The Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF is a premium 36-inch counter-depth French-door refrigerator. As part of Frigidaire's more upmarket Gallery line, it's equipped with a number of extra niceties compared to lower-end models, including an additional climate-controlled drawer that can be used for everything between chilling wine and freezing leftovers. There's also a through-door water and ice dispenser, complete with a digital control panel for setting fridge and freezer temperatures.
We've recently started testing refrigerators. We purchase each unit independently from major retailers, just like you, to keep our reviews free of manufacturer influence. Each refrigerator undergoes the same tests to measure objective metrics such as temperature uniformity, produce preservation, and actual storage capacity, so you can easily compare results.
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Our Verdict
The Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF is a very good choice for everyday use. As you'd expect from a counter-depth model, capacity isn't a strong point, with somewhat shallow fridge and freezer cabinets that can make it a challenge to fit multiple large trays or larger boxed items in either compartment. The in-fridge ice maker also reduces available space. That said, the additional temperature-controlled drawer provides a bit of flexibility for storage. This fridge also delivers impressive overall performance, with excellent temperature consistency across both cabinets. It also does a great job of keeping fresh produce crisp, thanks to its well-sealing crisper drawers.
Great produce preservation performance inside crisper drawers.
Exceptionally consistent freezer temperatures.
Temperature consistency across fridge shelves is very high.
Flexible storage features like split-shelving and extendable door bins.
Short freezer compartment.
Fridge compartment is shallow.
In-fridge ice maker takes up room inside fridge.
Middle and upper refrigerator door bins trend slightly warmer than setpoint.
The Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF provides impressive produce preservation performance. Its crisper drawers seal shut pretty tightly, minimizing moisture loss from fresh food stored inside. As a result, you can expect lettuce, spinach, and fresh herbs to keep their snap for well over a week. That said, the fridge cabinet itself is somewhat low in humidity, which is rare for a dual-evaporator fridge such as this, and you can expect produce to begin wilting much faster if stored outside those crisper drawers.
Great produce preservation performance inside crisper drawers.
The Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF's refrigerator capacity is alright, but not spectacular. Since this is a counter-depth model, the fridge cabinet is shallow, which can make it challenging to fit bigger trays or casserole dishes. The ice maker also takes up quite a bit of room along the top half of the compartment. On the upside, there's split shelving, albeit with relatively few alternative positions, and extendable door bins for squeezing in drinks. The GRMC2273CF's climate-controlled Custom-Flex Temp Drawer can be used to supplement either fridge or freezer space.
Additional organizational flexibility from climate-controlled drawer.
Flexible storage features like split-shelving and extendable door bins.
Fridge compartment is shallow.
In-fridge ice maker takes up room inside fridge.
The Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF has only okay freezer capacity. As with the fridge cabinet, the freezer is shallow, and if you're using the drawer above as extra fridge capacity, you're also losing out on vertical space compared to other counter-depth units of a similar size. You might find it challenging to fit especially large boxed items or bulk-sized goods on either the upper shelf or lower bins. With all that said, the freezer cabinet itself has no inconvenient protrusions or bump-outs to get in the way.
Additional organizational flexibility from climate-controlled drawer.
Short freezer compartment.
The Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF's overall temperature uniformity performance is excellent. The refrigerator shelves are all within a few degrees of each other, so you can place temperature-sensitive items like milk or yogurt wherever it's most practical. That said, the middle and upper door bins do trend a little bit warmer, so you should mainly use those areas for long-term chilling of more shelf-stable goods. Meanwhile, the freezer is exceptionally consistent in terms of temperature.
Exceptionally consistent freezer temperatures.
Temperature consistency across fridge shelves is very high.
Middle and upper refrigerator door bins trend slightly warmer than setpoint.
The Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF performs only adequately when it comes to making ice. Within a day, the ice maker can produce just enough ice for drinks at a four or possibly five-person meal, but it will run out pretty quickly. Similarly, the ice bucket's max capacity of under five pounds won't last long for bigger get-togethers, though it's fine for smaller crowds. You're better off filling an external container with ice and keeping it in the freezer if you're expecting a lot of company.
Ice production rate is sufficient for smaller get-togethers.
Max ice bucket capacity is insufficient for serving big crowds.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This fridge is available in two color variants.
| Model Code | Finish |
|---|---|
| GRMC2273CF | Stainless Steel |
| GRMC2273CD | Black Stainless Steel |
We bought and tested the GRMC2273CF model, finished in stainless steel, and for those interested, here's a photo of our unit's product label. If you come across another variant of this refrigerator, let us know in the comments below so that we can update our review.
