Important Features: Refrigerators

Important Features: Refrigerators

Here's what experts say to consider when buying a refrigerator:

• Get the largest unit that will comfortably fit your space. Shop with a tape measure and consider height, width, depth and door swing clearance.

• Look for a convenient interior layout. A refrigerator should have the ability to store wide and/or tall items and should have no hard-to-reach or hidden spots.

• Shelves should be sturdy, flexible and easy to clean. Glass is generally better. Some glass shelves have a raised, sealed rim to stop spills from dripping over. Adjustable shelves are a plus -- some models have half-shelves that can be matched up for a wide, flat surface or adjusted separately for odd-height items. Other models have elevator shelves that crank up or down. A few models include a wine rack.

• Look for easy-to-reach temperature and humidity controls. Controls should be up front rather than on the back inside wall, where you have to empty a shelf to adjust them. Nice extras include humidity-controlled vegetable crispers and temperature-controlled meat and deli drawers.

• The interior should be well lit. Most models have a light inside the refrigerator compartment; some have additional lights in the freezer or produce bins.

• The refrigerator should be relatively quiet. Look for insulation to help dampen the sound of the compressor.

• Electronic touchpads are easier to use. Many models now have digital controls and displays which show the actual temperature of the various areas and compartments of the refrigerators.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Since there are few sources that actually test refrigerators, and because there are literally thousands of refrigerator models, we find little consensus for individual models. To reach our conclusions, we compare the results of hands-on tests with data we find on owner-opinion websites. We also examine the results of large owner surveys to gauge overall reliability.

Keep in mind that model numbers vary widely. The difference between two similar models may be as small as one model having spill-control shelves and the other model skipping this feature. If you don't find the exact features you want in the models featured here, similar models within the same series have more or less individual convenience features.