Good news: When it comes to choosing the best refrigerator for your family, your options are endless. Whether you are buying for a family home appliance upgrade or furnishing a new home, Atlanta Appliance Services has put together the following information to help you choose the best fit.
Modern Advancements for the Best Refrigerator
There are many new refrigeration advancements you may need to be aware of. Nowadays, you can see your groceries in new refrigerators without looking through the fridge. Some refrigerators offer a door-in-door design, allowing easy access to frequently used items like ketchup, mustard, and salad dressing. And you can see all that from the door shelves without fully opening the door. You even have the option to pull out a refrigerated drawer and find chilled wine, cold drinks, or kid-friendly to-go snacks.
Then there are the units that offer a second ice maker for parties, filling coolers, and more.
Our guide helps you choose just the right refrigerator for your family’s particular needs. Learn the latest information on energy labels, the pros and cons of each type of refrigerator, style options, and more. You will find information about storage space, designs, and more, all while we help you determine the best model.
Identifying the Top Trends
Refrigerators may not come to mind when you think of something trendy and high-tech. Still, manufacturers keep changing the ways of refrigerating.
For instance, GE makes french doors with a built-in Keurig coffee maker. And many other manufacturers are creating door-in-door refrigerators with a small outside door over the fresh-food storage space that can be opened for easy access to items on the door shelves.
Samsung has designed large touch screens for several of its French-door and side-by-side model refrigerators. They come complete with apps for finding recipes, ordering groceries, playing music, and watching TV, and they can control smart home devices.
LG has models with windows where you can see what’s inside the fridge without opening the door. They have also added a craft ice maker that makes ice balls for cocktails and more. You’ll also receive alerts if the door has been left open. Another fantastic feature is if the fridge has a camera, you can see the contents of your fridge from your phone.
In addition, more models come with Wi-Fi connectivity and a compatible smartphone app than ever before. These features allow owners to change fridge settings remotely.
According to a national survey conducted by Consumer Reports, only 2 percent of Americans have a smart refrigerator. In the studies, these results included fridges that connect to the internet. Additionally, 4 percent own a smart fridge that is not connected to the internet.
Rest assured, what isn’t a gimmick is the refrigerator configuration folks are really liking. Recent refrigerator surveys say french doors make up 64 percent of new refrigerators purchased in 2020. And the first half of 2021, with side-by-sides at 20 percent, bottom freezers at 6 percent, and top freezers and built-ins at 5 percent each.
Choose A Style That Suits Your Lifestyle
There’s a refrigerator to suit every household. French-door models are trendy because of their high-end aesthetic. Some consumers prefer the convenience of bottom freezers, which put fresh foods at eye level. Still, side-by-sides fit better in small kitchens due to their narrow doors.
Top Freezer Refrigerators
Top freezers can be a good fit for 2- 3 people living together because they have less storage than other freezers/refrigerators. They are also cheaper to operate and are very energy efficient. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “refrigerators with top freezers use 10 to 25 percent less energy than ones with bottom freezers.”
Pros
- A more energy-efficient option
- Affordable price point
- Plenty of usable refrigerator storage
- The freezer compartment is easy to access
- Good for small spaces
Cons
- Fewer organization options
- No pull-out freezer drawer
- It doesn’t always suit a modern kitchen design
- No water or ice dispenser options are available
Bottom Freezer Refrigerators
The bottom freezer is one-way owners step it up a notch with what they are getting. Most of the storage will be in the fridge’s freezer or drawer spaces. With this upgrade, you get smart features and easier eye-level access to your stored goods. This kind of refrigerator can organize your things with an impactful design– quite the trend these days.
Pros
- Excellent freezer storage and organization options
- Suitable for small to average-size families
- Modern design
- Easy access to food
- Alternative to stacking food in the freezer
Cons
- The more expensive price point
- Uses more energy to operate
- Food is easily hidden at the bottom of the freezer
- Bending is required to access the freezer drawer
French Door Refrigerators
A French door refrigerator resembles a French armoire, with two side-by-side doors up top and one or more drawers. The top doors are for the fridge space, and the bottom drawers contain the freezer items.
This style has been one of the most popular in high-end kitchens for over a decade, mainly because of its modern look and excellent use of space. The open-concept design allows you to store large and bulky items, such as food trays and pizza boxes, where a side-by-side model wouldn’t fit them.
Indeed, the double doors require less space to swing open compared to the doors of top-freezer models.
Pros
- Greater freezer storage and organization options
- Modern and elegant look for your kitchen
- Wider, adjustable shelves
Cons
- The more expensive price point
- Not suited for tight kitchens
- Requires more energy to run
Side by Side Refrigerators
Side-by-side refrigerators save space with the freezer next to the fridge compartment. This design keeps everything at eye level. And while side-by-sides aren’t as grand as French doors, they offer high-end features like water filtration and through-the-door ice dispensers.
Pros
- Good for small spaces
- Simple look
- Less room for overcrowding
- No bending to get into the freezer
Cons
- Smaller fridge and freezer space
- Fewer design options
- No smart features
- Narrower, so there is less space to store food and drinks
Built-In Refrigerators
In the most well-modeled kitchens, built-in refrigerators take all of the attention, even if you don’t spot them immediately. Minimalism is the focus here, in aesthetics, if not price. One of the top reasons one would want a built-in is because they sit flush with the cabinetry.
When it comes to stand-alone refrigerators, they can stick out past your cabinets and counters by a minimum of 10 inches. With a built-in, you’ll see clean lines, flat sides, and angles in the right place. But clearly, these are just a few of their beautiful features.
Typically these built-ins are finished in stainless steel or not at all. That’s right; in some cases, they’re panel-ready. That means your cabinet builder can design panels that go right onto the front of the fridge so that it blends into your existing cabinetry.
Pros
- Optimizes kitchen space
- Longer life expectancy
- Better quality
- Environmentally friendly
Cons
- It can be a more expensive option
- You may not have room for one
- Shallow depth design
What Size Fridge is the Best Refrigerator?
Before buying any appliance, especially refrigerators, measure the space where you intend to install the unit. The truth is most refrigerators are offered in multiple capacities and sizes. So, before you begin your search for the best fridge, measure where you plan to put the refrigerator. Even if retailers offer a return option because of improper fit, they may impose a restocking fee.
Also, remember to measure the height and width of any doorways, stairways, or hallways so you know how much room you have when you bring in the new fridge. And keep in mind that you will need to allow enough room for the refrigerator’s doors to fully open and for clearance around the sides and back of the appliance for proper airflow.
When looking for the perfect refrigerator, you’ll find most models range from the standard 36 inches wide to 24 inches.
As for capacity, most manufacturers recommend 19 to 22 cubic feet for a family of four. But if you make a big weekly shopping trip or buy groceries bulk, you may need a much larger refrigerator.
Read the EnergyGuide Label
The EnergyGuide label is the yellow tag you will see attached to most home appliances. This EnergyGuide label lets you know how much energy an appliance will use and see how it compares to the energy use of other similar appliances. The less energy an appliance uses, the less it costs to keep it running. Even if an energy-efficient appliance costs more, it can save you money on utility bills.
Atlanta Appliance Services for All Your Best Appliance Needs
Reach out to Atlanta Appliance Services for all your home needs. We service ovens, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, and more. Atlanta Appliance Services hopes this article gives you the information you need to make the best choice for your family when it comes to buying the best refrigerator. Good luck out there!