Hisense HQD20058SV refrigerator review

The Hisense HQD20058SV is an immediately striking fridge, with its clean, stainless steel doors that feature integrated, pocket handles along their inside edge. The only feature on the surface of the fridge is the status display, which shows current zone temperatures that can be customized to meet your needs.

Opening it up you’ll find equally great design, from its clean layout to neatly stacked drawers. Counter-depth fridges have less capacity than larger models, and the HQD20058SV makes good use of the space it has. The freezer section is a bit different, separating the freezer into two halves of three drawers each. The temperature conditions on the right side can be customized independently from those on the left, allowing for extra fridge space should the need arise.

In our tests, we found that the additional flexibility of the freezer led to a sometimes inconsistent temperature gradient across the bottom half: The temperatures varied by up to 7°F, which is more than we want to see. With that level of inconsistency, freezer burn will be more common, preemptively spoiling your food. If you tend to freeze a lot of food, it’s probably worth looking elsewhere. While we really like the overall design of this fridge, its freezer performance coupled with its counter-depth design and price point means it likely won't be the best pick for everyone.

About the Hisense HQD20058SV refrigerator

Dimensions: 71.26" x 26" x 28.03" (H x W x D) (counter-depth) Total number of storage locations: 19 Fridge capacity: 9.05 cu. ft. Freezer capacity: 3.12 cu. ft. Finish: Stainless steel

What we like

The overall layout is easy to use

One of the main complaints users have about French door refrigerators is that they need to open both doors to access the majority of food or slide open drawers. This Hisense answers some of those critiques with its open, four-door design and well-sized drawers, which allow you to access just about anything without opening both doors. The only drawer you need to have both doors open to access is the deli drawer, which is only a few inches high and likely won't be a main storage area. We also liked the degree of compartmentalization in the freezer—with six drawers, it should be easier than ever to keep things organized.

The drawers slide smoothly

Often when we review fridges, we note that the drawers don't slide smoothly, or that they feel wobbly. The feel of the drawers often plays into the overall feel of the fridge, since we spend so much time interacting with them. The Hisense HQD20058SV has great-feeling drawers. They slide smoothly and feel well-made, which makes the fridge seem so high-end.

What we don’t like

The freezer is inconsistently cold

While we like the design of the freezer a lot, it seems the technology isn't quite there to support it perfectly. We noticed temperature differentials of up to 7°F, which is significant: Typically we see a variance of one degree or less at such low temperatures. While not as serious as temperature variance in the main refrigerator compartment, freezer inconsistency can also lead to premature food spoilage, either via bacterial growth or freezer burn. This is unfortunately the biggest downside of this refrigerator.

What owners say

Owners seemed to really like this product, though we must note there's only a handful of reviews up so far. Owners enjoy its design, sleek aesthetic, and quiet operation.

Warranty

Hisense offers a two-year limited warranty, which is better than the standard one-year offered by many other major manufacturers.

Should you buy it?

We think so. It's not perfect, but it's pretty darn good. With a sleek stainless steel design, great interior layout, and well-crafted components, there's a lot to love about this fridge. If you tend to keep the freezer packed with particularly perishable foods, we'd recommend keeping it set to the colder side just to make sure there is less freezer burn. Other than that one quirk, though, it's a great fridge at an appropriate price.

If you're looking for another well-designed fridge with a less-flakey freezer, consider checking out the Samsung RF260BEAESR, which was our pick for the best French door fridge under $1,500.