CR's Take
		The notion of adding a supplemental refrigerator drawer is enticing, especially if you’re undertaking a major kitchen remodel and want to place a unit near your prep area. But you can get the same capacity by buying a compact refrigerator at less than a tenth of the price.

We’ve all faced a similar scenario: A crowd is coming over for a holiday party or to watch the big game, and your refrigerator--large enough most of the time--offers scant room for any more food. You can try to cram in the veggie and cold-cut platters you made, or perhaps you’ll schlep them over to the neighbors’ house for temporary storage.

The solution might be to replace your fridge with a higher-capacity model or even add a second one, but there is another option: refrigerator drawers. These appliances, increasingly popular today, are what their name implies--refrigerated drawers that are installed under the kitchen counter.

Refrigerator drawers provide not only additional storage space but also some conveniences. If you have young children, for example, you can stow snacks in an easy-to-access spot. Or, when you’re prepping for that big dinner party, you can keep your fresh ingredients at hand. And on the KitchenAid Superba KDDA27TR[S] ($2,500; www.kitchenaid.com), you can place one drawer at a standard refrigerator temperature and the other at a “pantry” setting of up to 60° F. This would allow you, for example, to chill beer, white wine, and other beverages for your gathering in the bottom drawer and store root vegetables in the top. (All five tested models have two drawers.)

Other upsides are on the design front. Refrigerator drawers don’t eat up much floor space: On average, the units we tested are 35 inches high (they’ll fit below a standard-height counter) and 24 inches deep (matching the standard depth of base cabinets). Three models are 24 inches wide (same as a typical dishwasher), the other two, 27. And, as with many other fridges, they can fit in with the kitchen décor. All five models are available with a stainless-steel look, and the Sub-Zero 700BR ($3,200; www.subzero.com) can be fitted with a panel to match the finish of cabinets.

But you’ll pay dearly for those limited benefits. The tested models cost an average of $2,500 (prices range from $1,800 to $3,200) for what we measured as only about 4 cubic feet of usable fridge capacity (none of the models has a freezer). What’s more, while fridge drawers cost little to run (about $32 to $42 a year), they’re far less energy-efficient than any type of full-sized refrigerator in our Ratings, scoring poor in our calculations. Some other drawbacks: The Marvel 60RD ($2,500; www.lifeluxurymarvel.com) has no bins, dividers, or shelves, and its controls are inside the top of the front frame, requiring you to open the top drawer much of the way to access them. And the U-Line Echelon 2075DWRR[SS] ($2,500; www.u-line.com) is not equipped with an on/off switch. To unplug the unit, you need to pull the fridge out from the wall. So far, we lack repair data for refrigerator drawers.

CASH DRAWERS The five models we tested provide conveniences, but their drawbacks and cost make them a splurge.

Excellent	Very good	Good	Fair	Poor

Guide to the Ratings

Overall score is based primarily on temperature performance and energy efficiency. Noise and ease of use (not shown) also figure in. Temperature performance denotes performance at different room temperatures, including high heat, and how uniformly each maintained 37° F in their interior. Energy efficiency is consumption per the yellow EnergyGuide sticker and measured usable volume in cubic feet. Noise is with compressors running. Claimed volume in cu. ft.is per the manufacturer. Usable volume in cu. ft.is our measurement of usable space. Height, width, and depth are without handle, rounded up to the nearest inch. Under brand & model,bracketed letters or numbers are color codes. Price is approximate retail, if available. (Note: Prices do not include exterior panels.)

FOR MORE INFORMATION If you’re in the market for a new refrigerator, read our latest report. (Ratings are available to subscribers.) If you’re planning a kitchen remodel, be sure to refer to our planning guide. Filled with expert advice, it will help you create your dream space ... for less.