LG's new four-door refrigerator, the LG LPCS34886C, is the biggest, most feature-rich fridge we've ever seen in Consumer Reports' labs. Whether you want it sitting in your kitchen is another question. We'll wait for our complete test results—measuring temperature performance, energy efficiency, noise, and more—before issuing the bottom line in our refrigerator Ratings. In the meantime, here are some first impressions, both good and bad.
This is one giant refrigerator. Storage capacity has become a major selling point with consumers, so it's no wonder manufacturers keep one upping each other. In terms of usable capacity, which is the total volume of space that can actually be used for storage, the Samsung Chef Collection RF34H9960S4, $5,400, had been our champ, with 23.5 cubic feet. But this new LG takes over the top spot, boasting 24.4 cubic feet. LG managed the feat, in part, by adding to the overall height of the unit; it stands 73 1/4" high to the top of the hinge, several inches above most models in its category.
Inside, the refrigerator has a bunch of handy storage features, including adjustable baskets and bins on the doors, split folding shelves that make it easy to fit taller items, and pullout drawers in the freezer.
It's a true four-door design. The four-door refrigerator category has grown in recent years, but in most cases the fourth door is actually a pullout middle drawer. The LG has a true four-door configuration, including two bottom freezer doors for two separate freezer compartments. We first saw this design on the Samsung T9000 RF32FMQDBSR, $3,500. In that case, the bottom right chamber can convert from freezer to refrigerator space, for times when you need additional fresh-food storage. With the LG, both chambers are freezer-only, so it's less versatile.
The upper doors are crazy busy. The refrigerator door has been a bastion of innovation for the last few years, with the advent of such features as a built-in coffeemaker and LCD display. This LG is not to be undone. It has not one but two door-in-door compartments that let you access beverages, condiments, and other often reached for items without reaching all the way into the fridge's main compartment.
A single door-in-door compartment is a nice convenience. Two might be overkill. At the very least, they'll take some getting used to, especially since they have different features and operations. For example, the one on the right opens with a trigger on the front of the door, while the trigger for the one on the left is located at the bottom of the door (imagine explaining that to a house full of party guests). Also, while the entire interior panel on the right can be opened, providing access to items on the shelves, on the right just one of the bins tilts out.
The second door-in-door compartment means there's no external ice-and-water dispenser. That's a popular feature with consumers, though models with it tend to be more repair prone, based on our refrigerator reliability surveys. So call that one a wash. Though we would have liked to see an internal water dispenser, which are becoming more common.
Its finish is definitely eye-catching. Stainless steel has ruled kitchen appliances for decades. We keep waiting for something to take its place. This luminous contoured glass finish, as LG calls it, is no doubt unique, and some would say sophisticated, too. The integrated LCD panel, including temperature controls for the refrigerator and freezer, is another cool touch. However, you don't tend to see a lot of mirrors in the kitchen, so catching your reflection every time you open the refrigerator is another feature of this fridge that might take some getting used to. And while LG claims the finish "resists fingerprints and smudges and is easy-to-clean," there were definite signs of handling after we got the unit installed in our labs. We should note the fridge is also available in "luminous glass," but we haven't experienced it yet.
It's expensive. Though built-in refrigerators from brands like Thermador and Sub-Zero cost in the $7,000 to $10,000 range, conventional refrigerators tend to top out around $3,000. Between this $6,000 LG and the $5,400 Samsung Chef Collection, we're seeing the emergence of a whole new category—call them the luxury four doors. In the case of the Samsung, high-end styling is matched by unparalleled performance. Will the new LG reach similar heights? We'll let you know as soon as testing is complete.
