GE GTS22KGNRBB Top-Freezer Fridge Review

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About the GE GTS22KGNRBB top-freezer fridge

• Year released: 2020
• Style: Top-freezer
• Dimensions: 66.38” x 32.75” x 34.5” (H x W x D)
• Depth: Standard depth
• Measured capacity: 10.12 cu. ft. fridge capacity, 5.56 cu. ft. freezer capacity
• Finishes: White, black, slate ($100 extra), black slate ($100 extra), stainless steel ($100 extra)
• Special features: Garage-ready
• Dispensers: None
• ADA compliant: No
• Energy Star rated: No
• Connectivity: None
• Years of expected life: 15 years
• Parts availability: Good
• Repairability: Eligible for on-site repair service during the warranty period
• User manual: GE GTS22KGNRBB manual
• Product page: GE GTS22KGNRBB top-freezer refrigerator

How we test refrigerators

Like hundreds of appliances before it, we tested the GE GTS22KGNRBB at our former lab facility in Cambridge, MA. In fact, we've been testing all types of fridges since 2012, including top-freezers, bottom-freezers, side-by-sides, and French doors.

The GTS22KGNRBB underwent a standardized testing process that examined each element of its performance and feature set, from using sensors to ensure its temperature consistency to manually measuring all the available storage space. Read more about how we test refrigerators.

What we like

Stable temperatures keep your food fresher, longer

In our lab, one of our most important tests checks the fridge’s temperature consistency. Between regular use, which allows warm air to rush in, and its own defrost cycles, a refrigerator's temperatures can vary quite a lot. This poses a danger in that temperature shifts invariably reduce the lifespan of your food. A warm fridge promotes bacterial growth; likewise, frozen items warming slightly before refreezing is what creates freezer burn.

Fortunately, the GE GTS22KGNRBB has surprisingly stable temperatures in both of its compartments. Its fridge compartment had about half as much temperature oscillation as the average refrigerator; its freezer temperature wandered about 67% less than average.

The freezer can cool down pretty quickly

Taking our lab's temperature test a bit further, we discovered that the GE GTS22KGNRBB takes 93 minutes to get down to an ideal temperature from a starting point of room temperature. For context, it takes the average freezer somewhere between 90 and 100 minutes to do the same task, so the GE GTS22KGNRBB performed quickly.

This matters because whenever you open the door to your freezer, cold air escapes and warm air infiltrates its main compartment. In order to prevent these temperature spikes from affecting your food's integrity, a great fridge is able to quickly cool everything back down again.

There's a lot of freezer space

An average top-freezer typically doesn’t offer much in the way of usable storage in its coldest compartment. On average you’re only able to access somewhere between 3.5 and 4.0 cu. ft. of space.

However, the GE GTS22KGNRBB one-ups its competition by giving its owners a full 5.56 cu. ft. of prime real estate. This gap isn't huge, but if you use your freezer a lot, you'll value every cubic inch of viable storage space.

Large families and households that buy and store in bulk may be in the market for a truly massive freezer, and the GE GTS22KGNRBB isn't quite there. Instead, we’d recommend a Samsung Max Capacity French-door fridge or, for the garage we'd forgo the fridge entirely and recommend a Gladiator garage freezer.

Crispers will keep your veggies fresh

One of our tests investigates how good the crisper drawers are at retaining humidity. Prematurely-wilted greens can be easily prevented by a good crisper, which helps stop food waste.

In the case of the GE GTS22KGNRBB, the crisper retains moisture 75% better than the average fridge. If your diet tends to consist of a lot of fresh veggies, this fridge keeps produce perky.

What we don’t like

The default freezer temperature doesn’t quite hit 0°F

We calibrate fridges to manufacturer settings for our tests. Ideally you’d use a thermometer to precisely calibrate your specific fridge, but most users don’t do that.

When we measured temperatures in the freezer section, we found they tended to hover around the 4°F mark. This is warmer than the ideal 0°F temperature and can lead to problems with freezer burn.

Fortunately, the fix for this is pretty simple. Simply calibrate your freezer a notch colder than the recommended settings.

Carbon footprint for the GE GTS22KGNRBB

Energy efficiency

The annual electricity consumption of the GE GTS22KGNRBB refrigerator is listed as 451 kWh/year, which is average for top-freezer refrigerators. While top-freezer models are generally considered to be energy-efficient—in that they use less energy than larger styles—this model is not Energy-Star rated.

Materials used

GE specifies the refrigerant used in the GTS22KGNRBB is R-600a, which is a low-GWP (global-warming-potential) hydrocarbon refrigerant—which lowers direct refrigerant-emission impact compared to older high-GWP systems with CFC/HCFC/HFC refrigerants.

Add-ons to complete the kitchen suite

Warranty and repairs

GE covers its major appliances for one year of parts and services. This is the standard warranty in this product space. Other manufacturers extend the warranty for certain compressor parts for longer.

You can opt to purchase an extended warranty for greater peace of mind and convenience of repairs after the 1-year warranty period.

What owners are saying

Owners typically like their GE GTS22KGNRBB, awarding it an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars across major retailers. Many users say it is a great “garage fridge,” but otherwise their praise is fairly nonspecific.

The few complaints are that it can be noisy, lacks features, and doesn’t have many customizable storage options.

Should you buy the GE GTS22KGNRBB top-freezer fridge?

Yes, if you want a solid, no-frills fridge—and especially one that's built to withstand the wide range of ambient temperatures in your garage.

While some fridges try to cram in every available extra feature and sometimes need to make trade-offs for performance, the GE GTS22KGNRBB instead focuses on just being a solid fridge. It doesn’t have some of the usability features we sometimes like to see, like flexible shelving or storage options, but it is capable of maintaining steady, cool temperatures. Its lack of extra features probably helps knock down its purchase price.

While we’ve reviewed other bare-bones fridges that are cheaper, those sometimes have performance issues that can result in unexpected food spoilage. The GTS22KGNRBB doesn’t suffer from these problems, and it's a great value for a garage-ready fridge.

If you just want an inexpensive fridge, there are many top-freezer fridges that sell for less, but are not garage-ready. For example, the Hotpoint HPS16BTNRWW is our pick for the overall best top-freezer fridge if you only plan to use it indoors.