The Best and Most Reliable Refrigerator Brands of 2021

Consider how many times you open the door to your refrigerator. As the most used appliance in any home, the quality of your refrigerator matters. The latest models have many features that most people never dreamed of in a refrigerator — like automatic wine dispensers and smart home connectivity.

We’ve compiled a list of the best refrigerator brands that offer high-tech, durable, and attractive refrigerators. You can buy them online, or at your favorite local appliance shop.

Whirlpool

Whirlpool refrigerators continue to get particularly high marks for their reliability and quality. Yale Appliance rates them as the best for reliability, which means Whirlpool fridges tend to get the least service calls out of all the top brands. Ranker voters also place Whirlpool at the top of its list of favorite fridge brands. Our top pick for the best refrigerators of 2021 is also a Whirlpool, a spacious 25 cubic foot, three-door model, which sports an immense amount of storage and many different types of storage compartments for various types of food.

So, if you are looking for a dependable brand that will give you the space you need, Whirlpool is an easy recommendation. However, Whirlpool’s best models tend to be fairly low-tech, so if you are looking for a fridge with more interesting features, you may want to explore some of these other brands.

LG

Some of our favorite fridge models come from LG, too. As LG has invested in its refrigerator division, it has proven to be a skilled manufacturer with a focus on high-tech features and solid design. If you like stylish fridges that have impressive Wi-Fi smart screens that also double as a window into your fridge, then LG offers some of the most incredible models around. Read our review of the InstaView LG refrigerator. Even its more traditional options, like this French door pick, are some of the best fridges you can fit in your kitchen: they feature a mix of style and high-quality features that still sneak in plenty of handy tech, from open-door alerts to advanced options for dispensing ice and water.

LG also rates well in terms of its appliance dependability, which means in addition to all that tech, you can expect fewer repairs. Finally, a couple of LG models show up on Consumer Reports recommendations for kid-friendly fridges. No matter what kind of fridge you want, check out similar LG models to see what they have to offer.

Samsung

Samsung produces high-tech fridges known for sleek stainless steel and Wi-Fi capabilities. If you want a refrigerator that really goes the extra mile with technology, check out this brand. The latest 4-Door Flex models are an excellent example, and made it to the top of our list of best French Door refrigerators thanks to their customization options and the tons of extra fridge space. Samsung also makes a line of high-tech Family Hub fridges with built-in touchscreens and smart support for a variety of voice assistants, digital sticky notes, and so on.

Like Whirlpool and LG, Samsung also has refrigerators with high appliance reliability, which means you may not need to arrange as many repairs as other brands. However, the costs for Samsung’s latest technology will make these models some of the most expensive options on the market.

GE Appliances

Following directly behind Whirlpool, GE appliances have the second-highest rating for reliability. And trust us — reliability is the critical factor to pay attention to when buying a fridge. It’s the strongest indicator of whether or not your refrigerator is worth the money you’re handing over for it.

Different visual or functional features may be your top priority. Several GE products are on our list of overall best refrigerators, but we have specific “bests” too: The GE GNE25JMKES, for example, is one of our picks for the best French door fridges. GE refrigerators are usually more affordable than other models, even though they boast the same features as these brands. If you’re on an appliance budget, GE is the way to go.

KitchenAid

KitchenAid has earned its place as a household name. This brand offers every kitchen product you’d ever need, from handheld instruments, must-have kitchen tools, and more advanced appliances. You can deck your kitchen out with KitchenAid’s products and want for nothing. The company has years of experience producing excellent fridges — like their five-door models with features such as storage tailored for herbs, temperature control, dual-cooling systems, and more. These refrigerators from KitchenAid will not only meet your needs but exceed them.

Honorable mentions:

• Cafe (the GE brand of refrigerators)
• Viking
• Bosch
• Maytag
• Sub-Zero

Editors’ Recommendations