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DEAL WATCH: Keurig K-Express | 22% off $69.99

Keurig has changed the face of coffee, and snagging one of these for less than $70 is a solid deal. Read Review

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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

  • Specs

  • Design

  • Performance

  • Storage Space

  • Usability

  • Specs

  • Design

  • Performance

  • Storage Space

  • Usability

  • Specs

  • Design

  • Performance

  • Storage Space

  • Usability

  • 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
  • Specs
  • Design
  • Performance
  • Storage Space
  • Usability
  • Specs
  • Design
  • Performance
  • Storage Space
  • Usability
  • Specs
  • Design
  • Performance
  • Storage Space
  • Usability
  • Conclusion

Introduction

Front

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The {{product.name}} is a stainless steel side-by-side refrigerator. The door on the left has a through-the-door ice and water dispenser, as well as a control panel that manages the entire unit. The left door opens onto the freezer, while the larger right door reveals the refrigerator portion.

Most smooth, stainless steel finishes are very susceptible to finger prints and palm smudges. The {{product.name}} proves itself to be surprisingly resilient, though. Despite our best efforts, the front barely picked up our hand prints.

The fridge is controlled by a panel of buttons set above the ice dispenser on the left door. Green back lit images indicate the temperature of either compartment, controlled separately, using a series of lines going from cold to colder. The dispenser's option for ice (both crushed and cubed) and water is illustrated by another green symbol. A few other functions, including a lock for control settings and a light indicating the need for a new water filter is also placed here.

The handles are matching stainless steel that curve closely to the doors while still leaving plenty of room to grip. They end flush against the doors, making for an elegantly curved look.

The water and ice dispense out of a single spout in a cavity recessed into the left door. This is operated by pushing back against a single paddle. There is also an optional light which will turn on when the paddle is pressed, making a midnight drink of cold water that much easier to get. The catch? You have to find the paddle first. The light doesn't turn on until it's pressed.

Interior

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The interior of the {{product.name}} has the freezer compartment on the left and refrigerator on the right. Both compartments run the full height of the unit, and both sides are amply lit.

The interior of the CDWT980VSS.

The main portion of the refrigerator section has four shelves, a deli drawer near the top, and two stacked crisper drawers on the bottom. Two lights, one at the top and one near the middle, offer ample illumination.

Also near the top, in the back corner, is the changeable water filter. It's easy enough to get to, and even if there's food in the way, the smaller shelves in a side-by-side ensure that there won't be too much food blocking it.

The fridge door is simply and efficiently designed. A dairy tray sits at the top, with a fixed shelf on the very bottom. Between these are three adjustable shelves with a multitude of slots, allowing for ample customization.

The top of the freezer houses the ice maker. Under that are three wire shelves, and a wire pull-out basket on the bottom.

The door of the freezer has a small shelf at the very top, and then plenty of space for the door portion of the ice and water dispenser. Near the bottom are three evenly-spaced fixed shelves.

The designer of the ice maker on the {{product.name}} got a bit creative, albeit at the expense of some efficiency. The very top features an indented plastic portion which must be pulled out to access the power switch. It can be left off, but then the cables and interior plastic structure of the ice maker are visible. The large lower portion can also be removed to access bulk ice.

Back

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As far as fridge backs go, the {{product.name}} actually looks pretty good. It's solid metal that doesn't reflect, with cables for the ice maker and water filter. All the cables, including the power cord, have loops that you can clip the cables into so nothing is dangling or hanging loose.

Sides

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The sides of the {{product.name}} have a grey matte finish which matches the stainless steel front. If you have a kitchen where the sides of this fridge would be visible, you don't have to worry about it appearing mismatched or shoddy.

Olympus SZ-31MR iHS side views

Running Cost

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Using a standard rate of $0.09 per kW-h, the {{product.name}} will cost about $66.60 per year to operate. This may seem like a high number, and it is. It's not the most expensive electric bill on the market for a large side-by-side fridge, but it's certainly not the cheapest, either.

