No longer are refrigerators all the same, only allowing you to choose from a few colors and sizes. Nowadays, you have to research almost endlessly, thanks to technological innovation, as fridges are much more capable and diverse. So many makers, so many designs, innovations, and capabilities to choose from.
Imagine your refrigerator being Wi-fi enabled. It’s not just TVs that can be smart, you know. There are fridges you can command remotely with your smartphone. Some are even fitted with cameras and are programmable.
Side door fridges are often big and come in different designs. There are side-by-side doors, French doors with bottom freezers, and cabinet-depth fridges that blend into the kitchen cabinet along with your
oven,
dishwasher, and other kitchen appliances.
The best refrigerators do a great job cooling when you want and freezing what needs to be frozen. That’s their primary job, anyway. Side door fridges are usually a combination of fridge and freezer. They often have humidity control so their contents can stay fresher for longer
Some fridges have outlets that dispense ice cubes and water. Some even go further and shut off when the cup is full! It is not uncommon to find fridges with
water pitchers that refill by themselves once placed back in position. All these nice capabilities come with added cost. We’re sure you already know that. So, make up your mind on the things you want from a refrigerator, and let that be your guide in choosing the best side door fridge for your needs. As you read along, you will come across information that makes your selection a cincher. Thank us later.
Price
Size, design, brand, and technology are often the factors that affect the pricing of refrigerators. It is important that you know what you need one for, so the price won’t be your only determining factor. A French door design from a reputable brand, with all the futuristic bells and whistles can cost over $3000. A more basic one with fewer add-ons, but which still does a great job, can go for around $1000.
Do be wary of the cheap refrigerators that will often try to tempt you with giveaway prices. If you fall for them, well, that’s some money you literally gave away. They don’t last and certainly don’t do a good job.
Features
Refrigerators are an important part of any modern kitchen. If you’re remodeling, a suitable refrigerator is a must. Here are some features to consider when deciding which one to get:
- Size
- Design
- Technology
- Juicy Add-ons
- Capacity
As you read on, you’ll get a better understanding of how these features will affect your decision.
Construction and Design
As you’re out hunting for a new refrigerator, whether as a replacement or to smarten up your kitchen, we believe you already have some idea of how you will be using it. This knowledge determines what you should be looking out for and, ultimately, the fridge you’ll choose. The first thing you might want to consider is the size – side door refrigerators are often big, so you want to be sure you have the space for it. You can save some space with the in-cabinet style, where your fridge blends with the rest of the counter.
Reasonably enough, the larger the fridge, the bigger the capacity, at least in most cases. Manufacturers have adopted ingenious, cheeky ways to maximize storage space within the interior of the fridge. Some have as much as 32 cubic feet of space, which is enough to accommodate bulk grocery shopping and keep it fresh until needed.
Side door refrigerators come in different designs you can choose from according to your preference. There are French door configurations, which are a combination of side-by-side doors and bottom freezer. They are stylish and elegant, and often have ice and water dispensers on the door. The side-by-side design has both the fridge and freezer behind their own doors, which run the entire height of the refrigerator. The counter-depth ones could come as either of the aforementioned styles, but often have a shallower profile since they are meant to blend to the level of your kitchen cabinet.
Performance and Ease of Use
As with almost every home appliance today, technological innovation has taken over. Refrigerators are not left out, as they now come with a lot of sophistication. Some refrigerators are convertible, yes you heard right, convertible! With the adjustable cooling zones fitted into it, you can convert it from a fridge to a freezer and back, depending on your needs. Some have custom-flex door bins that slide and adjust, and can easily move to create more space and make access easier. Many refrigerators are now equipped with evaporation technologies that control humidity in both the fridge and freezer to keep food items fresh for longer. Most refrigerators now have the Energy Star certification for maximizing energy while saving you some dollars in electric bills.
If you haven’t heard, refrigerators, too, are smart. Some are Wi-fi enabled to let you find recipes, leave notes, access apps, etc. There’s also the auto-fill pitcher in some brands that fills itself once you place the pitcher back in the fridge. Neat, yeah? Some smart fridges can be operated remotely – imagine making your fridge boil water for coffee while you’re still in bed. Some fridges with built-in cameras are creeping into the marketplace. With these, you don’t have to go home and find out you’re out of eggs when you’ve just driven past the grocery store. These fridges, with the aid of its cameras, will allow you to view the contents of your refrigerator from your phone! You can even monitor expiry dates with them!
All these awesome goodies don’t come cheap though; you will have to cough up top dollars for the futuristic convenience. With all that’s been said, we hope you now have sufficient information to make up your mind on what you want from a refrigerator.
With the information you now have and your mind made up on what you want, selecting a refrigerator will be easy for you. All you need to do is read our reviews of individual brands and products to select the best side door refrigerator for you.
Now that you have explored your options, pick the one which catches your eye. The fridges on our list, especially if they are well-maintained, can last for years and years. Keep in mind, because we only looked at highly reputable brands, known for quality, if it turns out the model we reviewed is not the perfect match for you, they all have other models to choose from.
