Meta description: Looking to upgrade your fridge? We review the top 5 best refrigerators of 2023 based on features, design, value and more. Find the perfect fridge for your home and budget.
Introduction
A refrigerator is one of the most important appliances in any home. It allows you to store fresh food and leftovers safely for days or even weeks. With so many options on the market, it can be tricky to determine which fridge is right for your needs and budget.
In this guide, we’ve researched and reviewed the top refrigerators for 2023. We focused on critical features like capacity, configuration, temperature control, energy efficiency, smart connectivity and more. We also considered design, value, reliability and real owner reviews.
Whether you need a budget-friendly top freezer, a stylish French door model or a high-tech smart refrigerator, you’ll find the best options in this guide. Keep reading to learn which refrigerators are the cream of the crop and determine which one is best suited for your home and lifestyle.
The 5 Best Refrigerators
1. Samsung Family Hub French Door Refrigerator
The Samsung Family Hub is our top overall pick for best refrigerator thanks to its gorgeous modern design, spacious 25 cubic foot capacity and high-tech smart features.
This fridge has a sleek, minimalist look with a vertical flat handle. The fingerprint resistant finish ensures it will stay looking pristine. It comes in black stainless, regular stainless or white.
Inside you’ll find a full-width bottom drawer big enough for party platters, sheet cakes and bulk grocery items. The customizable FlexZone provides temperature control for different foods. The full-width pantry drawer fits larger items.
Where this fridge really shines is with Samsung’s exclusive Family Hub technology. The 21.5” touchscreen on the fridge door can sync with phones, play music, look up recipes and even display photos. You can use your voice or the app to see inside without opening the door, so no more guessing if you need milk.
Shoppers praise the Samsung Family Hub’s spaciousness, futuristic features and innovative design. It carries a solid reputation for reliability too. The only downsides are the premium price and potential for bugs with the app. Overall, it’s a cutting edge fridge for those wanting the latest smart technology and style.
- Capacity: 25 cu ft
- Configuration: French door
- Finish: Fingerprint resistant stainless, black stainless or white
- Smart Features: Family Hub touchscreen, app connectivity, internal cameras
- Energy rating: ENERGY STAR certified
2. GE Profile Side-by-Side Refrigerator
For those wanting a timeless and functional side-by-side fridge, the GE Profile PSS28KSHSS is a top choice. With over 1,500 5-star reviews, real owners love this fridge.
The GE Profile has sleek externally mounted handles and minimalist styling. The satin textured finish resists fingerprints and smudges to stay looking sharp. Choose from satin steel or satin slate.
This is an excellent fridge for families thanks to the 28 cubic feet total capacity. The full-width pantry provides additional storage. Features like adjustable slide-out, spillproof shelves and a door alarm add convenience.
The advanced temperature management system along with extensive air and water filtration preserves food freshness. It’s also ENERGY STAR certified for efficiency.
Reviewers praise the ample storage, attractive style, solid performance and quiet operation. Some have reported issues with learning the temperature controls initially. GE is known for reliability, and this fridge is backed by a great warranty. Overall, it’s a superb side-by-side refrigerator with timeless appeal.
- Capacity: 28 cu ft
- Configuration: Side-by-side
- Finish: Satin steel or satin slate
- Smart Features: Adjustable interior lighting, door alarm
- Energy rating: ENERGY STAR certified
3. LG InstaView Door-in-Door Refrigerator
LG’s InstaView refrigerators are coveted for their futuristic Door-in-Door design and sleek graphite steel finish. The LG LSXS26366S is a standout French door model with a 26 cu ft capacity.
This LG InstaView has seamless minimalist styling thanks to the sophisticated graphite steel finish and streamlined door design. Knock twice to illuminate the interior without fully opening the door.
The Door-in-Door compartment provides quick access to commonly used items without letting cold air escape. CustomChill drawers allow you to optimize temperatures. The Slim SpacePlus ice system increases storage.