Power Use Per Cu Ft

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We base our power efficiency on electricity used per cubic foot of usable storage space. Even taking the larger storage area in the {{product.brand.name}} into account, it uses about 0.13 kW-h per cubic foot. Like its operating cost, this fridge's efficiency is above average. If you live in an area with high energy costs, this may not be the model for you.

Fridge Temperature

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For all tested models, we collect data from temperature sensors placed throughout the inside of a fridge at varying heights to ensure temperature consistency at all levels. Over time, the {{product.name}} managed to remain consistent, but it also got warmer the further down we went. With vents located at the top, upper shelves were just right, but the further from the vents we got, the temperature became noticeably warmer. Foods that spoil sooner should be placed on upper shelves, while heartier items like juices and fruit preserves should be fine on the bottom.

Freezer Temperature

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Similarly, the freezer had problems staying at the ideal temperature at the bottom shelves. Temperatures were excellent over time, hardly fluctuating at all, meaning you shouldn't have to worry about freezer burn. The lowest shelves were undeniably warmer, though. That's not to say the food at the bottom wasn't frozen, it was just kept at a temperature higher than the ideal 0 degrees Fahrenheit. We set the freezer to the manufacturer's recommended setting, so a lot of the problem may be fixed by lowering the temperature. If you invest in a thermometer, you'll be able to keep track of the {{product.brand.name}}'s insides with greater accuracy.

Vegetable Drawer

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The vegetable drawers were a little disappointing. They lost an average of 0.26 grams of water per hour. This isn't an outrageously higher loss of moisture than we would normally expect, but you may find your produce may be a little less moist than you'd like if you store things for a longer period of time.

Power Loss

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Have questionable electricity providers? Don't worry about it. The contents of the {{product.name}}'s were still frozen after 36 hours. We keep the door shut for our testing, which you should do, too, if you find yourself without power unless absolutely necessary.

Freezing Performance

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For a freezer this size, the {{product.name}} did a decent job at freezing room temperature items. It took 1 hour and 35 minutes for our material to freeze.

Usable Space

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The refrigerator offers ample storage space spread out over four shelves, a deli drawer, and two crispers. The {{product.name}} offers 10.54 cubic feet of usable storage space, more than you might guess given the narrow appearance of the shelves.

The 10.54 cubic feet includes the storage located on the fridge door, which has four shelves and a dairy tray. Three of the shelves are movable, offering storage flexibility.

The freezer also impresses as far as storage is concerned, spread over three wire shelves and a wire basket on the bottom. It totals 4.94 cubic feet of usable space, enough room to freeze anything from ice cream and frozen peas, to a full chicken.

The freezer door contributes an additional four shelves, most of them near the bottom of the door under the interior portion of the ice dispenser.

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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The slots in the fridge are numerous enough that you can arrange the shelves to suit almost any storage need. The freezer shelves have fewer adjustment opportunities, so exceptionally large items may have a tough time fitting. As is, they're placed just below eye level, so as long as your items fit, they should be easy to get to. Freezer door storage is either at the very top or very bottom, meaning people who have trouble reaching higher places or bending over may find it difficult to use. The wire basket at the bottom of the freezer is also a little sticky sliding in and out, as are the crisper drawers on the bottom of the fridge.

Controls

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The fridge is controlled by a panel of buttons set above the ice dispenser on the left door. Green back lit images indicate the temperature of either compartment, controlled separately, using a series of lines going from cold to colder. The dispenser's option for ice (both crushed and cubed) and water is illustrated by another green symbol. A few other functions, including a lock for control settings and a light indicating the need for a new water filter is also placed here.

The temperature controls are located on the front of the fridge on a control panel just above the ice dispenser. There isn't any degree scale, just a series of glowing bars that mark whether the temperature is closer to cold or colder. It's very easy to use, however: buttons labeled Freezer Temp and Fridge Temp adjust the bars one at a time with each push.

Water Dispenser

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The water dispenser is very straightforward. A button between the temperature controls select either water, crushed ice, or cubed ice. They come out of a single spout, which is operated by a single paddle which offers just the right amount of resistance. Also, there's a conveniently located light that illuminates the door cavity when the paddle is depressed.

