a fridge, you should consider which style you prefer. The most popular style of fridge is one with French doors and a bottom freezer. Other common options include the classic freezer on top, or the side-by-side freezer and fridge.
It may sound obvious, but make sure you measure carefully to ensure that a new fridge fits into your allotted space. You should also measure all doorways and other possible obstructions like kitchen islands to make sure the fridge can actually get into your kitchen. You'll also want to consider how many cubic feet of space are inside so you get enough space.
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Most new refrigerators are much more efficient than older models. Still, it's a good idea to look for the EPA Energy Star rating. The ENERGY STAR Product Finder allows you to compare different features among refrigerator models to optimize your purchase.
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Samsung has a reputation for making reliable appliances, and the French Door Fridge is no exception. This stylish fridge has lots of upscale features, including LED lighting, two humidity-controlled crispers, a digital thermostat, and three temperature settings in the pantry drawer (chilled, fresh, and deli).
To keep the fridge affordable, the ice maker and water dispenser are located internally. But the ice maker comes with a convenient oversized bucket, so you can churn out multiple cubes at a time. The internal water dispenser has a nice added touch: You are reminded when it is time to replace the filter.
It's an Energy Star appliance, too, so you can rest assured that this fridge won't consume tons of electricity. The fridge measures 35.8 by 70 by 35.6 inches, so make sure you have space for it.
There are more than 1,700 buyer reviews on Home Depot's website with an average of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Fans tout the sleek design and roomy interior. "Looks great and it's so spacious! I can access everything and rearranging the shelving is easy to set it to your liking," wrote one verified buyer on November 8, 2017.
"The shelves are easy to wipe off, drawers slide easily. The refrigerator runs very quietly, holds its temperature in both the frig and the freezer," wrote another verified buyer on December 12, 2017.
As for downsides, some Home Depot reviewers claim the fridge makes too much noise.
Pros: Well-priced, roomy, sleek design, adjustable shelving, multiple temperature controls
Cons: Some customers claim the unit is noisy
Best bottom-freezer fridge
There aren't a lot of flashy features on the Whirlpool 18.5 cubic foot Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator, but if dependability, performance, and easy access are your primary concerns, it should move to the top of your list.
Whirlpool has been making refrigerators since 1955, and it's one of the best-known brands in the world. This simple, but solid fridge offers spill-proof glass shelves, a roomy interior, an ice maker in the freezer, and humidity-controlled bins. There is no water dispenser.
It has the classic fridge look, except that the freezer is on the bottom instead of the top. The fridge measures 29.625 by 67 by 30.875 inches, so measure carefully. Inside, you'll find five fresh-food shelves, six door bins, and two freezer shelves for food storage. Whirpool's fridge also got the Energy Star seal of approval, so it won't consume much electricity.
Across the web, multiple professional reviewers highly recommend the Whirlpool 18.5 cu. ft Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator in Stainless Steel for its sturdy construction and high performance. Consumer Search highlights its great performance and reasonable price point.
There are more than 80 buyer reviews on Best Buy's website, with an impressive average of 4.3 out of 5 stars. "I am thrilled with the shelves on the doors because they are solid, so nothing falls out through the bottom like our previous refrigerator," wrote one reviewer who gave the fridge four stars.
"The refrigerator has much more space inside than I thought it would given it is smaller than most due to our limited space in kitchen," wrote another reviewer. "It is however noisier than I like. The ice maker is great and so far we have all the space in bins we need."
Cons: Some users complain that it is noisy, wobbly drawers
Best side-by-side fridge
The snazzy, counter-depth Frigidaire 22 cubic foot fridge has thru-the-door ice, a filtered water dispenser, and a reasonable price tag.
Some folks are still fans of the side-by-side fridges that were extremely popular in the 1990s. Practical advantages to this type of fridge include smaller doors and easy access to the freezer. It measures 33 by 69.625 by 32 inches.
This snazzy, counter-depth Frigidaire fridge with a thru-the-door ice and filtered water dispenser, offers some fun features including a place to store frozen pizzas, wine bottle holders on the door, a meat drawer with its own thermostat, and a "Sabbath mode" which allows it to be used by observant Jews on Jewish holidays.
Frigidaire's fridge is not Energy-Star Certified, so that is something to keep in mind. There is a one-year warranty for parts and labor, so if you run into problems within that period, you're covered.
Pros: Great price for counter-depth fridge, snazzy appearance, wine bottle holders
Cons: Some users complain that the fridge is noisy and that the drawers don't glide open and shut easily
The best budget fridge
If you are looking for a basic, bare-bones unit with a price to match, the GE 17.5 cubic foot fridge is a good deal.
GE refrigerators are well-known for their durability, and this model lives up to its famous name even though it is very affordable.
Two adjustable glass shelves and two drawers with separate humidity controls provide flexibility in how you store your food. Easy access controls allow you to separately regulate the temperature of the fridge and freezer. The doors do provide features usually only found in more expensive refrigerators: can holders and extra deep bins to hold gallon-sized containers.
For a small refrigerator, there is a lot of usable space. It measures 28 by 67.4 by 32.5 inches in size. This fridge comes with a limited one-year manufacturer's warranty.
Across the web, professional reviewers, including those at the Wirecutter and CNET, call it a bargain. There are more than 1,400 user reviews on Home Depot's website, with an average of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Fans of this fridge rave about the spacious interior, the famous GE dependability, and of course — the low price.
"As a retired couple we no longer need a large fridge. This is perfect for us, nice and quiet and keeps food cold," wrote one verified purchaser.
"We were looking for a basic, no-frills refrigerator and this fit the bill. Lots of interior space, we LOVE the glass shelves, the drawers, and the extra wide storage space on the door. I would have given it 5 stars, except for the controls being right in the front when I open the door. When I try to reach in, I have to be careful not to bang my head on the control center," wrote another buyer.
Critics of the unit frequently claim that it is too noisy.
Pros: Very affordable, roomier than it looks, two adjustable glass shelves, white matte finish doesn't smudge
Cons: Old-fashioned look, no bells & whistles, limited lighting
The best fridge for $2,000
The unique Whirlpool 25 cu. ft. French Door will impress your friends with its external refrigerated drawer and other fun features, and is perfect for families with young children because its sleek stainless-steel finish is fingerprint-resistant.
In January 2017, Whirlpool expanded fingerprint-resistant capabilities to its stainless steel fridges. The result? No longer do families have to choose between beautiful stainless steel or fingerprint-free exteriors. Just wipe those smudges away with soap and water, and your fridge is like new again.
The fridge measures, 35.63 by 70.13 by 34.63 inches, and it's a very good-looking fridge with an ice and water dispenser on the door. Of course, all eyes are on that extra exterior drawer which helps keep items that are used daily within easy reach.
Whirlpool's fridge also has its own temperature controls and adjustable dividers. Other high-tech features include LED lighting, adjustable gallon-sized door bins, and exterior tap-touch temperature controls. The measured water dispenser is a handy touch.
There are more than 3,400 buyer reviews on Home Depot's website, and 93% of the reviewers recommend this product. Fans of this fridge continually tout the beautiful look, ample space, and that extra exterior drawer.
"I couldn't be more pleased," wrote a five-star reviewer from Monroe, Ohio. "It's spacious and it's easy to locate everything. The stainless steel is smudge proof and that is awesome."
Several buyers complained that the stainless steel rusted quickly, that the unit is noisy, and that the large ice maker takes up too much room on the interior of the fridge.
Pros: Sleek styling, extra external drawer, LED lighting, smudge-proof finish
Cons: Some users complain that it is noisy and that the ice maker is too big
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