There are a lot of considerations you need to make when buying a new fridge, but one of the biggest is: what brand should I buy? If you were only to go off of forum posts and user reviews, the answer would seemingly be none. The internet is full of angry rants about how their appliance stopped working after a year or even a few months. Some of that is deserved. Modern fridges are highly complex appliances built as affordably as possible to run efficiently 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Viewed through that lens, failures are, unfortunately, not a rarity but an expectation, regardless of the brand name on the refrigerator door.
For those reasons, we're hesitant to crown any one company as the one true 'best refrigerator brand.' This article instead provides a breakdown of some of the biggest players in this market and which models in their lineups (among those we've tested) best represent their strengths, all arranged in alphabetical order for clarity. We have also analyzed the authorized service coverage and parts availability across each brand and have begun adding that information to reviews with new tests. If you'd just like to see how every brand stacks up solely in terms of service coverage, you can check out our interactive map.
Quick Look
We've recently started testing refrigerators. We independently purchase each unit from major retailers, just like you, to keep our reviews free from manufacturer influence. Each refrigerator goes through the same tests to measure objective data for metrics like temperature uniformity, produce preservation, and actual storage capacity so you can easily compare the results.
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Bosch
Everyday Use8.1Refrigerator Capacity7.1Freezer Capacity6.7Authorized Service Coverage9.0See all our test resultsParts Availability8.5Bosch is a German multinational with interests in a wide variety of commercial interests, from car parts to solar energy, not to mention a large appliances division. The latter has a reputation for building relatively high-quality but also high-priced products. Thankfully, service coverage is a strong point, with good access to authorized service providers throughout much of the United States. It's worth noting that parts costs are well above the industry average.
The Bosch 800 Series is the pinnacle of Bosch's lineup, and runs the gamut in terms of form factor and features, though this B36CT80SNS is relatively simple in design. It, along with all other similarly designed 800 Series models, is one of the few consumer-grade refrigerators to have a dual compressors cooling system with separate evaporators, meaning each cabinet is isolated from the other and ensuring highly uniform temperature and humidity levels. However, the 800 Series has one big weakness as a whole: all model variants are only sold as counter-depth units, severely compromising interior space.
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Electrolux/Frigidaire
Everyday Use7.4Refrigerator Capacity7.4Freezer Capacity7.3Authorized Service Coverage8.6See all our test resultsParts Availability10Frigidaire is a pioneer in refrigeration, having designed and developed the first electric refrigerator in 1918. Some would claim that the word 'fridge' is a contraction of the company's name, and not 'refrigerator'. The company was owned by American automotive giant General Motors throughout much of the 20th century, but eventually made its way into the hands of Swedish appliance manufacturer Electrolux in 1986. The brand has at least one authorized service provider in every US state, though coverage is still rather thin in some rural areas.
As you can expect for a brand with this level of public recognition, the Frigidaire FFTR1835VW is quite possibly the closest representation of what comes to mind for most people when they picture a refrigerator. This 30-inch top freezer model has a simple cooling system, with a fixed-speed compressor, a single evaporator, and a mechanical thermostat. However, it's still a solid performer in most respects, with decent temperature uniformity ensuring that food is cooled to a similar level regardless of where you place it, barring the somewhat warm door bins. It's decently spacious on the inside for something this small. It also has an advertised operating range of 45 to 110 °F (7.2 to 43.3 °C), making it a good option if you've got the room for a second fridge in a garage.
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Haier/GE/Cafe/Fisher & Paykel
The appliances division of GE, a multinational titan with hands in everything from airplane engines to MRI machines, was sold off to Haier, a Chinese consumer electronics and appliance giant, in 2016. The latter has a fair few brands under its purview, including the more premium GE Profile, Café, and Monogram sub-brands, along with the New Zealand-based brand Fisher & Paykel. GE Appliances remains headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, and thankfully, service coverage is consistent throughout many large US population centers. However, large gaps still exist in mid-sized cities and rural areas.
The Café CGE29DP2TS1 is a high-end French-door refrigerator. It's effectively an upgraded version of the GE Profile PGE29BYTFS, and shares many of the latter's features. There's a separate temperature-controlled drawer for deli meats and cheese, or for chilling wine, along with an auto-filling built-in water pitcher and four movable split shelves in the fridge cabinet. Temperature uniformity is stellar, and the in-freezer placement of its ice maker frees up space and introduces fewer potential failure points than similar models with ice makers built into the fridge cabinet. Where it differs from its cheaper sibling is its crisper drawer design, which seals more tightly and does a better job of holding in moisture, resulting in longer-lasting delicate greens like celery or lettuce.