Ice Maker

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The designer of the ice maker on the {{product.name}} got a bit creative, albeit at the expense of some efficiency. The very top features an indented plastic portion which must be pulled out to access the power switch. It can be left off, but then the cables and interior plastic structure of the ice maker are visible. The large lower portion can also be removed to access bulk ice.

Cleaning

Noise

Other Features

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Specs

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The Whirlpool is Whirlpool WRT779RWYM is a top-freezer with an MSRP of $1249, a number very comparable to the {{product.name}}'s $1300. Offering very different usability styles, it was harder to find the {{product.brand.name}} for reduced prices, though its capacity and features may make the slightly higher price tag acceptable to some.

Design

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The {{product.name}} is a stainless steel side-by-side fridge, while the Whirlpool WRT779RWYM is a top-freezer with a uniquely shaded stainless steel finish. The {{product.brand.name}} has a vertical freezer on the left with a vertical fridge on the right, as opposed to the Whirlpool which has a large fridge taking up the bottom portion of the unit and a smaller freezer set above. The Whirlpool also offers slightly more specialized shelving structure, primarily on the fridge door, such as gallon-sized shelves. As opposed to the {{product.brand.name}}'s through-the-door water and ice dispenser, the Whirlpool has a water dispenser on the interior wall of its fridge and a separate ice maker in the freezer.

Performance

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Both models offered very consistent temperature readings over time. While the Whirlpool's freezer remained at a more uniform temperature, both fridges got warmer as you move lower. The increase in warmth was noticeably greater in the Whirlpool's fridge, though.

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Storage Space

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The {{product.name}} is a slightly larger fridge, though the numbers are close enough that it really depends on how much food you expect to buy on a regular basis as to whether the extra storage would be worth the higher price. The {{product.brand.name}} offers just under 1 extra cubic foot of space than the Whirlpool, and only half a foot more in the freezer.

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Usability

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The shelves on the Whirlpool are just as easy to adjust, though their full-width design may make them harder to move for some people as opposed to the smaller ones on the {{product.brand.name}}. The temperature controls on the {{product.brand.name}} also offer some greater flexibility, since the two compartments are controlled separately. The Whirlpool only has the single dial for both sections. While the through-the-door dispenser on the {{product.brand.name}} offers a level of convenience that fridges without lacks, the interior ice maker is clunkier to deal with than the straightforward model on the Whirlpool when getting larger quantities of ice.

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Specs

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The Frigidaire Gallery FGUS2642LF is another side-by-side with a slightly lower price tag, costing about $1100 compared to the {{product.name}}'s $1300. With a very similar internal and external appearance, the greatest point in favor of the Frigidaire is its larger storage capacity.

Design

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Both models are stainless steel side-by-sides with through-the-door water and ice dispensers, thought the Frigidaire's coloring is slightly different than the normal stainless hue. The interiors are nearly identical, from the number of shelves and drawers to the unusually designed ice maker. The greatest difference lies in shelf flexibility: the {{product.brand.name}} has wall mounts for the shelves, while the Frigidaire has rear mounts, a style that is traditionally more difficult to adjust.

Performance

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The Frigidaire offers a mixed bag in terms of performance. Fridge temperature consistency was much more reliable than in the {{product.brand.name}}, but the freezer had a similar problem with lower shelves being somewhat warmer than those at the top. Freezing times were also worse on the Frigidaire, taking over 30 minutes longer to bring something down from room temperature.

{{score_bars comp_num="2", scores="Power Use Rating, Running Cost Rating, Fridge Temperature Rating, Power Loss Rating, Freezer Temperature Rating, Freezing Test Rating"}}

Storage Space

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The Frigidaire is unquestionably larger in all compartments. If you have the space in your kitchen for a slightly larger fridge, it has an extra cubic foot in the fridge, and just over half a foot more in the freezer.

{{score_bars comp_num="2", scores="Freezer Usable Space Rating, Fridge Usable Space Rating"}}

Usability

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Each model was more or less comparable in terms of usability. Shelves were easy to clean on both, food accessibility was the same, and the exterior controls were equally intuitive and easy to read.

