The secret to loving your kitchen is having one of the best refrigerators. Whether you’re looking for color and chrome or smart technologies and a viewing window, there’s a variety of sizes and models on the market.
As the focal point of your kitchen, it’s important that your refrigerator can look good whilst keeping food fresh and safe. It needs to be efficient, smart, practical, and reliable, because you never appreciate a good fridge until you don’t have one.
I’ve thoroughly researched the best refrigerators on the market. I looked for refrigerators that made bold claims about their cooling capacities, then examined if they lived up to them. After scouring reviews from users and professionals, I’ve collated this list of the best fridges to give you a helping hand.
Quick Menu
1. Best family refrigerator
2. Best value refrigerator
3. Best side-by-side refrigerator
4. Best French door refrigerator
5. Best refrigerator for small kitchens
6. Best smart refrigerator
7. Best counter-depth (and most energy efficient)
8. Best top-freezer refrigerator
9. Best bottom-freezer refrigerator
Our Verdict
FAQs
Best Refrigerators 2023
You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Best family refrigerator
Why you should buy it
A well-designed refrigerator for busy families
What we love
Samsung has taken all the frustration out of busy lives with this refrigerator. If you’re in the grocery store and can’t remember what you need, there’s a camera inside the refrigerator to check. That’s not all - this refrigerator offers a timer, a note board, a shared calendar, and links to your doorbell. This refrigerator can do it all, but what’s more, it delivers on the basics. This can hold a huge 26.5 cubic feet and the wide drawers can fit platters inside. Users loved the overall performance of this refrigerator, after they had mastered the technology.
Good to know
The ice dispenser has a water filter which you’ll need to replace every three months. It’s optional and inevitable with filters, but is an ongoing cost. The ice maker is a little clunky for storing food around too.
Best value refrigerator
Why you should buy it
For quality without compromise
What we love
Maytag brings reliable performance. Reviewers all commented on the temperature control of this refrigerator: it maintains a cool, constant temperature throughout, including the door shelves. This is really useful if you want to put dairy products in the refrigerator doors without worrying about warmer temperatures.
The deli drawer is a well-designed feature, because you can store wide plates and platters without any awkward positioning. With a reasonable fridge and freezer capacity, there’s more than enough room for all of your groceries. The exterior stainless steel is fingerprint resistant, so is easy to keep clean, too.
Good to know
Some reviewers found that the digital face can be a little tricky to use and thought that the freezer would benefit from adjustable sections.
Best side-by-side refrigerator
Why you should buy it
Bold, cold, and space efficient
What we love
KitchenAid always delivers on quality, so we expect great things from this refrigerator. It’s pretty basic, but it does these basics well. The dedicated refrigerator has drawers and shelves which you can re-organise to suit your needs. A handy air filter keeps odors minimal and the drawers absorb ethylene to help slow the ripening of fruits and vegetables. This isn’t something many users noticed, but it’s a subtle helping hand which you probably would only notice if it wasn't there.
Good to know
Reviewers commented that this was compact, so even if you use the storage and organization well, it’s not made for big families. It also doesn’t have a dual ice-maker either, so, if your mind is elsewhere you might end up with a glass of ice rather than water.
Best French door refrigerator
Why you should buy it
For a beautiful addition to your kitchen aesthetics
What we love
It seems to be unanimously agreed that this refrigerator is beautiful. Almost every review comments on how good it looks, many enjoy simply looking at the refrigerator, especially in the customisable colors. However, beauty is not the only selling point.
The autofill water dispenser fills containers with filtered water using dispensers to stop when your glass is full. It’s surprisingly useful. As is the convertible drawer which has a range of settings, including soft freeze. Reviewers often suggested that this was a useful place to store drinks at lower temperatures than a generic refrigerator .
Good to know
Some users said that the ice box was a little small and that the overall refrigerator capacity was on the lean side. Lots of reviews also commented on how delicate the refrigerator feels or how often they find themselves cleaning it: I think this care derives from having a beautiful refrigerator though.
