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The New Cool in Refrigerators
Today’s refrigerator comes fully loaded with high-tech engineering, chic looks, and flexible features that you can customize to suit your lifestyle.
But the price tag shouldn’t be the only thing you look for when you shop. Your first concern should be with quality, not in finding a bargain. According to David Pappert of Modern Kitchens in Syracuse, NY, “Like any purchase you make, that good feeling for having saved money goes away quickly, and the [refrigerator] that’s in your home for 15 years will be a daily reminder of whether you bought one that you really like.” Before you run off to the home center or appliance store, think carefully about what kind of refrigerator you really want and need. A separate refrigerator and freezer or a combination model? More or less storage for fresh versus frozen foods? What kinds of foods do you normally keep in your refrigerator? Does your family eat a lot of produce? More meat or fish? What kinds of beverages do you keep stocked? Try to plan refrigeration from a functional standpoint. If there’s more than one cook in your home, the space may be divided into work zones, each with their own refrigeration needs, which can be addressed with separate units. Would it be practical to plan other smaller “satellite” refrigeration stations? A compact beverage center closer to the family room? Near the bar sink? In the bake center? Los Angeles-based kitchen consultant and former chef, Jan Weimer, says, “With today’s kitchens used by more cooks, divided into separate work zones for baking, microwaving, and bartending, they may be better served with several smaller under-the-counter refrigerators, freezers, and icemakers distributed throughout the room than by the single traditional hulk.” Serious cooks may want to consider buying a separate refrigerator and freezer. If you don’t have the space, you can mix and match with modular freezer and fresh food drawers or under-the-counter models that can be stacked, left freestanding, or built into your cabinets. Most people buy a combination refrigerator-freezer unit. It’s a practical arrangement for average-size kitchens and for people who don’t need that much freezer storage. The freezer and fresh foods section can be configured in a few different ways.
Top Mount A top-mount refrigerator (the freezer is on the top and the refrigerator is on the bottom) is the most-popular configuration because it offers a fair amount of storage for the amount of space it consumes, and it’s generally more energy efficient. Model widths range from about 24 to 36 inches with capacities from 10 to 25 cubic feet; and the price may be anywhere from $350 to $2,000, depending on features. The drawback is that retrieving items from the fresh foods section can be awkward, and the door swing is wide, which may impede traffic aisles. Also, not many top-mount refrigerators come with an external water-dispensing system. However, GE makes one: the GE Profile CustomStyle 21-cubic-foot model PTC22SFMRBS comes with what the company calls “the tall Light Touch dispenser.” It provides through-the-door filtered water and crushed or cubed ice, and can accommodate a tall sports bottle. This upscale model fits flush with standard cabinets to give it a built-in look. Other features include two humidity-adjustable crispers, three split adjustable spill-proof glass shelves, and a temperature-adjustable meat pan. The MSRP is $2,149 for stainless-steel. Comparable models in black, white, or bisque sell for a couple of hundred dollars less.Another manufacturer, Sears/Kenmore, offers a top-mount refrigerator with an external filtered water dispenser. The Elite 18.8-cubic-foot model also boasts the “Acceler-Ice” 3xi ice system, which the company says “produces ice faster than leading brand ice makers. In stainless-steel or graphite, the MSRP is $1,299.99; in black or white, it sells for $1,119.99 and $1,099.99, respectively.
