What to look for in a refrigerator?
A refrigerator is always going to be a considerable purchase. Choosing the right fridge is crucial for so many reasons: food safety and quality, storage space, size, and many more. Below you will find a list of things to pay attention to for when choosing your new fridge, as well as three exceptional French door refrigerators we want to highlight. Warranty. These days, the average fridge will last for anywhere between nine and fourteen years before it is time to replace it. For French door fridges, the majority of them have a one-year warranty, but some are better than others. Oftentimes they will have a few different layers of warranty. As an example, your fridge may have a year-long overall warranty, but offer extended coverage for some parts of the unit.
When choosing your fridge, if you want the best customer service, pay close attention to:
- The overall warranty length – a year is the industry standard right now. Anything above that is a plus.
- Extended warranty – a lot of fridges break in the first few years. Extended warranty can cost upwards of $200. Make sure you research the parts the warranty is for, and how long the coverage lasts.
Energy Saving
Modern fridges cost much less to run yearly than older models did. If you are upgrading for the first time in many years, you will notice a drop in your power bills even if you don’t pick an energy-efficient model. French door fridges don’t have the best efficiency, but that is due to their large capacity. You can expect to pay about $80 per year for a French door fridge of about 24 cubic feet capacity. If you want to save money and be environmentally friendly, pay attention to the Energy Star certification your fridge should have. That will tell you the yearly cost of maintaining it.
Difference between Side-By-Side and French door refrigerators. French door refrigerators have become popular in recent years. While side-by-side fridges are generally up to $500 cheaper, French door units offer a lot of additional features.
French door fridges generally are:
- Larger, and thus well-suited for bigger families
- Easier to access, store, and compartmentalize food in
- At eye-level – they have a large refrigerator space
- Side-by-side fridges on the other hand are:
- Smaller, and thus a better fit for tiny kitchens
- Equipped with a higher freezer-to-fridge space ratio
In short, it’s a matter of how much you use the freezer – but remember that French door fridges usually come with an excellent freezer too.
Size
Size is going to be a huge factor in choosing your new fridge. Larger families will definitely want to consider a French door type refrigerator for its impressive storage. The best models come with a variety of storage options, from door space to drawers and adjustable shelves.
Here are a few things to consider when thinking of storage and size properties of your new
fridge.
- Capacity
- Measurements (width, depth, height)
- Storage options: adjustable shelves, drawers, door space, bins
- Designated spaces for dairy, produce & more
Price
If the price is your main factor, you may not be considered a French door fridge. You can expect those models to cost anywhere between $1,500 and $3,000. While they are more expensive than side-by-side fridges, they do offer a lot of extra storage space. Sometimes it’s worth paying a bit more if the model has exceptional features. See our list below for three excellent, affordable French door fridges.
