By John E. Moore

Looking for the best counter depth refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 counter depth refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the counter depth refrigerator comparison and ratings below with a link to the full review of each.

Storage Measurement Capacity

Counter Depth and Cabinet Depth Refrigerator Dimensions

John Moore, Contributing Editor

First off, counter depth and cabinet depth are interchangeable terms and have the same meaning as far as refrigerator dimensions go. It’s just a matter of preference which term one uses. What is considered a counter depth refrigerator? Generally speaking any refrigerator of 24″ or less is classified as counter depth. This does not include the door handles and may or may not include the door depth depending upon the manufacturer Read More…

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

More Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Refrigerators

Looking for the best refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the refrigerator comparison and ratings below with a … [more]

Top 10 French Door Refrigerators

Refrigerators with French doors and bottom freezers combine style with function. While this style typically comes with a higher price tag, it also provides the advantage of arraying your food selection at eye-level. As we looked at various French door, bottom freezer … [more]

Top 10 Side by Side Refrigerators

Looking for the best side by side fridges of 2012? Look no further, here is our top 10 side by side refrigerators list … [more]

Counter Depth Refrigerator Archive

By John E. Moore

With handsome stainless steel doors and handles, the Samsung RF261BEAESR is a capacious French Door refrigerator with a simple, uncluttered appearance. Inside, it has five tempered glass shelves that are easy to readjust to fit different-shaped items and two humidity controlled crispers to keep produce and meats tasting fresh. We were impressed with the large 7.3 cu. ft. freezer drawer, which contains sturdy plastic baskets that are easy to clean and don’t leak ice crystals everywhere. Overall, for an attractive refrigerator with ample space, the Samsung RF261BEAESR is reasonably priced at $1642.

Strengths

• Includes an indicator light for filtration replacement
• Ample shelf space
• 5 easy-to-clean, spill-proof glass shelves
• Wide pantry door holds large platters
• Door alarm informs you if door is left ajar

Weaknesses

• Makes occasional loud popping noises that may be startling
• Door shelves not very deep

Prices

By John E. Moore

There are two stand out features on the Samsung T9000 smart refrigerator. First is the LCD touch screen. The 4 doors are the second thing many notice. The LCD touch screen is the control center for the fridge. Here you can adjust temperatures among many other tasks. The screen can also be used to share photos and recipes with friends and family members. That seems like it would be a less useful feature with smartphones and tablets usually within arm’s reach. The idea is a good one, but probably not the most practical. The 4-doors allow for ultimate customization of how the generous amount of space is used. The top is the refrigerator part with 16.4 cu. ft. of space. The lower right side is a 6.1 cu. ft. freezer. The 6.1 cu. ft. bottom left side is highly adjustable and can be used as either as you need it. This is a great feature that will be extremely helpful to those who entertain often. This smart refrigerator from Samsung will be available in the late Spring of 2013 for a suggested retail price of $3,999.99.

Prices

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

By John E. Moore

This refrigerator is counter-depth and has the french door design. It has the bottom drawer freezer that give it an updated look. The stainless steel exterior and clean lines give this fridge quite the dignified appearance. It will surely brighten up any kitchen it sits in. It contains almost 22.6 cu. Ft of capacity. It’s a good solid all-purpose fridge but it lacks the water and ice dispenser. We felt this is a necessary trade off since the refrigerator itself is of such high quality. It has some well though out features such as the spill safe shelving which traps liquids from running all over your fridge. The organizational system is also well constructed and laid out.

Quick Specs

• 22.6 Cubic Feet
• Height: 69-7/8″
• Width: 36″
• Depth: 28-1/2″

Prices

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

Obviously one of the best advantages of side by side fridges is that they cost much less than their french door, bottom freezer counterparts. There really is no practical reason for this other than the fact that the french door, bottom freezer design is the latest and greatest and therefore manufacturers charge a premium for it.

One advantage to a side by side fridge to those that use them most – chefs, is that they contain more in door storage capacity than other styles of refrigerators – especially french door fridges. The obvious benefit here is more shelves to store all kinds of accouterments, spices, sauces, dressings, and condiments.

