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  • Introduction

  • Design & Usability

  • Features

  • Performance

  • Conclusion

  • Science Introduction

  • Temperature Performance

  • Moisture Retention

  • Freezing & Thawing

  • Storage Space & Energy Use

  • Other Tests

  • Introduction
  • Design & Usability
  • Features
  • Performance
  • Conclusion
  • Science Introduction
  • Temperature Performance
  • Moisture Retention
  • Freezing & Thawing
  • Storage Space & Energy Use
  • Other Tests

Introduction

Fit, finish and energy efficiency are all exemplary, but the water and ice dispenser is a hassle. Temperature control is precise, but lower shelves are consistently warmer than upper ones. The Bosch Linea has a lot of potential, but a handful of problems hold it back. A bloated price tag is only one amongst a gaggle of problems we see here.

Design & Usability

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The Bosch Linea sports a gimmick-free design that feels more substantial than other fridges in the same price range.

Fingerprints show up easily on the Bosch Linea B22CS30SNS's vertical grain stainless exterior, and without stainless cleaner, they don't come off easily either.

Users may choose between crushed and cubed ice, or make adjustments to fridge and freezer temperatures.

The left (freezer) door has a water and ice dispenser, with a control panel located above. Users may choose between crushed and cubed ice, or make adjustments to fridge and freezer temperatures. A press of a button will illuminate this panel nicely. Further up, above the fridge seal, users can turn the unit off with a switch, though we’re not sure why someone would want to do that.

The fridge interior consists of two produce drawers and a smaller deli drawer, as well as a set of adjustable shelves. Next door, the freezer offers ample space too, with two drawers and an array of shelves that are fixed, but that tilt for easier access.

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Features

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The Bosch Linea's fit and finish are among the best we’ve tested. Unfortunately, we can't say the same about the dispensers.

Usability teeters back and forth between effortless and aggravating. We’ve never tested a fridge with drawers that glide as smoothly as these do. Freezer door shelves tilt for easy access and all adjustable shelves glide into place without issue. The glass shelves are quite easy to wipe down, and their plastic frames prevent minor spills from overflowing onto the shelves beneath.

Like “shoot the clown” at a carnival, the Bosch Linea B22CS30SNS’s water dispenser doesn’t offer a clear indication of where its powerful stream of water will go.

Another feature we love is this Bosch's ability to rapidly cool the freezer. When the snowflake button is pressed on the control panel, the freezer hastily cools to the lowest possible temperature. This feature will be especially useful for freezing large quantities of meat.

Onward, to darker matters: Like “shoot the clown” at a carnival, the Bosch Linea B22CS30SNS’s water dispenser doesn’t offer a clear indication of where its powerful stream of water will go. Usually, it sprayed on the glass or dribbled down the front of the fridge, which was a real pain to clean off. It’ll take some practice to avoid scattered showers in your kitchen.

Performance

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While temperatures were consistent over time, they varied widely depending on placement.

During testing, food placed right below the thermostat stayed almost exactly at the temperature registered on the external display. However, food on the middle shelf showed a slightly higher temperature, and food package on the lowest door shelf was even higher. That’s a big variation, and you might end up with milk spoiling more quickly if it’s stored in the door. Fortunately, temperatures at least didn't fluctuate much over time.

You might end up with milk spoiling more quickly if it’s stored in the door.

The good news about the freezer is that individual food packages didn’t change temperature very much while stored; it’s that temperature variation that causes freezer burn. The bad news is that the temperature in the freezer varied based on placement, just as with the fridge portion. At the top, near the air vent, food stayed at sub-zero temperatures. In the bottom drawer, food was much warmer. If you move food between the top and bottom shelves, you may find that it gets freezer burnt, despite a highly accurate thermostat.

Conclusion

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Overall performance is decent, but a few squabbles detract from this fridge's value.

All things considered, the Bosch Linea B22CS30SNS is a bit of a disappointment. Yes, the fridge sports a very sleek exterior and it feels solid and well-built. It does a great job keeping consistent temperatures in both the fridge and the freezer. The trouble is that temperatures vary depending on placement and the interior is not easily customizable. Moreover, the messy, splattering water dispenser was not just disappointing—it was downright aggravating.

With a towering MSRP of $2,299, consumers should look at other side-by-sides before settling on this Bosch.

