Best Refrigerators 2024 - Forbes Vetted

Some things are worth investing in, especially essential home appliances you use every day—like, for example, a refrigerator. If your current model is old and inefficient or simply too small for your household, our experienced team of home and kitchen editors assembled this roundup of the best refrigerators of 2024. Topping our curated list is the Maytag French Door Refrigerator, which impressed our tester with its temperature- and humidity-controlled zones, quiet operation and generous storage.

Our top pick, the Maytag 25 Cu. Ft. refrigerator, offers impressive features like the ... [+] temperature-controlled Wide-N-Fresh Deli Drawer, which is oversized to accommodate large party platters and deli trays.

In fact, we were so impressed with the Maytag that it earned a spot on the Forbes Vetted Best Product Awards. However, we handpicked several more worth considering. From traditional top-freezer styles to side-by-side models, you can browse this article for popular models designed by today’s most reliable home brands including GE, LG, Samsung, Bosch and Maytag. We kept a variety of kitchen sizes and layouts in mind—as well as preferences like smart capabilities and advanced features—so you can find the best refrigerator for your home.

Lowe's

Dimensions: 32.9 x 35.6 x 70.1 inches | Fridge capacity: 18 cubic feet | Freezer capacity: 6.7 cubic feet | Energy Star certified: Yes | Warranty: 10-year limited on compressor

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Maytag built this 25-cubic feet refrigerator to cover all the most important bases when it comes to a good fridge. It’s available in black or white, but given how messy a kitchen can get, we greatly appreciate the fingerprint-resistant stainless steel construction. And the ice and water dispenser only adds $100 to the price, making it a great value.

Inside, this model has bright, energy-efficient LED lighting and a variety of temperature- and humidity-controlled zones. One of the most interesting features is the fridge’s temperature-controlled Wide-N-Fresh Deli Drawer, which is oversized to accommodate large party platters and deli trays. Additionally, you can enable the fridge’s PowerCold quick-chill setting when you bring groceries home to quickly get them down to a cooler temperature.

What our testers say: Group product manager Matt Flood, who tested the Maytag French Door fridge for the Forbes Vetted Best Product Awards, highlighted its energy efficiency, quietness, electronic controls and roominess. Of the last feature, he reports: “Generous storage; it includes a wire basket and a plastic basket to create plenty of space to organize frozen food. [It also has] two FreshLock crispers, three adjustable half-width shelves, three adjustable gallon door bins and more to provide ample space for storing items.”

The 2024 Forbes Vetted Best Product Awards are here: Explore our 150 top-recommended items across categories after extensive research and testing.

LG

Dimensions: 30 x 33.8 x 66 inches | Fridge capacity: 14.7 cubic feet | Freezer capacity: 5.5 cubic feet | Energy Star certified: Yes | Warranty: 1 year (internal parts), 5 years (sealed system parts)

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This top-freezer model from LG is ideal for anyone looking for an affordable, quality refrigerator for their first apartment, small kitchen or as a backup option for their garage or den. It costs well under $1,000 but still comes outfitted with features like digital temperature controls for quick access to your settings, two humidity-controlled crisper drawers to extend the lifespan of your produce and an energy-efficient design. The LG Top-Freezer Refrigerator comes in three finishes to match the look of other appliances in your kitchen, including a sleek stainless steel option. And while this fridge doesn’t come with an ice maker (which some reviewers actually prefer if it’s a secondary fridge), you can add one for an additional cost.

What the experts say: Fahad Javaid, general manager of operations at Zanduco, a Canadian kitchen equipment company, points out that “smaller, one-door models [...] such as the LG 20-Cubic Foot Top Freezer Refrigerator will likely be the quietest and best-priced models.”

Samsung

Dimensions: 35.9 x 34.3 x 73 inches | Fridge capacity: 17.4 cubic feet | Freezer capacity: 11.6 cubic feet | Energy Star certified: Yes | Warranty: 1-year (parts and labor), 5-year (parts and labor on sealed refrigeration system) 10-year parts and 5 years labor (Digital Inverter Compressor)

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All your fridge needs to do is to keep things cold, which means that getting an internet-connected refrigerator with internal cameras and a giant display on the door is an indulgence. But what an indulgence it is: Samsung’s Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator, new for 2024, is a joy to own, especially for a smart home fan.