Bottom Mount A bottom-mount refrigerator (the freezer is on the bottom and the refrigerator is on the top) is a little more expensive. But it puts the more frequently accessed fresh foods section at your eye level and within easy reach. Its pullout freezer is convenient, as well, although on some models, you may have to bend to reach items in the back of the drawer. The wide door swing can be a problem, as can the pullout drawer when it’s open, so plan accordingly. As with top-mount models, these models don’t usually offer a water or ice dispenser. However, LG recently introduced model LRDC22744, with 22.4 cubic feet, that is available with an external filtered-water dispenser. The suggested retail price is $1,649 to $1,849, depending on the finish.Maytag’s 25-cubic-foot model MBF2558H has one of the largest bottom freezers available.O ther features include a glide-out freezer door with a wire drawer and basket. In the fresh foods section, glide-out shelves are on rollers, and one elevator shelf adjusts for tall storage. Drawers include humidity-controlled crispers and a wide deli drawer. Gallon-plus door bins can accommodate two-liter bottles. The MSRP for the refrigerator in black, black with stainless-steel trim, or bisque is $1,579; in white, the MSRP is $1,549. Amana’s Easy Reach 21.9 cubic-foot model ABD2233D is 28-inches deep, so it sits flush with your cabinetry. In the freezer, glide-out baskets keep frozen foods handy. In the fresh foods section, there are four half-width adjustable glass shelves, a temperature-controlled Beverage Chiller that keeps milk extra cold, and a Chef’s Pantry drawer with dividers for meats and cheeses, plus two humidity-controlled crispers, and four clear adjustable door buckets. There is also an internal filtered water dispenser. The MSRP is $1,859 for stainless-steel, $1,529 for black or bisque, and $1,499 for white.
Side-By-Side A side-by-side refrigerator opens in the middle with the freezer on the left and the fresh foods section on the right. It offers comparatively more freezer capacity than a bottom- or top-mount unit, but most will not easily accommodate oversize items such as large turkeys, large frozen pizzas, sheet cakes, or large platters of food. Still, side-by-side refrigerators are not small; they measure 30- to 36-inches wide, with anywhere from 20 to 30 cubic feet of space. And, the narrow doors don’t intrude into the traffic aisles, so they can be placed opposite an island or used in galley kitchens.The smallest side-by-side refrigerators cost about $800; larger, more fully featured models, which include external filtered water and ice dispensers, sell for up to $2,600. An example of the latter is Kenmore’s 20-cubic-foot model 54032, which has a through-the-door filtered water and ice dispenser, adjustable glass shelves, gallon and liter storage, humidity-controlled crispers for meat and vegetables, three adjustable and one fixed door bin, and upfront electronic controls. In white, the model’s MSRP is $949.99. It also comes in black for $949.99; bisque for $969.99; and ultra satin for $1,049.99. Frigidaire offers a pizza shelf and an ice cream shelf in the freezer compartment of its 26-cubic-foot side-by-side model GLHS269ZD. In addition, the refrigerator section has fixed and adjustable shelves, canned drinks and wine racks, a divided crisper, and a filtered water and ice external dispenser. It comes in white, bisque, or black. The MSRP is $1,249. Humongous 36-, 42- and 48-cubic-foot built-in side-by-side refrigerators do a better job of storing oversize items, if you can give up the floor space to accommodate one. Thermador’s Professional series model KBUIT4860A is a titanic 48 cubic feet. It features frameless glass shelves, integrated gallon door storage, roller glides on drawers, and humidity-sealed crispers. In the freezer section, there is an ice maker with a portable, removable ice bucket. The price is about $5,260. King-size refrigerators have been traditionally sold in the luxury market (Sub-Zero and Viking, in addition to Thermador), but most mainstream manufacturers, such as GE, KitchenAid, and Jenn-Air now make them for their upscale series of appliances. For example, Jenn-Air model JS42CSFXDA is a 42-cubic-foot, built-in refrigerator that accepts custom panels and hardware to match your kitchen’s cabinetry. The freezer has two handy tilt-out baskets, two door baskets, and adjustable wire shelves for customizing freezer space. The automatic ice maker and storage drawer are easy to access. In the refrigerator section, you have your choice of optional bins and compartments and climate zones to personalize fresh-foods storage. Shelves roll out and can be moved up or down via a crank system. The MSRP for this model is $5,409.
