The Best Refrigerators Buying Guide

Best Overall

Frigidaire Gallery French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker

$2,028 at Wayfair $1,999 at Lowes $3,799 $2,048 at Home Depot

If it looks like there’s a lot going on behind the four doors of the Frigidaire Gallery Refrigerator, that’s because there is. For starters, it features technology that allows you to convert a zone in your fridge to freezer depending which type of storage you need more of. 

Those who often have fresh produce in their refrigerator will appreciate that his model’s crispers feature technology that automatically removes excess moisture and keeps dry air out, preventing your fruits and vegetables from spoiling. 

The fridge features water filters that ensure that only tasty, cold water and ice cubes come out of the dispenser. Plus, its air filter acts like baking soda and keeps odors at bay. 

Four doors may seem like a lot of surface area to maintain, but their fingerprint-resistant stainless steel design is rather flawless. We like that the auto-close doors engage when any of the four doors is left slightly ajar.

The interior is designed so that even if you have just one of the doors open, you can reach in and grab a majority of the fridge’s contents. This model’s organization system makes it easy to arrange all your food and beverages neatly so you can see them, and you’ll spot them even better with the LED-lit interior. 

We appreciate that this option is Energy Star-certified, meaning it’s an energy-efficient option. However, keep in mind that it still does have a higher energy consumption than other options on our list. 

Product Details: Dimensions: 36x29.6x70.125 inches | Capacity: 21.5 cubic feet | Energy Consumption: 671 kWh/year

Best Budget

LG Top-Freezer Refrigerator

$728 at Wayfair $777 $699 at Lowes $849 $699 at Home Depot

If you’re seeking a refrigerator that’s less expensive than other picks but doesn’t skimp on design or efficiency, consider the LG Top Freezer Refrigerator. This model has a spacious, 20-cubic-foot interior lit by LED lights. 

Behind the contoured doors with hidden hinges are digital sensors that keep the temperature regulated at all times. Each door features two reversible gallon-sized storage bins, so you won’t have to worry about storage. Though it doesn’t come with an ice maker, you can opt to add one if you need. 

The two crisper bins feature humidity control, which keeps produce fresher for longer. There’s also a multi-air flow system to help keep everything else in the fridge fresh. Thanks to its Energy Star certification, this pick is proven to be energy efficient, so it’ll help save money on bills as well. 

Product Details: Dimensions: 29.75x33.38x66.13 inches | Capacity: 20.2 cubic feet | Energy Consumption: 387 kWh/year

Best Splurge

Bosch 800 Series French Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator

$3,778 at Wayfair $3,499 at Lowes $3,499 at Home Depot

The Bosch Smart Counter Depth Refrigerator may be the most expensive model on our list, but we think its advanced features make it worth the investment. 

For starters, it features technology that employs four different technologies to keep food fresh, especially produce. There’s also a temperature-and-humidity-balancing feature that keeps the refrigerator’s interior at the optimal level no matter what you store in the bins. 

There’s a specific technology that keeps air circulating evenly throughout the refrigerator, so you won’t have any inconsistencies in temperature—an upgrade if you’ve ever stored something way in the back and found it frozen on removal.

We like the metal cooling locks and the stainless steel paneling in the back of the refrigerator that help to maintain a consistently cool environment throughout the refrigerator. 

If you’re concerned about storage, note that this model has a capacity of 21 cubic feet. Plus, the slide-in shelves are adjustable and span only half of the refrigerator, allowing for the utmost in flexible storage. 

While its energy consumption isn’t the highest on your list, it’s worth noting that it’s higher than other models, so it may be more expensive to run. 

Product Details: Dimensions: 35.625x28.75x72 inches | Capacity: 21 cubic feet | Energy Consumption: 568 kWh/year

Best Counter-Depth

Frigidaire Gallery Gallery French Door Refrigerator

$2,177 at Wayfair $1,999 at Lowes $3,499 $1,998 at Home Depot

We recommend the Frigidaire Gallery French Door Refrigerator for those who prefer a counter-depth style. This refrigerator has four doors that open to a spacious interior. 

This model features an organization system that includes flexible shelving, like in-door storage for condiments and a slide-under shelf. There’s also a temperature-regulating drawer that keeps frequently reached-for items at the ready. Plus, there’s a water filter that dispenses ice cubes and crushed ice.

We like that you can choose from three finishes as well two handle styles. It’s also offered in several capacities, going up to 28.8 cubic feet. Just keep in mind that depending on the retailer, this option may not be returnable. 

Product Details: Dimensions: 35.9x32x70.2 inches | Capacity: Up to 28.8 cubic feet | Energy Consumption: Up to 652 kWh/year

Best French Door

GE French Door Refrigerator

$1,498 at Wayfair $2,399 $1,499 at Lowes $1,498 at Home Depot

It might seem odd to call a kitchen appliance elegant, but that’s exactly what the French doors do for this model from GE. The French door refrigerator features a stainless steel fingerprint-resistant exterior, making it easy to maintain its look over time. 

This model has 27 cubic feet of storage and the spacious interior features LED lighting as well. There’s a space-saving filtered water and ice dispenser in the door, but there’s also a secondary ice maker in the pull-out freezer at the bottom, too. Just note that the ice maker in the freezer takes up a bit of storage space. 