The fridge’s defining characteristic is the AI Family Hub—a massive 32-inch screen that runs a library of Android apps like Google Calendar, YouTube, news briefing, weather, a photo gallery, whiteboard, yellow sticky-style notes and more (and it’s a significantly larger display than the one in last year’s model). This is also how you control your fridge and freezer preferences. Have a Ring doorbell and security cameras? You can talk to visitors at the front door and check the cameras from your fridge. You can also control Spotify, playing music through the fridge itself or any connected smart device in your house.

The other door hides a beverage center; open the outer door to get access to a beverage shelf, water dispenser and auto-refilling pitcher of chilled water, along with a passthrough to the fridge itself. There’s also an integrated ice maker in the freezer door down below, with two large trays of different sized ice and a handy scoop. The water pitcher means you can instantly fill your glass with cold water without waiting for the slower dispenser, and the ice is easy to scoop and never clumps together. Plus, the beverage center split door gives you easy access to drinks like milk and soda without opening the entire fridge.

What's more, the fridge is spacious, with 29 cu. ft. of fridge space by default. Thanks to Samsung’s so-called FlexZone, though, you can also dedicate one of the lower sections to cooling rather than freezing–ideal if you need more fridge space than freezer storage. There are three fixed glass shelves (one is a slidable, fold-in design for storing extra-tall items) and a pair of bins for produce and meats. Leaning into the high-tech aspect of this fridge is the auto-open option for both doors; if your arms are loaded down with groceries, just pass your hand under a door and it’ll open automatically, making it easy to put stuff away after a shopping trip. And because the Flex is equipped with Bixby voice recognition, you can even open the fridge hands-free with a simple voice command.

All in all, Samsung has put together an incredibly smart, convenient and flexible fridge. You can use the fridge on its own, but connecting the SmartThings app really makes this fridge shine. Just beware that this model is a little tall, so you want to make sure your kitchen can accommodate it.

What our testers say: There's a lot to love about this smart Samsung fridge, says executive editor Dave Johnson, who's been using it in his home over the last few months. "I adore this entire beverage center and ice maker," he says, adding that the auto-open option has also turned out to be extremely handy. His fiancé, meanwhile, was especially excited about the fridge's AI aspects when they started testing it. "The fridge keeps track of everything you store inside, and the Family Hub can suggest recipes tailored to what you have on hand," Johnson adds, though he notes the feature isn't quite as "convenient" was he would like. "There’s no way to directly view what’s on the fridge’s main shelves. Instead, as you add items to the fridge, a camera tries to identify them so you can see a text list of your fridge’s contents." And the fridge doesn't always get it right. That said, though, he thinks the fridge is every bit as good as its high price tag suggests it should be.

Wayfair

Dimensions: 35.8 x 35.9 x 69.9 inches | Fridge capacity: 18.8 cubic feet | Freezer capacity: 8.2 cubic feet | Energy Star certified: Yes | Warranty: 1-year limited

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French door refrigerators are a favorite in many homes because you get a spacious cool zone on top with wide shelves and large storage bins that create various organizational options. GE’s take on the format includes twin chill evaporators, which give you more control and accuracy over the climate within the fresh food and freezer sections. There are also humidity-controlled drawers to keep vegetables fresh, as well as spill-proof glass shelves that prevent liquids from leaking onto lower shelves.

You may also appreciate the fridge’s showcase LED lighting and interior ice maker integrated water filtration system. It comes in both counter depth and standard depth versions, as well as five colors, including black, slate and stainless steel.

Best Buy

Dimensions: 28.8 x 35.6 x 7 inches | Fridge capacity: 15 cubic feet | Freezer capacity: 6 cubic feet | Energy Star Certified: Yes | Warranty: 1-year limited

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Counter-depth refrigerators have a smaller footprint so they don’t stick out past your counters for a streamlined, almost built-in look. However, they tend to cost a little more while offering slightly less storage space. Still, for those who value the aesthetics and advanced features, the trade-off is worth it, especially for one of the most versatile and convenient models you can purchase: Bosch’s 800 Series Counter-Depth Refrigerator.

