French Door Refrigerator Review

French door refrigerators are in high demand because of their striking appearance and food storage capacity. On top, a French door refrigerator has two side-by-side doors that lead to a spacious refrigeration compartment. Below you will find a bottom-mount freezer compartment.

The doors of the French door side-by-side refrigerator require less swing-room to open than a traditional refrigerator freezer because they are narrower. The freezer compartment is just as wide as the rest of the refrigerator. This width provides an ampler area for the storing of frozen pizzas, ice cream and other frozen food items. The freezer compartment is easy to access and can hold more food and weight than a traditional bottom-freezer refrigerator.

French Door Refrigerators: What to Look For

There are several things to evaluate when shopping for a French door refrigerator. These types of models are more expensive. Getting the biggest bang for your buck is of paramount importance when purchasing a bottom-freezer refrigerator. Not all bottom-freezer refrigerators come with water and ice dispensers. However, in our review we compared only those models that had these features.

Our Learning Center has articles about French door refrigerators. In addition, our side-by-side comparisons and objective reviews of the best French door refrigerators can help you to evaluate which bottom-freezer refrigerator will best meet your needs. Below we have listed other features and information to consider before you make your purchase because at TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So you Don't Have To.™

Dimensions, Warranty & Certification
In this green-aware age, people across the globe are attempting to reduce greenhouse emissions. The best side-by-side refrigerator with bottom-mount freezer is energy efficient and places a smaller carbon-load on the environment than a traditional refrigerator freezer. Moreover, times are tough, and budget-conscious consumers seek appliances that will not overburden their wallets yet still deliver high performance.

The U.S. government requires all new home appliances to have an energy guide that details the estimated yearly operating cost and estimated yearly electricity use of any major home appliance. Make certain that you familiarize yourself with the energy guide specifications of the bottom-freezer you are evaluating prior to completing your purchase.

Most manufacturers guarantee the moving parts and sealed parts of the refrigerator freezer with some type of warranty. In addition, the manufacturer agrees to cover the labor costs associated with the repair and replacement of defective parts and materials. Some side-by-side refrigerators have a limited one-year warranty, while others have protection for a longer period. Evaluating and knowing your warranty coverage before purchase is essential.

Refrigeration Compartment
The refrigeration compartment is the heart of this style of refrigerator. The best side-by-side refrigerators are equipped with adjustable, spill-proof shelves. The shelves are movable to accommodate odd-sized and taller items such as wine bottles, a thermos and more. Humidity controlled crispers and a full-width deli drawer are other items worth evaluation. Desirable in-the-door compartments include a gallon-sized area for storing milk and juices, egg bins, bins for condiments, dairy centers and more.

In-the-door Storage
The French door refrigerator has two side-by-side doors. Desirable in-the-door compartments include a gallon-sized area for storing milk and juices, egg bins, bins for condiments, dairy centers and more. Some refrigerators keep the dairy compartment a few degrees cooler than the rest of the refrigeration compartment. This cooler temperature keeps milk and other dairy products fresh longer.

Freezer Compartment
The freezer compartment of a bottom-freezer refrigerator is accessible via a pullout drawer. Within this drawer, the refrigerator freezer usually has two sliding or pull out baskets constructed from either wire or durable plastic. Most bottom-freezer refrigerators are either frost-free or have an automatic defrost feature.

Water & Ice Dispenser
Water and ice dispensers can be the Achilles heel of even the most well built refrigerator freezer. In this area, evaluate the functionality and reliability of the icemaker. Know where they are located. Options include external through-the-door dispensing or bin dispensing. Some icemakers operate flawlessly, while others freeze over, are noisy or have difficulty functioning over the long term. It is important to research owner reports and read what others have to say about the model you are evaluating.

Some bottom-freezer refrigerators come with a water filter. Some models use filters that rarely need replacing while others require replacement frequently. The water dispenser is another area that requires in-depth assessment. Some water dispensers can deliver measured amounts of water, such as a cup, liter or gallon. Other water dispenser features to look for include the accommodation of water bottles and other tall beverage containers, delivering both hot and cold water, available room temperature water and more.

Control Panel & Alarms
The best French door refrigerators have a Door Ajar Alarm that notifies the owner when a door is open or partially closed. Another desirable attribute to look for is the ability to lock the side-by-side refrigerator's water and ice dispensers.

The control panel of the bottom-freezer refrigerator must be intuitive to use. From the control panel the owner should be able to customize temperature settings, humidity levels and more.

No matter what French door refrigerator you choose, the best bottom-freezer refrigerator is one that meets both you and your family's needs. Our top-rated side-by-side refrigerators with bottom-mount freezers are the Whirlpool Latitude, the KitchenAid KFIS25XVMS, and the Maytag MF12269VEM.