French-door refrigerators are a perfect combination of style and convenience. Their unique two-door design allows quick access to food and beverages without compromising cooling efficiency. The spacious interior provides ample room for groceries, from condiments to fresh produce. French-door refrigerators generally have greater capacity than other types, such as side-by-side refrigerators, making them a convenient choice for your kitchen.
In addition to their sleek and spacious design, these refrigerators come with money-saving features. Ice and water dispensers, as well as humidity-controlled storage drawers, help reduce food waste and lower running costs. Some high-end models even feature touch screens that allow you to control the temperature and monitor contents without opening the door, improving their cost-effectiveness.
Reputable brands for French-door refrigerators include LG, known for innovative technology and energy efficiency; Frigidaire, a trusted name in home appliances for over 100 years; Electrolux, a global leader in home and professional appliances; Cafe, known for stylish and customizable designs; Whirlpool, a reliable brand with a wide range of products; and Samsung, a pioneer in consumer electronics and home appliances.
These brands offer different capacities to suit various needs. Larger models offer more storage shelves in the base and door for storing juice, milk cartons, and drinks, while smaller models are suitable for small families or limited kitchen space.
For those on a budget, excellent French-door refrigerators with fewer features or smaller capacities are still available. These models may lack the smudge-proof, fingerprint-resistant finishes found in high-end models, but they come with sliding drawers and door bins as standard features. If you're not planning to buy one of the best freezers, consider getting a French-door refrigerator with a large bottom freezer and a capacity of at least six or seven cubic feet.
The best French door refrigerators we recommend in 2024
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While we haven't been able to test any of the units in this guide in person, we've instead honed in on top-rated brands and used our knowledge of the best central air conditioning unit features to help you make the right decision for your home, all for the best price.
The best French door refrigerator overall
The Hisense 25.6 Cu. Ft. 4-Door Smart French Door Refrigerator is a modern and stylish appliance designed to help families keep their food organized and fresh. Its fingerprint-resistant stainless steel finish and smart features make it an appealing choice for those looking for a high-end refrigerator.
Through the accompanying app, our reviewer was able to control the fridge and freezer temperatures as well as the VersaTemp Zone, a versatile drawer that could be adjusted to different temperatures. The fridge provides easy access to fresh ice and water with an icemaker and water dispenser. While the icemaker could be larger, it performed well on a daily basis.
The fridge has three main sections — the fridge, the freezer, and the VeraTemp Zone. Its capacity is 18.67 cubic feet, and the handles are located along the top and bottom of the doors. While the right door was easy to open, the left side was more difficult due to the door seal that suctions to the door. One drawback is that if the right door is opened, it doesn't stay open, which could sometimes be inconvenient.
The fridge has two shelves with three levels to store food. The shelves can be adjusted to accommodate taller items like gallons of milk or large soda bottles. Below the shelves are three drawers — two mid-sized ones for vegetables and a thinner one between them for storing snacks or cheeses.
The right door has three shelves on the inside, perfect for sauces and dressings. The left door also has three shelves, but they're limited in height because the ice maker chute takes up the rest of that door. The icemaker is located in the top left corner of the fridge and can produce enough ice for daily use.
The VersaTemp Zone is located below the fridge and is not that deep of a drawer, but it does have a medium-sized removable container on the left side. The temperature of this drawer can be adjusted to suit different needs. It can be used as another large drawer with nearly the same temperature as the fridge or as a wine chiller.
The freezer is at the bottom of the fridge and has a deep, divided drawer. Another built-in drawer extends out, allowing for the storage of smaller items.
The control panel, water dispenser, and icemaker are on the fridge's left front side. The control panel has various buttons that allow for viewing and adjusting the temperature of all three sections of the refrigerator, setting a child lock alarm, turning the icemaker on and off, switching between Fahrenheit and Celsius, and activating an Eco mode. The icemaker also has three buttons—cubed, crushed, and water.
Read more: Hisense HRM260N6TSE review
The best French door refrigerator for efficient storage
This Frigidaire model, a family-friendly option, offers ample capacity and convenient features. The SpaceWise system ensures optimal organization, while the custom-flex temp drawer empowers you with versatile usage. Whether it's for extra wine storage or stocking up on frozen food, this feature adapts to your needs, making it a truly personalized experience.
This refrigerator, perfect for busy households, features an OpenAccess door for quick access to snacks. More importantly, it is equipped with a water filter, ensuring safer, easier-to-access drinking water. This feature provides peace of mind, knowing that your family's health is a top priority.
The best premium French door refrigerator
The best premium French door refrigerator, the LG LFXS26596S, is jam-packed with features that justify its steep price. This refrigerator does everything from smart WiFi connectivity to producing extra ice as you arrive home. With its stylish anti-fingerprint stainless steel finish and InstaView door-in-door glass front, it looks good and offers functionality.
The door-in-door feature allows easy access while minimizing cold air loss, ultimately leading to cost savings, environmental benefits, and fresher food. A knock on the window lets you see inside, and the Door Cooling+ feature ensures even cooling throughout. Despite its compact size, this refrigerator offers 26 cubic feet of storage, including 8.8 cubic feet for the freezer.
The most stylish French door refrigerator
The Cafe CVE28DP4NW2, the epitome of style in French door refrigerators, offers four distinct finishes and an LED-backlit wall, radiating refined elegance. More than just a pretty face, it boasts practical features like a temperature-controlled drawer, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a generous capacity that's perfect for your family's needs.
Moreover, the built-in dividers are designed to make organization effortless, giving you the control to arrange your food just the way you prefer.
