How to Choose the Best Refrigerator for Your Family
Shopping for a new fridge? Here's everything you need to know to make the right selection.
Edmund Barr
Choosing the perfect refrigerator is an important decision for any homeowner. With a 15- to 20-year lifespan, a fridge is one of the most used household appliances. When shopping for a new one, priorities to consider include price, energy efficiency, storage capacity, dimensions, and style. Quality and features vary by brand, but chances are you'll need to compromise on some priorities in favor of others. Before heading to the store, get to know the most common styles and types of refrigerators, styles, as well as common features.
Related: The 13 Best Refrigerators to Keep Your Food Fresh
Types of Refrigerators
The type of refrigerator that is right for your home depends significantly on the size of the space where it will be housed. Not only is this determined by the size of your kitchen, but also the size of doorways and passageways, proximity to electrical outlets, and the amount of floor space available to accommodate open fridge doors and drawers. After measuring where you'll put the fridge, narrow down the types of refrigerators that would best suit your household's needs.
Standard-Depth Refrigerators
Standard fridges are typically 30-40 inches wide, 70 inches tall, and 30 inches deep. They offer ample storage, but, unless your kitchen has an inset space for the fridge, this type of fridge can jut out, breaking the line made by existing cabinetry.
Counter-Depth Refrigerators
Counter-depth fridges are around 23-30 inches deep and do not protrude into the kitchen space to provide a uniform look. They are placed within an enclosure that lines up with the edge of cabinets. This type of fridge tends to be shallower than a full-sized or standard-depth refrigerator.
Built-In Refrigerators
Built-in fridges are permanently secured to a wall and lay flush with surrounding cabinets. Integrated built-in refrigerators have doors that look like surrounding cabinets. At first glance, it might be hard to tell the fridge from a nearby pantry. They are highly customized, but built-in fridges are also the most complicated and expensive to install.
Related: Paneling Is Back in Kitchens Everywhere—Here's How to Get the Built-In Look
Mini Fridges
Mini fridges are compact options suitable for student accommodations, small apartments, basements, and outdoor entertainment areas. Their capacities range from 1.7 to 5.6 cubic feet. Some come with a mini freezer, while others do not.
Refrigerator Styles
Bottom-Freezer Refrigerators
Bottom-freezer refrigerators have a freezer section at the bottom and a fresh food section on top. This keeps fresh foods at eye level, making it easier to access without bending down. Often, they come with adjustable shelves, bins, and drawers that offer better organization and storage options. While they lag in energy efficiency in comparison to top-freezer refrigerators, they tend to be an energy saver in comparison to side-by-side or French door models.
However, bottom-freezer models are usually more expensive than top-freezer fridges, and the freezer compartment may not be as spacious. Because you have to bend down to reach the contents, it is easy to forget about frozen items thrown into the bottom of these refrigerator models. Also, bottom-freezer fridges can be harder to clean.
Drawer Refrigerators
Drawer refrigerators are relatively new to the market. Still, they are a common feature in high-end and custom-built homes. They integrate into under-counter spaces and contain multiple horizontal drawers instead of the traditional vertical door configuration. They offer a space-efficient design that also reduces cold air loss, with customizable temperature settings for each drawer.
The disadvantages of drawer fridges are limited storage capacity and an expensive price tag. Adapting to this fridge layout may take some getting used to, but it may be ideal for families who prioritize compact organization, a modern kitchen aesthetic, and easy food access below eye level. This fridge design is ideal for increasing independence for children and people in wheelchairs.
French Door Refrigerators
French door refrigerators provide the best of both worlds. They feature a bottom-freezer design and a side-by-side door design for a full-sized fresh food section. They are a popular choice because of their wide shelves and drawers in the fresh food section, which offer generous storage space for large perishables items. French door models often come with adjustable shelves and customizable storage options, so the fridge space can shift to meet your family's daily needs. Many French door refrigerators come with ice and water door dispensers, too.
However, these models are among the more expensive fridge styles available, and finding one that is the right size for your kitchen may be harder than expected. Finally, having two doors for the fresh food section can potentially lead to more energy loss when both sides are open.
Side-by-Side Refrigerators
Side-by-side refrigerators open from the center, with one side dedicated to the freezer and the other to fresh food storage. With narrow doors that require less clearance space when open, this vertical fridge design offers ample shelf space and door compartments. Many side-by-side models come with built-in water and ice dispensers. People with back problems or mobility issues will also appreciate the ease of access to both eye-level compartments.
One drawback to side-by-side fridges is the difficulty in accommodating wider items, such as pizza boxes or serving platters, making them burdensome for people who like to entertain. Families with smaller kitchens, however, may prefer side-by-side refrigerators.
Top-Freezer Refrigerators
These models come with a freezer compartment on top and a fresh food section at the bottom. Top-freezer refrigerators are readily available in-store and budget-friendly. They also tend to be more energy-efficient. Designed with minimal features, this fridge type has a low chance of experiencing technical issues.
On the other hand, reaching for frequently used items in the refrigerator may require bending down because items are below eye level. For seniors or people with mobility issues, this can pose a problem. Similarly, fresh foods are within reach of young kids, but accessing the freezer may present a challenge. Typically, the freezer section also contains fewer organizational features than other fridge styles, so it may be harder to sort and store food items in an orderly fashion.
Refrigerator Features
Refrigerator extras include features like adjustable glass shelves for customizable storage, gallon-size door bins for liquids, humidity-controlled crisper drawers, and separate temperature zones. Here are some other common features to consider:
Techies will love smart fridges with programmable controls integrated into home automation systems. Connected through WiFi, these appliances can help you make and store shopping lists, look up recipes, or even get weather forecasts.
Energy-saving models contain door-within-door designs to allow users to reach certain items without opening the whole fridge.
Ice-makers are a common feature of refrigerators, but where ice is stored and dispensed may vary. Top and bottom freezers typically have ice-makers but not automated dispensers. In-door ice storage dispensers are common in French door and side-by-side designs.
Fridge finishes include black, slate, white, and stainless steel, though colorful designs are also on the rise. Consider matching your fridge finish to other kitchen appliances. If you're seeking a truly custom look, like a matte black or cabinet-matching built-in fridge, expect to wait weeks or months to have them designed, manufactured, and installed.
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