In our reader survey, 24% of respondents said that their ice maker had jammed or completely broken, by far the most common hardware-based failure. That’s particularly notable considering that 17% of respondents didn’t even have an automatic ice maker in the first place or said that they didn’t think about this feature. Freestanding full-size fridges can be as cheap as $650 or cost thousands of dollars like some built-ins. Since freestanding fridges are much, much more affordable, that’s the type that the overwhelming majority of people buy, so that’s what we focus on in this guide. GE has issued a recall of six French-door refrigerator models because the freezer handle may detach and pose a fall hazard to someone pulling the freezer door open. The temperature range of Danby’s refrigerators are between 32F-39.2F/0C – 4C.
The challenge with these brands might be getting service under warranty or spare parts for repairs in the future. A handful of specific models (all side-by-sides) have major reliability problems. We also read a slew of other refrigerator Frigidaire fridge reviews, info about reliability, and guides on how to pick and install fridges. For previous versions of this guide, we also spoke to several industry experts, including brand representatives, dealers, and repair technicians.
They tend to be slimmer with a width of 24 inches, yet maintain standard heights of 60 to 75 inches. The common capacity for these models range from 11 to 13 cubic feet. Through-the-door ice and water dispensers tend to make a fridge less efficient, partly because they’re essentially a hole in an otherwise insulated box, and partly because the ice maker has extra work to do. It’s usually a difference of a few dozen kilowatt-hours per year compared with fridges of a similar size and style.
It also features additional storage by the doors and has a freezer compartment that can be used for storing frozen foods or making ice cubes. Whether you’re looking to buy a mini fridge for your dorm or office or need extra space at home for groceries, the Hisense LCR44D6NSE freestanding mini fridge is an almost perfect option. It has 4.4 cubic feet of space, and it forgoes a freezer section to provide more room for things like 2 liter bottles and gallon water or milk jugs. The door hinge is reversible, allowing you to choose whether it opens to the left or right to better fit into your space. Even among big fridges, like 36-inch, standard-depth French-door refrigerators, the most efficient models could save $100 over the product’s lifetime compared with a less-efficient version.
We spoke to several industry experts, including brand representatives, dealers, and repair technicians. All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission. Have you recently opened and then closed the freezer (over the last 1-5 minutes)? If so, being unable to open the unit again right away is an indication that your door seal is working well.
Stocked with a full width freezer and multiple compartments, the Whirlpool 3.1 Cubic Feet Mini Refrigerator offers multiple ways to organize your food and drinks. In addition to its two adjustable shelves, it comes with a deep glass storage bin and multiple door shelves, including one that can hold a full carton of milk or two-liter soda bottle. The 32.8-inch by 19.13-inch by 21.1-inch mini fridge also has a reversible door, temperature control and defrosting features. Basically, you could easily live out of this fridge if you wanted. When shopping for mini fridges, the most important features to consider are shelf configurations , design aesthetics, and whether or not you want a freezer. Mini fridges aren’t generally built to last the way that full-sized ones are, so keep in mind that a good one will need to be replaced around the five-year mark, depending on how much you use it.
If you need a bit of extra storage for groceries or beverages, opt for a model with at least 4 cubic feet of interior space and temperature controls for optimal cooling. If you want a mini fridge for your home or traditional office, choose a slightly smaller model to fit under or next to your desk but still has lots of space for water bottles and your lunchbox. If you’re looking for a mini fridge for your college dorm, an ultra-compact model will be your best choice, since you won’t have a lot of room for appliances.
Refrigerators that use inverter technology tend to offer better energy efficiency, using about 30 to 50 percent less energy than regular fridges. If you are looking to buy fridge online, LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, and Haier are some of the top brands to consider. And today’s fridges are much, much more efficient than models were 15 years ago and earlier. Judging by this list, the most efficient style of fridge tends to be a large top-freezer model, which should have plenty of storage for a couple but might feel cramped for a household of four.
More than half of the respondents in our reader survey said that reliability was one of the top three most important things they wanted in a new fridge. Unfortunately, nobody has a crystal ball that can predict which brand or model—or especially individual refrigerator units on sale today—will last the longest and have the fewest problems. When you’re using a mini fridge for snacks and beverages in your dorm room or home office, you want something small. Since this is a convenience item, affordability is also important. After taking apart fridges and talking to expert technicians, we found that there’s little difference between mini fridges.
We have more on these below, in our section about budget-friendly options. The big caveat with LG refrigerators is that some of its larger fridges are more likely than those of other brands to stop cooling. It has been a big problem over the past decade, and although the company seems to have corrected the issue with most of its current models, there are still some side-by-side models with a really poor track record. LG’s customer ratings on big retailers’ websites tend to be slightly better than other brands’ too, and other major appliance reviewers generally rate LG fridges at or near the top of the pack.