Whether your refrigerator is nearing the end of its lifespan or you are looking to modernize your kitchen with a brand-new model, there are many factors to consider when making this all-too-important purchase. But before you wander through our wondrous catalog of name-brand options, we recommend that you determine your ideal refrigerator style first. May we turn your attention to French door models?
Increasingly popular for their style-forward appeal, French door refrigerators are typically priced at a mid-end or upper mid-end cost, ranging from $1,500 to $2,700. That is to say: You can anticipate good value with durable construction and longer-lasting performance.
If you’d like to opt into a great investment for your household, read up on these FAQs to learn more about our top rated French door refrigerators. Allons-y!
NOTE: For any featured products, please contact our experts to verify availability and estimated delivery.
Q1. What is a French door refrigerator?
A French door refrigerator prominently features double doors (a configuration known as “French doors”) for the refrigerated compartment on top and one or two freezer drawers at the bottom—and a few premium- and luxury-tier models boast up to four freezer compartments. Many French door fridges have a built-in water and ice dispenser on the exterior of one of the French doors while some models stock ice dispensers in the freezer drawer.
By virtue of their design, French door refrigerators are said to be more energy-efficient than top-freezer and bottom-freezer styles, as less cold air escapes the appliance when one of the French doors is cracked open. In addition, the fridge compartment of French door models can accommodate wider items, including pizza boxes and cheese boards, compared to top-freezer and bottom-freezer types.
Q2. What is the best French door refrigerator?
When there are so many factors to consider when buying a new fridge, it’s hard to say which model is the best French door refrigerator. That said, we will recommend a few of our favorites across four categories.
The best French door refrigerator for counter-depth installation is the Samsung 22.4 Cu. Ft. Counter Depth French Door Refrigerator (RF22R7351SR, RF22R7351SG, and RF22R7351DT). This Samsung model will sit flush against your cabinetry to emulate that built-in look you’ve always wanted—not only that, but this top rated French door refrigerator has adjustable shelves that slide in or flip up to easily store items, or work as standard shelves. Other features include smart-device compatibility, an AutoFill Water Pitcher, and a flexible storage drawer with four different temperature settings.
If you’re on a budget, our best-value pick comes courtesy of LG. Boasting a generous 25 cubic feet of storage space, the LG 25.2 Cu. Ft. French Door Refrigerator (LRFCS2503S) retails for less—at $1,899—compared to most French door models with the same capacity. Other premium amenities include quick troubleshooting with Smart Diagnosis™ and focused freshness with Door Cooling+ and a multi-air flow system.
Alternatively, if your budget can stretch out a little further to afford a more luxurious experience, we invite you to feast your eyes on the Café™ 22.2 Cu. Ft. Counter Depth French Door Refrigerator (CYE22TP2MS1, CYE22TP3MD1, and CYE22TP4MW2). Among other splurge-worthy features, this Café refrigerator allows you to use your voice or smart device to preheat water from your refrigerator—speaking of which, you can steep a relaxing tea or prepare a fluffy couscous with the adjustable hot-water dispenser that provides precise temperatures and measurements.
Our best-in-class overall pick, however, is the Whirlpool® 25 Cu. Ft. French Door Refrigerator (WRF555SDFZ and WRF555SDHV). With tap-touch controls, two-tier freezer storage, humidity-controlled crisper drawers, and an exterior ice and water dispenser with filtration, this premium Whirlpool refrigerator makes it easy to preserve what matters most.
Pictured: Samsung 22.4 Cu. Ft. Fingerprint-Resistant Stainless-Steel Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator (RF22R7351SR)
Q3. Which French door refrigerator brand is most reliable?
The most reliable French door refrigerator brand is Whirlpool. Ranked by service repair technicians as the number-one most reliable appliance manufacturer in the U.S., Whirlpool is hailed for its products’ few instances for repairs, consistent performance, and ease of use.
When it comes to refrigerators specifically, most of the service technicians that were surveyed in 2019 recommend Whirlpool. KitchenAid and Samsung refrigerators were ranked second and third, respectively.
Q4. How wide are French door refrigerators?
The width of French door refrigerators typically ranges from 29-1/2 inches to 36 inches.
Meanwhile, the height is usually somewhere between 67 and 70-1/8 inches, and the depth ranges between 29-3/8 and 34-5/8 inches.
For a step-by-step guide to measuring space for a new refrigerator, check out this video:
Q5. How to organize a French door refrigerator?
