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A refrigerator is an important purchase. Lasting years, costing a good amount, and becoming the central hub of your kitchen – it’s vital to make the right buying decision, and to get the right fridge.
But there are also an overwhelming amount of choices out there, and the last thing you want to do is waste your hard-earned money. So we did the research, tested a variety of refrigerators, and aggregated tens of thousands of online reviews.
After intensive testing, we were able to find the best refrigerator. Here are our top picks.
Our Top Pick
Bosch B21CT80SNS
Bosch is well-known for making excellent consumer appliances. As such, this is our top pick for best refrigerator. It offers 20.7 cubic feet of space, and looks sleek and stylish. Of course – as with all Bosch products – it is extremely well-made, and offers top-of-the-line performance. Highly recommended.
Other Great Picks
GE PFE28PSKSS
This excellent refrigerator from GE offers not only amazing French doors – but a Keurig K-Cup brewing system, built right in. It’s also extremely quiet, and connects to WiFi. In short – it’s a luxury fridge, with all the best features. Could not recommend more highly.
LG LSXC22396D
This fridge from LG is a great buy, with the ability to see right into the refrigerator from the outside, as our favorite feature. It’s sleek, offers 21 cubic feet of storage, and kept our food very cold. Definitely recommended.
Smeg Fiat 500
If you are looking for a cool alternative to the traditional refrigerator look – this is it. The Fiat refrigerator offers horizontal storage (not vertical), but looks oh-so-cool, while doing it. Highly recommended, if you love unique designs that stand out.
Frigidaire FFSS2615TS
This affordable model from Frigidaire offers great cooling, a clean design, and great performance. It comes in at a great price point, so it offers a perfect alternative for those not looking to spend too much on a home appliance.
Kenmore 4674025
This incredible refrigerator from Kenmore has over 190 stellar online reviews, and does everything a perfect fridge should do. The minimalist design is also very pleasing to the eye, and the performance is unbeatable. It’s a very large fridge, so if you are looking to store a lot of food regularly – this may be the right model for you.
GE PFE28KMKES
The huge 27 cubic foot capacity of this refrigerator from GE, is only one of the many things that make it stand out. It has hands-free autofill, as well as TwinChill evaporators. Highly recommended, and one of our favorite design looks, too.
Danby DFF100C1BSLDB
This great budget pick from Danby is very reliable, and takes up less space in your kitchen. Still, we found that it reliably fulfilled our storage needs, and liked that it came in at just a fraction of the price of other, bigger refrigerators.
Avanti RA7316PST
This budget model from Avanti is a good pick if you are looking to save money. While not as advanced as some of the more deluxe refrigerators, it has good functionality, and performs all of the tasks you’d want your central fridge to be able to do.
Daewoo FR-044RCNW
This retro-style fridge from Daewoo is very chic, and we love the mint color (though all the available shades are tasteful, to be honest). It is on the smaller and more affordable side, and the 160+ positive customer reviews, speak for themselves.
What Is A Refrigerator?
In simplest terms, a refrigerator is a kitchen storage appliance that is used for keeping things cold. Unless you only have a mini-fridge, a refrigerator will typically be much bigger than most appliances.
It may even take up a full 25% of your kitchen! Refrigerators not only keep food and drinks cold – they also stop certain items from spoiling as quickly.
Most people do not realize that refrigerators actually have a heat pump, which takes heat away from the inside of the fridge. An electric motor removes the heat from inside the fridge, and pumps it outside.
Other names for a refrigerator include ‘icebox’, as well as the shortened and simple ‘fridge’. A simpler form of refrigerator, is simply a cooler filled with ice.
This type of fridge will not use electricity, so it’s good for wilderness trips. Coolers are also used at sporting events, and at outdoor parties.
Who Invented The Refrigerator?
The refrigerator was invented in 1805 by a man named Oliver Evans. While various early prototypes of refrigerators had existed before this, Evans was the first to use a vapor system for cooling, rather than liquid.
This was a major breakthrough, and it’s easy to see how much better a standard refrigerator is, than the primitive form of refrigerators (which were mostly just boxes filled with rapidly-melting ice).
Before Evans, there were a number of other men who deserve recognition for making important advances in the field. For example, Ibn Sina invented the refrigerated coil in the 11th century.
This was important, because the refrigerated coil was used to condense vapors. Next, William Cullen showcased the first artificial refrigeration system in 1748.
While this was important, Cullen never used his technology for any household purpose. Evans then came next, and introduced the first vapor cooling refrigeration system.
How Does A Refrigerator Work?
A refrigerator is actually much more complex than most realize. Utilizing five different components, a refrigerator works had to keep your foods at the desired temperature.
First, there is a compressor. A compressor will constrict refrigerant vapor, which raises the pressure, and then disposes of this vapor on the outside of the fridge.
The second component, is the refrigerant vapor itself. Next, are the coils.
Coils are crucial in allowing the refrigerant vapor to be transported from the inside of the fridge to the outside. As the hot gas in the coils meets the outside air, it transforms into a liquid.
