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The 10 Best Refrigerators of 2024

Keep your food fresh and easy to access with these fridges

A refrigerator we recommend on a blue background

The Spruce / Amelia Manley

Finding the best refrigerator for your household hinges on factors like the size of your kitchen and whether you’re in the habit of preparing meals with fresh ingredients every day or prefer to have a variety of frozen options on hand. The right fridge can last a long time, so it’s important to find a model that’s energy efficient, holds enough food for everyone in your home, and fits well into your kitchen layout

To determine the right size and capacity for your needs, Joelle Battista, Head of Culinary Marketing at Designer Appliances, advises considering the number of people in your household and your cooking habits. “A general guideline is to plan for around 4-6 cubic feet of fridge space per person," says Battista.

When selecting a fridge, it's also important to consider the different types available, along with their benefits, constraints, and potential features. For those with limited space, a top-freezer refrigerator is usually the best bet regarding price and functionality. Top freezers are often the most efficient, whilst bottom-freezers are the least. French door refrigerators are known for their adaptability, and many of them include dispensers for filtered water and ice. However, depending on the model, they may consume more energy than other refrigerators.

With that in mind, we looked at hundreds of refrigerators to find the best options in each configuration, including top-freezer and bottom-freezer layouts, side-by-sides, and French door refrigerators. We examined models from all the top brands for factors like energy efficiency, capacity and layout, and special features, and found that the best fridge is one that fits your space, has enough capacity for your household, and includes features that make it easy to store and access your food.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Frigidaire Gallery French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker

Frigidaire Gallery 21.5-cu ft 4-Door Counter-depth French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker (Fingerprint Resistant Stainless Steel) ENERGY STAR

Lowe's

What We Like
  • Spacious with customizable storage

  • Convenient area for snacks

  • Ethylene-absorption filter in the crisper

  • Custom-Flex zone with wide temperature range

What We Don’t Like
  • Dedicated freezer is small

With a space-saving footprint, a modern four-door configuration, and a spacious and highly customizable storage system, the Frigidaire Gallery GRQC2255BF is our favorite refrigerator by far. This refrigerator has a lot going for it, including its counter depth, making it ideal for compact kitchens and those who like a built-in look. We also like its bottom-freezer design, which keeps your perishables at eye level, and its French doors, which are great for small spaces and permit simple access.

This fridge features a spacious refrigerated compartment with through-door water and ice dispensing that runs through a water filter. The ice maker and water filter both reside within the fridge compartment, but they’re quite small, so they don’t get in the way. The fridge is well-lit with bright LEDs, and it features a customizable layout. The air is recirculated using Frigidaire's TwinTech cooling system, which provides very uniform temperature distribution and incorporates an integrated air filter to keep things fresh.

The dedicated freezer compartment is a bit small, but that’s offset by the inclusion of the Custom-Flex zone that takes up the other side of the bottom of this fridge. The Custom-Flex zone has its own independent temperature control that lets you use it as a freezer, extra refrigerator space, or even a wine chiller, complete with a removable built-in wine rack. The freezer is well laid out though, despite being a bit small. It includes two slide-out trays, a slide-out bin, and one of the door bins is tall enough to accommodate large items like frozen pizzas.

This fridge is full of thoughtful touches, like two shallow snack bins that occupy space that would typically go unused in a four-door French door model. They’re at just the perfect height for kids to grab a healthy snack, so this is also a great fridge for families. If you need more snack space in easy reach, one of the crisper drawers flips around to provide an easy-access bin. Other useful features include an expandable door bin to fit larger items, shelves that flip up to accommodate tall items, and an ethylene filter in the crisper to keep your produce fresh. 