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LG
Everyday Use7.3Refrigerator Capacity7.7Freezer Capacity7.6Authorized Service Coverage8.3See all our test resultsParts Availability7.2LG Electronics is a South Korean conglomerate that manufactures everything from consumer electronics like soundbars and televisions to batteries for electric cars. Their appliances division has released refrigerators with eye-catching, sometimes industry-first features, like UV lights to automatically sanitize water dispensers or even ice makers that dispense slower-melting spheres. Public perception of their products was severely damaged following the widespread failure of fridges with defective linear compressors and the subsequent high-profile class-action lawsuit. Service coverage is strong in major American metropolitan areas, but gets dicey in more rural states.
The LG LRFLC2706S is a counter-depth 36-inch fridge. Traditionally, storage space is a bugbear for counter-depth units like this one, the toll you must pay for flush-fit looks. However, this fridge (mostly) gets around this issue through what the company calls its Counter-Depth MAX design, which essentially hollows out space at the back of the fridge cabinet versus most conventional counter-depth units. Temperature uniformity is highly consistent throughout the fridge and freezer, so there's no need to be overly tactical when unpacking temperature-sensitive groceries. Unfortunately, it doesn't lead the pack when it comes to produce preservation: the main fridge cabinet and crisper drawers are both relatively dry environments, which can cause delicate greens to begin wilting prematurely.
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Samsung
Everyday Use8.0Refrigerator Capacity8.6Freezer Capacity7.0Authorized Service Coverage7.2See all our test resultsParts Availability7.9Samsung is a multinational company based in South Korea that produces a wide range of consumer electronics, including a popular range of televisions, monitors, soundbars, headphones, and home appliances like refrigerators. In the interest of full transparency, their products have suffered a less-than-stellar reputation amongst consumers, with widely publicized failures ranging from insufficiently cold fridge cabinets to faulty ice makers. Recent models have gone some way toward rectifying this reputation. However, it's worth noting that the company lags far behind others in service coverage within the United States. While you can easily get in touch with an authorized service technician in major metro areas, there's very thin coverage in more rural areas.
The Samsung RF30BB6200QL is part of the company's higher-end Bespoke lineup. It's a feature-rich appliance with a dual-evaporator cooling system that helps extend the lifespan of produce, an auto-filling pitcher that you can store in one of the unit's doors, and twin ice makers. As a standard-depth 36-inch fridge, it also offers plenty of space within its fridge cabinet, with more than enough space for bigger casserole dishes. Unfortunately, its freezer storage space isn't necessarily remarkable: the tall lower bins don't extend all the way to the back of the cabinet. If you're looking for a counter-depth version of the same fridge, consider the Samsung Bespoke RF24BB6600QL.
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Whirlpool/KitchenAid/Maytag
Whirlpool Corporation is the grand old lady of American appliance manufacturers. It was founded in 1911 in Benton Harbor, Michigan, where its headquarters still reside. In the more than 100 years since then, it has absorbed dozens of other brands, including mainstays in the refrigerator market, such as KitchenAid and Maytag. Its repair network is highly robust, and in most parts of the US, you won't need to worry too much about not having access to an authorized service provider.
Check out the KitchenAid KRSC703HPS if you're shopping for a side-by-side unit and have room for a 36-inch fridge. This upper mid-range model features an inverter-controlled compressor and separate evaporators in the fridge and freezer compartments for more precise humidity regulation, helping keep produce crisp and fresh for upwards of a week. Temperatures are also highly uniform throughout the fridge and freezer compartments. There are also niceties like a removable wine rack for chilling your favorite varietals. Its ice maker is built into the freezer door, freeing up some space along the top of the cabinet. However, as a counter-depth side-by-side, storage capacity isn't a strong point, with a narrow and shallow fridge compartment: bigger families need not apply.
All Reviews
We recommend refrigerators based on findings from our own testing. Your own needs may vary, so please take a look at all our refrigerator reviews below. Meanwhile, if you're searching for other recommendations beyond the best refrigerator brands, go ahead and check out our article on refrigerator types as well as our recommendations for the best refrigerators and best French-door models. Or, if you're still figuring out what'll fit in your kitchen, check out Refrigerator Sizes: How to Find the Perfect Fit. If you're interested in more specific technical breakdowns, check out our articles on how refrigerators work and how refrigerator ice makers work.