Choose the Right Refrigerator for Your Kitchen

Our refrigerator ratings are organized by width, allowing you to easily see the highest-rated models in the size that fits your space. You’ll find models ranging from a whopping 48 inches wide down to 24 inches for full-sized fridges and even narrower measurements for mini fridges. We also note the height and depth of each tested model.

To help you find the best refrigerators outside the standard dimensions, we have guides to the best counter-depth refrigerators, 24- to 28-inch-wide refrigerators, 30-inch-wide refrigerators, and 33-inch-wide refrigerators.

As for the ideal storage capacity, most refrigerator manufacturers recommend 19 to 22 cubic feet for a family of four. But if you do a big weekly shopping trip or buy in bulk, you may need more, up to 30 to 33 cubic feet. Note: Our tests have found that the amount of usable storage is often less than what’s claimed by manufacturers. Check our refrigerator ratings for the actual capacity of each model. And for the best large fridges from our ratings, see this guide to the best refrigerators for big families.

CR doesn’t just test refrigerators in our labs. We also survey our members about their experiences with refrigerators to gauge a brand’s performance over time. In our most recent surveys, CR members told us about more than 66,500 new refrigerators they purchased between 2014 and 2024. The refrigerator brands in the survey include Frigidaire, GE, Kenmore, KitchenAid, LG, Maytag, Samsung, and Whirlpool.

The results revealed that 33 percent of all refrigerators require repairs by the end of their fifth year of ownership, making them one of the least reliable appliances we analyze in our member surveys. The two most commonly reported problem areas for refrigerators are icemakers and dispensers. Top-freezers are more reliable than other types of refrigerators, including the coveted French-door style, but our members generally like top-freezers and side-by-sides less than other fridge types. (Our survey results don’t include mini fridges.)

To learn more about the survey results and sift through details across brands, check out our guide to the most and least reliable refrigerator brands.

We test dozens of refrigerators every year to add to CR’s refrigerator ratings, which currently have over 250 models. But there are still hundreds more on the market in a variety of styles, sizes, and finishes. To help you make a good purchase even if we haven’t tested the particular model you’re considering, CR created its first-ever brand scores for French-door, side-by-side, top-freezer, and built-in refrigerators.

The scores take into account our lab test results, reliability survey data, and the scope of a brand’s product line across different price and performance tiers. If you come across a particular fridge that isn’t in our ratings, those scores are a good indicator of how it will perform both when new and over time.

To see our complete brand scores, head over to our guide to the best refrigerator brands.

It’s important to check your preferred retailer’s delivery and installation services before purchasing a new fridge. And if you’re replacing an old fridge, you might want to consider using the retailer’s haul-away service to remove and recycle the appliance.

Some retailers include those services with the appliance purchase for no additional charge, while others charge separate fees for them. For example, Costco generally offers all three services for free, while Best Buy charges $30 for delivery and installation on fridges costing $399 or more, and an additional $60 for haul-away. Service fees can sometimes vary or be waived as part of a retailer’s sales promotion or if the refrigerator’s price is above a certain threshold.

You can find delivery, installation, and haul-away information for a handful of major appliance retailers here: Best Buy, Costco, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, Sam’s Club.

After you purchase your new fridge and as you approach delivery day, plot a clear path through your home for the delivery team to bring the appliance inside. Take measurements to ensure it will fit through doorways, hallways, and stairwells. Finally, if you’re replacing an old fridge, plan to have it cleaned out and disconnected before the delivery team arrives.