The average depth of a side by side fridge is about 30 inches so we arent normally as concerned about the built in counter depth look even though they can be produced as counter depth, it’s not as common.

Side by sides are considered a good choice for galley-style kitchens or tighter spaces due to the fact that they are normally quite a bit narrower at an average width of 35” than a top and bottom fridge freezer design. The main reason for the benefit here is that there is not the width in the kitchen to accommodate a larger swing size door like a full size door on a top/bottom refrigerator. The smaller width half doors on a side by side refrigerator just fit better.

One of the negative attributes of Side by Sides compared with a Fridge Top bottom freezer unit is that one must bend over to reach the lower portions of the refrigerator, which are also frequently used storage spaces in the fridge. Same with the inner door, you will be bending over a lot to access the lower portions.

Compared with a French door top bottom freezer fridge you will naturally use a little more energy with a side by side fridge due to the fact that you are opening the entire refrigerator door every time and allowing much of the refrigerated air to escape. With a french door fridge you can open just one half of the refrigerator space to retrieve what you need – thus the reason for the recent introduction by Sub Zero of the windowed refrigerator door, which allows you to see ahead of time where the item is that you want to retrieve.

Other than that, aesthetic appearance differences are the primary consideration. Generally, french door bottom freezer fridges are considered the best looking option and they cost more as a result. After that, side by side refrigerators are thought of as next best looking if there is such a dubious honor among this category.

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

More on Refrigerators

Best Side by Side Refrigerators

Following are our choices for the best side by side refrigerators in the market for this year. We made the decisions based on several qualitative factors such as… [more]

New Samsung and LG Refrigerators with Wifi and LCD Screens May Change your Kitchen

Internet connected appliances may or may not be the next big thing. It will depend on you the consumer, as to whether or not this trends stays around. Are you willing to pay more for a refrigerator with an LCD screen that enables Google calendar to remind your significant other that it’s time to pick up the dry cleaning… [more]

Internet connected appliances may or may not be the next big thing. It will depend on you the consumer, as to whether or not this trends stays around. Are you willing to pay more for a refrigerator with an LCD screen that enables Google calendar to remind your significant other that it’s time to pick up the dry cleaning. Do you want to be able to scroll through pictures on your refrigerator display. If you have ever had a digital picture frame you know whether or not you will use this feature.

There are a lot more of these options on the way. There will be refrigerators, washers, dryers, and more that can do things like alert you when your laundry is done, or let you choose your dryer cycle with a touch screen, or even diagnose problems your machine is having wirelessly via the Web. Is it overkill? Is it just a trend to get you to pay more for an appliance? Does it simplify your life to have to program your LCD screen on the refrigerator? Samsung has two refrigerators that are at the front of this connected trend: the RSG309 and RF4289 each have an 8-inch screen built into the door, which along with a series of kitchen-related applications and built-in Wi-Fi makes your refrigerator a whole lot smarter.

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

More on Refrigerators

Best Side by Side Refrigerators

Following are our choices for the best side by side refrigerators in the market for this year. We made the decisions based on several qualitative factors such as… [more]

Pros and Cons to Side by Side Refrigerators; Advantages to Side-by-Sides

Obviously one of the best advantages of side by side fridges is that they cost much less than their french door, bottom freezer counterparts. There really is no practical reason for this other than the fact that the french door, bottom freezer design is the latest and greatest and therefore manufacturers charge a premium for it…. [more]

By John E. Moore

Following are our choices for the best side by side refrigerators in the market for this year. We made the decisions based on several qualitative factors such as:

Shelf Space and Interior Shelf Design
Appearance/Design
Price/Value
Reliability and Build Quality
Energy Efficiency
Accessories and Features quality

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

More Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Refrigerators

Looking for the best refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the refrigerator comparison and ratings below with a … [more]

Top 10 Counter Depth Refrigerators

Looking for the best counter depth refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 counter depth refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount) … [more]