Dimensions: 70.125 x 35.8 x 29.5 inches | Capacity: 21.5 cubic feet | Installation Depth: Counter | Energy Star Rating: Standard | Additional Features: Water dispenser, ice maker, custom-flex temp zone, humidity-controlled crispers, LED lighting, water filter, air filter 

Best Value

Frigidaire FFTR1814WB Top Freezer Refrigerator

Lowe's Frigidaire FFTR1814WB Top Freezer Refrigerator

Lowe's

What We Like
  • Spacious storage

  • Auto-close doors

  • Modest energy usage

What We Don’t Like
  • Not Energy Star rated

  • Ice maker not included

  • No light in the freezer

If you're looking for a fridge with no-frills and doesn’t have a lot of extra features, our favorite best value model is the Frigidaire FFTR1814WB Top Freezer Refrigerator. It provides ample storage in both the fridge and freezer compartments, large door bins that are big enough for gallon jugs, and doors that close automatically if they’re accidentally left open. It isn’t Energy Star certified, but energy usage isn’t very high at an estimated 410 kWh per year.

This fridge provides 13.4 cubic feet of refrigerator space and a 4.9 cubic foot freezer, which is ample space for two or three adults or two adults and two children. The fridge features bright lighting, deep door bins, two sliding crispers, and two adjustable wire shelves. The basic manual temperature controls don’t provide digital accuracy, but the EvenTemp airflow system does keep temperatures even throughout. 

The freezer also features deep door bins and an adjustable full-width shelf. It doesn’t include a water dispenser or ice maker, but Frigidaire does sell an optional low-profile ice maker that you can install later on if you decide that you need one.

Dimensions: 66.375 x 30 x 30.375 inches | Capacity: 18.3 cubic feet | Installation Depth: Standard | Energy Star Rating: Not rated | Additional Features: Humidity-controlled crispers

Best Counter-Depth

KitchenAid French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker

KitchenAid Counter Depth Refrigerator

Home Depot

What We Like
  • Sliding storage trays

  • Max Freeze and Max Cool modes

  • Two independent freezer compartments

What We Don’t Like
  • Cramped freezer storage

  • No ice or water dispenser

Counter-depth refrigerators are just a bit skinnier than standard fridges, so they fit flush with standard kitchen counters. The KitchenAid KRQC506MPS is our favorite counter-depth model because it provides ample space in the fridge compartment, four independent temperature control zones, and a high-end fit and finish both inside and out. The outside is clad in KitchenAid's PrintShield stainless steel coating, which repels fingerprints and other smudges, something you'll appreciate if you have children. The interior features a premium platinum-colored finish with metal accents and slide-out wood-like trays.

This fridge is a bottom-freezer French door model with four doors instead of two drawers and a pull-out freezer drawer, which simplifies organization and access. The freezer is a bit cramped, but that’s because it’s split into two separate compartments, each with its own temperature controls. Each compartment features two pull-out drawers and a wood-like bin, and the left compartment includes a Max Freeze quick freeze option that rapidly brings your frozen goods down to an optimum temperature when you get home from the store before automatically returning to the normal operating temperature.

Our favorite component is the fridge's Max Cool mode, which allows you to quickly chill food and drink for those times when you're in a pinch. The fridge compartment is also quite spacious for a counter depth fridge of this size, and it includes two adjustable shelves, two crisper drawers, and a wood-like bottom shelf that slides out for easy access. 

Dimensions: 68.5 x 36 x 28.375 inches | Capacity: 19.4 cubic feet | Installation Depth: Counter | Energy Star Rating: Standard | Additional Features: Ice maker, LED lighting, touch panel controls

The Pros and Cons of Counter-Depth Refrigerators

The Spruce / Michela Buttignol

Best French Door

Whirlpool French Door Refrigerator

Whirlpool WRF555SDFZ 24.7 cu. ft. French Door Refrigerator with Ice and Water Dispenser

Walmart

What We Like
  • Spillproof glass shelves

  • Water filtration included

  • Door alarm and dispenser lock

  • Adjustable split shelves

What We Don't Like
  • Freezer capacity is a little small

  • Crisper drawers feel flimsy

  • Ice maker takes up a lot of space

French door refrigerators utilize two doors that swing outward independently, so you can open them one at a time to access half of the fridge or together to see everything at once. Our favorite is the Whirlpool WRF555SDFZ French Door Refrigerator, which features a highly customizable shelving configuration in the fridge compartment, a pull-out freezer drawer on the bottom with two storage baskets, and built-in water filtration that feeds an in-door water and ice dispenser. 