Advanced filtration helps remove odors and keep food tasting fresh. Wi-Fi connectivity and the LG ThinQ app allow remote monitoring and diagnosis. Owners love having access to features without opening the doors.
This fridge performs very well according to most reviews. Some have mentioned occasional app connectivity issues. The 10-year warranty provides excellent coverage for parts and labor. For a high-end French door refrigerator with sleek modern style, the LG InstaView is a top choice.
- Capacity: 26 cu ft
- Configuration: French door with Door-in-Door
- Finish: Graphite steel
- Smart Features: InstaView knock to see inside, Wi-Fi/app connectivity
- Energy rating: ENERGY STAR certified
4. Fridgidair Gallery Counter Depth Refrigerator
Finding a high-end refrigerator that fits flush in your kitchen can be tricky. The Fridgidair Gallery FGHC2331TD nails the right balance of sleek built-in style and ample 23 cu ft capacity.
With a counter depth design, this fridge doesn’t stick out from surrounding cabinetry. The smooth minimalist look is enhanced by the smudge-proof stainless finish and contoured doors. Choose from stainless or black stainless.
Inside you’ll find features like a pizza pocket, adjustable slide-out shelving, can storage and a full-width deli drawer. The external ice and water dispenser provides easy access without opening doors.
Advanced filtration removes odors and impurities from water and air for fresher tasting food. Climate control drawers allow you to choose different temperatures for meats, snacks, etc.
According to reviews, this counter depth Fridgidair refrigerator performs very well. It runs quietly and efficiently. Shorter depth fridges often compromise storage, but this provides ample room. It’s a perfect built-in style refrigerator for small kitchens.
- Capacity: 23 cu ft
- Configuration: French door, counter depth
- Finish: Stainless or black stainless
- Smart Features: Filter change indicator
- Energy rating: ENERGY STAR certified
5. Whirlpool Top Freezer Refrigerator
If you’re looking for an affordable yet high-quality refrigerator, the Whirlpool WRT318FZDW is the best top freezer refrigerator around. It provides ample space and handy features without the premium price tag.
This refrigerator has a high-gloss white finish that resists smudging and matches any decor. Streamlined built-in style handles are another nice touch. The fingerprint resistant finish keeps it looking clean.
Inside you’ll find intuitive features like tilt-out freezer bins, slide-out spill safe shelves and adaptive defrost to reduce freezer burn. The temperature controlled pantry drawer is ideal for deli meats and snacks.
Most reviews praise the Whirlpool’s excellent performance, quiet operation, attractive style and value. The adaptive defrost helps keep items frozen solid. Some owners wish the freezer were larger. But overall, it’s a stellar budget-friendly refrigerator.
- Capacity: 19 cu ft
- Configuration: Top freezer
- Finish: White with silver handles
- Smart Features: Adaptive defrost, LED interior lighting
- Energy rating: ENERGY STAR certified
How We Chose the Best Refrigerators
Selecting the best refrigerators involves more than just comparing specs and features. We dug into what real owners love (and don’t!) about their fridges after years of use. Here are the factors we considered:
Capacity – We looked for refrigerators offering ample cubic feet of space for most households, roughly in the 19 to 30 cubic foot range. For large families or those who love to cook, we included options with 25+ cu ft capacity.
Configuration – We included top options for all configurations – French door, side-by-side, counter depth and top freezer. This provides choices for all kitchen layouts and preferences.
Storage design – Beyond just volume, we favored models with storage features like adjustable shelving, expandable drawers, door bins and full-width pantry drawers. Easy access and less wasted space are key.
Finish – Modern refrigerators come in stainless steel, black stainless, satin/matte finishes and more. Fingerprint and smudge resistance help them stay looking clean longer.
Temperature management – Precise temperature control helps keep foods properly chilled and frozen. Look for climate controlled zones, air filters and frost reducing features.
Efficiency – All of our top picks are ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators to help reduce energy costs and environmental impact.
