The Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ is a 36-inch counter-depth four-door refrigerator. Mechanically speaking, it's a near-identical twin to the KitchenAid KRQC506MPS, with an inverter-controlled compressor and single evaporator. Its freezer section is partitioned, allowing you to organize groceries a little more easily. As a cheaper, more mass-market alternative to the KitchenAid, it foregoes the latter's fancy aesthetic touches, like the wood-vinyl-wrapped shelves and metal cooling plate at the back of the refrigerator cabinet.
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 Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ is decent for everyday use. It doesn't do the best job of keeping fresh produce crisp, so you may want to look elsewhere if you regularly buy food items like lettuce or celery. Storage capacity is also far from show-stopping, especially for a 36-inch unit, but the latter is par for the course for a counter-depth fridge. That being said, the fridge provides great overall temperature consistency in both the fridge and freezer, allowing you to place temperature-sensitive items wherever you please without them spoiling prematurely.
Impressive temperature uniformity inside fridge.
Temperature consistency in freezer is excellent.
Pull-out drawers allow you to efficiently organize and access frozen items.
Robust service network.
Strong availability of common and critical components.
Compressor noise is very low.
Limited storage flexibility inside fridge compartment.
Partitioned freezer compartments can make it difficult to fit large boxed items inside.
Produce bins don't seal well.
The Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ's produce preservation performance is mediocre. Its single-evaporator design and poorly sealed crisper drawers result in significant moisture loss for delicate produce, such as celery or lettuce. You can expect to begin seeing wilting in these types of foodstuffs within a week or so, even less if you keep these items outside the crisper drawer.
Robust service network.
Strong availability of common and critical components.
Compressor noise is very low.
Humidity level in fridge cabinet is low.
Produce bins don't seal well.
The Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ's refrigeration capacity is alright. It isn't the most flexible space, with no split shelving and only a single, full-width, movable shelf. As a counter-depth unit, the space itself is also quite shallow. On the upside, the door bins are reasonably spacious, and there's no in-door ice maker to take up valuable real estate.
Fairly large door bins.
Robust service network.
Strong availability of common and critical components.
Compressor noise is very low.
Limited storage flexibility inside fridge compartment.
The Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ has good freezer capacity. The space is partitioned and comprises mainly pull-out drawers, making it a hassle to fit really wide items, such as boxed family-sized meals. However, the lower bins in either section are big enough to fit something like a Thanksgiving turkey.
Pull-out drawers allow you to efficiently organize and access frozen items.
Robust service network.
Strong availability of common and critical components.
Compressor noise is very low.
Partitioned freezer compartments can make it difficult to fit large boxed items inside.
The Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ's temperature uniformity is excellent. Cool air is evenly distributed across every shelf in the fridge, with even the warmest door bins being a couple of degrees warmer than the main cabinet. The same applies to the freezer, allowing you to store items like ice cream in any area of these cabinets without it freezing to a rock-hard consistency in one spot or becoming overly soft if left in another.
Impressive temperature uniformity inside fridge.
Temperature consistency in freezer is excellent.
Robust service network.
Strong availability of common and critical components.
Compressor noise is very low.
The Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ provides satisfactory ice-making performance. The twist-tray style ice maker can provide enough ice in a 24-hour period for slinging drinks at a family dinner, but the freezer's small ice tray means that you'll likely need to purchase a bag of ice or two for larger get-togethers.
Ice making rate and ice tray capacity are well-suited for smaller gatherings.
Robust service network.
Strong availability of common and critical components.
Compressor noise is very low.
Will struggle to produce enough ice for larger gatherings.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Jan 19, 2026:
We've updated the text in this review to reflect new tests added with version 1.1 of our test bench.
- Updated Jan 19, 2026: Version 1.1 of our refrigerator test bench provides new information regarding authorized service provider coverage for different manufacturers, the availability of replacement parts, and operating noise. For a more detailed breakdown of the changes made, see our full changelog.
- Updated Oct 24, 2025: Review published.
- Updated Oct 20, 2025: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This fridge is only available in a single color variant: Stainless Steel. For those interested, here's the product label.
If you come across another variant of this refrigerator, let us know in the comments so that we can update our review.
Popular Refrigerator Comparisons
The Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ is a mid-range counter-depth four-door fridge. It's a mechanical cousin to the pricier KitchenAid KRQC506MPS and performs in a near-identical fashion overall. There's good and bad in that statement, with this unit providing excellent temperature uniformity and an interior that makes it easy to organize your groceries. That said, traditional French door models like the LG LRFLC2706S will be better able to accommodate larger items in the freezer, since the space in the latter isn't sectioned apart. The Whirlpool's produce preservation performance also lags behind units with dual evaporators like the Samsung Bespoke RF30BB6200QL, which promotes a more humid environment inside the fridge.
If you're shopping for alternatives, see our recommendations for the best counter-depth refrigerators, the best French door refrigerators, and the best refrigerators.
The Samsung Bespoke RM80F23VMR outperforms the Whirlpool WRQA59CNKZ in most ways. Both are 4-door counter-depth refrigerators, but the Samsung provides a little more room in all of its cabinets and offers superior produce preservation performance. Unlike the Whirlpool, it also features a removable auto-filling water pitcher and a water dispenser.
Test Results
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