This refrigerator takes full advantage of the French door configuration with a very flexible split-shelf design. It includes five spillproof glass shelves that you can position together to create long shelves or stagger to accommodate tall items. The ice maker is located in the fridge and does take up a lot of space, but that’s the best way to get an in-door dispenser in a bottom-freezer model like this. 

The freezer itself is a bit small in comparison to the total fridge volume, but it includes two pull-out baskets that simplify the organization of your frozen foods. Bright LED lighting is provided throughout both the fridge and freezer compartments, which makes it easy to find what you’re looking for. This model also includes some features that are quite useful to families with small children, including a door alarm and a lock that prevents the ice maker or water dispenser from being activated inadvertently. It’s available in fingerprint-resistant stainless and black stainless steel, along with standard black and white options as well.

Dimensions: 68.63 x 35.63 x 35.25 inches | Capacity: 24.7 cubic feet | Installation Depth: Standard | Energy Star Rating: Standard | Additional Features: Water dispenser, ice maker, LED lighting, sliding freezer baskets, door alarm

Best Side-by-Side

GE Side-by-Side Refrigerator

Lowe's GE GSE25GYPFS 25.3-cu ft Side-by-Side Refrigerator with Ice Maker

Lowe's

What We Like
  • Fingerprint-resistant finish is easy to clean

  • Easy controls and electronic display

  • Includes advanced water filtration

  • Low-profile ice maker

What We Don't Like
  • No meat and cheese drawer

  • Water filter takes up space inside the fridge

Side-by-side refrigerators place the freezer and refrigerator next to each other, which allows you to place commonly used items right at eye level in both compartments. The GE GSE25GYPFS Side-by-Side Refrigerator is our favorite because it provides ample storage in both compartments, with bright LED lighting and edge-to-edge shelves, and it also includes an ice maker and external water dispenser with built-in filtration. You can get it in black or white for a little less money, but if you prefer a fingerprint-resistant stainless steel one, like our top counter-depth pick, the KitchenAid KRQC506MPS fridge, it will last a long time with just the occasional clean down with a microfiber cloth.

The main drawback of side-by-sides is that the compartments tend to be quite narrow, but this is a 36-inch fridge, so that’s less of a concern. The fridge compartment is wide enough for serving platters and snack trays, and the freezer includes a convenient slide-out basket for items that are a bit too long or bulky to fit on the shelves. We especially like that the shelving is adjustable throughout both compartments, with full-width glass shelves in the fridge and wire shelves in the freezer. 

The freezer includes a low-profile ice maker that doesn’t take up too much space, with a bonus storage shelf squeezed in on top, and a through-door ice and water dispenser. The fridge comes with a very nice water filter cartridge that removes impurities from both your drinking water and ice, including harmful substances like lead and trace pharmaceuticals that are present in some municipal water sources. The filter does take up space inside the fridge compartment. It would be nice if the filter didn’t take up valuable top-shelf space, but that positioning does make it easy to access when it’s time to pop in a new filter.   

Dimensions: 69.625 x 36 x 34.75 inches | Capacity: 25.3 cubic feet | Installation Depth: Standard | Energy Star Rating: Standard | Additional Features: Water dispenser, ice maker, filtration, LED lighting, slide-out freezer basket

Best Bottom Freezer

KitchenAid 18.67-cu ft Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator

Lowe's KitchenAid KRBL109ESS 18.67-cu ft Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator

Lowe's

What We Like
  • Customizable shelving and bins

  • Full-width pantry drawer

  • ExtendFresh temperature controls

  • Ethylene-absorption cartridge

What We Don't Like
  • No ice or water dispenser

  • Drawer rails feel flimsy

If you’re tired of always bending over to see what’s in the fridge, the KitchenAid KRBL109ESS Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator is what you’re looking for. Bottom-freezer refrigerators turn the age-old fridge paradigm on its head, with the refrigerator compartment on top and the freezer compartment underneath. We especially like the adjustable split glass shelves, see-through door bins, and pull-out drawers with convenient viewing windows, which make it easy to see all of your groceries at a glance.