Best refrigerator for small kitchens
Why you should buy it
A petite, pretty refrigerator
What we love
Smeg wins big points for style. This fridge harks back to retro 1950s style and the early days of kitchen appliances. Smeg even collaborated with Dolce and Gabbana on an infamous $10,000 hand-painted version of this fridge. The full-sized fridge is capacious but compact - at 60 x 23.6 x 30 in, it's smaller than the other refrigerators in this roundup. The shelves are adjustable, there is a crisper drawer, and an integrated freezer. You can coordinate the color with your kitchen, or other Smeg appliances too.
Good to know
When installing the refrigerator, leave a 175mm gap for the hinge door to open: it’s a pain if you can’t open the door properly. In the latest energy efficiency test, Smeg got an E, so some reviewers say that older models are inefficient.
Best smart refrigerator
Why you should buy it
A refrigerator with all the bells and whistles
What we love
If you want a hands-off, smart refrigerator, look no further. The main feature is a panel on the door which becomes a window when tapped, so you can see inside if needed. The same panel opens as a small door, giving you access to cartons and jars without opening the whole refrigerator. If you have your hands full, swipe your foot under the food and it will open. Similarly, the freezer drawers slide out when the freezer is open. If that wasn’t smart enough, LG has a smart app for troubleshooting and monitoring the filter and any problems.
Good to know
When tested against other smart refrigerators, such as the Samsung this was less energy efficient. It’s still not bad, but not at the top of the market. If you want all the additional features, it can get a little expensive too.
Best counter depth (and most energy efficient)
Why you should buy it
A dependable, well-considered design
What we love
Bosch is reliable when it comes to good refrigerators. Whilst the Bosch 800 came a close second for the best counter-depth option, this French door model won overall.
It has a built-in look when positioned alongside countertops and is great for energy efficiency. People liked the adjustable bar and shelves, especially in conjunction with the adjustable temperature drawer. In controlled tests it held a consistent temperature well. The Home Connect act is really useful: you can create an inventory of your groceries and get a notification before your food goes off; it will notify you if your refrigerator temperature has changed significantly; and it can troubleshoot any issues.
Good to know
Considering that this is a French door refrigerator , it should have a bigger capacity. Compared to the Samsung 28 cu ft, this is expensive for its limited refrigerator real estate. However, when you look at the efficiency, it performed better: this Bosch is estimated to use 568 kWh per year as opposed to Samsung’s 716 kWh.
Best top freezer
Why you should buy it
For a top-freezer with an ice maker too
What we love
This refrigerator is good value. The variety of features means that you can make the most of your refrigerator’s capacity. The adjustable shelves readily cater for tall bottles and large boxes; the crisper drawer is a cool space to store fresh fruit and vegetables; the deli drawer suits wider platters and plates; and the butter keeper is a hygienic place to put your dairy products too.
This comes in a range of finishes, so you can tailor it to suit your interior style. Having an ice maker is rare in top-freezer fridges, but is very useful for freeing up storage space in the freezer.
Good to know
Although this isn’t the most expensive freezer on the market, it’s more expensive than similar fridges like the Frigidaire 20.5 cu ft Top Freezer Refrigerator, which I didn’t include because it lacks an ice maker. A few users commented that it is noisier than the standard fridge. Other reviewers suggested that the ice maker is slow, so maybe keep some ice in the freezer just in case.
Best bottom freezer
Why you should buy it
A fusion of function and style
What we love
Smeg makes a second appearance in our roundup, and while I like to give a range of brands, I couldn’t miss this off the roundup. As expected with Smeg, this is a stylish refrigerator. Even though it has an E energy rating, which is quite low, users commented on a good temperature regulation throughout the fridge.
For more heat-sensitive products, such as dairy or meat, there is a special cooler drawer with separate digital temperature control, so you can easily adjust the temperature of the whole fridge, or drawer separately.
