Unsure what to consider when buying a refrigerator? This refrigerator buying guide will show you key factors that make it right for your home. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Think about the kitchen space before you buy a refrigerator
Choose refrigerator features you’ll use
Select your preferred color and finish
Choose specialized storage and capacity
Choose your style and layout
Consider kitchen space before you buy a refrigerator
A refrigerator should make good use of kitchen space. Before shopping, know:
Measurements of where it’s being installed
How much room to leave for doors to open
Distance to nearby islands
This measuring guide walks you through the entire process.
You’ll also want to consider whether you want a standard-depth or counter-depth refrigerator. Standard-depth refrigerators stick out further in front of your counters, while counter-depth options in every style sit virtually flush.
Before you buy a refrigerator, think about the features you’ll use most, like:
Ice and water dispensers
Specialized storage like infinity slide shelves to accommodate tall items, platter pockets to store wide, flat items like pizza boxes and adjustable gallon door bins for loading flexibility.
Performance features like dual cooling, in which dedicated cooling systems make sure fresh and frozen food is stored in the right environment.
Select your desired color and finish.
Refrigerator finishes vary from the traditional black and white to stainless steel in different hues. Explore all colors available to find the right fit for you. And if you’re looking for a finish that easily wipes clean, Whirlpool offers two fingerprint-resistant finishes:
Fingerprint-Resistant Stainless Steel
Fingerprint-Resistant Black Stainless
Pick specialized storage and capacity
When you’re buying a refrigerator, look to capacity, measured in cubic feet (cu. ft.), to compare total size. While shopping, you should consider:
How much you bring home from the grocery store and how many people are in your family — this will help you determine your needed cubic feet.
Quick access to favorites and who needs to reach them — exterior drawers or storage zones on the door’s interior let you store snacks where they’re easy to reach.
Whether you need to store extra tall items or large platters — certain styles like French door and side-by-side usually have specialized storage solutions like sliding shelves and wide trays.
Choose your style and layout.
French Door Refrigerators.
French door refrigerators put refrigerated food at eye level and freezer items below. The standard French door design features two doors that open to a single refrigerator compartment on the top, plus a deeper freezer drawer on the bottom.
If you have a busy household or kids, consider fully-featured 4-door and 5-door options with easy-to-access external drawers. Snacks are stored where you can reach them without opening the main doors.
French door fridges are a higher-end choice because they usually have the most features. Whirlpool® French Door Refrigerators often offer:
Water dispensers, single and double ice makers and dual cooling
Specialized storage like customizable drawers, slide-in shelves for taller items and organized freezer storage.
Ample space for wider items like platters and pizza boxes.
Comparable door swing to a side-by-side of the same width.
Side-by-Side Refrigerators
Side-by-side refrigerators position the freezer on the left and the refrigerator on the right. With easy access to both sides and a selection of the same features available on French door refrigerators, characteristics of this classic include:
Performance features like humidity-controlled crispers to create ideal fruit and vegetable environments.
Specialized storage like can caddy to organize soda
Plenty of usable capacity.
Space-saving ice maker and water on the freezer door.
Often less door swing room than top-freezer models of the same width.
Do you want to buy a new refrigerator around Houston?
Factory Appliance Houston can help!
We serve the Houston area and its environs.