3 Best French Door Refrigerators Under $2,000
Choosing the best French door refrigerator may be daunting, especially if you are tight on budget. You will want to get the best one there is so you will be able to maximize the function and use it for years to come. However, it is common knowledge that the best things, such as in the case of French door refrigerators, come in a steep price.
Fret not as there are great brands out there that have made models under the $2,000 mark. If you are looking for French door refrigerators that don’t exceed this price, you have come to the right place, as we will review three French door refrigerators priced below two thousand.
What are the best affordable French door refrigerators?
You don’t really have to pay more than what you can pay for refrigerators because there are a lot in the market that contains all the features that you may look for in a fridge. The functionality of the refrigerator is not really the basis for higher or lower priced fridges; all of them function the same.
The only difference is that some are considered “high-end” and has extra perks and features. But it doesn’t really mean that lower priced fridges won’t function properly and can’t be trusted. Nowadays, reputable companies make different models of French door refrigerators to cater to the varying needs of their consumers.
Not all of them release expensive brands, with some of them pricing it differently according to the specifications and added features such as ice makers, adjustable glass shelves, water and ice dispensers. Some are very affordable, priced below $2,000 such as the following:
Gallery Series Energy Star 25.6 Cu. Ft. French Door Refrigerator/Freezer Color: Stainless Steel
This full counter depth stainless steel French door refrigerator is a great accessory to the home because of its sleek and smooth fingerprint resistant design. The LED light type can easily integrate with the current design or theme of your kitchen which may earn you an expensive look.
PROS: It is equipped with an ice maker, door bins, an ice dispenser and indoor water dispenser for great efficiency. No need to put jugs of water inside the fridge, which saves a great deal on space. The counter depth upper shelf is very roomy and can easily fit pizza boxes, wide casseroles, etc.
It also features a Pure Air filter that keeps it from absorbing odor inside the fridge. Food is also left fresh and crisp. It measures at 25.6 cu. ft., which is best suited for large families, composed of four or more family members. The well-lit interior also has a lot of customizable shelves so you can change the tiers around depending on the items you need to store.
CONS: Some customers recognized that the fan on their counter depth refrigerators is quite noisy; this is especially the case if it needs to freeze ice cubes in the ice dispenser and keep them cold. The control panel is also a hit and miss; some customers experienced difficulties with door water and ice dispensers, while some enjoyed theirs.
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Electrolux FPBC2277RF: Frigidaire Professional 22.6 Cu. Ft. French Door Counter-Depth Refrigerator
This fridge comes in three colors/finishes with door water and ice dispensers, door bins, door storage, ice makers and LED lighting so you’ll have variety when it comes to choosing the best one for the interior decoration of your kitchen. Choose from black, stainless steel, and white.
PROS: This counter depth fridge has features such as water dispenser, Spill Safe adjustable glass shelves, water filter and Luxury Glide Cool Zone drawer. The first ones stops any spills from leaking onto the other tiers or shelves while the second one enables you to get your items from the cool zone with ease. It has a total capacity of 26.6 cu. ft.
Crispers are also protected by thick crisper drawer covers and humidity control so you’re contented that fruits and veggies stored inside will be kept fresh and crisp. The counter depth icemaker is located inside the fridge while the IQ Touch Control screen can be found on the side of the French door refrigerator. It has the 36-inch standard depth so you can perfectly align it with your cabinetry for perfect integration.
CONS: Some customers find the fridge freezer drawer not roomy enough because of the ice dispenser. The French door refrigerator icemaker also takes a bit of space in the freezer, giving you less space. It is suggested to remove the ice dispenser if you don’t plan to use it to use a bit more space. It’s also difficult take stuff out; need organization.
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LG LMXS28626S 28 cu.ft. 4-Door French Door Refrigerator – Stainless Steel
This ultra large four door refrigerator measures at 28 cu. ft., perfecto for big families who often hold home parties. Its storage space can fit boxes of pizzas, as well as food platters. It also features a water dispenser, Space Plus Ice System, an indoor ice maker that doesn’t occupy too much space.