Science Introduction

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All things considered, the Bosch Linea B22CS30SNS is a pretty, pricey, let-down. A solid build and consistent temperatures only go so far here, because temperatures vary depending on placement. Additionally, the interior is not easily customizable and moisture retention in the vegetable drawers is rather poor.

Temperature Performance

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Temperatures varied from top to bottom in both the fridge and the freezer.

In the fridge, we placed a temperature sensor inside a food package right below the thermostat, and it stayed almost exactly at 37 degrees—same as the temperature registered on the external display. However, a sensor in a food package on the middle shelf was 38 degrees and a sensor inside a food package on the lowest door shelf never registered lower than 41 degrees. That’s a huge difference.

Temperatures of individual food packages rarely fluctuated more than 0.2 degrees [but] the fridge had trouble circulating that air...

The variations in temperature are unfortunate, as the Bosch Linea B22CS30SNS obviously has a very highly-tuned thermostat. The internal temperatures of individual food packages we tested rarely fluctuated more than 0.2 degrees. However, the fridge had trouble circulating that air to all of its nooks and crannies.

Items in the freezer didn’t change in temperature very much while stored, which can cause freezer burn. The bad news is that the temperature in the freezer also varied based on placement. At the top, near the air vent, food stayed around -2.6 degrees. In the bottom drawer, food was 5.11 degrees. If you move food between the top and bottom shelves, you may find that it gets freezer burnt despite the Bosch’s highly accurate thermostat.

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Moisture Retention

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Not much better than what you'd find on cheaper fridges

Remember that vegetable drawer that glided open and shut with such unprecedented ease? It didn’t perform any better than many of the cheap drawers we've tested. On average, our simulated vegetable lost 0.24 grams of water per hour, which means your carrots may end up crispier than you like.

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Freezing & Thawing

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Food takes too long to freeze.

When a fridge takes a long time to freeze food, ice crystals form and damage the texture of the food. The Bosch Linea B22CS30SNS took 2 hours and 6 minutes to freeze room-temperature food, which is much longer than average. There is a rapid freezing option, but that requires more energy.

The freezer is well insulated.

When the power goes out, you want to know that your fridge is capable of keeping your frozen food below 32 degrees. That’s why we unplug the fridge and measure the internal temperatures of our simulated food packages. The Bosch Linea’s contents stayed frozen for well over 36 hours—proof that the freezer is well insulated.

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Storage Space & Energy Use

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About two-thirds of the Bosch Linea B22CS30SNS’s interior is usable space. Energy efficiency is pretty solid though.

Manufacturers measure the total interior space inside a fridge, not counting shelves or curvature. That’s like saying a house has an ocean view even though it’s blocked by trees. We measured the usable space of the Bosch Linea B22CS30SNS’s fridge cavity and found 9.72 cubic feet of usable storage. The whole compartment is 18 inches wide—keep that in mind if you find yourself storing leftover pizza in its box. Unfortunately, only one shelf on the fridge door is adjustable. Even then, it can only move a few inches.

Manufacturers measure the total interior space inside a fridge, not counting shelves or curvature. That’s like saying a house has an ocean view even though it’s blocked by trees.

The freezer features two adjustable shelves, one fixed shelf, and two clear drawers. Those clear drawers are especially useful for holding frozen bags of vegetables that can get lost behind boxes and bags of other frozen food. Total usable space is 4.48 cubic feet.

Breaking down how much energy this fridge uses to cool each cubic foot of usable space gives us a more accurate tool to compare it with others. The Bosch is a little above-average, using 0.13 kW-h of electricity per cubic foot. Assuming that power sells for $0.09 per kW-h, the Bosch Linea B22CS30SNS would cost you $41.83 a year to run. That’s less than other fridges in this class.

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Other Tests

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Meet the testers

Josh Fields

Josh Fields

Staff Writer

@reviewedtech

An enthusiast of all things tech, Josh is one of Reviewed.com's resident television experts. When he's not looking at bright TV screens in a dark room, he's probably reviewing a laptop or finding a new snack at 7-11.

See all of Josh Fields's reviews
Keith Barry

Keith Barry

Former Editor in Chief, Reviewed Home

@itskeithbarry

Keith was the Editor in Chief of Reviewed's appliance and automotive sites. His work has appeared in publications such as Wired, Car & Driver, and CityLab.

See all of Keith Barry's reviews

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