Top 10 French Door Refrigerators

Refrigerators with French doors and bottom freezers combine style with function. While this style typically comes with a higher price tag, it also provides the advantage of arraying your food selection at eye-level. As we looked at various French door, bottom freezer refrigerators, we considered the following qualities while making our top 10 selections: Effective storage, Good organization… [more]

Side by Side Refrigerator Articles

New Samsung and LG Refrigerators with Wifi and LCD Screens May Change your Kitchen

Internet connected appliances may or may not be the next big thing. It will depend on you the consumer, as to whether or not this trends stays around. Are you willing to pay more for a refrigerator with an LCD screen that enables Google calendar to remind your significant other that it’s time to pick up the dry cleaning… [more]

Pros and Cons to Side by Side Refrigerators; Advantages to Side-by-Sides

Obviously one of the best advantages of side by side fridges is that they cost much less than their french door, bottom freezer counterparts. There really is no practical reason for this other than the fact that the french door, bottom freezer design is the latest and greatest and therefore manufacturers charge a premium for it…. [more]

By John E. Moore
Looking for the best refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the refrigerator comparison and ratings below with a link to the full review of each.

Refrigerator Buying Guide

Below we list the primary considerations you will want to think over when purchasing a refrigerator. There is a lot going on technology-wise with refrigerators these days so take a quick glance and decide which new enhancements you want to live without. There is a wide gap in pricing between the basics of refrigeration and those models with the highest end features. Here are the most important factors to consider.

Side-by-Side Refrigerators vs. Top and Bottom Door Refrigerators

If you’ve done any shopping at all you already know that side by side refrigerators are much more expensive than one door style refrigerators. Why? Convenience and aesthetic appeal are the two answers we come up with. An it’s less complicated to fabricate one door panel than two.

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

Featured Refrigerator Articles

Energy and Power Consumption Reduction Requirements from Energy Star/Feds Energy Guide

Refrigerators have the deserved reputation of energy hogs. They certainly do drive up your power bills and use between 10% and 25% of your entire bill. Luckily, they are more efficient of late due to the focus of manufacturers, Energy Star and the Fed… [More]

External vs. Internal Water and Ice Dispensation in Refrigerators

If you have kids you know this can be an important issue. Kids like to play with water and ice dispensers and don’t think they cant figure out the safety lock ( I know I have two boys). For this reason we purposely avoided a water and ice dispenser. But there are more reasons to really look into this feature… [More]

Freezer on Top vs. Freezer on Bottom Refrigerators

Freezer-on-top is the traditional design of the fridge you grew up with. Why was the freezer always on the top? Because it always was, that’s why. There was never a real reason that refrigerators could not be redesigned to have the freezer on the bottom but that’s… [More]

Size Considerations in Refrigerators by Storage Capacity and Dimensions

Size is probably the most important purchasing variable and should be the first thing to decide before researching the various kinds of refrigerators that fit the mold. Decide on size, then proceed to style, features and colors. The reason for this is that the different styles of fridges also have certain characteristic sizes associated with them…
Free Standing Side-by-Side Refrigerator Dimensions
Width: 32 inches to 36.5 inches
Height: 66 inches to 70 inches
Depth: 28 inches to 29.5 inches (does not include handle or door)
[More]

How to Avoid High Energy Costs with your Refrigerator

Despite the fact that they may be a little more efficient, refrigerators can be a substantial part of your energy bill each month. There are a few ways you can keep the costs down… [More]

Pros and Cons of a Water and Ice Dispenser in the Refrigerator

This is a big question for many and worth some major consideration. Did you know that a majority of problems and manufacturers defects in refrigerators today are caused by the water and ice dispenser or the ice maker? Frequent problems with water lines freezing up or lots of the noise from the ice maker abound. Reliability is another issue that crops up often with stop, start operation… [More]

More Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Counter Depth Refrigerators

Looking for the best counter depth refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 counter depth refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the counter depth … [more]

