Should i buy a fridge

Dishwashers are all the same width. Washers and dryers come in just two widths. Fridges are all over the place. All the fridge styles listed above come in multiple widths.

So once again: measure, measure, measure. Column : Columns are a relatively new player in the fridge scene, and they've been trending this year as people have more time at home to focus on kitchen renovations. They can be built into a wall or your surrounding cabinets, allowing you to customize your kitchen layout exactly how you want it.

Columns also have the advantage of versatile interiors. For instance, they can be great for storing wine , allowing for precise temperature and humidity control. Counter depth : Each of these is also available in counter depth, which is shallower than a standard fridge. The upside? You get a fridge that fits the space, with a more built-in look.

The downside? You pay more and get less storage. While the footprint of the fridge i. In-door ice dispensers, for example, are convenient, but they do take up room that might otherwise hold more groceries. Some fridges also have flex-shelves and customizable shelves.

Be sure to consider how you can customize the shelves. You never know when you'll have to fit a sheet cake, a deli platter, and four bottles of wine. Stainless : The clean, metallic look of a stainless steel refrigerator is timeless. Black stainless steel : The up-and-coming finish, each brand has its own take on it, making it hard to mix brands.

Black stainless resists fingerprints, making it easier to maintain. Although magnets will stick to most black stainless finishes, they can scratch easily, so think twice about using them.

Plain black or white : Select one of these classic finishes if you need to match the rest of your appliances. A fridge in black or white usually costs less than one in stainless or black stainless steel. Other colors : Bisque and almond continue to survive on the fringes, but have no real popularity. There are also bold color choices from the design-centric company Smeg.

Four doors, five doors, doors inside of doors! There are lots of cool options. Just be prepared to pay. Nowadays, you can pick from fridges with craft ice makers , smart features , door-in-door designs , air filters to keep produce fresh , and more. Below are some helpful features worth considering when selecting your new fridge. Flex drawers : These temperature-controlled drawers are a popular new feature found on French-doors.

You can use flex drawers to keep items at a set temperature that is either too warm or too cold to apply to your whole fridge. Dual evaporators : While standard fridges use a single evaporator that cools both the freezer and refrigerator, dual evaporators use separate evaporators for each.

This feature can help maintain better air quality throughout your fridge, which may help your fresh veggies last longer and help keep your fridge odor-free.

Air filters : As many fruits ripen, they release ethylene gas, which cause other fruits and vegetables to rot prematurely—that's why many fridges feature crisper drawers to separate your fruits and veggies and keep produce fresher for longer. Newer Bosch fridges, for instance, are aiming to solve this problem by integrating an ethylene gas filter into their fridges.

Smart home platforms : Many brands have outfitted their fridges with smart home platforms , each with a unique focus and suite of features. LG, for example, is focused on data analytics. It collects your usage data and uses that to help you get even more out of the devices you own. Samsung is about home-wide interconnectedness, outfitting their fridges with a touchscreen you can use to check on your smart doorbell's video feed, order new groceries based on an automated inventory, or suggest recipes based on what you actually have in stock.

You may also want a to open the fridge and freezer up and see how easy they are to use. Common options include:. Quality of life smart features can be a major advantage when using a fridge. Look for things like the ability to monitor the inside temperatures and control them with an app, advanced temperature sensors in each section of the fridge, or doors that will automatically seal or sound alarms when left ajar.

Many fridges also let you connect to them via Wi-Fi to get alerts about replacing filters or running diagnostics. Quick-chilling sections are also a nice bonus. Fancier features can be found on a smart fridge. Voice assistant compatibility, fridge cams to see what ingredients you have left , and incorporated touchscreens for smart shopping are all innovative ideas, but have less everyday value.

We highly recommend adding an installation package to your purchase for a small fee, which includes delivery, attachment, and carting away your old fridge, saving you a lot of trouble. Installers should be able to take care of the rest: Removing fridge door handles or even entryway doors during installation is common.

Otherwise, shop in mid-spring and late summer. Memorial Day and Labor Day are both great times to look for deals. Black Friday also has discounts, but competition over limited inventory can be fierce. Galaxy Buds 2 Best Movies on Netflix. When is it time to replace a refrigerator? What are the best fridge brands? How can you make sure a new refrigerator will fit?

How much does a new fridge cost? Should you buy a fridge online? We also note the height and depth of each tested model. To help you find the best refrigerators outside the standard dimensions, we have guides to the best counter-depth refrigerators , inch-wide refrigerators , and inch-wide refrigerators.

As for capacity, most manufacturers recommend 19 to 22 cubic feet for a family of four. But if you do a big weekly shopping trip or buy in bulk, you may need more—up to 30 to 33 cubic feet. Note: Our tests have found that the amount of usable storage is often less than the amount claimed. Check our refrigerator ratings for the actual capacity of each model. And to see the biggest and best fridges from our ratings, see this guide to the best refrigerators for big families.

Energy efficiency has become a big selling point with consumers. But efficiency varies by model e. We give all the refrigerators we test a score for energy efficiency and list their estimated annual energy cost.

You can check our refrigerator ratings for details. Refrigerators at all prices are increasingly tricked out with options to make your life easier and more organized. French-door models are usually the most loaded. The features below are the ones we think will add the most convenience to your refrigerator. For more, check our refrigerator ratings.

This is one of the features most requested by buyers. Caveat: We found that models with this convenience also require the most repairs. Energy costs are higher, too, and you trade ice water for storage space. Without opening the entire door, you can grab frequently used beverages and condiments. That will save on energy costs in the long run.

Dual evaporators help maintain higher humidity levels in the refrigerated areas and prevent freezer odors from migrating there. Air purifiers eliminate bacteria and mold spores, while vacuum-sealed crisper drawers are meant to keep food fresher longer.

You decide how cold your fridge is in certain areas. For example, set a drawer to be cooler than the rest of the fridge to better store meat, fish, and cold cuts.

You can rearrange split shelves to different heights independently, and adjust doors to fit taller items. However, if your door has deep storage bins meant for eggs, milk, or butter, be aware that these items are better off on internal shelves, where cooler temperatures keep them fresher longer.

Elevator shelves crank up and down without needing to be unloaded. Shelf snuggers attach to racks to secure bottles and jars.

Pullout shelves or bins make access to stored items easier. We find that refrigerator prices tend to dip in the summer and hit their lowest point around Black Friday. Because of an ongoing appliance shortage, many models are out of stock or back-ordered for anywhere from a few weeks to more than three months. According to data from market research firm Gap Intelligence, French-doors are the most available type and side-by-sides are more difficult to come by.

For more on the appliance shortage, see our guides to shopping for appliances during the shortage and getting a deal during the shortage. We also recommend that you comparison shop. You can get a higher-end model for a lot less than the retail price. The best places to look for used fridges are used-appliance stores and, believe it or not, appliance repair shops.

Both types of stores will usually give you a warranty, too. For more on purchasing used appliances, see our used-appliances guide. We respect your privacy.