The Best Refrigerator Brands and Models, According to Testing

LG makes thoughtfully designed, high-performing refrigerators. You can depend on this InstaView model to do an excellent job of keeping your food fresh, but what really distinguishes it is the unique door-in-door feature: The InstaView technology turns on the interior lights when you knock on the easy-access see-through door. Then you can quickly grab a snack without having to open the full door. We like the storage options, though some may find the in-door shelving a bit shallow.

We also recently tested this Craft Ice smart model from LG, which features the same door-in-door design but without the see-through panel for a sleeker look. It's Wi-Fi enabled and features a water filter and a craft ice maker that makes clear, cocktail-sized ice balls. For an even lower-fuss option, you can confidently consider the LG bottom-freezer fridge, which had excellent temperature control and uniformity in our test, plus an ice maker that stores cubes in a bin.

In our survey, we learned that LG was one of the most popular fridge brands among our pool of responders. Most bought their LGs within the past five years, and almost all said they would buy an LG fridge again.

For solid fridges without the hefty price tag, Maytag is hard to beat. This model has slide-out shelves and a built-in water and ice dispenser with a filter. In our tests, the fridge and freezer temperatures held steady, and the door shelves were cool enough to safely store dairy (which is a no-go with most fridges). Our lettuce lasted five days in the crisper, but the controls were a little tricky to adjust so we advise that you keep the manual handy.

Maytag has also made our pick for the best fridge with a top freezer for many years. We love its sleek design, bright interior and glass shelves. It also holds temperatures well and has never created any noticeably cold spots in our consumer home testing.

Many survey respondents agreed that their Maytag fridge was a good value. One even noted that theirs has lasted for 24 years so far!

Samsung makes a large line of smart fridges, and this Family Hub Refrigerator might just become your new kitchen command center. You can use the built-in screen to draw, leave messages, share pictures, sync calendars and even check who's at your front door or adjust your thermometer using compatible smart devices. You can also use it to stream music or TV shows or browse recipes while you're cooking. When you're not home, you can peek inside the fridge to see what you need from the supermarket. Plus, Alexa is incorporated, so you can operate many of the apps without touching the screen.

Our littlest testers (ages five and under) confirmed that the screen is highly responsive and fun to draw on, while our previous tests confirmed that the brand is great at maintaining super steady temperatures, which is a must to keep foods fresh. One caveat is that the bottom shelf is fixed, so it can't be removed for easier cleaning. We're eager to test one of Samsung's newest models from its Bespoke line, which looks super sleek and customizable: the panels on each of the doors can be swapped out to create a unique color pattern.

Samsung was another popular brand amongst our survey respondents. Most have owned theirs for between three and five years. Many said they like the smart features and the auto-fill water pitcher feature on the new models. The ice maker, however, seems to be a common frustration.

This 36-inch side-by-side model from Whirlpool continues to be one of our most popular fridge recommendations. It has excellent temperature control and uniformity, and its features include a built-in water filter, water dispenser and ice maker in the door. It also has an ice bin on the inside of the freezer door that you can access without having to wait for it to dispense. The digital controls are very quiet, but it does include a door-open alarm, so it makes noise when you need it to.

It's easy to stock its four-door bins and slide-out shelves with your favorite foods, and because it's a side-by-side, you can arrange it so that your most-used fresh and frozen ingredients are at eye level. Plus, the shelves have a smaller span than those in most French-door refrigerators, so it's harder to lose things in the back of the fridge or the freezer. That said, you do lose a little freezer shelf space to the in-door dispenser. We appreciate this model's transparent shelves and drawers that make it even easier to see all of your food without having to rummage.

Whirlpool was the second most popular refrigerator brand among our survey respondents. One respondent that currently owns a Whirlpool fridge said they would buy another Whirlpool fridge in the future.

This French-door fridge from GE brings us joy every time we open it. It has a bright interior with plenty of adjustable shelves that make it easy to store all types of items inside and on the doors, including wine bottles and water pitchers. We also like its assortment of drawers — two for fruits and veggies and another long, shallow drawer that spans the width of the fridge for cheese, deli meats and other small items.

The freezer is spacious, too, with one slim upper drawer that helps keep frozen items organized. Both the slim drawer and bottom section have moveable dividers so you can adjust the size of each side. There's an ice maker in the freezer as well and a water dispenser in the fridge that doesn't take up any interior space.

In our tests, this fridge kept foods cool with no noticeable cold spots. In previous tests, GE fridges scored among the highest for temperature maintenance and uniformity. The GE Profile French Door Refrigerator with Keurig K-Cup Brewing System that we tested several years ago still stands out as one of our top-tested fridges.

Many of our survey respondents own a GE and particularly like the design of their fridge and the storage room it offered.

Café's line of refrigerators stands out thanks to its extra elegant (and customizable) design. Select a matte white or black exterior, then choose between brushed bronze, copper, black or stainless steel handles. This model is counter-depth, so it'll fit flush with your kitchen's cabinetry, and you can match the bar handles to your cabinet pulls.

The French-Door Café model shown here has an internal water dispenser and is Wi-Fi enabled too. One of our testers, who owns the four-door model, found the smart features helpful because when her son leaves the freezer open, she receives a notification on her phone. She also commented on how spacious her fridge is and how the backlight makes it easy to find things and keep them organized. After a year and a half of ownership, she said she's very pleased with it. One thing to note is that the water filters are somewhat pricey and will need to be replaced every one or two months.

Survey respondents who owned Café fridges are pleased with the design and particularly like the water fill system on some models that can dispense a precise amount of water. This brand had one the highest percentages of survey responders that would return to the brand for a future fridge purchase.

This elegant refrigerator has a bright, roomy interior with an assortment of adjustable shelves in the main compartment and on the doors. It comes with an "adaptable flex bar," which lives on the interior back wall and allows you to organize extra accessories like an egg holder, a small condiment bin and bottle holder as you see fit. It also has a built-in water dispenser that barely takes up any room and an ice maker that comes with a scoop for easy use.

Our favorite part of this fridge is the middle drawer that serves as a wine chiller that can hold up to 17 standard-sized bottles of wine. You can program the temperature with the touch of a button to optimally store craft beer, wines and sparkling wine. Bosch's Three-Door French Door Refrigerator, a pared-down model, won a 2022 Kitchen Gear Award for its simple, but high-quality design that provides a spacious interior and lots of adjustable storage. Plus, its ice maker can make up to 40 glasses of ice per day.

Almost every person in our survey who owns a Bosch fridge said they would buy a Bosch fridge again. This brand also had some of the most positive comments we saw in our survey. Many people said they loved the design and performance of their fridge.