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  • Introduction

  • Front

  • Interior

  • Back

  • Sides

  • Running Cost

  • Power Use Per Cu Ft

  • Fridge Temperature

  • Freezer Temperature

  • Vegetable Drawer

  • Power Loss

  • Freezing Performance

  • Usable Space

  • Ease of Access

  • Controls

  • Water Dispenser

  • Ice Maker

  • Cleaning

  • Noise

  • Other Features

  • Conclusion

  • Introduction
  • Front
  • Interior
  • Back
  • Sides
  • Running Cost
  • Power Use Per Cu Ft
  • Fridge Temperature
  • Freezer Temperature
  • Vegetable Drawer
  • Power Loss
  • Freezing Performance
  • Usable Space
  • Ease of Access
  • Controls
  • Water Dispenser
  • Ice Maker
  • Cleaning
  • Noise
  • Other Features
  • Conclusion

Introduction

Front

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With doors that are slightly curved at the top, the {{product.name}} is sleek with two fridge doors and a bottom freezer drawer. The front of the unit is covered in a highly-polished, horizontal-grain stainless steel exterior that's not very good at keeping away fingerprint marks.

All controls are built into the side of the ice maker. Temperature readings only glow while you're adjusting them, so aside from ice and water controls, the front of the fridge remains unscathed by glowing lights.

Curved handles are on each door. The freezer's handle shifts slightly to make opening the drawer easier.

The water/ice dispenser is actually two separate dispensers in one. The water dispenser is flush with the fridge exterior, while the ice dispenser hides beneath it.

Interior

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Inside are lots of adjustable half-width shelves and smooth-gliding drawers. Shelves don't slide out, but the top right shelf does fold at its midpoint for easier storage of tall items on the shelf below.

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

A fixed, full-width shelf sits above the drawers.

A blue LED light bathes an odd glow over the fridge's whole interior.

The freezer is one large drawer with several other drawers nested within it. They all glide open easily.

Above the main drawer is a clear plastic drawer with room for ice, and a shallow sliding drawer that's ideal for storing frozen pizzas.

The icemaker is not in the freezer, but is actually a separate compartment inside the left refrigerator door. Unlock it, and you can access the fridge's store of cubed ice.

Back

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On the back are hookups for the fridge's water line connection.

Sides

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The fridge's sides are textured and light gray.

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS side views

Running Cost

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We tested the {{product.name}}'s energy consumption and found that in a year, it will set you back $39.63 assuming that power sells for 9.1 cents per kWh where you're located. That's less than most comparable refrigerators.

Power Use Per Cu Ft

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The {{product.name}} uses just 0.07 kWh to cool a single cubic foot of interior space. That's more efficient than most fridges, regardless of their size. This LG just happens to use very little energy to cool a very large space.

Fridge Temperature

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Up in the vast fridge compartment, the {{product.name}}'s compressor managed to keep all 11 cubic feet cold, despite obstacles to air circulation that included shelves, drawers and test packages.

The middle shelf was slightly warmer than the shelves above and below, which hurt the {{product.name}}'s ratings. However, temperatures remained extremely consistent over time even as the compressor cycled on and off, staying within less than 0.40 degrees of the preset temperature on the fridge's control panel.

Freezer Temperature

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Things weren't so great in the freezer. Yes, the well-insulated drawer kept food at consistent temperatures over time. That's a good thing, because it means food won't get freezer burn. However, poor air circulation in a loaded fridge meant that the items inside the bottom drawer were on average eight degrees warmer than food at the top.

We suspect that all those nesting drawers kept the cool air circulating up at the top of the freezer drawer. Otherwise, cool air would've fallen to the bottom drawer.

Vegetable Drawer

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The {{product.name}}'s vegetable drawers kept moisture in, and the simulated vegetable we used for measurement lost only 0.13 grams of water per hour.

Power Loss

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We unplug our fridges at the end of our temperature tests to see how well they retain cold even when the compressor isn't active. It's a good measure of how well-insulated a fridge is, and how well it will handle a power outage. Food inside the {{product.name}} hadn't defrosted, even after 36 hours.

Freezing Performance

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Freezing food is like taking off an adhesive bandage -- best to do it quickly. Otherwise, ice crystals will form that affect the food's flavor once it's thawed. The {{product.name}} had no trouble freezing food quickly, bringing our test packages from room temperature to fully frozen in just an hour and sixteen minutes.

Usable Space

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Up in the fridge, there's a full 11.63 cubic feet of usable space, not accounting for areas blocked by shelving. Many other high-end fridges feature shelves that slide out, but this LG does not have that feature.

The left door is home to the icemaker, so storage space is negatively impacted.

A dairy bin sits above two shelves -- one at a fixed height, the other adjustable.

The freezer consists of four separate compartments: The main bin, divided into two compartments, and two sliding drawers that nest inside of each other.

Below are the manufacturers own figures for capacity, and our own measurements for usable capacity. The manufacturers figures do not take account of the shelves, drawers and other removable features, but our measurements do account for the space these take up.

Ease of Access

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Shelves have narrow frames, so they're lighter and easier to move than those inside many other fridges. Like all French door fridges, this one is best for people who use frozen foods sparingly, as freezer access requires bending over.

Controls

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All controls are built into the side of the ice maker. Temperature readings only glow while you're adjusting them, so aside from ice and water controls, the front of the fridge remains unscathed by glowing lights.

The whole appliance is controlled by flat, touch-sensitive buttons on the front of the unit. They're a little obvious on the otherwise sleek exterior. We'd also prefer temperature controls that can move up and down, rather than having to scroll in only one direction (down)

Water Dispenser

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The water dispenser is actually flush with the front of the fridge door. Ice is dispensed from behind. Depending on what size glass you're using, expect some splashes.

Ice Maker

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The icemaker is not in the freezer, but is actually a separate compartment inside the left refrigerator door. Unlock it, and you can access the fridge's store of cubed ice.

Cleaning

Noise

Other Features

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Conclusion

Energy Efficiency

The {{product.name}} is very energy efficient, with some of the lowest costs per interior space of any fridge we've ever tested.

Performance

This LG did a good job keeping its vast fridge at an even temperature. It didn't do as well in the freezer, though, where temperatures varied as much as eight degrees between shelves.

Storage Space

This is a cavernous appliance, and it'll ft nearly any food you can imagine. Even the freezer drawer can fit a lot of food, which is unusual for a French door.

Usability

The exterior is hard to clean, though shelves are easily adjustable and can handle spills.

Meet the tester

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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