Top 10 French Door Refrigerators

Refrigerators with French doors and bottom freezers combine style with function. While this style typically comes with a higher price tag, it also provides the advantage of arraying your food selection at eye-level. As we looked at various French door, bottom freezer … [more]

Top 10 Side by Side Refrigerators

Following are our choices for the best side by side refrigerators in the market for this year. We made the decisions based on several qualitative factors such as: Shelf Space, Interior Shelf Design, Appearance/Design, Price/Value… [more]

Refrigerators Archive

There are a lot more of these options on the way. There will be refrigerators, washers, dryers, and more that can do things like alert you when your laundry is done, or let you choose your dryer cycle with a touch screen, or even diagnose problems your machine is having wirelessly via the Web. Is it overkill? Is it just a trend to get you to pay more for an appliance? Does it simplify your life to have to program your LCD screen on the refrigerator? Samsung has two refrigerators that are at the front of this connected trend: the RSG309 and RF4289 each have an 8-inch screen built into the door, which along with a series of kitchen-related applications and built-in Wi-Fi makes your refrigerator a whole lot smarter.

One advantage to a side by side fridge to those that use them most – chefs, is that they contain more in door storage capacity than other styles of refrigerators – especially french door fridges. The obvious benefit here is more shelves to store all kinds of accouterments, spices, sauces, dressings, and condiments.

The average depth of a side by side fridge is about 30 inches so we arent normally as concerned about the built in counter depth look even though they can be produced as counter depth, it’s not as common.

Side by sides are considered a good choice for galley-style kitchens or tighter spaces due to the fact that they are normally quite a bit narrower at an average width of 35” than a top and bottom fridge freezer design. The main reason for the benefit here is that there is not the width in the kitchen to accommodate a larger swing size door like a full size door on a top/bottom refrigerator. The smaller width half doors on a side by side refrigerator just fit better.

One of the negative attributes of Side by Sides compared with a Fridge Top bottom freezer unit is that one must bend over to reach the lower portions of the refrigerator, which are also frequently used storage spaces in the fridge. Same with the inner door, you will be bending over a lot to access the lower portions.

Compared with a French door top bottom freezer fridge you will naturally use a little more energy with a side by side fridge due to the fact that you are opening the entire refrigerator door every time and allowing much of the refrigerated air to escape. With a french door fridge you can open just one half of the refrigerator space to retrieve what you need – thus the reason for the recent introduction by Sub Zero of the windowed refrigerator door, which allows you to see ahead of time where the item is that you want to retrieve.

Other than that, aesthetic appearance differences are the primary consideration. Generally, french door bottom freezer fridges are considered the best looking option and they cost more as a result. After that, side by side refrigerators are thought of as next best looking if there is such a dubious honor among this category.

This is a big question for many and worth some major consideration. Did you know that a majority of problems and manufacturers defects in refrigerators today are caused by the water and ice dispenser or the ice maker? Frequent problems with water lines freezing up or lots of the noise from the ice maker abound. Reliability is another issue that crops up often with stop, start operation.

It’s important to evaluate the performance over time of a manufacturers experience with this feature.

For one, water and ice dispensers add a tremendous cost to a refrigerator. Yes, they are convenient, but the cost difference can be upwards of $800 – $1000. That’s a lot of convenience cost.

Some do not like the appearance of the ice and water dispenser (count me as one), but there are new internal dispenser options for this feature which somewhat eliminate the need for the dispenser being on the outside door. However, this option costs loss of energy due to the fridge having to work harder from frequent openings.

Another issue with water dispensation systems is the cost and hassle of replacing the filters. If you do not replace the filter often you might as well be drinking your tap water – or worse. The costs for the water filters varies greatly from $22 to $39 so consider those extra costs. But let’s suffice it to say that it’s a lot more expensive than a Brita filter for a water pitcher.

One option you might consider if you do not want the extra cost of a refrigerator with a dispenser as well as high filter costs is just a simple filtration water pitcher like a Brita. It certainly is not as convenient, and if you keep it in the fridge you will lose some of those savings due to having to open the fridge much more often.