Among its many features, this stainless steel fridge has a flexible storage configuration that’s designed to maximize space, an internal water dispenser, a filter that absorbs food odors and the company’s VitaFreshPro system, which automatically balances temperature and humidity. And with the handy Home Connect app, you can remotely control your fridge’s temperature and lighting as well as run diagnostics, plus, it’ll tell you if someone left the fridge open.

What the experts say: Alan Howard of Just Ask Al, an online resource for appliance advice, backs Bosch 800 series models in our best refrigerator brands story. “They offer a dual compressor, a feature typically reserved for higher-end brands,” he explains. “This keeps the refrigerator and freezer cooling systems separate, allowing for more precise climate control and food items lasting longer. Food preservation is tops in this model.”

Best Buy

Dimensions: 31.9 x 32.9 x 67.8 inches | Fridge capacity: 15.4 cubic feet | Freezer capacity: 5.7 cubic feet | Energy Star certified: Yes | Warranty: 1 year (parts and labor)

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This Samsung Top-Freezer Refrigerator has two unique features that make it one of the best in this category. The first is a feature that’s fittingly named FlexZone, that allows the fridge compartment to convert freezer space into more fridge space. If you always find yourself needing an extra shelf of storage in your fridge, this clever feature is a game-changer. The other is twin cooling, which maintains high levels of humidity to keep your fruits and vegetables fresher longer while also operating a dry freezer to lower the chances of freezer burn on food.

Additionally, this fridge includes removable glass shelves, gallon door storage, humidity-controlled crispers and a slide-and-reach pantry for easy access to your favorite foods. The freezer itself features an automatic ice maker that can produce up to 3.7 pounds of ice a day. Plus, the interior is lit with high-efficiency LED lighting.

Best Buy

Dimensions: 33.4 x 32.6 x 70 inches | Fridge capacity: 15.6 cubic feet | Freezer capacity: 6.5 cubic feet | Energy Star Certified: Yes | Warranty: 1-year limited

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Bottom freezers have become a lot more popular in recent years, not only because they put your fresh food at eye level, but also because the slide-out drawer design is usually both larger and more efficient than top-freezer models. Case in point: The Whirlpool 33-Inch Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator, which features a generous 22 cubic feet of total storage along with a built-in ice maker.

The lined glass shelves are designed to contain spills and prevent leaks for quicker cleanup. It also includes bright LED lighting, humidity-controlled crispers and Whirlpool’s Accu-Chill Temperature Management System, which is designed adapt to the temperature of foods in the fridge; it only activates the compressor when necessary to keep things sufficiently cool while also saving energy.

What the experts say: Zanduco’s Javaid adds that this bottom-freezer fridge has “fewer features and frills, which can also contribute to [its] longevity, as there are fewer intricate parts that could potentially break or need replacing.”

Best Buy

Dimensions: 35.8 x 36.1 x 69.9 inches | Fridge capacity: 16.6 cubic feet | Freezer capacity: 9 cubic feet | Energy Star certified: Yes | Warranty: 1 year

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If you like the side-by-side option, consider this surprisingly affordable and abundantly spacious model from Frigidaire—which also happens to be our kitchen editors’ top pick in our roundup of the best side-by-side refrigerators. This roomy model doesn’t just feature almost 26 cubic feet of total interior space, it also offers extremely versatile storage, including adjustable gallon door bins, two produce drawers and removable glass shelving.

Another standout feature is the appliance’s efficient EvenTemp Cooling System, a temperature-sensing technology that helps consistently and evenly circulate cold air throughout both compartments. Other highlights worth noting include its NSF-certified PurePour water filter to remove up to 99% of contaminants.

BestBuy

Dimensions: 35.6 x 29 x 72 inches | Fridge capacity: 14.5 cubic feet | Freezer capacity: 6.0 cubic feet | Energy Star certified: Yes | Warranty: 1-year limited

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This Bosch 800 Series model, one of the most popular counter-depth refrigerators on the market, offers numerous features to keep your food organized and fresh. A glass display drawer below the fridge keeps cans and bottles easily accessible. The adjustable flex bar for condiments and jars can be customized to your preference. Additionally, a clever freezer drawer system provides extra storage for items like pizza boxes and frozen waffles. Best of all, you can monitor and control your refrigerator with an easy-to-use app. At $4,800, it’s one of the pricier options on the market, but its sleek design and user-friendly features make it a worthwhile investment for years to come.