This fridge is packed with useful features, like two crisper drawers that provide humidity-controlled zones and utilize an ethylene-absorption cartridge to keep your produce fresher longer. It also includes a full-width pantry drawer with separate temperature controls to accommodate a variety of items that need to be kept at a colder temperature than the rest of the fridge. It uses plastic drawer rails, though, so you do need to be careful when sliding the drawers in and out.

One issue that many bottom-freezer models run into is storage management in the deep freezer compartment, but that isn’t an issue for this model. The spacious 5.7 cubic foot freezer includes two pull-out drawers for easy organization, and it’s lit with the same bright LEDs that you’ll find in the fridge compartment as well. Both compartments feature KitchenAid’s ExtendFresh temperature management system, which uses sensors to monitor airflow and redirect cold air where it’s needed to maintain the selected temperature and keep your food cold and fresh longer. 

Dimensions: 67 x 29.75 x 33.375 inches | Capacity: 18.67 cubic feet | Installation Depth: Standard | Energy Star Rating: Standard | Additional Features: LED lighting, temperature-controlled drawer, two humidity-controlled crispers

Best for Small Kitchens

SMEG 24-inch Bottom Freezer 12.8 cu. ft. Refrigerator

50s Style 24" Bottom Freezer 12.8 cu. ft. Energy Star Refrigerator

Wayfair

What We Like
  • Compact form factor

  • Fun retro design

  • Versatile storage compartments

What We Don't Like
  • Not enough space for large families

Due to space constraints, full-sized refrigerators aren't always an option in smaller kitchens. For this reason, a narrow refrigerator like the Smeg Bottom Freezer Refrigerator is ideal for compact kitchens where counter space is limited. This colorful, retro-styled model is only about two feet wide, so it’s perfect for kitchens that don’t have a lot of room to work with, but it holds enough perishables and frozen items to keep two adults fed without excessive trips to the grocery store. 

The classic design features bold colors and simple lines that go perfectly with the throwback and vintage design trends that are bringing a touch of fun and whimsy to kitchens in 2024. This fridge is only retro on the outside, so it includes modern conveniences and design touches that you won’t find in an authentic vintage fridge. 

It uses modern refrigerant that’s less impactful on the environment, and it’s Energy Star certified, so it doesn’t cost as much to operate as the vintage models that it’s designed to look like. It also has a number of modern touches inside, like easy-glide drawers on telescopic guides, controlled temperature zones, a door ajar alarm, and electronic temperature controls that remain hidden as long as the door stays closed. It doesn’t include a water dispenser or ice maker, but equipment like that takes up valuable space, and that omission just leaves you with more room for your food.

Dimensions: 77.48 x 23.66 x 30.24 inches | Capacity: 12.8 cubic feet | Installation Depth: Counter | Energy Star Rating: Standard | Additional Features: LED lighting, temperature-controlled drawer, digital LED display and controls

Best Top-Freezer

Whirlpool Top-Freezer Refrigerator

Best Buy Whirlpool WRT541SZDZ 21.3 Cu. Ft. Top-Freezer Refrigerator

Best Buy

What We Like
  • Lots of space

  • Very energy efficient

  • Full-width frameless glass shelves

What We Don't Like
  • Lighting is a little dim

  • No water dispenser

Top-freezer refrigerators are configured with the freezer on top and the fridge compartment underneath, which provides an easy view of your frozen foods. Our favorite top-freezer model is the Whirlpool WRT541SZDZ Top Freezer Refrigerator because it provides a lot of space in both the freezer and fridge, with efficient LED lighting, and clear shelves and drawers in the fridge that make it easier for taller individuals to see the contents of the bottom shelves.

This fridge carries the Energy Star Most Efficient label, which means that it’s one of the most efficient models in the already efficient top-freezer category. It provides a total of 21.3 cubic feet of storage, with a spacious 6.1 cubic foot freezer and a 15.2 cubic foot fridge compartment that provides plenty of room to store groceries for a family of four. It doesn’t have a water dispenser or ice maker, but Whirlpool does sell an optional ice maker if you decide that you just can’t live without one. 

The freezer door bins are open at the bottom to simplify cleanup, but the space is big enough that smaller items like bagged veggies can fall through, which is a bit of an annoyance. The fridge door bins are much more substantial with a very flexible placement system, and they’re also clear so it’s easy to see exactly what condiments and drinks you have on hand. The crisper drawers are clear as well, and they’re also humidity-controlled to keep your produce fresh longer.