This liquid then cools down as it is drawn into the coils inside the fridge. Next, the refrigerant absorbs all the heat inside the fridge, leaving only the cool air.
Lastly, the refrigerant then turns into a gas, flows back to the compressor, and the cycle begins anew. This incredible process allows you to simply put a soda in your fridge, and have it stay cold until the end of time.
Types Of Refrigerators
There are actually many different types of refrigerators, though most people have only one of two kinds. First, there is the mini-fridge – which is very popular in college dorm rooms or small offices.
Typically the size of a larger piece of luggage, mini-fridges are far more compact than a standard kitchen refrigerator. They also hold far fewer items, but draw far less electricity.
Another advantage of a mini-fridge, is a greatly decreased cost. Mini-fridges are also great for portability – whereas moving a standard refrigerator requires a team of professionals.
Side-by-side refrigerators are the next type of refrigerator available, and the naming of this fridge also explains the design. They simply place the freezer section on the left-hand side of the refrigerator, and the normal fridge side on the right.
The freezer section on a side-by-side refrigerator is typically skinnier, resulting in roughly a 75/25 split, in favor of the refrigerated side. These refrigerators can be convenient, because they do not require you to bend down for your refrigerated foods.
However, wider items are much harder to store in a side-by-side fridge, and they lack as many convenient areas (like drink compartments) compared to other refrigerator models.
The next model of refrigerator is a top-freezer fridge. These refrigerators have a freezer section on the top, which makes the unit more affordable (due to the lack of extra features like a water dispenser).
Unfortunately, it also becomes slightly tedious to have to bend down for everything in the normal refrigerated section of this type of fridge. These refrigerators are very common for a secondary fridge (usually kept in a homeowner’s garage).
Bottom freezer fridges are next – and as you might guess – they have a freezer on the bottom of the unit. These are fairly convenient, as all your main refrigerated foods are easily accessible, and your frozen foods are kept on the lower level of the unit.
Which brings us to the most popular type of fridge – a French-door refrigerator. These refrigerators have two doors that open outwards, and a freezer section at the bottom.
This type of fridge usually has the newest features, and comes with the most finishes and color options. They are also typically the most expensive type of refrigerator on the market.
How We Tested For The Best Refrigerator
After aggregating tens of thousands of actual user reviews, we narrowed down our list, and tested the best refrigerators we could find. We factored in how fast the refrigerator made our foods and drinks cold, overall storage capacity, how well the freezer worked, the price of the unit, as well as how long the unit typically lasts.
What Is The Best Refrigerator Brand?
We do not think there is one best brand for buying a refrigerator. It all comes down to what you are specifically looking for.
There are many great brands on the market, and any of them would make an excellent choice. If you are looking for a more luxurious fridge, Bosch was our favorite brand (though these machines are also typically more expensive).
When Is The Best Time To Buy A Refrigerator?
Surprisingly, there is actually a two month period where it is most advantageous to purchase a refrigerator. During September and October of every year – two important things happen.
First, manufacturers unveil the newest models of refrigerators. Second, they then discount all older models.
This means that between September and October – depending on your needs – you can get an older model for the lowest price, or dip into your bank account a little more and get the absolute newest model of refrigerator on the market.
What Temperature Should A Refrigerator Be?
According to the FDA, you should keep your refrigerator at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, according to the FDA, your freezer should be kept at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
What To Look For In The Best Refrigerator
Choosing the best refrigerator ultimately comes down to identifying your own personal needs. If you only need to refrigerate a few things in your office, a mini-fridge will be best. But if you need a deluxe family refrigerator – a French-door fridge is likely the best option.
Refrigerators come in many shapes and sizes, so be sure that you also have the space to put your desired refrigerator in your kitchen. Another consideration is energy efficiency – you do not want a refrigerator that will consistently pull too much power, as your electric bill will great suffer, as a result.
Luckily, most manufacturers these days have gotten electricity efficiency down to a science. We did not run into any energy efficiency issues with any refrigerators, during our testing.
Ultimately, when purchasing a refrigerator, you should consider: your budget, the longevity of the unit, the customer service track record of the company, the actual user reviews of the unit – and your own specific needs. Since buying a new fridge is a larger purchase, make sure you review all the important and relevant factors – when choosing the best refrigerator for your home.
How Long Do Refrigerators Last?
Surprisingly, refrigerators tend to last a very long time. With an average lifespan of 10 to 18 years, they are not an appliance you will frequently need to replace.
Interestingly, smaller refrigerators last for less time, with the average mini-fridge lasting between 4 and 12 years. Since the refrigerator is typically the centerpiece of your kitchen, it is comforting to know that you won’t need to worry about replacing it very frequently.
The Best Refrigerator
There you have it – our picks for the best refrigerator. Whether you want a huge French-door style fridge, or just need a tiny mini-fridge – we’ve got you covered.
Always look for a refrigerator with great user reviews, make sure the unit fits all your specific needs, and – of course – fits within your overall budget.
Of course, there are a ton of great kitchen appliances besides refrigerators, so be sure to take a look at our other reviews, in the home category.