Top-freezer refrigerators

Top-freezer refrigerators

Experts say that standard top-freezer and bottom-freezer refrigerators are generally more energy efficient and reliable than side-by-sides and they are clearly less expensive; in fact, top-freezer refrigerators account for about half of refrigerators sold.

The Whirlpool ET1FHTXM (*est. $860) is a large-sized (21 cubic foot) top-performing, Energy Star top-freezer refrigerator. This Whirlpool top-freezer fridge has an internal water dispenser with its own filter, plus a built-in icemaker in the freezer compartment. It has a gallon-storage bin on the door, a humidity-controlled crisper and glass shelves with lips to contain spills. In large owner surveys, Whirlpool is one of the more reliable brands you can buy among top-freezer refrigerators, so this unit is likely to operate trouble-free for a longer period. This Whirlpool refrigerator comes in black, white and bisque.

Whirlpool makes refrigerators for Kenmore, so many Kenmore models are very similar. The Kenmore 79252 (*est. $840) is similar to the Whirlpool model discussed above. It has an interior icemaker but no water dispenser. It features humidity-controlled crisper drawers, gallon door storage and spill-control glass shelves. It is also Energy Star rated. The Kenmore comes in white, bisque (Kenmore 79254) and black (Kenmore 79259) which are both about $20 more (*est. $860). The Kenmore 79253 (*est. $1,040) comes with a stainless steel finish.

One bargain refrigerator is the Hotpoint HTS22GBP (*est. $650). (Hotpoint is owned by General Electric.) This basic refrigerator isn't Energy Star rated, but is still inexpensive to run over the course of a year. It does not have a water dispenser or built-in icemaker, but there's space in the freezer compartment to install one. There's gallon storage on the door and two larger crisper bins at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment. The Hotpoint is another large-sized refrigerator (about 21 cubic feet) that performs well with respect to temperature consistency. It is available in white and bisque.

GE makes some good basic top-freezer models and GE refrigerators have a lower rate of repair than Maytags (based on owner surveys). The GE Profile PTS22LHS (*est. $1,450) is Energy Star rated, with good temperature performance. This model has more bells and whistles, including an installed icemaker, internal water dispenser, spill-resistant glass shelves, gallon door storage, electronic sensors, temperature-controlled crisper bins and a light in the freezer compartment (this is actually a very unusual feature). This large refrigerator comes in white, black and bisque. Smaller (18 cubic feet) and larger (24 cubic feet) models are also available.

If you want a smaller refrigerator, 18 cubic foot models are less expensive and a better fit for small kitchens or apartments. The Frigidaire FRT18S6A (*est. $550) isn't Energy Star rated, but it's a good performer that covers the basics. There are two 1-gallon storage bins on the door, but no installed icemaker and no water dispenser. It has a couple of crisper drawers with lighting, two humidity controls, glass shelves and dairy door.