PROS: it comes with a water filtration system that keeps the interior odor free and the food crisp and fresh. The shelves come in wide tiers but can be customized according to your desired organization. The shelves are made of durable tempered glass and there are two humidity controlled crispers for your fruits and veggies.
The crisper bins feature Glide N’ Serve so you can easily get the food items you need without need for too much digging. LED bulbs light the inside. The freezer compartment comes with freezer drawer dividers that are easy to access so you can easily remove meat from the freezer space and replace them back inside. The entire fridge is made of durable stainless steel material.
CONS: The ice maker (ice and water dispensers) occupies space on one door; you wouldn’t be able to put bottles and whatnot as it’s completely obstructed. But the wide and large shelves in the interior make up for this loss.
Key Takeaway: With all the many brands and models of counter depth French doors popping in the market, it shouldn’t be difficult for you to find a four door French refrigerator that won’t hurt your budget. Almost all French door refrigerators come with the same specifications and energy star anyway.
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Buyers Guide
If you are thinking of getting rid of your old fridge and upgrading your kitchen with a best French door refrigerator, this buyer’s guide will help you in making the right decision. When it comes to buying a fridge, the first step is to determine the size of the French door fridge that will be perfect for your needs.
You should also consider design features like the freezer compartment, color, energy star ratings, finish, water and ice dispenser and the refrigerator door style. Today, French-door fridges are more popular due to their sleek appearance and provision of wider shelves and French drawers.
Before actually buying a French door fridge, it is appropriate to do a little research. For this purpose, you can talk to your friends for a reference or go out in the market for a quick appraisal of the available models.
Or you could jump into our guide that has been created to help you in various aspects when choosing a new French door fridge. Here, you will find the style and design which would be perfect for your kitchen. You are buying the best French door refrigerator for yourself; therefore, keep in mind your preferences and needs when you’re looking forward to make such a purchase.
Discussed below are some of those essential aspects and features that you need to consider when purchasing a French door fridge.
How to Start your Quest to Buy a new Fridge
A French door fridge is a home appliance that plays a key role in making your home a perfect home. In fact, you can’t even imagine what your home will be like in the absence of a fridge.
It is a major purchase, which has a lot of potentially confusing options. Hence, we recommend that you should do some research before going out to buy the best French door fridge. You can do it online or go to the shops to analyze various factors like the availability of the latest models, their features, price point, and dimensions.
Buying a Fridge for an Existing Home
When you are replacing your French door fridge, it is essential to purchase one with the same width as that of your current fridge. For this purpose, measure the dimensions of your current fridge. Measure the full width, height, and the depth from the wall to its front. This will make it easier to narrow down the selection.
Furthermore, consider that the measurements of the French door fridge that the manufacturer offers are slightly loose, giving you the room during the installation process. It is recommended to put the capacity, or cubic feet, at the lower side when considering size criteria. In addition, type of refrigerator door, the layout of the shelves and crisper drawers is also important to consider, in addition to the volume.
Purchasing a Fridge for a Remodeled Kitchen or a Newly Finished Home
While taking measurements in the kitchen of your home for installing the best French door fridge, take into account the depth beside the wall. If the cabinetry is finished, it will be much easier to take the measurements.
Also, if you still need to build the cabinets, it will help you decide the type of French door fridge. You can design your kitchen in line with the best French door fridge that you are going to buy. As a result, you won’t face any issue of having to trim your walls or cabinets to fit in your fridge.
Ensure to leave an extra inch on the sides and top. Leaving a considerable amount of space at the back is also necessary for proper ventilation.
When Upgrading the Size of Your Fridge
If you are upgrading the size of your French door fridge, it is advised to measure the size of entryways. This is critical as if a fridge can’t pass through the kitchen or main door, you will find yourself in a bit of a conundrum. Moreover, also ensure that there is enough room in the kitchen for the upsized French door fridge.
