Side-by-Side Refrigerator Review

You sniff the air, following the sweet aroma to the kitchen. Food is delicious, nutritious and all around amazing. Whether you are a chef, foodie or mom, you depend on your kitchen appliances, like the refrigerator, to keep food fresh and delicious for your customers, family and friends. Stainless steel has become the chic alternative to the butter yellows or asparagus greens of the refrigerators of '70s. The color is not the only drastic change to the modern refrigerator: shape, energy output, storage, cubic feet, digital displays – you have choices! One of the best refrigerator designs, and the most popular, is the side-by-side refrigerator. This style of refrigerator has the room and storage you need to keep every scrumptious fresh or frozen food item at the perfect temperature, allowing you to quickly grab whatever you need to toss together dinner for your family.

The top-rated refrigerator brands, like Samsung, Kenmore, LG, Maytag, Whirlpool, GE, Electrolux and Frigidaire design the best side-by-side refrigerators with modern features, storage and Energy-Star ratings. While researching what refrigerator will be best for you, your needs and your kitchen's square footage, you may get lost in the sea of identical-looking fridges with their seemingly identical features and model numbers. Well, good news, you can stop searching because, after wading through the confusion, we have found the best side-by-side refrigerators from top-rated refrigerator brands. Some of the top products include the Samsung RSG309AARS, the Kenmore Elite 4100 and the LG LSC27935ST.

In this article, you will learn what criteria we used to compare the best side-by-side refrigerators and what specific features to look for when purchasing one. Read our refrigerator reviews about the top-rated refrigerators on the market today, complete with fresh technology and refrigerator/freezer features. For more information, please visit our Learning Center, where you can read additional articles on side-by-side refrigerators. At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don’t Have To.™

Side-by-Side Refrigerators: What to Look For

A side-by-side refrigerator is an attractive and convenient alternative to a top freezer or French-door refrigerator. The stylish side-by-side refrigerator has a full-length freezer on the left and a larger refrigerator section on the right. The side-by-side design allows you to keep all foods within reach and at eye level, so you and your family know exactly where to find the lunchmeat, jam, snacks, milk and more. The best side-by-side refrigerators also have more storage space, removable shelves, temperature-controlled crispers and multiple door bins.

Appearance & Capacity
This section in our refrigerator reviews will discuss, well, the appearance of each fridge inside and out. We will also point out the features, focusing on new technology and those special extras.

When you're looking for a new refrigerator, consider the quality and material of the shelves in the fridge. If you have children who tend to put opened cans of soda or juice in the fridge, or a husband or teenager that uses a not-so-gentle technique for putting groceries away, shelving options may be a big consideration. The options vary and include glass, spill-proof, wire, adjustable and pull-out shelving.

Naturally, one of the most important features of a refrigerator is the amount of space it has to hold your food. Typically, a side-by-side refrigerator has 25 to 26 cubic feet of storage space, but some refrigerators offer as much as 30 cubic feet. Depending on your own circumstances – number of family members and kitchen space available – you will want to choose a refrigerator size that works for you.

Storage & Features
To ensure that your fresh food remains fresh and your freezer food is properly rotated, your side-by-side refrigerator needs to have storage that will accommodate your food and allow you to keep everything organized. The best side-by-side refrigerators have multiple shelves, door bins and crispers.

Just as in the refrigerator section, the freezer should also sport its own set of shelves, pull out bins or wire baskets. In addition to the freezer storage space, you need to consider the ice maker. Many ice makers take up a large portion of the freezer, but the best side-by-side refrigerators use space-saving technology to place the ice maker in the door, freeing up the top shelf of the freezer.

Some refrigerators may also have special features, such as an egg container, beverage rack or wine holder.

The best side-by-side refrigerators have a door alarm, which will alert you when the door has been open too long, breaking your trance during those times when you're just staring into the fridge, trying to figure out what you want to eat. Logical or not, we've all done it!

To keep everything at the perfect temperature, most refrigerators allow you to turn the temperature up or down. The top-rated refrigerators feature crispers that have their own temperature control, so your fruits and veggies can stay fresher longer.

Water & Ice Dispenser
The water and ice dispenser will quickly become your family's favorite feature. But, unless you want to enter your kitchen and find your toddler swimming in ice cubes, you may want to employ the child lock, which is available on the best side-by-side refrigerators.

Once you start to fill up your water bottle from the fridge, you'll never go back to the faucet, as many of the top-rated refrigerators have a water filter, making the water pure, cold and delicious. Many dispenser monitors will also have a filter replacement light that indicates when you need to replace your water filter.

Energy & Warranty
This section covers the estimated yearly energy use for each refrigerator and the estimated yearly cost. In this section, we will discuss other special energy-efficient features, such as advanced cooling and air filtrations, as well as the warranty. Typically, a refrigerator will have a one-year limited warranty for everything but the sealed system, which will have anywhere from a five- to seven-year warranty.

Help & Support
A refrigerator, even a top-of-the-line refrigerator, will not install itself. On the appliance's online product page, you should be able to find a user manual, and for a select few, video guides highlighting features and installation tips. If you have technical issues or warranty questions, you should also be able to contact the company via telephone and email support.

Buying a side-by-side refrigerator can be difficult, especially when many refrigerators appear to be almost identical. Choosing the right refrigerator for your circumstances is very important, as it could result in a highly reliable purchase or one that you will come to regret. Let us help you avoid a painful experience, and instead direct you to a side-by-side refrigerator that will keep you and your family satisfied for years to come.