Dimensions: 66.25 x 32.75 x 34 in inches | Capacity: 21.3 cubic feet | Installation Depth: Standard | Energy Star Rating: Most Efficient | Additional Features: LED lighting, Humidity-controlled crisper, optional ice maker

Best Smart

LG Smart French Door Refrigerator

Lowe's LG LLFGC2706S InstaView 26.5-cu ft Counter-depth Smart French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker

Lowe's

What We Like
  • Alexa and Google Assistant support

  • Mirror InstaView window

  • Three tier freezer organization

What We Don't Like
  • Doesn’t work with HomeKit or SmartThings

  • No touchscreen interface

Smart refrigerators include smart home connectivity, so they’re most useful if you have a compatible smart home speaker and other related tech. Fridges in this category have wide-ranging feature sets, but we prefer to keep it simple when it comes to an appliance that you’d like to keep in your kitchen for a decade or more, since compatibility issues are likely to crop up over the years. That’s why our favorite is the LG InstaView Counter-Depth Smart French Door Refrigerator, which is an excellent fridge that won’t stop working altogether if LG were to drop support for its ThinQ smart features in the future. This counter-depth fridge is spacious, Energy Star certified, maintains both temperature and humidity levels to keep your food fresh, and features LG’s PrintProof stainless steel finish that’s easy to clean and maintain.

This fridge uses LG’s ThinQ smart platform, so if you have other LG smart appliances you can control them all using the same app. That app is available for both Android and iOS, and it’s all you need to take advantage of the smart features. If you have an Amazon Echo or a Google smart speaker, you can also use voice commands to perform useful tasks like turning the ice maker on or off, adjusting the refrigerator temperature, or checking whether the door is open. All of those features, along with energy monitoring, notifications, and smart diagnostics are available through the phone app as well.

This fridge doesn’t include a touchscreen interface, but we prefer a smart fridge without that feature because it doesn’t accomplish anything that you can’t already do with a tablet or your phone. Instead of a touchscreen, this fridge features LG’s innovative InstaView window that instantly shifts from opaque to transparent with a gentle knock, allowing you to see inside the fridge without opening the door.

Dimensions: 35.75 x 70.25 x 31.63 | Capacity: 26.5 cubic feet | Installation Depth: Counter| Energy Star Rating: Standard | Additional Features: InstaView window, ice maker, internal water dispenser, air filter, Wi-Fi with smart connectivity

Best Energy-Efficient

Dacor 36" Counter-Depth Free Standing Refrigerator

Amazon Dacor DRF36C000SR 36" Counter-Depth Free Standing Refrigerator

Amazon

What We Like
  • Full-width FreshZone drawer

  • Two independent evaporators

  • Flexible shelving layout

  • Rapid cooling option

What We Don't Like
  • Low total capacity

  • Door bins aren’t adjustable

  • Shows fingerprints

The Dacor DRF36C000SR is the ideal option if you’re looking for a large fridge with a lot of useful features that’s also very energy efficient. This fridge carries the Energy Star Most Efficient label, which is granted to the most efficient fridges in categories that are based on capacity and features. This model in particular uses a staggering 24 percent less energy than the maximum consumption allowed by the US Department of Energy for a fridge of this configuration and size. 

Despite that high level of efficiency, this fridge is also packed with features like a through-door ice and water dispenser, and a full-width FreshZone drawer with its own independent temperature controls. This fridge uses a dual evaporator system that provides a high level of control over the temperature in each compartment while maintaining a high level of efficiency. 

The use of two evaporators also prevents odors from mixing between the compartments for fresher-tasting food. The pull-out freezer drawer provides plenty of convenient storage, and the FreshZone drawer offers a lot of flexibility since you can set it to whatever temperature you need. It’s great for snacks and drinks if you have kids, or for holding meat or other items at a specific temperature. The fridge shelving layout is very flexible, with a slide-and-fold shelf that can accommodate tall items. The door bins don’t provide the same level of flexibility, but they are spacious. This fridge does have less capacity than some other similarly-sized models, but that’s a small tradeoff for this level of flexibility.