Considering the Size
This is one of the most decisive and essential factors to consider when buying a fridge. It ensures that the new fridge will fit perfectly in your kitchen. Typically, GE profile refrigerators list their internal food storage capacity in cubic feet, yet it is equally important to know about their external dimensions. Among these, width is undoubtedly the most crucial factor.
Budget
Just like any other product, buying the best French door fridge requires some kind of planning. The most critical aspect in this regard is your budget. No factors or elements will be of any importance if you don’t have the money to buy the fridge.
For instance, if you have been planning to buy a specific French door fridge with specific features and design and forget the budget, all your work researching about the fridge will be in vain.
Choose an Appropriate Door Style
Paying attention to the door style is also essential when purchasing a French door fridge. Nowadays, French doors are quite popular, yet when you have space constraints or are on a budget, it is possible to go for other door style options.
Here are the main door styles, and you can choose one that fits your lifestyle and kitchen space.
Counter-Depth Style
These are the fridges, which are relatively small compared to a standard fridge. They typically measure 25 inches in width. This door style integrates amazingly with the countertop refrigerators. Therefore, the best counter depth refrigerators give a more open feel to your kitchen
French Door
The best French door models that come with this type of door style have a bottom-mounted freezer. The freezer opens just like a drawer. This style suits many consumers as it is convenient and also provides the best appearance to the French door models. These doors are typically 30 to 36 inches wide.
Side-by-Side
This type of door style splits the fridge vertically. Here you will get the refrigerator on the right and freezer drawers on your left side. This is a style that isn’t that popular for residential use, yet it’s a matter of preference.
Think About a Smart Fridge
Technological advancements have made a lot of changes to our home appliances in recent years. These products are now more efficient and reliable due to the introduction of the latest technology. Smart French door fridges have made things easier for users to control.
Most smart French door fridges are Bluetooth or Wi-Fi enabled. The flashiest ones among them have an interactive touchscreens and apps. This controls the temperature and performance of the French door fridge. Some models even help to create a grocery list and notify you when to shop for more food.
This admittedly sounds tempting to buyers. Likewise, more gadgets mean more complications. In fact, experts have observed that the circuit boards incorporated in smart fridges break down frequently and they may have security concerns. Usually, anything connected to the internet is vulnerable to hacking.
Moreover, manufacturers don’t tend to update their security features unless they have to. There have been instances where hackers successfully broke into the Gmail account of a consumer by hacking their French door refrigerator.
Besides, having a touch panel on the French door refrigerator may also reduce its overall lifespan. This suggests that if a fault appears on the touch screen, you will find it difficult to control the settings for the fridge. Therefore, keep these aspects in mind when acquiring a smart French door refrigerator.
Look for an Energy Efficient Fridge
At present, almost every manufacturer boasts that their French door fridge has a great Energy Star rating and reserved rights. No doubt, French door refrigerators consume less energy than their previous models; hence, they are more energy-efficient. This lowers your energy bill to a great extent.
If you buy an energy-efficient French door fridge, it is possible to save almost $30 on energy each year. Hence purchasing an energy-efficient fridge can give considerable savings. Therefore, whenever you are going to purchase a French door fridge, ensure it has reserved rights and good Energy Star rating. This will also ensure you are purchasing a good quality product.
Warranty
Refrigerators may vary in terms of their performance and reliability. Usually, best French door refrigerators may last for up to 10 or 15 years. Likewise, the consistency of every French door fridge’s reliability depends on the model or a brand.
The most obvious way to avoid buying a low-quality stainless steel French door fridge is to read user reviews associated with a specific model. You need to be concerned about what customers say about the performance and lifespan of the GE profile fridge.
Other Aspects to Consider
Below are some of the other factors that you need to keep in mind when acquiring a French door fridge.
Finish
At present, stainless steel is one of the most popular finishes used for the appearance of the best French door refrigerators. This is because stainless steel blends in easily with the rest of your kitchen décor.
In addition to its durability, a stainless steel finish is fingerprint-resistant. Also, some of these models are not compatible with French door fridge magnets. Bring a magnet with you when you are going to make a purchase if you plan to use your GE profile refrigerator also as a message center for your family.