Popular Refrigerator Comparisons
The Frigidaire GRMC2273CF is a high-end counter-depth French-door refrigerator. It's a very solid performer in most ways, with well-sealing crisper drawers that ensure good produce preservation, and impressive overall temperature consistency, except for the slightly warmer-than-baseline door bins in the refrigerator cabinet. It's from a brand with a robust service network, which also provides a consistent supply of spare parts. It isn't necessarily perfect, however: alternatives like the Samsung Bespoke RF24BB6600QL offer more refrigerator capacity (admittedly at the cost of freezer room), while the LG LRFLC2706S has more freezer space. If you have a higher max budget, it's worth considering the Bosch 800 Series B36CT80SNS too. It's our benchmark for counter-depth French-door models, and it provides even better overall performance than the Frigidaire, all the while featuring a more sophisticated dual-compressor/dual-evaporator cooling system as well as a less failure-prone in-freezer ice maker.
If you're shopping for other alternatives, see our recommendations for the best overall refrigerators and the best counter-depth refrigerators.
The LG LRFLC2706S and Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF are both counter-depth 36" French-door refrigerators, but are worth considering for different reasons. The LG is the one you want if storage capacity is your main concern. Its Counter-Depth MAX design results in a lot more interior room within both the fridge and freezer, without any significant concessions to its exterior footprint. If you think you'll be making ice frequently, the LG is also the better option, with an in-freezer system that presents fewer failure points, all the while having a larger tray and a faster production rate. However, the Frigidaire is the better performer, with a dual-evaporator design that keeps produce fresher for longer. Parts supply is also generally more consistent for the Frigidaire, though both brands have authorized service networks with similar reach.
Unsurprisingly, given the gulf in price between units, the Bosch 800 Series B36CT80SNS is a better counter-depth 36-inch French-door unit than the Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF. The Bosch's dual-compressor cooling system results in slightly better temperature consistency, and produce will last even longer than it would in the Frigidaire, especially if it's left outside the crisper drawers. Beyond that, the Bosch also has slightly more room in its fridge and freezer cabinets. The Bosch's ice maker is installed in the freezer and its water dispenser in the fridge, drastically reducing potential failure points compared to the Frigidaire's in-fridge ice maker and through-door dispenser. The Bosch runs quieter too.
The Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF and Samsung Bespoke RF24BB6600QL are both counter-depth 36-inch French-door units with different strengths. Even discounting the Frigidaire's climate-controlled drawer, it offers more freezer space than the Samsung. It also pulls ahead in terms of temperature consistency performance in both its fridge and freezer cabinets. Frigidaire's network of authorized service providers has a longer reach than that of Samsung, and spare part availability for the GRMC2273CF is notably more consistent than it is for the RF24BB6600QL. With that being said, the Samsung has more fridge space, partially as a result of its in-door Beverage Center freeing up space within the fridge cabinet. The Samsung also features twin ice makers in the freezer, a less failure-prone installation location for those systems.
Test Results
The Frigidaire GRMC2273CF's refrigeration capacity is okay overall. As you can expect for a counter-depth unit, the fridge cabinet is shallow, which can make it challenging to fit items like larger casserole dishes. The ice maker also takes up quite a bit of room along the top half of the compartment. On the upside, compared to the similarly-sized Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ, the Frigidaire's asymmetric split shelving does make it a little easier to fit taller items like bottles by setting a shelf to a higher setting, or simply removing one in its entirety. However, do note that there aren't actually that many alternative positions for the shelves.
The door bins are somewhat versatile. While they aren't especially tall, which can be troublesome while stowing away tall and unstable bottles, the middle bin on the left door has an expandable design, freeing up space for drink cans and other small items.
The GRMC2273CF's climate-controlled Custom-Flex Temp Drawer has the following temperature presets for different foodstuffs, which you can select using the digital control panel:
- Meat/Seafood (28 °F)
- Cold Drinks (32 °F)
- Deli/Snacks (37 °F)
- Chilled Wine (45 °F).
Due to the temperature-controlled design, this space can be used to either supplement fridge or freezer space, but for the purposes of this review, we've added it to the usable refrigeration volume.
The Frigidaire GRMC2273CF's freezer cabinet has an alright overall capacity. The freezer cabinet is shallow, a natural and expected compromise for a counter-depth unit; the only real exception to that rule among the counter-depth units we've tested is the LG LRFLC2706S. That model features a cutout near the rear of the cabinet to carve out more space.
