How to Find the Best French Fridge Freezer
Whether you want to bring a touch of class to your kitchen or have an affinity for fresh food, the French door refrigerator can take your culinary game up a notch. To choose the right one, you must carefully assess your space and determine your preferences and priorities.
Standout features include a door-mounted dispenser that delivers filtered water and ice at the push of a button, TwinChill evaporators that create customized climate zones, and a temperature-controlled drawer that doubles as additional fridge space.
ENERGY STAR(r)
Energy Star-certified refrigerators can help you save money on energy bills and also reduce the environmental impact. Look for a fridge with this rating and is equipped with ENERGY START-certified insulation. This prevents loss of cold air, which lets the fridge keep food fresher longer.
The best French refrigerator freezers also have adjustable shelves and temperature-controlled drawers that let you customize the storage space. These options allow you to store items that require different temperatures, such as veggies and meats. You can also find refrigerators that offer built-in water dispensers as well as an area for storing deli meats as well as cheeses.
Refrigerators with a door-in-door design allow you to easily access items you frequently use without opening the entire fridge. This reduces the loss of cold air, which enables you to consume less energy and keep your food at a consistent temperature. The ability to alter the temperature of the inside with a single button is a further useful feature. This lets you quickly grab drinks or snacks from the freezer.
The experts at Good Housekeeping reviewed 12 of the most well-liked refrigerators for performance and functionality with a range of French-door models. They analyzed the capacity, layout, energy efficiency, features, and design of each refrigerator to ensure that they were worth the investment.
When shopping for a new refrigerator, choose the model that best suits your kitchen and lifestyle. It's important to measure the width and height of your space before you buy, says Jessica Petrino Ball, who manages the education program of appliance retailer AJ Madison. This will ensure that the refrigerator fits within your space as well as through your hallways and doors.
The GE Cafe French Door Bottom-Freezer Fridge will elevate your kitchen with its sleek design. The counter-depth refrigerator features stunning stainless steel finishes and adjustable bar handles that complement the cabinets. Its dual cooling system allows it to be more flexible and regulate temperatures better than freestanding refrigerators. The fridge circulates cold air between the fridge and freezer using two cooling elements. This prevents odor transfer, and ensures your food is kept at an optimal temperature.
Sleek Design
A French-door refrigerator has a sleeker design than most other refrigerators. They're typically integrated in kitchen cabinets for seamless appearance. Certain models come with an exterior made of stainless steel that wipes clean to minimize fingerprint marks. Some models have an option to open the door for water or ice, which minimizes the loss of cold air and improves temperature control.
These fridges tend to be pricier, but they're worth the price for their efficiency and sleek aesthetic. The GE PVD28BYNFS for instance, has a large interior that includes an entire width deli drawer to store cured food items and a PureAir Ultra II filter to eliminate odors. This is especially helpful for those with sensitive allergies. The refrigerator features an electronic display for precise temperature control and a door in door design to reduce energy consumption. This will help to save money.
Another option that blends the best of both worlds is the Bosch counter depth French door refrigerator. It is designed to sit perfectly against counters to give an elegant and modern appearance. french door fridge freezers comes with a matte finish that won't show fingerprints or smudges. The fridge has a large capacity to hold all of your groceries and has enough space for tall drinks bottles in the freezer section. This model does not have a through-the-door dispenser, but it does have an internal water dispenser with filtered water to make it easy to access and TwinChill evaporators that can be customized to suit your climate zones.
If you're looking for a high-end refrigerator that's also an attractive addition to your home, take a look at the Cafe models by GE Appliances. They come with a range of handle finishes that can be customized to fit your kitchen's design or personal taste. These fridges also performed well in our lab tests and have the storage features that you need to keep groceries clean and well-organized.
This LG model might not be as expensive as some models, but it still offers plenty of storage space and stunning exterior. The interior is large with adjustable shelves and bins that allow for flexible configurations. The freezer comes with a full width drawer for deli and plenty of storage space for items that are needed for a short time, while the door shelves can accommodate tall items like wine bottles.
Convenient Organization
A well-organized refrigerator will allow for better storage and retrieval of food items and beverages, which can save you money, decrease waste and enhance your kitchen's functionality. By constantly reviewing and tweaking the way your refrigerator is organized you can maximize the space and create a productive and user-friendly space.
With their convenient door-in-door design and temperature-controlled drawers, French door fridge freezers are ideal for storing a variety of foods and ingredients. To get the most out of your fridge, organize items into zones. This makes them easier to access and stop food from being lost or buried. Reserve the upper shelves for drinks, ready-to-eat food like milk, deli-meats, and leftovers. Lower shelves can be used to store raw ingredients to cook, such as meats and poultry, which must be stored in the coldest portion of the refrigerator to prevent cross-contamination. Crisper drawers are perfect for storing vegetables and fruits, with adjustable humidity settings to accommodate various types of produce.
Door bins and shelves that can be adjusted also come in handy for storing extra food or beverage containers. Dividers can be used to store different kinds of ingredients in the same area. Label each bin bin to make it easy to identify. This will make it easier to find your favorite recipe or drink when you're out, and will reduce the need to go to the store.
While a well-organized fridge looks great and improves the efficiency of your kitchen, it can also extend the shelf life of your food items. Continuously reviewing and tweaking your refrigerator's organizational strategy can help you keep the ideal temperatures, avoid over-freezing or defrosting foods and prevent contamination from other items that might be stored in the freezer. Consider a fridge with an integrated water dispenser and ice maker to make your life a lot simpler. This will eliminate the need for a separate ice machine. This eliminates the requirement to keep a jug of filtered water in bottles on the counter and replenish it whenever it runs out. These features also help reduce energy consumption by permitting you to use less water and ice when filling up your glass.
Flexibility
French-door fridges are designed with an elegant style that enhances kitchens and increases resale value. They are also stocked with the latest technology and food-saving features which make them ideal for all households. These top-rated refrigerators scored high in the Good Housekeeping Institute's most recent refrigerator test, which measured temperature control and uniformity freshness of food and the ease of use.
If you like the traditional French design, this Viking model offers plenty of storage and an elegant profile that will fit perfectly in tight spaces. The door-indoor feature allows you to grab snacks and drinks at a single push and the adjustable shelves are great for accommodating various types of food. The crisper drawers of this refrigerator have a humidity control system that keeps food fresher for longer.
The GE Cafe refrigerator line is a standout because of its sleek design and flexible options. You can pick a matte black or white exterior and then alter the handle colour to match your cabinet hardware. The doors are quieter with a soft-close system. You can change the handles with brushed bronze or black, copper, or stainless steel, to match the style of your kitchen. The counter-depth refrigerator is Wi-Fi compatible and gives you control over several functions via your smartphone app.
Another GE option, the four-door Cafe CVE28DP4NW2 has an innovative temperature-controlled drawer in between the fridge and freezer for items that need to be kept at a specific temperature (like kids' snacks and wine). The EvenTemp cooling system helps to reduce the risk of burning in the freezer by ensuring a constant circulation of cool air. Its PureAir Ultra II odor filters eliminate unpleasant smells.
This LG refrigerator is not just modern and stylish, but also flexible, with a variety of innovative features. The LED lighting is strategically positioned throughout the interior and the shelves are movable to accommodate different kinds of food. The spill-proof shelf edges contain drips and minimize the mess. The refrigerator is ENERGY STAR certified which means you'll be able to reduce your electricity bill and is better for the planet.