Here’s a shopping tip: If you don’t see a given model in our ratings, try checking the ratings for that model’s other color finishes. Every refrigerator has a slightly different model number for each of its finishes. For instance, if you’re considering the black stainless Samsung RS27T5200SG/AA side-by-side, which isn’t in our ratings, use CR’s test results for the stainless steel version, the Samsung RS27T5200SR.
If you still can’t find test results, then you’ll want to turn to the refrigerator brand scores. These will give you an idea of how the refrigerator will perform, both when it’s new and over time.
You can also check CR’s guide to the most and least reliable refrigerator brands, which will give you an estimate of how long a refrigerator should last before encountering problems. Reliability information is based on survey data on thousands of refrigerators owned by CR members.
The refrigerator brand scores below are broader. They are based on a statistical model that incorporates both that survey data and CR’s lab test results and also takes into account the breadth of a brand’s product line across price and performance tiers. CR doesn’t currently have enough data to calculate these scores for every brand and type of fridge in our ratings.
