And again, if you ever need to make a claim under the warranty, you’ll be dealing with LG’s below-average customer service. The big caveat with LG fridges is that some of its larger fridges are more likely than those of other brands to stop cooling. But there are some rules of thumb to follow if you want to maximize your energy savings, such as choosing a smaller capacity, passing on a door dispenser, and avoiding side-by-side models. We asked 5,000-plus readers how satisfied they are with their fridges and the appliances’ reliability, as well as which features matter. It has two adjustable shelves in the fridge and one in the freezer, and its crisper drawer keeps produce fresh.
And shallower, counter-depth fridges are big enough for most households. But in the looser, more common definition, a “counter-depth” fridge is a freestanding model that’s noticeably shallower Arctic King than a standard-depth fridge. You can find tons of these models for sale at any typical big-box appliance retailer, from every major brand, in most door configurations, at a range of prices.
Looking to past performance also can’t account for changes in the way refrigerators are currently manufactured. We’ve learned from talking to manufacturers and touring appliance factories that components and processes and employees can change as often as every few weeks, yet the product’s model name remains the same. In other words, today’s fridge might not be exactly the same product as last month’s fridge, and there can be bad batches. You can spend a lot more than $4,000 on a fridge if you’d like to. At these high prices, you can find plenty of notable brands, some of which are sub-labels of the major brands, like JennAir , Monogram , Thermador and Gaggenau (both under Bosch’s parent company, BSH), and Dacor .
NewAir refrigerators are built with the same compressors we found in Magic Chef mini fridges and others owned by Whirlpool. Again, because there are only a handful of big manufacturers, the parts are roughly the same, and so too is the quality. If you really want to step it up and are looking for a wine fridge, we have recommendations here. A mini fridge with a separate freezer is a great package for galley kitchens, dorms, and wet bars where you want to have all possible storage options. ZDNET’s recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites.
Clark Howard says that with kitchen appliances, it is better to replace rather than fix, after the 3-5 year mark, which I found surprising. I just bought a slightly smaller Whirlpool for $160 at HD, though it has a separate freezer door. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
If you have a Target REDcard, you will get an extra 5% off most purchases and you’ll get free shipping on eligible items if you shop online! If space isn’t necessarily the deciding factor, and you’re going to be using the fridge a lot, you should consider a full-sized refrigerator on the more affordable side. We spoke with several refrigeration experts, including the folks at Liberty Home Guard, to find out what makes a good mini fridge, what to avoid, and how to take care of one in order to ensure it lasts for years. Microsoft may be compensated for some of the products that shoppers end up purchasing. Sellers participating in our shopping program may provide product information including pricing. If you have a condo, mother-in-law suite, vacation rental, tiny home, accessory dwelling unit or entertainment space, a smaller refrigerator might be right for you.