At Forbes Vetted, we’ve researched and written dozens of shopping guides for our home vertical, including an extensive catalogue of kitchen and dining stories across the board.

Seeing that a refrigerator is a long-term investment, several factors should be considered when shopping. These include size, standout features, overall look, and most importantly, your budget. Below, we've highlighted a few key factors to watch out for.

Your fridge needs to fit into its designated space in your kitchen while also offering enough storage to accommodate everyone in your household. Generally, you’ll want at least 4 cubic feet of interior space for each member of your home. Measuring out your space in advance—including height, depth and width—is critical to getting your new refrigerator selection right the first time. You’ll also want to leave a few inches of clearance on each side so it’s not wedged in there.

Plus, keep in mind that the configuration of the shelves, drawers and ice dispensers (if located inside the freezer) impacts how much of an appliance’s listed capacity you can actually use; this can be mitigated by the fact that many refrigerators offer adjustable and removable shelving, as well as the option to turn off the ice maker.

You might like a French door fridge with the freezer on the bottom, or perhaps you prefer one that puts the freezer and fridge side by side. Other people prefer to have a classic freezer-on-top style. Figuring out your preferences in advance will help you narrow down the field.

Like with most kitchen appliances, refrigerators come in a variety of finishes to match the look of the rest of your home. Stainless steel tends to be the most popular choice, but black and white follow close behind.

For some people, having a water and ice dispenser in the refrigerator door is a must; for others, they go unused. Furthermore, some models have the water dispenser inside the fridge and the ice maker inside the freezer, which some users like for a smoother, more space-saving exterior.

Fridges offer up plenty of additional bells and whistles, including water filtration systems, ice makers that produce different types of cubes and in some cases, smart features like app connectivity that allow you to see inside your appliance while you’re at the store. Often, these cost extra, so make sure the refrigerator you choose is the right fit for both your lifestyle and budget.

Unsurprisingly, the most reliable refrigerators are those manufactured by the most trusted brands. Says Fahad Javaid, general manager of operations at Canada-based kitchen equipment supplier Zanduco, “LG, Frigidaire, Samsung and Whirlpool each have different reliable models. We are constantly seeing new, upgraded residential fridges come to the market, so when thinking about reliability, the brands that consistently deliver high-quality models and upgrades that are not faulty will be more popular.”

Among the models on our list, Javaid points to the LG 20 Cu. Ft. Top-Freezer, the Whirlpool Bottom-Freezer and the Samsung 21 Cu. Ft. Top-Freezer as some of the quietest models due to their relatively small size and the fact that they have fewer frills and moving parts. In fact, simpler designs could also help with their longevity because there are fewer intricate pieces that could potentially break.

A good refrigerator will last between 10 and 15 years, which partially depends on the brand and model you have, says Angie Hicks, home expert at Angi. “Generally, higher-end refrigerators last longer than lower-end units,” she says. You might, however, be be able to extend your fridge’s lifespan to 20 years or more with proper maintenance. “I recommend cleaning your condenser coils and door gaskets at least once a year to keep your fridge in top shape,” she advises.

If you don’t urgently need a new fridge and want to save some cash, wait for fridge sales that usually happen around certain times of the year. Hicks explains, “Many stores put refrigerators on sale around holidays like Memorial Day, Labor Day and Black Friday. You might also be able to find appliances on sale during the last few months of each year because stores are making room for the next year’s models.” (Pro tip: Save and money by following the Forbes Vetted deals team’s sales coverage, including our refrigerator sales roundup, which is updated regularly throughout the year.)

To that, Javaid suggests avoiding buying during the spring and summer. “The warmer months tend to be the peak season for refrigeration equipment, meaning prices will be at their highest,” he says.

If your current fridge is halfway through its lifespan or needs repairs (or both), you might consider simply getting a new one—especially if the repair costs add up to half of the price of a new one, says Hicks. She adds, “This will get you a long-lasting appliance that is likely more energy-efficient than your existing one.”