You can expect to pay, on average, about $1,000 on a basic, new refrigerator in 2024. Higher end models are reaching prices of $12,000 to $15,000! Needless to say, there is a huge range of refrigerators on the market. Here are four things to consider when shopping for the fridge that’s right for you!
1. Counter-Depth vs Standard Depth
When replacing your fridge, be sure to measure its current depth and keep those dimensions in mind when shopping for a replacement! You don’t want to be surprised by the wrong size fridge arriving at your doorstep.
Counter-depth refrigerators are typically less than 30 inches deep and sized to meet the front edge of kitchen counters and cabinets. This smaller footprint increases the walkway space and provides a more integrated look. The shallow depth also provides better accessibility, making items easier to reach and organize. However, these refrigerators offer less storage capacity, which can be a major dealbreaker for party host-ers and big families.
Standard depth refrigerators offer much more storage (think sheet cakes and Thanksgiving leftovers) but have their own drawbacks. Standard depth can be anywhere from 31 to 36 inches, which will reach out past the countertop edge. In the wrong kitchen layout, a standard depth fridge can stick out like a sore thumb. But with the right conditions, you won’t regret having that extra storage!
2. Fridge Types
There are four main types of refrigerators: french door, side-by-side, bottom freezer, and top-freezer. These terms refer to the arrangement of doors and drawers. The four different types can offer varying degrees of energy efficiency (side-by-sides are generally the least efficient) but determining which type is right for you will more likely depend on your kitchen layout.
French door and side-by-side refrigerators are the most popular for their ease of use, especially in small kitchens with little space in front of the appliance. The low profile doors won’t block your walkway when they’re open. However, the modifications for two doors can make you lose out on some storage space.
Top and bottom freezer style fridges are generally cheaper and provide a lot of unhindered storage space inside the appliance. The storage is much more accessible since the doors open up and out of the way, without any shelves or hinges blocking your reach. However, the doors are cumbersome and tend to block off most walkways.
3. More Features = More Problems
Most every mainstream refrigerator on the market today has some sort of “smart” integration like WiFi connectivity or even inventory capabilities. But from a maintenance perspective, “smarter” is not always better. In general, the more electronics inside, the more there is to break. Maintenance is crazy on these new refrigerators. When something mechanical breaks, it is pretty easy to track down the right part to repair or replace. But when everything is controlled electronically, not even YouTube can show you how to fix it.
Smart fridges cost more money up front and will cost you more money to maintain and repair in the long run. You’ll have to decide if those, admittedly, really amazing features are worth the extra trouble. And if so, look for a manufacturer with a killer warranty (check those fine print terms!) and do your research to see what other consumers have to say about it.
4. Downsides of the Door Dispenser
Having a door dispenser is super convenient and I never imagined owning a fridge without one, to be honest! Then I discovered the world of bacteria and mold issues that door dispensers can have. It makes sense, right? Moist, dark spaces and crevices exposed to the warm air around the outside of a refrigerator is a recipe for mold growth. They are extremely hard to clean, if you remember to clean them at all!
While there are methods of maintaining and cleaning your door dispensers, I would highly recommend switching to an in-fridge water dispenser and a bottom freezer ice container. The water dispenser stays chilled, therefore slowing bacteria and mold growth. And bottom freezer ice makers are famous for their lack of issues (i.e. jamming, freezing, leaking, etc.), mainly because the ice maker isn’t fighting to stay frozen inside the above-freezing temps of the fridge.
Hopefully these considerations have given you some food for thought on your refrigerator shopping journey! It’s a huge investment, and one that deserves some reflection on what’s right for you and your household.
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