Furthermore, stainless models coated with a dark polymer are fingerprint resistant as a result, they are relatively easier to clean and maintain. Retro-styled fridges have solid colors that are bright enough to give your kitchen a unique appearance.
Overall Functionality
Ensure that you analyze whether the drawers of the GE profile fridge ensure hassle-free access while being easy to open and close. Furthermore, spill-proof shelves help to reduce the chances of spilling liquids on other items.
A hide-away or folding shelf may turn out to add more functionality by allowing you to store a tall bottle or cake tray. Gallon door storage can free up a considerable amount of shelf space by letting you keep your milk or juice bottles in the door.
Most French-door refrigerators have a full-width drawer, which is designed to hold sheet pans and platters. It also keeps the snacks away from the reach of kids. These features do add a bit of functionality to the fridge, so look for them, as they don’t come standard in some low-priced categories.
Handle Design
Typically, the most noticeable feature of a fridge is its stainless steel handles as they can add great aesthetic value to your fridge. This is the reason people pay attention to this particular design feature. There are two types of door handle styles that you can see in the latest French door models.
The first is the European-style, which is smooth, ergonomic and more curvaceous, whereas pro handles are often straight, textured, and offers a sturdy industrial look.
Ice and Water Dispensers
These are the most convenient features that are a must for any French door refrigerator. Likewise, there is a downside, too. Experts say that the parts associated with these features tend to break easily more so the indoor ice dispensers. Therefore, opt for the best French door refrigerators that offer the required level of reliability in indoor water dispensers.
Multi-Zone Climate Control
This is another essential feature you should look for in a fridge these days. Adjustable temperature helps to keep your fruits, vegetables, and other food items fresh for more extended periods.
Noise Level
Usually, the latest refrigerators don’t make a lot of noise. Pay attention to this aspect if you are, or are living with someone who is acutely sensitive to noise. Therefore, ask about the noise level ratings of the fridge that you’re looking for. Noise is measured in decibels, and the label on the back of your fridge may give you some information in this respect.
By reading the owner’s manual of your current fridge, you can know its noise level and compare it with the latest model to see how much of a difference it could make.
Aesthetics
Apart from all these discussed features, don’t forget to pay attention to the aesthetics of a potential fridge. For instance, modern kitchens have a sleek and trendy look and a good looking fridge complements the surroundings.
Therefore, try to keep the design and color of your fridge close to the color scheme and decor of your kitchen. If you are remodeling your kitchen, it would be more appropriate to select the color and design of your fridge with that of your kitchen cabinets or wall tiles.
Mistakes to Avoid
Purchasing a fridge requires money, time, and attention. Hence, when making such a purchase, you need to avoid certain mistakes to get the best possible fridge for your kitchen.
Here are some of these mistakes that you need to avoid.
Purchasing the Wrong Style
People make this mistake due to the lack of attention. Although refrigerators appear to be a huge box with a door, some essential design features make them more user-friendly. The primary difference is in their shape, design, and size. Every style has specific pros and cons.
Some fridges will cost less, as they lack key features. If you chose the wrong style to save some money, you could be missing out on a feature you could really use. You could find it difficult to put things in and take them out of your refrigerator due to its inappropriate size.
Not Taking Measurements
Forgetting to measure the space available where the fridge is going to be placed is the biggest, most common mistake people make. Consider a scenario where you have spent $2,000 to purchase your favorite fridge, and when it arrives, you are shocked to learn it won’t fit where you want it to go.
Therefore, when buying a refrigerator, take the correct measurements of the space and find a refrigerator that will fit in that space.
Ignoring the Storage Capacity
If you don’t pay attention to the storage space of your fridge, you can’t use it properly. It won’t fit all the stuff you used to fit in your previous fridge. Therefore, determine the actual size of the fridge in cubic inches.
Not Paying Attention to Colors or Finish
Apart from other aspects to consider, the finish and color of a refrigerator also play a critical role when buying the best fridge. You can complement the kitchen décor with a black stainless steel refrigerator if it matches the overall color or appearance of the kitchen.