The Frigidaire's climate-controlled drawer just above does cut down on freezer space if you're using the latter as additional fridge space too.
As befits a refrigerator in this price range, the Frigidaire GRMC2273CF features a reasonably sophisticated cooling system that includes an inverter-controlled compressor and separate evaporators for the fridge and freezer.
Dual evaporators are beneficial when it comes to keeping produce fresh. They're meant to regulate humidity levels in each section of a refrigerator separately, with high humidity in the fridge cabinet to prolong produce crispness and low humidity in the freezer to minimize frost. As an added benefit over single-evaporator units that share cold air from cabinet to cabinet, there's no odor transfer from fridge to freezer. The flip side of this design arrangement is added complexity, with more points of failure in the refrigerator's sealed system than in a single-evaporator alternative.
This Frigidaire's inverter compressor can modulate its speed to match the desired load, rather than cycling on and off to maintain a set temperature like a fixed-speed compressor would. This generally makes them more energy-efficient, and they can be consistent when it comes to regulating temperature in both the fridge and freezer cabinets. That said, the inverter control boards introduce an expensive potential failure point.
The Frigidaire GRMC2273CF has a twist-tray style ice maker installed within the fridge. These systems work in a fairly simple fashion: water freezes inside a plastic mold, which a motor twists to deform the mold and pop the ice out into a tray. However, this plastic mold can become brittle due to regular thermal cycling and mechanical stress, and may eventually crack.
The system's placement within the fridge cabinet also isn't especially desirable from a long-term reliability perspective, as in-fridge ice makers require additional insulation to keep temperatures below freezing, which can degrade over time.
On that note, you should dump any ice from the in-door bucket if you lose power, shut off the fridge, or expect the unit to be powered off for a while, as ice can melt and leak out of the dispenser.
There's a water and ice dispenser in the fridge door, along with an ice crushing function. Pressing the button with your glass turns on the integrated light to help you see how full your glass is in the dark.
Generally speaking, due to the additional water lines and added complexity that come with through-door assemblies, these designs tend to have more potential failure points than in-fridge water lines and in-freezer ice trays.
Part availability for this fridge is exceptional. Both commonly-replaced parts and components vital to the function of the fridge are consistently available from several major US parts suppliers. If something does go wrong with this fridge, it's unlikely that you'll be stuck waiting for a part on backorder.
Frigidaire's network of authorized service providers in the USA is highly robust, and aside from slightly thinner coverage in a small number of more rural states, you shouldn't have much difficulty getting in touch with a technician to perform an in-warranty repair.
Overall temperature uniformity within the fridge is great. Temperatures are very consistent from the top to the bottom of the fridge cabinet, so unpacking your groceries doesn't have to be too complicated. That said, the door bins, especially the middle and upper bins, are a few degrees warmer than the rest of the cabinet, so you should really only use them for chilling unopened drinks or less perishable items.
Temperatures within the Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF's freezer compartment are exceptionally consistent. There's effectively no noticeable difference in temperature between the top shelf and bottom bins, so feel free to place items wherever it's convenient.
The Frigidaire Gallery GRMC2273CF does a great job of keeping fresh produce crisp. The CrispSeal drawers actually live up to their name, locking in moisture from produce with a high water content, so foodstuffs like broccoli or celery will last for well over a week without wilting. It is worth noting that the fridge compartment is somewhat dry, which is unusual for a dual-evaporator unit. If you buy a lot of fresh produce and frequently run out of space in your crisper drawers, it might be worth looking at an alternative that can maintain a high level of humidity outside the crisper drawers, too, like the Samsung Bespoke RF24BB6600QL.
The ice maker's production rate is only alright. In a pinch, it'll only really produce enough ice for a smaller four- or five-person dinner. If you're expecting company, it's best to get the ice maker running a few days in advance and fill a larger container.
The ice maker's max capacity is satisfactory. The tray is only really capable of holding a little less than 48 hours worth of ice, so you'll likely need to store ice in either a larger container or simply buy a bag of ice or two for larger events where you'd expect to serve a lot of iced drinks.
During normal operation, compressor noise is decently quiet. It certainly won't wake you up as you're sleeping, but its background hum can be marginally more distracting than that of some other alternatives, especially if your kitchen is relatively close to an otherwise quiet area, like a bedroom or office.