Food is kept fresh by evaporators that provide distinct climates for the fresh food and frozen sections. Specific settings expel a burst of cold air inside to adjust the temperature as needed. Inside are two drawers with humidity control, along with an illuminated full-width drawer. 

Product Details: Dimensions: 35.75x35.875x69.875 inches | Capacity: 27 cubic feet | Energy Consumption: 633 kWh/year

Best Side-by-Side

Frigidaire Side-by-Side Refrigerator with Ice Maker

$1,049 at Lowes $1,399 $1,098 at Home Depot View on AJ Madison

A side-by-side refrigerator, like this Frigidaire model, is a great option if you’re tight on kitchen space.  

We like that in this model, the cooling system maintains an ideal internal environment for both sides, so your food is kept cold/frozen just as it needs to be. 

Each compartment is spacious—a combined 25.6 cubic feet—with the ability to adjust the shelves as you need. Spacious shelves on the door can hold condiments and other bottles. There’s even one shelf that can even hold two gallon containers.

Crisper drawers help keep produce fresher for longer. A PurePour water filter dispenses both cold water and ice (both cubed and crushed). Since this refrigerator is more compact than others, we appreciate that there’s LED lighting that brightens the interior so you can see everything easily. 

An alarm alerts you when the door is ajar, and another will alert you when there’s a power failure, so the Frigidaire works even harder to keep your food fresh. 

Product Details: Dimensions: 36.125x35x69.875 inches | Capacity: 25.6 cubic feet | Energy Consumption: 647 kWh/year

Best for Garages

GE Top Freezer Stainless Steel Refrigerator

$1,199 $931 at Amazon $849 at Wayfair $849 at Lowes

Garage-ready refrigerators, like this top-freezer model from GE, are great options if you’re looking to add more food storage space to your home. Picks like these are primed for optimal performance in outdoor temperatures between 38°F and 110°F. 

The interior of this model is fairly spacious, with 15.25 cubic feet for the fridge part and 6.68 cubic feet for the freezer. The fridge has spillproof glass shelves, two crisper drawers, and an LED-lit interior. Just keep in mind that you can’t reverse the doors on this pick, so you’ll need to be mindful about where you place it. 

You might not care as much about the aesthetics of a garage refrigerator, but it’s worth noting that the sleek design looks good enough to keep it in a high-traffic area. You can choose from several color choices as well. 

Product Details: Dimensions: 32.75x34.5x66.375 inches | Capacity: 21.9 cubic feet | Energy Consumption: 422 kWh/year

Best Smart

Samsung Side-by-Side Refrigerator with Family Hub

$2,482 at Wayfair $1,799 at Lowes $2,332 $1,598 at Home Depot

This Samsung Smart Refrigerator is a great way to upgrade your kitchen. The side-by-side design is great for smaller kitchens and it features several features that’ll come in handy. 

We like that there’s a 21.5-inch flat-screen on the refrigerator that can connect to your phone. The screen allows you to “see” inside your fridge and freezer so you know what it contains at all times—very helpful for those of us who are always forgetting our shopping lists at home. It even allows you to track expiration dates, so you’ll cut down on food waste. 

The Family Hub allows you to play music and leave memos for other members of your household. For smartphone or voice control, it connects to digital assistants like Bixby and Amazon Alexa.

Aside from the impressive high-tech elements, this 26.7 cubic-foot fridge has plenty of room to keep food fresh. The interior is illuminated by LED lights and the produce drawers are clear, so you can actually see all the food you’ve organized there. 

The shelves are adjustable to accommodate taller bottles and items, while the slimline in-door ice maker allows for more shelf space in the freezer portion. The fingerprint-resistant stainless steel exterior also adds a smart look to any kitchen design.

The smart display is also ADA-compliant, which means the controls are easy to reach for all. Even though this smart refrigerator is an upgrade from the others on our list, it’s still Energy Star-certified as an energy-efficient, eco-friendly appliance.

Product Details: Dimensions: 35.88x33.5x70.07 inches | Capacity: 26.7 cubic feet | Energy Consumption: 691 kWh/year

Best Compact

Insignia Bottom Mount Refrigerator

$580 $500 at Best Buy

If you’ve got a small kitchen, it helps to have streamlined appliances that won’t get in the way of food prep. That’s why this compact fridge from Insignia is ideal. It has the sleek stainless steel finish of larger appliances on the market, but the doors are unencumbered by clunky water dispensers and protruding handles.

The LED-lit interior has three shelves tall enough for all your fresh foods. There’s also a crisper drawer for fruits and vegetables and a deli drawer for sliced meats. Note that with a more compact option comes a smaller capacity—this one’s capacity is 11.5 cubic feet. 

The bottom freezer compartment has three roomy shelves to keep your frozen goods icy until you’re ready for them. The doors feature a recessed handle that can be reversed to achieve the configuration that’s best for your small space. 

Product Details: Dimensions: 67.875x23.4375x27.375 inches | Capacity: 11.5 cubic feet | Energy Consumption: 350 kWh/year