Luckily, a French door refrigerator already makes it easy to organize groceries with ample storage along the width and door interiors. Here are other tips you can adopt to maximize your storage space and keep your appliance looking spick-and-span.
- Use adjustable shelves and bins to your advantage – This feature allows you to designate different zones of the fridge for certain foods. For instance, you can create a shelf in your door for tall beverages, a shorter shelf for beverage cans, a zone for leftovers, and so on.
- Keep items contained with clear storage baskets – Investing in additional storage helps you locate foods quicker and clears up space when you remove bulky packaging on boxed items. As a bonus, these baskets can help contain any spills, including juices from certain items, like raw meat, cracked eggs, and wilted herbs.
- Use beverage organizers – Wine racks and soda-can dispensers help keep these disparately sized items from awkwardly taking up space in the main compartments.
- Use labels – You may choose to label any storage baskets and Tupperware to quickly identify your foods and keep expiration and meal-prep dates handy.
- Use organizers in your freezer drawer – Our general tip for organizing freezer drawers is to keep frozen items flat and file them vertically to maximize storage space, so buy organizers that can help sort or stand items up. In addition, we recommend stacking “like with like” to enable less shuffling when accessing this compartment.
Q6. How to arrange food in a French door refrigerator?
You can arrange food in a French door refrigerator according to the following guidelines:
- Store condiments on the doors – Since the doors are the warmest zone in a fridge, we recommend not storing dairy items in this compartment. Because condiments have preservatives, it is safe to place them on these shelves.
- Store non-dairy beverages on the doors – Bottled water, soda, and juice do best in this compartment without awkwardly taking up space in the main compartment.
- Store leftovers and prepared meals near the top – This placement will ensure these foods are eye-level, making it more likely that we’d eat them sooner and prevent food waste. As you organize your fridge, be sure to use adjustable shelves to your advantage.
- Store deli items in the designated drawer – Cheese, lunch meats, tortillas, and other lunchtime staples are best kept in the deli drawer for easy access.
- Store dairy items toward the back – The back of a French-door refrigerator is the chilliest part of the appliance; as such, milk (including non-dairy ones), butter, eggs, and yogurt should be kept further back so that these items stay fresh for as long as possible.
- Store produce in the crisper drawers – Fruits and vegetables should be kept in these humidity-controlled drawers to keep them tasting great. Most French door fridges afford you two drawers, so we recommend keeping fruits and vegetables separate to prevent premature ripening. Exceptions here are berries and herbs, as these thrive best on the top shelf.
Pictured: Interior of Electrolux 21.8 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator
Q7. Can a French door refrigerator go next to a wall?
Yes! While there are considerations for door clearance and drawer path involved, it is possible to install a French door refrigerator next to a wall.
If you’re considering a French door refrigerator for your kitchen, you’ll need to verify that the double doors will clear the cabinet and wall on either side—both to prevent damage to your home and to ensure you can have unobstructed access to your fridge. Simply, check and double-check your recorded measurements for the wall opening (height, width, and depth) against the listed dimensions on the product specifications for any French door model. Additionally, visualize your body position relative to the front of the appliance when the French doors and freezer drawers would open.
Q8. How to move a French door refrigerator?
When it comes to moving a refrigerator, the process is virtually the same for just about any model. To move your French door refrigerator for any reason, first, empty out your appliance of any foods. It is best practice to use a floor protector to prevent damage to your kitchen, but you may use felt furniture slider pads as an alternative.
As you start shimmying your refrigerator out of its tight spot, tilt it slightly away from you so that the front casters hover and allow you to slide the protector under the left and right sides. At this point, you may gently slide the refrigerator away from the wall and any surrounding cabinets and unplug it when you have the clearance to reach the back panel.
Depending on the destination of the newly freed refrigerator, you can determine whether you need to remove any adjustable shelves, hardware, doors, and drawers before you secure it onto an appliance dolly.
Shop for Top Rated French Door Refrigerators at Aztec
Don’t forget shop local! At Aztec Appliance, our mission is not only to help you achieve your appliance dreams, but we also want to bring value to your home beyond materialistic amenities. Our hope is to give you the opportunity to bring purpose back into dinner time.
If you have any questions regarding our top rated French door refrigerators, feel free to contact our Aztec Appliance team at (858) 987-5777 or visit us at our San Diego, CA location. More accessible than ever, our experts can also be reached via chat!