The best French door refrigerator for fresh food
The finest French door refrigerator for keeping food fresh is the Frigidaire FRFN2823AS. This refrigerator boasts a sleek, minimalist design and is highly reliable and efficient. It includes innovative CrispSeal Crisper drawers that utilize a seal to seal out air and prolong the freshness of fruits and vegetables.
The refrigerator also has an ice maker and a water filter to promote hydration and reduce soda consumption. The water filter employs PurePour technology to eliminate 99% of contaminants and provide refreshing, crystal-clear water while saving money on bottled water.
The freezer also features an EvenTemp cooling system, which minimizes freezer burn by consistently circulating cool air and responding promptly to temperature changes. The refrigerator also has a full-width deli drawer perfect for storing cured foods, and the PureAir Ultra II filter eliminates unwanted odors, offering superior performance to traditional methods like baking soda and lemon juice.
The best French door refrigerator for families
The top pick for families seeking a French-door refrigerator is the four-door GE PVD28BYNFS. This model stands out with its spacious interior, convenient in-door features, and unique in-door sectioning, making it an ideal choice for households. Despite being on the pricier side, the refrigerator's in-door sectioning provides ample space for groceries and quick access to favorite snacks.
The in-door compartment can also even accommodate wine bottles, perfect for hosting gatherings. Another standout feature is its Wi-Fi connectivity, a feature that allows users to receive real-time updates on their refrigerator's status. This includes notifications when the door is left open, providing a quick remedy for potential mishaps, and turning potential disasters into easily rectifiable situations.
The best large French door refrigerator
If you’re in the market for a spacious French-door refrigerator, the LG LMWS27626S is a top choice. Boasting an impressive 29.6 cubic feet of storage space, this refrigerator is ideal for large households, offering ample room to keep everything organized.
While its featureless exterior may not appeal to everyone, it creates a minimalist aesthetic for those seeking a sleek look. This model offers a high convenience factor, offering two easily accessible freezer compartments for hassle-free access to ice and frozen treats.
Although it may not sport flashy smart features or in-door technology, the LG LMWS27626S is a reliable, robust refrigerator backed by a fantastic warranty.
The best French door refrigerator water dispenser
The best French-door refrigerator water dispenser to consider is the Whirlpool WRF555SDFZ. This refrigerator features the EVERYDROP water filtration system, ensuring clean and filtered water every time. The dispenser lock is great for households with kids, as it prevents accidental spills. With a generous 25 cubic feet capacity, this fridge provides ample room for all your food and drinks, giving you the reassurance that you'll never run out of space.
The adjustable gallon-sized door bins also offer flexibility, while the spill-proof shelves help contain any leaks. The freezer also provides ample storage with its two-tiered bins and a clean layout. However, it's important to note that this model is not smart-enabled. On the bright side, it is energy-efficient, which can help you save on your electricity bills.
How to choose the best French door refrigerator for your kitchen
There are a lot of features to look for when it comes to the best French door refrigerators, so it can often be overwhelming when trying to choose a new model. Storage should be the first thing to look for, with high capacities being suited for large families (or people who like to stack their refrigerator with ten different types of soda) and small capacities being better for couples or people with limited space in their kitchen.
If you are low on space, the adaptability of a counter-depth French door refrigerator can save room for other appliances, making your kitchen more functional. It's worth mentioning that the larger the capacity, the more expensive the refrigerator, but the counter-depth design ensures you make the most of the space you have.
If you are a fan of smart technology, touch-control refrigerators with smart features could be a fascinating choice. Smart models often feature climate controls and the ability to auto-fill cups, making your daily routine more convenient. Non-smart models, on the other hand, often have features such as ice cube dispensers or water coolers - these are worth considering, especially if you want cold water whenever you want.
Some models feature a door-in-door design, a practical innovation that allows you to slide open a panel to grab a snack or cold can without letting the cold out from opening the door completely. Models with a viewing door will let you pick a cold drink or snack without chilled air escaping into your warm house, giving you a sense of reassurance and confidence in your choice.
French door refrigerator FAQs
What are the benefits of a French door refrigerator?
French door refrigerators stand out from regular refrigerators in several ways, practically and aesthetically. French doors usually have larger storage spaces than normal refrigerators due to their wider shelves, which allow for more storage for things like milk and other drinks.
Also, French-door refrigerators usually have a dedicated refrigerator drawer, so you can better organize and store fresh fruit and vegetables or packets of raw meat. Some models also feature gallon bin doors, can caddies, and dividers within the refrigerator door.
In addition to being more practical, French-door refrigerators are also more aesthetically pleasing. The door is split down the middle into two panels instead of one large door. This looks much nicer and means you don't have to open a big door to get a snack or a cold drink.
When is the best time to buy a French door refrigerator?
Refrigerator lifespans vary widely, with Nachi.org suggesting a range of nine to 13 years. This estimate doesn't account for the different types of fridges, such as French doors or side-by-side, which are assumed to have similar lifespans. However, some sources project a longer lifespan of up to 15 years. This variability underscores the importance of individual research and consideration when purchasing a refrigerator.
Elise Barsch, Social Media Manager for iFixit, said a study done in Europe and published on ScienceDirect suggests that refrigerator lifespans have decreased over the past couple of decades, down from an average lifespan of about 20 years in 2000 to about 14 years for the refrigerators sold now.
While modern refrigerators may not last as long as their predecessors, they are more energy efficient. Barsch Pointed out that legislators in Europe are working to ensure that refrigerators are more energy efficient during their use and more repairable throughout their entire lifespan.
She referred to a set of legislative proposals that European member states have voted on, designed to make refrigerators more repairable and less impactful on the environment. Importantly, she noted that future legislation will extend these efforts to other products like washing machines, offering hope for a more sustainable future and further improvements in appliance efficiency.