French Door The French door refrigerator, the newest trend in refrigerators, is a combination of the side-by-side and bottom-mount styles, and it offers the best features of both. Twin doors open in the middle to access the fresh foods section, and a freezer drawer across the bottom of the unit tilts open for easy access. These refrigerators are typically about 36-inches wide, and come with capacities that range between 20 and 25 cubic feet. Several manufacturers make them, including Amana, Maytag, JennAir, LG, and Kenmore. Prices range between approximately $2,000 and $2,400, depending on features and finish. Jenn-Air’s French Door Pro Style 20 cubic-foot model is cabinet depth and has upfront electronic temperature controls for sleek styling. Individual sensors maintain a consistent temperature in each compartment. It is offered with an internal filtered water dispenser. Model JFC2087HRP sells for about $2,219.Amana’s 24.4 cubic-foot French Door refrigerator also comes with upfront touch pad controls, as well as an “easy fill” internal water dispenser, and ice dispenser, and an ice bucket. Four half Spillsaver glass shelves provide convenient storage space. The MSRP is about $1,749. To date, only Kenmore offers an optional external water dispenser with its 21- and 25-cubic-foot Elite Trio French Door refrigerators. The price range starts at about $2,000 to $2,399, depending upon the color. More Features With today’s busy households, convenience is key, so today’s refrigerators have storage that is more flexible, adjustable, and easy to see and access. In the fresh foods section of some refrigerators, for example, see-through drawers let you check on stored items with a glance. “Elevator” shelves that can be adjusted up or down effortlessly let you make room for different types of groceries and containers as needs change. Another practical feature is LG’s “Design-A-Door Shelving System,” which is available on their top- and bottom-mount refrigerators, such as model Model LRTVN22310 (22 cubic feet and $600 MSRP) has a shelf that can move vertically and horizontally so that you can store a large platter of food. For real convenience, it also can be operated with a crank so that you don’t have to remove items before you move the shelves. The refrigerator also has slide-out spill-proof shelves that make it easy to reach items and clean in the back, shelf snuggers, or sliding brackets, that help to secure containers that are in the door panel, and door-mounted ice dispensers that free up valuable storage space in the freezer. Whirlpool’s Conquest model GS6SHAXM 25-cubic-foot side-by-side has a door-mount dispenser that can be lifted out and used as an ice bucket. In the freezer, look for handy tilt-out and roll-out shelves, deep slide-out baskets for frozen vegetables and entrees, and upper baskets for frequently used items. Electronic touch-pad controls and digital displays have replaced knobs and dials in most models. The MSRP is about $1,879. Filtered water is a popular amenity, especially as consumers are becoming more health conscious. “Seventy five percent of Americans drink bottled filtered water,” says Tina Settecase, Sears Vice President and General Manager of Home Appliances. Recently, Sears announced that Kenmore and Kenmore Elite refrigerators now come with a PUR Ultimate filter. Sears says that these refrigerators remove more contaminants than any other model on the market. With few exceptions, external water dispensers come only with side-by-side refrigerators. But many other models have filtered water and ice dispensers on the inside. In other models, KitchenAid’s KSRJ22CNST 21.7 cubic-foot refrigerator has the AquaSense “lifelong” 500-gallon water filtration system with an indicator light that denotes the status of the filter. The model’s OptimIce technology makes ice 50-percent faster than the standard model. Available in black, biscuit, white, and Satina, it sells for about $1,629. Whirlpool’s Wide-by-Side 26-cubic-foot model M2D2667H, with an MSRP of $1,649, features the PuriClean filter system with a light that goes on to remind you to change the filter. This extra-wide 36-inch refrigerator also has elevator shelves. And because noise can be a concern in today’s kitchen, which may be part of an open plan where the family watches TV or even studies, both of these refrigerators boast quiet operation. In fact, most manufacturers have made improvements on compressors and motors that not only make their refrigerators more energy efficient, but do so quietly. More Editorials |
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