The Best Refrigerators You Can Buy in 2022

Picking the best refrigerator for your kitchen is one of the most important things you can do for your home. A refrigerator is not only one of the most-used appliances, but also a design focal point that is meant to draw the eye in a positive way without being overwhelming or distracting. Much like the best dishwashers and best washer and dryer sets, choosing a durable, hard-working refrigerator is an investment that should last for years without worry.

What to look for in a refrigerator

Picking one of the most reliable appliance brands, the right size unit and a style you love are some of the most important things to consider. The best refrigerators in 2022 also make it easy to organize your fridge thanks to clever compartments and shelving, offer fingerprint-resistant encasements like coated stainless steel and boast energy efficiency that keeps your utility bills low. Consider smart refrigerators that work seamlessly with Amazon Alexa and Google Home systems. These offer real-time refrigerator stats, data and inventory updates so you’ll never have to wonder if you bought enough milk while standing in the supermarket check-out line.

Be sure to measure your space and doorways before ordering a new refrigerator, though. The last thing you want is to find out the refrigerator of your dreams won’t fit in your space—or through the door.

When to shop for a refrigerator

Holiday weekends and blowout sales are the best times to shop for refrigerators because they can be marked down by as much as 25 percent off their usual price tags. That money adds up fast because the best refrigerator picks are typically high-ticket items. Scouring Labor Day sales, Memorial Day sales, President’s Day sales and Black Friday sales are the best bets for scoring deals. Some retailers even throw in no-interest financing and delivery perks around these long shopping weekends.

How we chose the best refrigerators

We researched the top-rated, best refrigerators in 2o22 and narrowed down our list based on energy efficiency, real customer ratings, storage capacity, size and overall value. We also considered the appeal of each design because refrigerators are the largest kitchen appliances and command so much visual attention. Models with reasonable price points and extended warranties were given extra consideration.

After you get your new refrigerator, be sure to brush up on the safest temperature for your fridge and how to clean stainless steel.

• Best overall refrigerator: LG Counter Depth Refrigerator with InstaView
• Best French door refrigerator: LG French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker
• Best smart refrigerator: Samsung Family Hub Smart Refrigerator
• Best side-by-side refrigerator: GE Standard Depth Side-by-Side Refrigerator
• Best budget refrigerator: Whirlpool Top-Freezer Standard Refrigerator
• Best luxury refrigerator: KitchenAid French Door Refrigerator with Paneling
• Best office refrigerator: Galanz Retro Compact Refrigerator

Best overall refrigerator

LG Counter Depth Refrigerator with InstaView

The LG Counter Depth Refrigerator with InstaView earned our top spot on the list of best refrigerator picks for 2022 thanks to its high-end look at a moderate price point and glowing customer reviews. The InstaView door-in-door feature allows you to see exactly what you need (or don’t) from anywhere in the kitchen. Seeing exactly what you have helps you identify which refrigerator items need to be tossed.

This sharp-looking appliance also boasts dual ice makers that offer up crushed, cubed and slow-melting round ice for specialty cocktails without all the fuss. The full interior drawer has robust capacity when you need it so you don’t have to worry about the fridge being more stuffed than a Thanksgiving turkey. Choose from five chill-to-freeze options with a single touch, and the produce sections were designed with extending the life of your favorite veggies in mind.

Pros

• Innovative door-in-door design with partial transparency
• Counter depth for sleek, modern kitchen design
• Spacious interior
• Dual ice making chambers, one of the only moderate-priced models on the market to offer round slow-melting ice
• Exceptional user reviews
• Comes in two colors

Cons

• It doesn’t offer as much storage capacity as other similarly-priced models, but it more than makes up for it in features and details

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Best French door refrigerator

LG French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker

Yet another LG model made this list thanks to exceptional shopper reviews, fair pricing and straightforward use. The fingerprint-proof LG French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker is a home chef favorite because it’s an ultra-large capacity model that’s easily one of the best refrigerator options for large families and busy households. Aside from an impressive 25-cubic-feet of interior space and large, slide-out crisper drawers, the stainless steel exterior resists smudges and fingerprints. It’s a feature that busy parents and neat freaks call a “serious helper” if you hate wiping down stainless steel appliances and frequent cleanings.

Pros

• Sleek French door design makes it easy to stock the fridge
• Stainless steel exterior with built-in fingerprint and smudge-resistant coating
• Extra-large capacity
• Gliding interior drawers
• Built-in ice maker
• Large-capacity lower freezer drawer
• Energy efficient

Cons

• The ice maker is located inside the freezer, which can be cumbersome if you’re just looking to fill a cup and go

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Best smart refrigerator

Samsung Family Hub Smart Refrigerator

If you’re looking for the best refrigerator with up-to-date 2022 smart technology, the Samsung Family Hub Smart Refrigerator leads the pack. With 26.7-cubic-feet of cold storage and energy efficiency that would impress even the greenest shoppers, this Wi-Fi-connected wonder can stream music apps and mirror content from a compatible Samsung TV or smartphone. That means it shows cooking videos as you sort through your ingredients or helps keep a detailed inventory of what’s inside. The best part? It’s voice-activated so thermostat adjustments, peering out the front door via a Ring camera and other futuristic functions are just a quick holler away thanks to the SmartThings app that works with both Android and Apple devices.