Dimensions: 70 x 35.75 x 30.875 | Capacity: 22.6 cubic feet | Installation Depth: Counter | Energy Star Rating: Most Efficient | Additional Features: LED lighting, ice maker, water dispenser, power freeze

Final Verdict

We selected the Frigidaire Gallery GRQC2255BF as our best overall refrigerator. It features a flexible four-door design, with through-door ice and water, easily customizable shelving and bins, and a compartment that can function as an extra fridge or freezer space to fit your needs. If you’re working with limited space, our best for small kitchens pick is the Smeg Retro-style Bottom Freezer FAB32ULRD3. It combines fun retro styling with modern efficiency and features like easy-glide drawers, controlled temperature zones, and a door ajar alarm.  

What to Look for in a Refrigerator

Size and Capacity

When you start shopping for a refrigerator, size and capacity will be the first things that you need to consider. Here are some important things to look for:

  • Refrigerator size: Refrigerators are often referred to by their width measurement, so you’ll hear about a 30-inch fridge or a 36-inch fridge, but it’s also important to consider the height. If your kitchen has a cabinet over the fridge cutout, then that provides a constraint on the maximum height of your new fridge, unless you’re willing to remove the cabinet. We recommend the Smeg Retro-style Bottom Freezer for small kitchens because it’s so narrow, but it won’t work in every kitchen because it is nearly 80 inches tall.
  • Counter vs. Standard Depth: Standard depth refrigerators are designed to stick out past your counters, so they’re good in large kitchens where space isn’t a concern. Counter-depth refrigerators fit flush with standard counters, which can provide you with a bit of extra breathing room if you have a smaller kitchen or a kitchen with a narrow space in front of the fridge. Our best counter depth recommendation, the KitchenAid KRQC506MPS, provides a clean, built-in look, and it’s also a four-door model, which makes it good for kitchens without a lot of space in front of the fridge. 
  • Fridge and freezer capacity: Most refrigerators include a freezer compartment, so it’s important to check both capacities instead of just looking at the total capacity. Battista recommends that “A good ratio between fridge and freezer compartments is 70/30, favoring more fridge space for most households, but it definitely depends on your household.” You might want to look for a larger fridge compartment if you prepare and eat primarily fresh foods or a larger freezer compartment if you enjoy the flexibility of having a large selection of frozen foods on hand.

Energy Efficiency

Refrigerators and freezers require a lot of energy, but advances in refrigeration technology have made these appliances significantly more efficient over the years. “When it comes to energy efficiency, I always recommend looking for the Energy Star certification as the gold standard,” says Smith. “These models have passed rigorous testing to prove their energy savings.”

Most of our recommendations are Energy Star certified, which means they’re about 9 percent more energy efficient than the minimum efficiency standard set by the federal government. That can add up to hundreds of dollars in savings over the life of a fridge. For even more efficient models, look for the Energy Star Most Efficient rating. Our most efficient recommendation, the Dacor DRF36C000SR, consumes almost 25 percent less energy than the US federal standard thanks to digital inverter technology and a digital compressor.

Energy Star certifications are a good way to find efficient refrigerators, but they don’t tell the whole story. Battista advises that you, “pay attention to the actual energy use, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. Lower kWh values indicate better energy efficiency, helping you save on electricity costs!” That’s why our best value recommendation, the Frigidaire FFTR1814WB isn't Energy Star certified, even though it only uses 410kWh per year. Other top-freezer models are more efficient, which disqualifies it. Retailers often provide energy use estimates, and you can check energy use on the Energy Star website.

As a general rule of thumb, some refrigerator configurations are more efficient than others. “In general, a top-freezer or French door model in the 16-20 cubic foot range will offer the best balance of space and lower energy bills,” advises Smith. If you’re looking for the most efficient model possible, start by looking for top-freezer models that have the Energy Star Most Efficient rating. If you prefer a mix of convenience and efficiency, decide which configuration you like the best, and then look for Energy Star Most Efficient models in that category.

