Skip to main content
Refrigerators

2016 Best of Year Refrigerator Awards

From fancy French-doors to affordable top-freezers, these are the fridges you should buy.

Credit:
Reviewed Staff
Written by Reviewed Staff

Updated November 14, 2016

Products are chosen independently by our editors. Purchases made through our links may earn us a commission.

Buying a refrigerator might not be exciting, but it does require some thought: Pick the wrong one, and it will waste your money—letting your produce wilt before its time, or ruining your frozen food before you can eat it.

But pick the right one, and it will make cooking your favorite meals even easier. That’s why, when we test fridges in our labs in Cambridge, MA, we don’t just look for proper cooling and food preservation. We also look for ease of storage, energy efficiency, and new features that we think consumers will find useful.

After evaluating the top-selling models on the market, we know that these are the best refrigerators you can buy.

Best Refrigerator of the Year: GE Café CFE28TSHSS

Product image of GE Café CFE28TSHSS

For four years in a row, a GE French door refrigerator has won our coveted Best Refrigerator award. This year, the award once again goes to the CFE28TSHSS, which is built in GE’s Appliance Park factory in Louisville, KY and features a built-in hot water dispenser.

In addition to its features, we’re fans of how well this fridge performed in our tests. We recorded consistent temperatures over time in both the fridge and freezer, which can help prevent fresh food from spoiling and frozen food from developing freezer burn. Though this GE is an upscale appliance, it earns its keep by cutting down on food waste. Read our full review

Best Fridge for Entertaining: Kenmore Elite 72483

Product image of Kenmore Elite 72483

Sometimes, four doors are better than three. There are a lot of four- and even five-door refrigerators on the market, but we think the Kenmore Elite 72483 is a good bet if you host a lot of parties.

That’s largely thanks to its full-width middle drawer. It can be set to a variety of temperatures for everything from chilling wine to keeping a cold cut tray fresh. In addition, the 72483’s AirTight crisper drawers did an exceptionally good job keeping produce fresh and crisp, and adjustable shelves made it easy to fit everything from large cakes to tall bottles. Read our full review

Best Fridge for the Money: Samsung RF260BEAESR

Product image of Samsung RF260BEAESR

If you want the modern look and convenience of a stainless steel French door refrigerator but don’t want to spend thousands of dollars, Samsung has an excellent option.

The RF260BEAESR is frequently on sale for just under $1,000—which is an exceptionally good deal. Its low price stands in contrast to its excellent performance: Samsung’s French door fridges have all done well in our lab tests, and this one also gets rave reviews from owners. Read our full review

Best Side-by-Side Refrigerator: Kenmore 51763

Product image of Kenmore 51763

French door fridges have grown in popularity, but some consumers still prefer a side-by-side design for easy freezer access and a footprint that fits better in narrow kitchens. If you count yourself in that group, check out the Kenmore 51763. It impressed us with even cooling throughout the tall fridge compartment, along with excellent humidity control and a freezer designed for long-term storage. Read our full review