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

Related Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Refrigerators

Looking for the best refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the refrigerator comparison and ratings below with a … [more]

Top 10 Counter Depth Refrigerators

Looking for the best counter depth refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 counter depth refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the counter depth … [more]

Top 10 French Door Refrigerators

Refrigerators with French doors and bottom freezers combine style with function. While this style typically comes with a higher price tag, it also provides the advantage of arraying your food selection at eye-level. As we looked at various French door, bottom freezer … [more]

If you have kids you know this can be an important issue. Kids like to play with water and ice dispensers and don’t think they cant figure out the safety lock ( I know I have two boys). For this reason we purposely avoided a water and ice dispenser. But there are more reasons to really look into this feature.

Obviously, the easy answer is just to get the internal water and ice dispenser if you want to avoid lots of clean ups from kids. Filter changes should cost about the same for either style.

One consideration is appearance. Most people like the clean look of not having the dispenser on the outside of the refrigerator. Understandable say I. Agreed.

But then there is a major reason the external water and ice unit may be better – energy savings. Opening and closing the fridge every time you want a glass of water can add up over time by making the refrigerator work hard to bring the fridge back to the correct temp. This cold also impact how well your food is refrigerated. Refrigerators are notorious energy hogs, so this is a major reason to debate whether cleaner looks or energy costs are more important to you in deciding which to get.

While manufacturers are constantly playing with new features why not this: A small stainless steel door which opens to the water and ice dispenser thus eliminating the two negative issues associated with them.

Now, whether or not you need a water and ice dispenser at all is another matter. Read here for considerations on that…

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

Related Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Refrigerators

Looking for the best refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the refrigerator comparison and ratings below with a … [more]

Top 10 Counter Depth Refrigerators

Looking for the best counter depth refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 counter depth refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the counter depth … [more]

Top 10 French Door Refrigerators

Refrigerators with French doors and bottom freezers combine style with function. While this style typically comes with a higher price tag, it also provides the advantage of arraying your food selection at eye-level. As we looked at various French door, bottom freezer … [more]

Recently, manufacturers are all clamoring for the blue Energy Star sticker and claim. By Energy Star requirements, a refrigerator must be at least 20% more efficient than the Federal Dept. of Energy minimum. It serves as a useful guide, however how they determine which models get the Energy Star and which do not, requires some investigation.

The Federal government now requires manufacturers to post an Energy Guide. This guide shows how much an appliance like a refrigerator costs you over a year compared with the average. The term used is ‘Estimated Yearly Operating Cost.” Funny thing is, every time I look at the attached yellow Energy Guide not a single model of refrigerator claims to be above the average. For example, the inexpensive Amana side by side fridge I’m currently looking at states an estimated yearly operating cost of $61. The sticker states a low end range of $60 to a high end of $78. Based on that, it doesn’t really seem to mean anything. If there is only a $18 difference for a whole year…well you get the picture. The “Energy Guide” also states the estimated yearly kWh use. For example the above referenced fridge registers 577 kWh. But what cooler setting is that power consumption based on? Further down in the bullet points the guide states this refrigerator is compared “based on models of similar capacity with this feature and that feature. Then it states that the estimated operating cost is based on the 2007 national average. Anyones utility bill kWh charge not gone up in the past 4 years? Frankly it’s about useless. Another government initiative gone bad?

The Energy Star sticker is about as good as you are going to get for determining whether a refrigerator is energy efficient compared with the competition. Suffice it to say though that the focus on better energy efficiency (in technology terms) alone is causing manufacturers to focus on the subject – not the effectiveness of the programs.

Fridges have grown larger and acquired more features in the last 40 years; however they have steadily decreased the amount of energy they use. Today’s refrigerators use less than one-third of the electricity than they did in the mid-1970s (per same size) but then we must look at those faulty manufactures specifications in storage capacity to determine if this is actually true.