Ice and Water Dispensers

Ice and water dispensers provide easy access to clean, fresh-tasting water and ice, but through-door dispensers have both advantages and disadvantages. If your current fridge doesn’t already have a water or ice dispenser, you’ll probably need to install a water line to take advantage of this feature. Some fridges come with just an ice dispenser or provide you with the option to install one later. Others include a through-door dispenser that provides cool water and ice on demand which are nice upgrades. Our best overall recommendation, the Frigidaire Gallery GRQC2255BF dispenses water and your choice of cube or crushed ice, with a 10.4-inch pocket to accommodate tumblers, pitchers, and sports bottles. 

Fridges with dispensers are more expensive than models that skip this feature, and through-door dispensers tend to have high failure rates, so this isn’t a must-have feature for everyone. If you drink a lot of water, then it’s a worthwhile investment. Otherwise, you may want to consider an option like our best counter-depth pick, the KitchenAid KRQC506MPS, which includes an ice maker with a scoop instead of a through-door dispenser.

Standout Features

Convertible Compartments

Some refrigerators include a compartment that can function as either refrigerator or freezer space, which provides some extra flexibility. Our best overall recommendation, the Frigidaire Gallery GRQC2255BF, has a large Custom-Flex Temp Zone that you can set between -6 to 45 degrees, so you can use it as extra fridge space, refrigerator space, or even as a wine chiller.

Door-in-door and viewing windows

These features can save you both energy and time since they make it easier to identify and grab items from your fridge quickly. Door-in-door fridges have a compartment built into the door that you can open without opening the entire fridge door, and they’re typically designed to hold drinks and other small items. Viewing windows are similar in that they allow you to see what’s in the fridge without opening the door (a bonus when writing up a grocery list), which helps minimize the time you spend with the door open. Our best smart recommendation, the LG InstaView LLFGC2706S, has a high-tech viewing window that’s opaque most of the time, but it instantly turns transparent when you knock on the door.  

Air Purification Systems

Some fridges include a replaceable air filter that traps food odors that would otherwise linger and have an adverse impact on the smell and taste of everything in the fridge. Our best overall recommendation, the Frigidaire Gallery GRQC2255BF, includes both an air purification system and a specialized ethylene gas entrapment system to keep your veggies fresh in the crisper drawer. Battista advises that, “As ethylene gas is something that many common fruits, like apples, emit, having an air purification system can slow down the ripening of other ethylene-sensitive fruits and vegetables in the fridge.”

Rapid Cool/Freeze

This feature allows you to briefly reduce the temperature in the freezer or fridge to rapidly cool things down after grocery shopping. It’s great for returning frozen foods to a solidly frozen state or rapidly cooling drinks. Our best French door pick, the KitchenAid KRQC506MPS, includes both rapid cooling for the fridge and rapid freezing for the freezer.

Smart home connectivity

Wi-Fi connectivity allows a smart fridge to connect to your wireless network, which can enable a variety of useful functions. Our best smart fridge pick, the LG InstaView LLFGC2706S Smart French Door Refrigerator, empowers you to monitor and adjust the temperature from your phone or a compatible smart speaker and provides other monitoring, notification, and smart diagnostics through a phone app. For example, the app will alert you if the door is left open.

Specialty fridges on the market include wine fridges and beverage coolers. They have environments and settings specifically tailored to the drinks you'd store inside them, and they are usually an additional appliance you purchase for your home. Like regular fridges, they come in high-capacity and narrow builds. The right one for you will depend on how much you want to store at once and what you want to store. Some wine fridges have multiple zones, for example, for properly chilling any white and red wine.

Why Trust The Spruce?

Jeremy Laukkonen is a commerce updates writer for The Spruce who has over a decade of experience writing about appliances, home improvement, and smart home technology. He's owned a variety of top freezer, bottom freezer, and side-by-side refrigerators over the years, but he especially likes four door models with through-door water and ice for a ready supply of fresh drinking water along with excellent fresh and frozen food storage and access. For this story, he considered models from all the most popular manufacturers, including KitchenAid, Frigidaire, Whirlpool, LG, SMEG, and many others. Each model was evaluated for factors like size and capacity, layout, and energy efficiency, along with useful features like ice and water dispensers, flexible storage, and convertible compartments that can make your life easier.

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