Buying guide for Best Whirlpool refrigerators
Refrigerators are appliances that you and your family use several times a day … and maybe a few times during the night. A good fridge needs to be functional so you can find what you need quickly, without wasting energy. A solid refrigerator also needs to be reliable and trustworthy. You invest in groceries every week, so your refrigerator must protect that investment by keeping your food at a safe temperature to prevent spoilage.
A highly trusted brand name in kitchen appliances, especially refrigerators, is Whirlpool. You’ll find Whirlpool refrigerators in a variety of configurations, designs, and colors. Multiple price points are available, too, so you have a strong chance of finding a unit to meet your needs and your budget. But which one is right for you?
Just chill. It’s all under control. We created this Whirlpool refrigerators buying guide to help you balance all the practicalities and intangibles when selecting a refrigerator for your kitchen.
Key considerations
The primary consideration with a Whirlpool refrigerator is design layout. Whirlpool fridges are available in five primary configurations.
Top freezer
This design consists of a top freezer section with a door and a lower refrigerated section with a single door. This design often is narrower in width than other designs. A few decades ago, this was the primary design available.
Bottom freezer
The bottom-freezer design from Whirlpool consists of a drawer with a freezer compartment on the bottom. The refrigeration section is above the freezer with a single door. This design places the frequently used refrigerated section at eye level.
French door
French door models also have a bottom freezer section with a drawer. The upper refrigerated section has two doors that open in the middle. These narrow doors are good for kitchens where there isn’t much clearance space for the doors.
Side-by-side
This design has a freezer section on the left and a refrigeration section on the right. Both sections are accessible through doors that extend the full height of the unit. This design is handy when you don’t have much clearance space for the doors in your kitchen setup. But it’s tough to fit wide items, like pizza boxes, inside the refrigerator section.
Undercounter
Whirlpool also manufactures undercounter refrigerators. They’re usually specialized units that only have a refrigeration section with no freezer section. They’re typically around 5 cubic feet in capacity and less than 36 inches high. They’re often made for beverage storage. (Because these refrigerators aren’t made to serve as a primary appliance, we will not discuss them any further.)
Did You Know?
Whirlpool worked with the federal government in the 1960s to develop kitchen, personal-hygiene, and food-storage systems for the space program.
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Features
Here are some of the key options available in Whirlpool refrigerators.
- Can caddy: If your family always wants cold soda or beer, this caddy makes storing the cans — without wasting space — an easy process.
- FreshFlow air filter: Rather than using baking soda inside the fridge, this Whirlpool filter removes nasty odors. You do have to replace the filter a couple of times a year.
- Humidity control: Some Whirlpool units have the ability to control the humidity level inside the crisper drawer, keeping fruits and vegetables in optimum condition.
- In-door ice storage: On a side-by-side design, the freezer door may have an extra bin to store ice cubes, saving space inside the freezer compartment.
- Infinity-slide shelf: This shelf slides all the way out, so you can easily access wide and short items like a cake or a pizza box.
- TotalCoverage: This Whirlpool feature circulates the cold air throughout the refrigerator, keeping all areas at a similar temperature.
- Undershelf lighting: A number of Whirlpool refrigerators add lighting under the shelves, making it easier to see all of the items versus having lighting only at the top of the compartment.
- Water dispenser: Many Whirlpool units have a water and ice dispenser that’s accessible from the outside of the refrigerator. Others may have the dispenser inside the door, which maintains a clean appearance on the exterior of the fridge.
Although shoppers often focus on the refrigerator’s capacity, the layout of shelves and drawers on the inside is also extremely important.
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Whirlpool refrigerator prices
The prices of Whirlpool refrigerators vary by capacity, configuration, features and finishes. Standard black or white refrigerators generally cost $100 to $250 less than models with stainless steel or fingerprint-resistant finishes.
Inexpensive: The least expensive Whirlpool refrigerators will be smaller models, usually between 10 and 20 cubic feet in capacity. Expect to spend $400 to $900. These models will rarely have in-door water dispensers or other advanced features. Budget-friendly Whirlpool refrigerators are often configured as top-freezer models.
Mid-range: A standard-size Whirlpool refrigerator will have a capacity between 20 and 25 cubic feet. The cost of a mid-sized fridge runs from $900 to $1,800. These models can appear in a variety of layouts, including side-by-side, French door, top freezer, and bottom freezer. Models in this price range often have water dispensers.
Expensive: The priciest Whirlpool refrigerators cost $1,800 to $4,000. They often will have a capacity greater than 25 cubic feet. However, refrigerators of almost any size can appear in this price range if they have enough advanced features, such as customizable temperature drawers and designs that maximize organization.
Did You Know?
If your Whirlpool refrigerator has an automatic ice maker or water dispenser, it probably has a water filter cannister that you will need to replace occasionally.
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Tips
When seeking a refrigerator that will fit in your kitchen, it’s important to know how to properly estimate the space you have available. You don’t want to purchase a refrigerator that’s too big, only to discover the mistake after the fridge is sitting in your kitchen.
Whirlpool refrigerators commonly are available in widths (the horizontal measurement along the front) between 28.75 and 39.75 inches; in heights between 61.75 and 71.25 inches; and in depths (the front to back measurement) between 28.75 and 34.75 inches. Here are some tips for making sure the fridge will fit.
- Always consider the “door-swing” in the refrigerator’s depth measurement. As the refrigerator door opens, it’ll extend 15 to 32 inches beyond the main compartment. If you have an island in your kitchen, the doors must be able to open freely without hitting the island. Because French door or side-by-side designs have two narrow doors, their doors don’t extend as far from the unit as a single-door refrigerator.
- Don’t forget about space for the drawer. If your refrigerator has a freezer drawer in the bottom, it can extend 16 to 20 inches beyond the unit. Again, be certain it has the room needed to open fully without hitting your island.
- Leave room for the hinge. When opening the refrigerator door, the hinge needs about 2.5 inches of clearance, according to Whirlpool. Therefore, if you have a counter flush model or if the hinged door on the refrigerator will be against a wall, it needs 2.5 inches of free space for the door to open properly. (If the door will extend beyond the edge of the countertop, clearance isn’t a concern.)
- Leave some breathing room for ventilation. Whirlpool refrigerators don’t need much free space around them for ventilation and airflow. The manufacturer recommends leaving a half-inch of clearance on the right, left, top, and back of the unit.
FAQ
Q. Is it possible to switch the direction the door opens on a Whirlpool refrigerator?
A. You typically can pick whether you want a left-opening or right-opening refrigerator door at the time of purchase. Certain models also allow you to swap the door swing after you have it in your kitchen. Keep an eye on this feature when considering models, if this is important to you.
Q. What are some of the different colors of refrigerators that are available from Whirlpool?
A. Traditionally, Whirlpool refrigerators appear in white, black, or stainless steel. Less commonly, you may find a biscuit or sunset bronze color for certain models. Because black and stainless steel tend to show fingerprints clearly, Whirlpool offers some models in a fingerprint-resistant finish that’s easy to wipe clean.
Q. Do I want a counter-depth Whirlpool refrigerator?
A. The counter-depth refrigerator will sit flush with the edge of the counters in your kitchen. This creates a nice appearance and enhances free space in the kitchen. Keep in mind that a standard refrigerator may have more storage capacity than a counter-depth fridge, as a counter-depth fridge has less depth than a standard fridge.
Q. How do I know if the refrigerator I select will be easy to clean?
A. The majority of Whirlpool refrigerators are easy to clean. The drawers and shelves should be removable, so you can clean them thoroughly. Removing them also makes the interior of the fridge easy to wipe down.
