Strong emotions are brought up by side-by-side refrigerators. some owners appreciate them, while others hate them. For most homes, a French-door fridge is more adaptable, but in certain cases. We’ve discovered that a side-by-side refrigerator’s a long time, slim design truly works well.
For small kitchens or confined spaces where opening a full-size refrigerator door is difficult, side-by-sides are ideal. Additionally, some models feature incredibly well-planned refrigerator sections that span the whole refrigerator. Which is perfect for those with a love of chilled food who purchase (or prepare) in large quantities. It’s also extremely useful if you have trouble reaching high or stooping low.
We recommend the GE GSE25G. It boasts a strong construction, a very adaptable interior design, and years of positive owner responses.
With a considerable amount of storage space (25.3 cubic feet), the GE GSE25G is remarkably adaptable and changeable. Both the huge door pockets and the refrigerator shelves can be adjusted to ten levels (most refrigerators only allow two or three). It is noticeably sturdy, with thick built-in bench slats that appear to be less likely to break, which is an everyday issue with side-by-sides.
This GE model is Energy Star certified. Although it lacks Wi-Fi-enabled smart ability, you may use the digital controls on its ice and water dispenser via the door to monitor and manage the freezer and refrigerator temperatures without opening the door. To keep cold air flowing and keep food from freezing in the refrigerator compartment. The refrigerator incorporates a protective airflow-venting system.
The GSE25G has a timeless design, though it isn’t quite as sleek as some of our other picks. (A 33-inch model with a smaller freezer is also available from General Electric Machines.) A standard a single year materials and labor warranty is included with the GSE25G. According to our opinions, GE Appliances has excellent owner satisfaction ratings.
This refrigerator is available in three finishes
In the event that our top choice isn’t available or you’d rather use a different manufacturer, the sleekly built LG LRSDS2706S looks fantastic and has some alluring bonuses. It has a somewhat smaller footprint than our pick, but it still has a capacity of 27.3 cubic feet. However, its design is much less adaptable: It has four door pockets rather than five. Just one refrigerator shelf is movable (by only a few inches). The crisper drawer handles are inconveniently set at almost a floor-level position.
Because the LRSDS2706S includes a door-in-door compartment, you can get food and beverages without opening the refrigerator all the way. Along with a second ice maker in the freezer that creates spheres. This model also features an indoor water and ice dispenser.
This fridge is Energy Star certified. You can remotely monitor and control it thanks to its Wi-Fi-enabled smart features. According to our owner surveys, LG routinely receives the highest ratings for customer satisfaction. The refrigerator is covered for a year under its warranty. It provides five years of coverage for the compressor and cooling system. It plus an additional five years for parts (but not labor) related to those parts.
The LRSDS2706S is available in three finishes.
All the things we appreciate about our top choice are included in the 25.3-cubic-foot GE profiles. PSE25KYH, which also adds additional costly features, operation, and style. Its shelves have thick edges that absorb leaking, but they are just as solid and adaptable as our pick’s. A movable shelf that may be partially retracted makes it simple to fit tall objects upright. Unlike other side-by-side refrigerators. This one has a third drawer that keeps things like cold meats and snacks close at hand. Instead of wire baskets, the freezer features drawers.
This model looks sleeker and more fashionable than most. And everything inside is easier to view thanks to flush-mounted LED lighting.
The Energy Star–certified PSE25KYH is slightly more energy-efficient than our top pick. It has some advanced tech options, such the ability to quickly cool. The refrigerator after you fill it with hot leftovers, even if it doesn’t have any Wi-Fi-enabled smart capabilities, as well as to ramp up ice production with the touch of a button.
This model has a normal one-year refrigerator warranty and a five-year compressor and cooling system parts and labor guarantee.. It is available in just one finish.
Why you should trust us
In addition to being a journalist with almost 20 years of experience covering the culinary arts, I am a senior staff writer at Wirecutter that focuses on major kitchen appliances. I’ve authored manuals for gas and electric ranges, contact cookers, and French-door refrigerators. Additionally, I provide guidance on how to maximize the use of large kitchen appliances. By including how to keep your refrigerator clean.
Since 2013, we have been examining refrigerators.
To create this tutorial, we did the following:
- We spoke with several people from the brands we cover, as well as assist professionals, appliance store owners and staff, home cooks, artists, and item developers.
- To gain a sense of the quality and lifespan of our choices, we visited numerous of large-box stores and small shops in addition to traveling to appliance industry exhibitions.
- We examined thousands of owners ratings and feedback from consumers to determine whether these refrigerators had any stability issues or oddities in the real world.
Should you choose a side-by-side refrigerator?
Customers who are thinking about buying a side-by-side refrigerator are usually looking for a large refrigerator with a more upscale appearance and facilities like an ice maker or water dispenser that can be accessed through the door. Choosing between a French-door refrigerator and a side-by-side refrigerator, sometimes referred to as a side-mounted freezer design, is a common purchasing decision. Compared to French-door refrigerators, side-by-sides have been around for a while and are often a touch less expensive.
With two full-length doors—one for the freezer and one for the refrigerator—side-by-sides have a wardrobe-like shape. Consequently, portions of the freezer and refrigerator are at eye or waist level. (Our team of professional testers attested to the fact that this orientation is beneficial, particularly for those who are shorter, use wheelchairs, or have other mobility challenges or taller than average.)
Similar to a the bookcase, the freezer’s compact size allows for additional rows and divisions when placed side by side. As a result, you may find it easier to organize the freezer because you won’t have to place as many containers and bags on top of each other as you would otherwise.- or bottom-style freezers, which are essentially big cavities with a couple of shelves or bins.
Sonia Moghe, who had been paid by Wirecutter for helping test and review kitchen appliances, stated, “I love my side-by-side.” Moghe suffers from hand pain.. “I love the freezer. And I like being able to see everything.”
All that said, in our 2023 survey, 67% of side-by-side fridge owners reported being satisfied with their refrigerator, in comparison with 76% of French-door fridge owners. According to our research, side-by-side refrigerators are not less dependable or break or malfunction more frequently than other types—this is uncommon overall. Our research does show that many people simply don’t enjoy using them.
Actually, this is the only type of refrigerator where consumers regularly expressed that they didn’t appreciate the brand or the refrigerator itself, but rather the style.The small refrigerator and freezer sections of side-by-side versions are probably the cause of this dissatisfaction.Side-by-side refrigerators don’t accommodate large sheet pans or casserole dishes, party platters, or pizza boxes.
We’ve also noticed more complaints about broken shelves and drawers for side-by-sides—perhaps because they’re narrow, and people end up cramming things into them.You have to bend over to get components that you might need to reach for frequently because the produce drawers are at the bottom of the refrigerator compartment. On the other hand, these drawers are waist-high on a bottom-freezer refrigerator or a French-door refrigerator, two models that owners prefer over side-by-sides, based on our studies.
According to Energy Star, side-by-side refrigerators are also marginally less efficient than French-door or other bottom-freezer models.(Energy efficiency can depend on features: Ice makers and other extras add to energy use, regardless of layout.)
This guide covers freestanding side-by-side fridges. Unlike pricier built-in refrigerators, freestanding fridges have finished sides and can be installed anywhere in the kitchen: in a cabinet cutout, between a counter and the wall, or entirely on their own.