Under a new proposal by the Department of Energy an average new 20-cubic-foot refrigerator top freezer would consume approximately 390 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year – a reduction from about 900 kWh/year in 1990 and about 1,700 kWh/year in the early 1970s.

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

Related Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Refrigerators

Looking for the best refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the refrigerator comparison and ratings below with a … [more]

Top 10 Counter Depth Refrigerators

Looking for the best counter depth refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 counter depth refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the counter depth … [more]

Top 10 French Door Refrigerators

Refrigerators with French doors and bottom freezers combine style with function. While this style typically comes with a higher price tag, it also provides the advantage of arraying your food selection at eye-level. As we looked at various French door, bottom freezer … [more]

Despite the fact that they may be a little more efficient, refrigerators can be a substantial part of your energy bill each month. There are a few ways you can keep the costs down. Little do people usually realize that the refrigerator is an energy hog that typically eats up 10 to 25% of the average households power bill.

Here’s a few ways to keep the costs as low as possible:

• When going on extended vacation (week or longer) take out all perishable items and pitch them. Then turn the cooler adjustment down all the way to the lowest setting. There may be some items that can be placed in the freezer rather than throwing away.
• Keep the refrigerator compartment at 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer compartment at between 0 – 5 degrees.
• Periodically clean (brush) the refrigerator coils on the back or bottom of the refrigerator. This can also help extend the life of the refrigerator and help it to operate more efficiently.
• If enclosing the refrigerator in a tight space, try a ventilation fan out the back. A tight enclosure can cause inefficient operation.
• Aluminum foil helps keep foods colder and better conditioned. Paper prevents cooling.
• Allow plenty of air flow around the refrigerator. Give the fridge as much breathing room as possible but at least 2 inches on all sides.
• Top freezer refrigerators use less energy for comparable storage capacity than side by side refrigerators.
• Although Energy Star rating is not perfect its about the best indicator we have for knowing that there is some efficiency standard contained for any particular unit.
• Keep the air flow inside the fridge free of encumbrances. Do not pack foods in too tight.
• Give the doors a dollar bill test. Put a dollar bill between the door insulation and the fridge in the closed position and pull it out. If it pulls out without any resistance, you may not have a good seal and may need to replace the insulation or tighten some adjustments on the door hinges.
• When purchasing a refrigerator buy the storage capacity you need and not more. The more space you have to refrigerate, the higher the energy cost.

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

Related Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Refrigerators

Looking for the best refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the refrigerator comparison and ratings below with a … [more]

Top 10 Counter Depth Refrigerators

Looking for the best counter depth refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 counter depth refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the counter depth … [more]

Top 10 French Door Refrigerators

Refrigerators with French doors and bottom freezers combine style with function. While this style typically comes with a higher price tag, it also provides the advantage of arraying your food selection at eye-level. As we looked at various French door, bottom freezer … [more]

Featured Refrigerator Articles

Energy and Power Consumption Reduction Requirements from Energy Star/Feds Energy Guide

Refrigerators have the deserved reputation of energy hogs. They certainly do drive up your power bills and use between 10% and 25% of your entire bill. Luckily, they are more efficient of late due to the focus of manufacturers, Energy Star and the Fed… [More]

External vs. Internal Water and Ice Dispensation in Refrigerators

If you have kids you know this can be an important issue. Kids like to play with water and ice dispensers and don’t think they cant figure out the safety lock ( I know I have two boys). For this reason we purposely avoided a water and ice dispenser. But there are more reasons to really look into this feature… [More]

Freezer on Top vs. Freezer on Bottom Refrigerators

Freezer-on-top is the traditional design of the fridge you grew up with. Why was the freezer always on the top? Because it always was, that’s why. There was never a real reason that refrigerators could not be redesigned to have the freezer on the bottom but that’s… [More]

Freezer-on-top refrigerators today are the most economical cost effective models. They generally range from 30 to 33 inches in width and up to 22 cu. ft. of storage. Obviously on of the big drawbacks is having to bend over to pull out the bottom drawers. And some may have trouble reaching the back of the freezer. The look is also “old school” and not updated.