Noise level – A quiet fridge is a must for most kitchens. We checked reviews for models known to operate at whisper quiet levels.
Smart features – Options like internal cameras, app connectivity and voice control take refrigerators to the next level. But smart features should enhance convenience, not just add cost.
Value – Along with premium smart fridges, we included an affordable top freezer pick. All provide excellent use and reliability for the price.
Warranty – A longer warranty indicates a manufacturer’s faith in the product. Our picks have warranties of 10 years or longer for ultimate peace of mind.
Using this rigorous selection process, we curated this list of the 5 best refrigerators representing different configurations, features and budgets. Any of these options makes an excellent choice for keeping food fresh and providing convenience for years to come.
In-Depth Review of the 5 Best Refrigerators
Now let’s take a more detailed look at each of the 5 best refrigerators for 2023. We’ll cover refrigerator capacity, storage design, key features, performance and real owner feedback. This breakdown makes it easy to determine which refrigerator is the ideal fit for your kitchen.
#1 Samsung Family Hub French Door Refrigerator
Capacity and configuration – This ultra modern refrigerator has an impressive 25 cubic feet total capacity. The spacious French door layout includes full-width bottom freezer drawer with auto pull-out design.
Storage design – FlexZone provides customizable temperature control to optimize storage for different foods. Adjustable shelves, Beverage Center and full-width pantry drawer maximize space.
Features – This Samsung refrigerator truly stands out for its integrated Family Hub. The 21.5” touchscreen on the door allows you to view inside via 3 cameras. It can share reminders, stream music, look up recipes and much more. Bixby voice control makes managing your fridge hands-free.
Performance – Owners praise the Samsung Family Hub’s ability to truly keep food fresh using multiple cooling zones. It runs very quietly with minimal vibration according to reviews.
Real owner feedback – “I love that I can look inside my fridge from anywhere and see what I need from the store. The touchscreen and app connectivity make this fridge incredibly convenient.” More challenging, “Learning all the high-tech features took some time but was worth it!”
#2 GE Profile Side-by-Side Refrigerator
Capacity and configuration – With 28 cubic feet capacity, this GE Profile side-by-side fridge provides abundant chilled and frozen storage. The left side is refrigerator while right side is freezer.
Storage design – Spillproof, adjustable slide-out shelves, door bins, ice maker and full-width pantry provide customized organization. The door alarm alerts you if the door is left open.
Features – Exterior digital temperature display, LED lighting and advanced temperature management including turbo cool feature make this fridge extremely user friendly.
Performance – This GE Profile refrigerator performs very quietly and maintains consistent internal temperatures, according to reviews. It does an excellent job keeping food properly chilled and frozen.
Real owner feedback – “This fridge has been rock solid for over 5 years. It’s so quiet I sometimes forget it’s on,” and “Plenty of storage space for a family of 5.” Less positive, “Took me a few weeks to figure out the temperature controls.”
#3 LG InstaView Door-in-Door Refrigerator
Capacity and configuration – With 26 cubic feet capacity, this French door LG InstaView provides 4 doors for easy access. Knock twice on the tinted glass to illuminate the interior.
Storage design– The Door-in-Door design allows for grabbing quick snacks and drinks without opening the whole fridge. CustomChill drawers optimize temp for produce, meats, and more.
Features – LG’s InstaView technology and sleek, fingerprint resistant graphite steel finish give this fridge next-level style. Wi-Fi connectivity allows monitoring and troubleshooting from your phone.
Performance – Reviewers praise this LG refrigerator’s ability to maintain precise temperatures in separate zones. Food stays fresher longer. It runs very quietly as well.
Real owner feedback – “We love the InstaView feature and being able to see inside without letting the cold air out,” also “This fridge looks like it belongs in a luxury home.” Less ideal, “The app can be finicky at times.”
#4 Fridgidair Gallery Counter Depth Refrigerator
Capacity and configuration – With 23 cubic feet total space, this counter depth Fridgidair Gallery model maximizes storage despite a built-in footprint. The 4-door French door design provides easy access.