Good to know
Whilst the different adjustable compartments are great, the refrigerator is still very slim. There isn’t room for bulky foods, but this doesn’t mean that it’s a counter-depth design either. It’s almost the worst of both worlds. You also won’t have a water or ice dispenser, which it would be reasonable to expect for the price. Some users commented on the gurgling noise which it makes occasionally and that the shelves can be a little awkward to move.
Our verdict
You can’t go wrong with any of these refrigerators. They make bold claims and live up to them. For me, the Samsung Smart has to be the most useful. The camera feature would be a game-changer for doing the groceries. I love the look of the Café, but know that I would find a high-maintenance refrigerator too much of an extra stress. I would admire all of the others in any kitchen regardless.
FAQs
How do I choose the best refrigerator?
Refrigerators are often the focal point of a kitchen, so you’ll want to choose carefully. Consider five factors before buying:
Consider your kitchen
Think about your layout before buying a refrigerator. Make sure it fits your kitchen and that it sits flush with your countertops. Double-check that you have space for the doors to open. Once you do you want one with a built-in look, or should it make more of a statement? If you want it to be flush with your counters, that’ll be important too.
Capacity
It matters how big your refrigerator is. If you’re a big family, consuming lots of fresh food, you’ll want a refrigerator which maximizes space. Couples and smaller families should look for a compact fridge that won’t dominate the kitchen.
Features
This follows on from the point before, but think about what your refrigerator can do for you. If you want an ice maker and water filter, that can be a priority. If you’re more likely to be hosting dinner parties and want wide shelves for platters, that’s a good feature too. My favorite feature is Samsung’s camera; it’s a great feature to stop you buying more than you’ll need. However, don’t get carried away with features that you don’t need. If you don’t drink, having wine and champagne storage is superfluous. If you won’t use smart technology, you’ll be pointlessly paying a premium.
Style
These are big appliances, so it’s important that you like the look of them. Consider built-in vs freestanding fridges, too. Built-ins look better, but cost more, and freestanding fridges are cheaper, but may not look as good. Some designs are more customisable than others, but, you’ll often be able to select the right finish and color for you.
Efficiency
Refrigerators have the potential to use a lot of electrical power. Bosch tends to perform well when it comes to efficiency, but you should always check the rating before buying.
How do I keep my refrigerator clean?
It’s good to stay on top of your refrigerator to keep it hygienic. We would recommend that you regularly empty your refrigerator, removing drawers, shelves and other removable parts. Wash these parts in hand-hot soapy water and dry them with a clean towel. Wipe the inside of the empty refrigerator with a cloth that is rinsed in warm soapy water. Dry this with a clean towel. Put the dry shelves, drawers and other parts back in the refrigerator with the items that you removed. Make sure you clean all your towels and cloths thoroughly afterwards and wash your hands too.
What is the best refrigerator?
This ultimately depends on your needs. I think the Samsung 3-Door Family Hub French Door Smart Refrigerator is a great all-round refrigerator that has a lot to offer, especially in busy households. The smart technology helps to combine lots of kitchen clutter into one appliance. However, I do love the look of the Café™ ENERGY STAR® 27.8 Cu. Ft. Smart 4-Door French-Door Refrigerator too.
Should I buy a fridge-freezer or separate appliances?
This is really a matter of capacity. If you’re a big household, buying separate appliances can be useful, but if you wouldn’t fill that space, it’s much easier to combine two-in-one. It can also be a lot easier having both a refrigerator and freezer in one place.
When should I buy a new refrigerator?
The United States Department of Energy says that refrigerators last approximately 12 years. Every appliance will be different, so if your food is spoiling quicker than you would expect, it’s being loud, consistently frosting, or using more energy, look into it.
What is a smart refrigerator?
Smart refrigerators tend to have features which make your refrigerator a little more independent: they can connect to WiFi or digital home assistants; they might have an application that gives you remote control over your refrigerator; they’ll probably be touchscreen interfaces that are like smartphones too. These are things aren’t essential, but they’re always nice to have.
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