Amana French Door Refrigerator

Since a fridge usually lasts for close to two decades, it’s not a purchase you have to make everyday. When the time does come, however, there are so many refrigerator models on the market nowadays that it’s not always so easy to choose. Although your old fridge was probably a top-mount or a side-by-side, this time around there is a new model out there known as the French door refrigerator which has rapidly become the most popular type of fridge on the market. French doors are a variation on a standard bottom mount refrigerator (add link) with added convenience. We’ve put together a guide to help make your refrigerator shopping experience easier so that you don’t become French toast in the process!

Pros
French door refrigerators are the most popular model of the day because they take the best of all worlds by combining a bottom mount freezer with a double door, side by side fridge. The double doors are ideal for smaller kitchens or kitchens with an island, allowing for less clearance room for doors. Unlike a side-by-side fridge, however, the French door possesses standard interior room inside for wide items like pizza boxes and baking trays eliminating the down side of side-by-sides. It’s also possible to open one side at a time, to prevent cool air from escaping, making them the most efficient type of fridge on the market. GE and LG both make French door fridges with four doors, meaning that the freezer has two different sliding drawers. This is ideal for organization and easy access and also helps to conserve on energy, since less cold air is lost each time you open the freezer. Although most French door models come with through the door water dispensers as well, it’s hard to find them with ice dispensers as well except for in the Maytag model.

Cons
The only real downside of a French door fridge is the price, since they are substantially more expensive than top mount, bottom mount, and even side by side refrigerators. It is also more and more difficult to find them in narrower widths.

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Popularity: 8%

Whirlpool Bottom Mount Refrigerator

Refrigerators consume up to one-sixth of all electricity in a typical American home–more energy than any other household appliance. Considering that an average fridge will last for close to 20 years, it pays to make a wise decision when purchasing your next one. There are a number of different styles on the market nowadays, providing added convenience and efficiency so before going shopping it is wise to be informed as to what’s out there. A Bottom-mount refrigerator is a very popular model these days, with the freezer on the bottom instead of on the top as in classic top-mount models. Here is a list of some of the pros and cons of a bottom-freezer model to help you make your decision without hitting rock bottom.

Pros
Bottom-freezer models are clearly more convenient than top-freezers because the more popular refrigerator compartment is located comfortably at eye level, without any need of bending down to get to most items. Bottom mount refrigerators are also the most energy efficient model on the market, beating side by side fridges by as much as 16%, and even beating top mounts by a few percent. New French door models add even more convenience and efficiency to a standard bottom mount (link to French door).

Cons
The only draw back of a bottom mount refrigerator is the price. Although more convenient and efficient, bottom mount refrigerators are as much as 1.5 times more expensive than top mount models with only a little extra convenience, making it a difficult comparison. It can also be difficult to find rarely used items that get buried in the back of the freezer. The full sized door in the standard models is also a drawback for smaller kitchens, since the door can block aisle space when fully opened unless you go with a French door. It’s also unlikely to find one with the popular in-door ice-making and cold water feature.

Considerations
The main difference you will find in various bottom mount models is the type of door on the freezer. A standard swing door requires you to get down on your knees whenever you need to get something from the back of the freezer, but a convenient pull out drawer will cost you—in some cases as much as several hundred dollars more. A pull door is also less energy efficient, since you loose much more cold air every time you open the freezer. Slide out baskets are a good compromise, making a swing door much easier to handle. Additional features include shelf material and internal layout, which is more a personal preference than a qualitative difference. KitchenAid is the only company to make a bottom mount refrigerator that is a narrower counter depth model, lying flush with the cabinetry.

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Popularity: 4%

Amana Top Mount Refrigerator

Refrigerators consume more energy than any other household appliance alone and use up to a sixth of all electricity in a typical American home. Considering that an average fridge will last you for close to 20 years, it pays to make a wise decision when purchasing your next one. There are a number of different styles on the market nowadays, so before going shopping it is wise to be informed as to what’s out there.

Most American’s grew up with top mount refrigerators, with the freezer on the top and the fridge on the bottom. Until fairly recently they were the most popular type of fridge simply because that’s what was available on the market. Now there are a number of different alternatives to the top mount, none-the-less, top mount refrigerators still has a special places in many people’s hearts. Until today, it’s still the most affordable model on the market—sometimes surprisingly cheaper–and believe it or not, also the least prone to malfunction. Due to today’s difficult economic times, the top mount is once again becoming more and more popular for people who care more about their wallets than their convenience and décor. We’ve put together a guide to the basic things you need to know before purchasing a top mount refrigerator to help you make your decision without popping your top.

Pros
The advantage of top mounts is that the freezer is located at eye level, making it easier to find those rarely used frozen goods, although this is also a disadvantage since the more commonly used produce section of the fridge is only accessible by awkwardly bending down. They are also among the most energy efficient types of refrigerators out there next to bottom mounts. They also typically offer the most usable storage for their size.

Cons
As mentioned, top mount refrigerators can be annoying, since the more frequently used fridge is less accessible. The full sized door is also a drawback for smaller kitchens or kitchens with an island, since the door can block aisle space when fully opened. It’s also unlikely to find one with the popular in-the-door ice and cold water dispensers.

Size
It’s important to purchase a fridge that is the right size for your family. Too large a fridge wastes expensive energy while too small means overcrowding. Top mount widths typically run from about 30 to 33 inches with 22 cubic foot interior. Frigidaire, GE, and Whirlpool make the smallest top mount models with 24 inch widths and 10 cubic feet of space. GE makes the largest top mount with 25 cubic feet of interior space. If you need more space than that, a top mount is not for you.

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Popularity: 6%