Pros

• Brilliant smart appliance integration that works with both Android and Apple devices
• Pairs with Wi-Fi almost instantly
• Streams music, shows and keeps detailed inventory
• Side-by-side design
• Fingerprint-resistant stainless steel exterior
• Moderate price point
• Large-capacity interior

Cons

• Requires a bit of technical know-how
• Best for homes that are already actively using other smart devices

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Best side-by-side refrigerator

GE Standard Depth Side-by-Side Refrigerator

Over 8,000 ratings and a 4.5 star average make the incredibly affordable GE Standard Depth Side-by-Side Refrigerator a frontrunner in the search for 2022’s best refrigerators. It offers everything you need and very little of what you don’t with edge-to-edge glass shelves on its interior. The smudge-resistant stainless exterior looks like far more expensive models. It also features flush-mounted LED lighting that’s both stylish and energy efficient, as well as an external water and ice dispenser reviewers can’t stop raving about. An electronic display also takes the guesswork out of setting and monitoring interior temperatures.

Pros

• Full side-by-side design keeps everything within view and reach
• Expensive-looking design at an affordable price
• Excellent customer reviews
• Glass interior
• External filtered water dispensing as well as ice
• Energy efficient in every detail
• Available in five color finishes

Cons

• Less interior space and compartments than other comparable models, but the price is hard to beat

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Best budget refrigerator

Whirlpool Top-Freezer Standard Refrigerator

If you’re in the market for a reliable standard-sized refrigerator without extra bells and whistles at the absolute best price, this Whirlpool Top-Freezer Standard Refrigerator is the go-to thousands of shoppers call “ideal for apartments and smaller spaces.” It comes in two neutral colors, fits neatly into compact kitchens (including larger-format RVs) and won’t break the bank thanks to an under-$750 price point. With 14.3-cubic-feet of interior space, it has plenty of room for essentials and food for small families. Consider this one to be a blank canvas for all the delicious things you can imagine filling it with.

Pros

• Priced below $750
• Boasts over 1,400 ratings with a 4.6-stars average
• 14.3-cubic-feet of interior space
• Exterior is compact enough for small apartment kitchens and larger RVs
• Energy efficient
• Two colors

Cons

• No frills or luxe extras like ice makers, Wi-Fi connectivity or multi-drawer crispers

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Best luxury refrigerator

KitchenAid French Door Refrigerator with Paneling

If you’re ready for the refrigerator of your dreams and want something truly dazzling, the KitchenAid French Door Refrigerator with Paneling is the luxurious addition every kitchen can benefit from. It comes in three finishes ranging from standard stainless to rich, sultry black cabinet panels that add decorator-approved character and detail. It also features the brand’s Preserva Food Care System that uses several technologies at once to assure produce is kept crisp and fresh while eliminating potentially stinky odors. The interior also boasts glossy silver walls, rich metallic accents and easy-glide baskets. This is kitchen appliance heaven!

Pros

• Luxury finishes like cabinet-style paneling and glossy interior walls
• Preserva Food Care System keeps produce fresh and smells out
• Three available colors
• Extremely energy efficient
• Half-width upper freezer drawer and lower slide-out freezer basket provide spacious storage for frozen foods
• KitchenAid is a trusted and celebrated appliance brand

Cons

• Most expensive refrigerator on our list
• No custom color option to match more detailed or color-specific cabinetry

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Best office refrigerator

Galanz Retro Compact Refrigerator

Get ready to spruce up your home office or add to the company lunch room. This spiffy-looking Galanz Retro Compact Refrigerator is the best refrigerator of 2022 for offices—even if it looks like it’s straight out of your grandmother’s kitchen. It comes in four vintage-perfect colors, several compact sizes and adds endless conversation fodder to the room.

“Never thought I’d describe an appliance as stunning but this little fridge really is a work of art,” writes Jane, a verified Amazon reviewer. “I was amazed at how spacious it is too. It’s really a lot more than just a mini fridge and even the freezer alone will hold enough meat for at least a few meals.”

Pros

• Several compact sizes with both fridge and freezer compartments make this an office-perfect choice
• Four vintage color offerings
• Affordable price point
• Hundreds of positive Amazon ratings
• Fits plenty of refrigerated and frozen food even if it has a small footprint

Cons

• No water filter or ice maker included in this fun-to-look-at fridge with vintage-inspired fittings

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