Freezer on Bottom refrigerators offer more high end models and features and many different styles such as french-doors on top as well as one door on top. There are also the new 4-door refrigerators with a middle drawer between the french doors and the bottom freezer drawer. They are typically much more expensive. French-door, bottom freezer refrigerators are the fastest growing portion of the market and offer an updated appearance. They are usually quite a bit more expensive and are produced primarily in stainless steel. Obviously, the refrigerated goods are optimized at eye-level.

The common sense of all of this is that people use the refrigerator far more than they do the freezer, so it makes more sense to have the freezer on bottom and bend over for the frozen foods. How about an all eye-level horizontal in-built fridge and freezer? Haven’t seen it yet but you know it’s coming…

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

Featured Refrigerator Articles

Energy and Power Consumption Reduction Requirements from Energy Star/Feds Energy Guide

Refrigerators have the deserved reputation of energy hogs. They certainly do drive up your power bills and use between 10% and 25% of your entire bill. Luckily, they are more efficient of late due to the focus of manufacturers, Energy Star and the Fed… [More]

External vs. Internal Water and Ice Dispensation in Refrigerators

If you have kids you know this can be an important issue. Kids like to play with water and ice dispensers and don’t think they cant figure out the safety lock ( I know I have two boys). For this reason we purposely avoided a water and ice dispenser. But there are more reasons to really look into this feature… [More]

Size Considerations in Refrigerators by Storage Capacity and Dimensions

Size is probably the most important purchasing variable and should be the first thing to decide before researching the various kinds of refrigerators that fit the mold. Decide on size, then proceed to style, features and colors. The reason for this is that the different styles of fridges also have certain characteristic sizes associated with them…
Free Standing Side-by-Side Refrigerator Dimensions
Width: 32 inches to 36.5 inches
Height: 66 inches to 70 inches
Depth: 28 inches to 29.5 inches (does not include handle or door)
[More]

How to Avoid High Energy Costs with your Refrigerator

Despite the fact that they may be a little more efficient, refrigerators can be a substantial part of your energy bill each month. There are a few ways you can keep the costs down… [More]

Pros and Cons of a Water and Ice Dispenser in the Refrigerator

This is a big question for many and worth some major consideration. Did you know that a majority of problems and manufacturers defects in refrigerators today are caused by the water and ice dispenser or the ice maker? Frequent problems with water lines freezing up or lots of the noise from the ice maker abound. Reliability is another issue that crops up often with stop, start operation… [More]

More Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Counter Depth Refrigerators

Looking for the best counter depth refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 counter depth refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the counter depth … [more]

Top 10 French Door Refrigerators

Refrigerators with French doors and bottom freezers combine style with function. While this style typically comes with a higher price tag, it also provides the advantage of arraying your food selection at eye-level. As we looked at various French door, bottom freezer … [more]

Top 10 Side by Side Refrigerators

Following are our choices for the best side by side refrigerators in the market for this year. We made the decisions based on several qualitative factors such as: Shelf Space, Interior Shelf Design, Appearance/Design, Price/Value… [more]

John E. Moore has been reviewing kitchen goods and refrigerators for 8 years as the leader of cookswarehouse.com. Cooks Warehouse sells more than 400 kitchen items and accessories. John is also a self-described computer tech geek…. See more about John

Related Top 10 Lists

Top 10 Refrigerators

Looking for the best refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the refrigerator comparison and ratings below with a … [more]

Top 10 Counter Depth Refrigerators

Looking for the best counter depth refrigerators? Below you will find the top 10 counter depth refrigerators as rated by our experts. We rate the units on effective storage (The usable amount of storage compared to the actual amount), temperature control, energy efficiency, price and convenience features. Taking these into account we think you will find the best refrigerator for you, see the counter depth … [more]

Top 10 French Door Refrigerators

Refrigerators with French doors and bottom freezers combine style with function. While this style typically comes with a higher price tag, it also provides the advantage of arraying your food selection at eye-level. As we looked at various French door, bottom freezer … [more]