Samsung RH25H5611SR Refrigerator Review

We like the RH25 because it is energy efficient, cools consistently over time, and features ample storage. Although a sale price just under $1,500 is pricey for a side-by-side, it's not bad for a fridge with this many features.

Design & Usability

Look under the hood

The RH25H5611SR's exterior boasts a smooth stainless finish, while both interior sections have lots of LED lighting. The door-in-door storage is designed for quick access commonly used items, while a door-mounted ice maker keeps shelf space clear in the freezer.

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Most of the RH25H5611SR's fit and finish is high-end, but we noticed some surprisingly clunky elements, similar to the quirky RS25H5121SR.

That said, not all is perfect. Those LED lights may be plentiful, but the fridge and freezer seemed dark to our eyes. None of the three fridge drawers have sliding humidity controls, and neither section offered much in the way of storage customization.

But the most questionable element was definitely the exterior control console. Compared to most fridges in this price range, which tend to use either all-black or all-gray panels, this fridge’s is two-toned: The outer edge is black, and surrounds a digital panel that's noticeably lighter. It's a design element that may be a bit too distinctive.

Performance & Features

Highly competitive, with only a few noticeable flaws

This Samsung side-by-side does almost everything right: Both compartments are nice and cool (aside from a warm spot down by the crisper), temperatures hold steady over time, and energy consumption is low. In a nutshell, you just can’t go wrong with this fridge.

...Unless, that is, you just stopped at the farmer's market. None of the three drawers in the fridge have any kind of humidity control. Our test materials lost a substantial amount of moisture during the testing process, and without a humidity slider, there was nothing we could do about it. Salad greens may start to wilt and carrots dry out faster than they might in a different fridge, so bear that in mind if you like to buy produce in bulk.

As far as extra features go, this Samsung keeps it simple. You’ve got Power Freeze and Power Cool for the freezer and fridge compartments, respectively. They let you drop the temperature quickly, useful for when you first turn on the fridge, or if you’re filling it up with lots of recently purchased groceries.

For in-depth performance information, please visit the Science Page.

Warranty

Not only does Samsung serve up a standard one-year parts and labor warranty for this side-by-side, they go the extra mile by offering additional five-year parts and labor coverage for the refrigerator system. That includes the compressor, evaporator, condenser, drier, and connecting tubing. To top it off, you also get ten years of parts coverage and five years of labor coverage on the digital inverter compressor.

A Door-In-Door Deal

Great, for a side-by-side

The Samsung RH25H5611SR is a great side-by-side refrigerator. It’s efficient, roomy, looks nice, and does a great job with food preservation.

Compared to other door-in-door fridges, it’s not only one of the best we’ve tested, but also one of the cheapest. Retailers are selling it for a mere $1,600, a huge deal compared to other high-end side-by-sides like this LG, or even the original Samsung Showcase.

That said, we're not sure if this product will be enough to sway consumers that don’t care about door-in-door storage, especially compared to something like this $1,300 Whirlpool or this $950 Kenmore. And, when it comes to usability, the French door fridge is still king.

Still, if you’ve got your heart set on a door-in-door fridge and prefer this layout, the Samsung RH25H52611SR is a hard bargain to beat.

The Cold Hard Facts

In nearly every category, the Samsung RH25H5611SR (MSRP $2,099) passed our tests with flying colors. While it isn't perfect, this door-in-door side-by-side was able to perform where it counts—unless you like salad.

Temperature Performance

The prime directive for a refrigerator is to keep food cold, and this Samsung does it well. We recorded average temperatures in the main fridge section of 37.74°F at the top, 37.62°F in the middle, and 42.33°F at the bottom. That much heat down by the crispers was a little worrisome, but a quick adjustment of the thermostat should be enough to keep bacteria from growing in food. Temperatures deviated by just ±0.21°F on average over time, strengthening our confidence even further.

Over in the freezer, things get even better. Temperatures averaged -0.58°F and -0.45°F at the top and bottom, respectively, and only shifted ±0.19°F on average over time. That makes this freezer one of the most consistent we’ve encountered in a side-by-side, and should keep freezer burn to a minimum.

Moisture Retention

Things fall apart a bit when it comes to the crispers... if you can even call them that. The Samsung’s three fridge drawers all lack any kind of adjustable humidity controls, but they could probably use some. Over the course of 72 hours, our test materials lost an average of 0.41 grams of moisture per hour—more than double what we'd consider an acceptable rate. That’s bad news for folks who like crisp lettuce and juicy peppers.

Freezing & Thawing

Freezing times were also a tad disappointing: Our room temperature test materials took 1 hour 45 minutes to reach 32°F. The best consumer freezers need less than 90 minutes, and slower freezing degrades the taste and texture of certain foods once thawed.

Storage Space & Energy Efficiency

This Samsung doesn't offer much layout customization, but at least it’s fairly roomy. The shelves, drawers, and door-in-door storage provide 11.93 usable cubic feet of fresh food storage.

In the freezer, the door-mounted ice maker allows for unobstructed shelf space, which—when combined with the lower drawers and bonus door storage—leads to a total of 6.88 usable cubic feet of space.

Ending on a high note, this side-by-side proved relatively efficient. Each usable cubic foot of storage requires just 0.09 kWh, which puts it near the top of the class. Assuming the national average electricity cost of $0.09 per kWh, it would cost you about $54.10 each year to power this machine if you intend to run the ice maker. No ice maker obviously means even lower utility rates.