Take pictures of your kitchen and save them on your phone to help you to make a suitable decision with reference to the finish and black stainless color of your fridge when you go shopping for appliances.
FAQ
Is there any best time to purchase your fridge?
Experts have suggested that the best time to acquire a fridge is in the spring. This is the time when most manufacturers launch their latest products and reduce the prices of their previous models. You can also take advantage of various ongoing sales that allow you to purchase a reasonably priced fridge at any time of the year, or during special sales events like Black Friday.
How long will your fridge last?
The latest technology is playing its role in enhancing the overall lifespan of almost every product. This rule also applies to fridges. On average, a quality refrigerator from a renowned brand will offer a reasonable level of reliability and performance for about 10 to 15 years. Nevertheless, this also depends on the way you use it.
How to connect a refrigerator to the Wi-Fi?
Here is the step by step guide that will assist you while connecting your smart fridge to Wi-Fi.
- Ensure your device offers Wi-Fi connect feature
- Download the respective refrigerator app on your smartphone.
- Open the app and sign in after creating an account
- After providing the information, your account set up will be complete
- Just tap the + sign on the top corner and add a fridge to the list
- Select the LCD control option and start controlling your fridge
Can I use my fridge in outdoor settings?
A fridge isn’t an appliance that is limited to perform only when inside. You can run your fridge in almost any outdoor setting like an outdoor camp, cabin, or backyard. You need to consider a variety of aspects when moving your fridge outside.
First, ensure that there is a standard power output to help your fridge run smoothly. Also, look for a shaded place when trying to put your French door fridge outside your home. A backyard sitting area or corridor would be a perfect place for this purpose.
By doing so, you are not increasing features like cooling capacity of your French door fridge but also securing it against short-circuiting during rain or storm. Also, you will want to protect your door French refrigerator from the elements.
What is the lowest temperature a refrigerator can achieve?
The lowest temperature your refrigerator can reach depends on the type or the French door fridge and conditions in which it is running. By providing the right amount of ventilation to the condenser, it is possible to enhance the cooling capacity of a temperature controlled fridge.
The best way of keeping your food fresh and healthy is to keep the temperature of your French door fridge between 35-40°F/2-4°C. The lowest temperature a refrigerator part of your door French fridge can achieve is 35°F/1.6°C. The freezer part of your fridge can go as low as -0.4°F/-18°C.
Is it possible to alter the opening direction of a fridge door?
In most cases, it is possible to alter the way your French door fridge opens, however, it depends on the brand you are buying. It works by placing hinges on either side of the French door fridge, and you can set up the hinges to get the correct position.
Does a fridge needs regular maintenance?
A fridge needs regular cleaning to avoid the development of mold or unpleasant odors. However, in mechanical maintenance, you can ask a professional service provider to analyze your French door fridge once a year.
Difference between frost-free and Direct Cool
If you are confused about the functional difference between frost-free and Direct Cool, take a look at these significant differences.
- The frost-free fridge works without any need to implement a defrosting or de-icing via manual setup
- A Direct Cool refrigerator takes advantage of natural convection, which results in instant cooling
- Frost-free fridges have a relatively high price point as compared to the direct cool fridges
- Direct Cool is nearly a 2-decade old technology and most probably at the verge of extinction
- Frost-free versions help to maintain proper temperatures and offer you fresh vegetables and fruits every time you open the door
- Direct Cool fridges use relatively low energy when compared to the frost-free options
- Direct Cool is an ideal option for industrial use
- Frost-free fridges are usually popular among those who use these fridges in their kitchens
Conclusion
This buying guide should keep you updated on the latest Energy Star versions or models of different French door refrigerators. Also, it can help you to choose the right type of refrigerator for your kitchen.
This will not only allow you to acquire the best French door fridge coated with stainless steel but also make it a more functional appliance. Ascertain not to repeat the mistakes mentioned, as they could prove costly.
For this purpose, create a checklist of the features to look for when going out to buying a French door fridge, and don’t forget to include all the relevant measurements.