Why king-size refrigerators don't necessarily rule

Consumer Reports News: September 23, 2010 05:09 PM

Clarion call, please: French-door, bottom-freezer refrigerators are now the new "royalty of refrigerators," according to this Chicago Tribune report, as more Americans cook at home instead of eating out. Having the more-frequently used fridge on top, with split doors that let you open one or both, has helped French-door refrigerators eat into sales of side-by-side and other designs. French-door models have the space-friendly, narrow door swings of side-by-sides but with one full-width compartment that can swallow pizzas, holiday platters and other bulky items.

"What's happening is that people are now focusing on features that add value and utility," Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, Consumer Reports Home and Garden Deputy Editor, told the Tribune. Although GE recently rolled out a side-by-side refrigerator that claims a palatial 29.1 cubic feet of storage, the new Samsung RF4287HARS and Frigidaire Professional French door refrigerators both claim capacities in the 28-cubic-foot range. Opt for the Samsung, and you get four doors—two for the French-door fridge compartment and two for the freezer below.

But Consumer Reports' tests show that a refrigerator's usable space is often far less regal than the capacity manufacturers claim. Using the new product comparison tool in our Ratings (available to subscribers) reveals usable capacities ranging from 58 to 70 percent for nine French-door refrigerators we recommend. We're currently testing the Samsung RF4287HARS, the Kenmore 7107, and the LG LMX28988ST, and will include how these four-door models rate for usable space.

—Gian Trotta

More on refrigerators: Buying guide. Ratings. Recommendations.

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Why king-size refrigerators don't necessarily rule

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