Storage design – In addition to full-width drawers and adjustable shelves, this fridge has Gallon Door Bins, dairy compartment and pizza pocket for optimized organization.
Features – Exterior ice and water dispenser, climate control drawers, air filter and fingerprint resistant finish provide convenience and style.
Performance – Quiet operation and excellent temperature regulation are consistent positives in reviews. Food stays fresh for longer compared to older fridges owners previously owned.
Real owner feedback – “This counter depth Fridgidair was the only one we found that didn’t compromise on storage,” also “Runs very quietly. We never hear it.” Less positive, “The ice maker had issues early on but customer service promptly fixed it.”
#5 Whirlpool Top Freezer Refrigerator
Capacity and configuration – With 19 cubic feet capacity, this affordable Whirlpool top freezer has ample space for most households. The top section is the freezer while the bottom is the fresh food compartment.
Storage design – This fridge provides 2 full-width shelves, 2 large door bins, a dairy compartment and 3 freezer wire shelves for flexible storage options.
Features – The adaptive defrost mode reduces freezer burn by running on demand. The temperature controlled pantry drawer keeps meats and snacks chilled. Fingerprint resistant finish simplifies cleaning.
Performance – Owners say this fridge runs very quietly while cooling foods down quickly. The adaptive defrost and humidity controls prevent freezer burn on items for longer storage.
Real owner feedback – “This fridge performed flawlessly for years in my condo,” also “Adaptive defrost really does help prevent ice crystals and freezer burn.” Less ideal, “I wish the freezer was a bit bigger, but otherwise a great value.”
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Refrigerator for Your Home
Choosing a long-lasting refrigerator for your home is an important decision. Here are the top factors to consider as you shop:
Refrigerator style
The first decision is the overall configuration or layout:
- French door – This popular style has double doors up top that open to reveal the refrigerator compartment, along with a full-width freezer drawer below. Provides easy access.
- Side-by-side – Freezer compartment is on the right while refrigerator is on the left. Streamlined appearance, but can be harder to fit wider items.
- Counter depth – Built-in style that sits nearly flush with surrounding cabinetry. Great for small kitchens but compromise storage space.
- Top freezer – Freezer is on top while refrigerator is on bottom. Most affordable but can require bending down frequently.
Measure your kitchen space carefully to ensure the refrigerator style and dimensions you choose will fit.
Size and capacity
Consider how much chilled and frozen storage your household needs before deciding on capacity. Size is measured in cubic feet. In general:
- 17-21 cu ft – Good for singles, couples or small families
- 22-26 cu ft – Ideal for average 3-4 person family
- 27-30+ cu ft – Best for large families or avid cooks/entertainers
It’s better to size up if you’re between fridge sizes. You don’t want to outgrow your refrigerator space.
Finishes and colors
Stainless steel refrigerators are trendy now, but also consider:
- Black stainless – Hide fingerprints and smudges better
- White – Matches any decor and feels clean
- Classic colors – Options like red, blue, pink, etc can add retro flair
- Custom panel – For a built-in look, add cabinet facing
Look for fingerprint resistant finishes for easier cleaning.
Storage design
Look for interior storage design that maximizes usable space:
- Adjustable shelves and drawers
- Full-width baskets and pantry drawers
- Specialty compartments (pizza, snack, beverages, etc)
- Flexible door bins for large items
Easy organizing features help cut down on waste.
Advanced features
Modern refrigerators offer high-tech options if you choose:
- App and voice control – Manage temperature, peek inside, get notifications, etc.
- Internal cameras – See what’s needed at the grocery store
- Air filters – Remove odors and impurities
- Interior lighting – Find items quickly even in back
But don’t pay for smart features you won’t fully utilize. Key functions like temperature regulation are most important.
Budget
Refrigerator prices can range from $700 on the very low end to $4000+ for ultra high-end smart models. Consider what you can afford, but don’t sacrifice