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Specs

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The Whirlpool GB2FHDXWQ is a slightly more expensive model of refrigerator compared to the {{product.name}}, with an MSRP of $1449. We did manage to find it for as little as $936, though. Even if you can't, its solid performance across the board make this Whirlpool a superior model unless you simply have a preference for side-by-sides or place a lot of emphasis on freezer space.

Design

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The Whirlpool is a bottom-freezer with a glossy white finish, compared the the {{product.brand.name}} side-by-side and stainless steel. The half-shelves and adjustable door compartments in the Whirlpool's fridge give it a comparable level of customization to the {{product.brand.name}}, though its rear-mounted shelves may make it harder to shift things around.

Performance

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The Whirlpool GB2FHDXWQ also offers superior performance across the board. The refrigerator compartment not only had consistent temperature readings over time, it also had uniformly matching temperatures throughout the whole compartment. The freezer, being much shorter than the one on the {{product.brand.name}}, also managed to have more consistent temperatures, with almost no variation at all. The Whirlpool also had better moisture retention in its crisper drawers, and froze room temperature items in about the same amount of time.

{{score_bars comp_num="3", scores="Power Use Rating, Running Cost Rating, Fridge Temperature Rating, Power Loss Rating, Freezer Temperature Rating, Freezing Test Rating"}}

Storage Space

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The fridge compartments had nearly identical amounts of storage space, but the freezer is where the Whirlpool falls short in its comparison. Having slightly about 2 cubic feet less in terms of storage space than the {{product.brand.name}}, the Whirlpool's greatest comparative failing is in the size of its pull-out freezer.

{{score_bars comp_num="3", scores="Freezer Usable Space Rating, Fridge Usable Space Rating"}}

Usability

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The greatest difference here is in the placement of the freezer compartments. Both fridges have similarly sized shelves that are fairly easy to move, temperature controls independent for each compartment but are based on an arbitrary scale, and each section can be cleaned with the same level of facility. The freezer in the {{product.brand.name}}, however, runs the full height of the fridge, meaning only a portion of your frozen goods are placed low enough that you'd need to stoop to get them. The Whirlpool's pull-out drawer, however, means you'll always have to bend over to get food out of it, and the ice maker isn't as readily accessible.

{{score_bars comp_num="3", scores="Usability Ease of Access Rating , Usability Controls Rating, Usability Water Rating, Usability Icemaker Rating, Usability Cleaning Rating"}}

Conclusion

Energy Efficiency

Even for fridges this size and style, the {{product.name}} costs more than average to run and isn't the most efficient as far as the ratio of power use to usable space. It is Energy Star compliant, but even so, if energy consumption is a major concern for you, be sure to comparison shop before settling for this model.

Performance

Temperatures remained very consistent over time, which means a greater longevity for food in the fridge and less change of freezer burn in frozen goods. However, lower shelves on both sides are warmer than the those on the top. This means you'll need to remain conscious about what you're putting where, and keeping easily perishable items near the top.

Storage Space

The {{product.name}} isn't cavernous, but it's pretty darn close. Ample space in the fridge and freezer offer storage options for any type of consumer. Whether you prefer to buy food wholesale and freeze it for long-term consumption, or if you shop often for fresh produce and dairy, you'll have enough space to keep it all in this fridge.

Usability

The fridge is very easy to handle. Shelves slide in and out with ease, and the door shelves are simple to rearrange. The crisper drawers, though, as well as all the moving shelves in the freezer, aren't quite as slick, sticking a bit due to the plastic-on-plastic build. The exterior control panel, as well the dual water and ice dispenser, work very well, but the interior components of the ice maker can be somewhat unwieldy.

Meet the tester

Matthew Zahnzinger

Matthew Zahnzinger

Logistics Manager & Staff Writer

@ReviewedHome

Matthew is a native of Brockton, MA and a graduate of Northeastern, where he earned a degree in English and Theatre. He has also studied at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin and spends most of his free time pursuing a performance career in the greater Boston area.

See all of Matthew Zahnzinger's reviews

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