Refrigerators

About twice a year, ConsumerReports.org publishes large roundups like this one on its website, which includes nearly 80 top-freezer, bottom-freezer, side-by-side, built-in and compact refrigerators. No… other reviewer comes close to testing that many refrigerators. The editors evaluate temperature performance as well as usable capacity. Noise, energy efficiency and ease of use are also evaluated. A sidebar to this article is a chart demonstrating results from reliability surveys. Refrigerators with through-the-door ice and water dispensers seem to be the most problematic. Up to 20 percent of all models may need repairs. User reviews are now available for many models. Unfortunately, only a month after ConsumerReports.org published this report, a large number of its top picks have been discontinued.

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Like HomeDepot.com, AJMadison.com recently switched to a new review system that allows products to be browsed based on average rating or number of reviews. One advantage is that AJ Madison.com verifies that… reviewers actually own the product being discussed, which cuts down on some of the noise sometimes seen on other consumer review sites. The manufacturer and model number are easy to see. The LG LRBP1031W gets more than 30 reviews, with almost perfect ratings. This model has been discontinued, but it's still available at this and other retailers. One owner does say the crisper drawer cracked; another reports a problem with the main circuit board.

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Sears.com is another retailer that allows readers to review appliances on its website. This is pretty much the only place to find user reviews of Kenmore refrigerators, since this brand is only sold by… Sears. Although there is feedback on lots of models, only a handful receives more than a few reviews. Still, it's worth checking here for owner reviews once you've already narrowed down your choice. The Sears 65932 bottom-freezer refrigerator gets above-average ratings in about three dozen reviews. One owner reports that the drawers are tight and difficult to pull.

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In a survey of close to 15,000 consumers, Kenmore Elite is deemed the best top-freezer refrigerator brand for customer satisfaction. Kenmore Elite earns a perfect score in all categories except for warranty… and price. Whirlpool Gold and GE Profile are close behind, while Hotpoint warrants the lowest overall score. Survey respondents are not asked about specific models, however, only brands, so the results are geared more toward gauging brand loyalty and associations than the quality of specific types or models.

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ConsumerGuide.com offers plenty of information about many refrigerators. There are a number of articles available about how to buy a refrigerator, how refrigerators work and recommended temperatures.… Reviews are appropriately critical, but concentrate primarily on features and ergonomics. There are no indications that any testing has been done. Several models are listed as Best Buys or Budget Buys, but the criteria for selecting these models is not revealed. Many of the reviewed models are now discontinued, making this site even less useful.

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This is the website for the Australian Consumers' Association, the Australian contemporary of ConsumerReports.org. Editors test over 40 frost-free refrigerators for energy efficiency, noise, temperature… control and ease of use. Several brands available in the U.S., including Samsung, Westinghouse and Whirlpool, are included. However, the model numbers don't correspond due to differences in voltage and features. Testing is just as thorough as at ConsumerReports.org, but since few of these models are available in the U.S., the site is less useful to American consumers.

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Epinions.com is often less helpful regarding large appliances than in some other product areas. Owners typically give their refrigerators high ratings in reviews, or use the site as a forum to complain… about a problematic model. Most models only receive one or two reviews, so there aren't enough write-ups here to give us much confidence in the indication of top models. The lowest-rated models seem to garner the most reviews.

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