Best Refrigerators – Buy Refrigerators Online
Refrigerators are not a new invention. Even if the ones that we use nowadays, called the compressor refrigerator was invented around the turn of the previous century, people have been using simple “ice boxes” to cool their stuff for around 200 yrs prior to that. In fact barring the USA where the market penetration for refrigerators went to 60% by the 1930s itself, most other countries, even in Europe achieved this level of acceptance by the general public only by the 1970s.
Nowadays the market penetration of refrigerators has reached almost 100% in the west and with the number of new models in the market, there is no dearth of choice. Many people in fact have more than one in their homes, with a number even going in for smaller units and wine chillers to chill bottles separately.
The top selling units when it comes to refrigerators these days are the small 1.5 to 2.5 cu ft ones. This is because with most homes already having a fridge in their homes, the only time anyone would even go in for one is if theirs breaks down. Refrigerators are not known for their delicacy however, and many of them last decades. Even when they do conk off, it is often just a matter of recharging their compressor for them to be as good as new, which means that they do not have to be replaced very often.
Leaving that aside for a moment, if you take refrigerators as such, the cost varies anywhere from less than $100 to more than $2500. Obviously size is the determining factor here, although the brand plays an important part as well. In the interests of separating the different segments we have therefore divided the market into three categories, low, mid range and high end. Let us then take each segment and find out which the top ones in those are.
Budget (Under $400) Refrigerators
The low end fridges are the ones that cost less than $400. obviously they are the smallest ones that are available, but there is a considerable variation in their sizes considering everything.
For example you get fridges with 1.5 cu ft capacity while you also get ones as large as 4.5 which is almost a 300% increase in terms of size. The price is also more than the smaller ones but does not necessarily follow this progression. The top three low end fridges are reviewed below.
1. Sanyo SR-A2480M 22/5 cu ft refrigerator
As the name suggests this refrigerator is one of the larger ones in the range and is 22/5 cu ft large. Costing nearly $200 it is definitely not the cheapest, but with the prices dropping significantly if you purchase them online, you can get this model for as low as $140 which makes it very competitive.
Obviously this model cannot be used for much other than an under the counter fridge in your kitchen or as a desk fridge to cool your drinks. Part of their counterhigh line, it is obvious from their size why they are called so.
2. Emerson 1.8 Cu ft refrigerator
Emerson is a fortune 500 company that is headquartered in Missouri and is involved in the manufacture of a wide range of electrical components for various products, including refrigerators. Their 1.8 cu ft product is therefore a very good one coming as it does from a manufacturer who makes the parts themselves. At around the $85 mark if you go online for them, it is also good value for money. It also looks very nice because you get the option of a faux stainless steel finish rather than the usual standard white for the small sized ones.
3. Haier HNSB02 1.7 cu ft refrigerator
Surprisingly Haier comes third in the popularity stakes, and it is not hard to find out why when you see the price. At a direct retail price of just under $120 it is one of the most competitively priced low end fridges in the market. And this is if you buy from a store. If you purchase from any popular online store of your choice, chances are that you can get it for less than $75 making it one of the cheapest offerings for a fridge.
Of course you only get a 1.7 cu ft fridge, but at this price you can get two for $150 and you will have a 3.5 cu ft capacity if you really need it. In any case this capacity is usually more than sufficient for something that is going to be used only for specific purposes. You really are not looking for a replacement for your main fridge with these.
Even if the “countertop” if we could borrow the term from Sanyo, models are the most popular, they are really not fit for anything other than maybe chilling a few cans or bottles of your favorite drink. They are not even mobile, and the only advantage that they give you is that they are so compact that they can pretty much be installed in any nook and cranny that you have at home or your office.
Of course you always have the option of going in for the slightly larger compact versions that give you a bigger fridge, but will also cost you more than $200. We will therefore proceed to the next in line which is the mid range refrigerators.
Mid Range ($400 – $700) Refrigerators
These fridges are the ones that are between the $400 and $700 mark. As most refrigerators go, this is the most common in most households as is a very rare home that really needs a commercial grade gigantic one. Most of them are mid sized and the most popular ones are also unsurprisingly the cheaper ones in this price range. Find below the top three selling models in this range.
1. Haier RRTG21PABW 20.7 Cu ft refrigerator
As the name suggests, this model is a 20.7 cu ft refrigerator. At this size it is a full sized fridge that is twice as large as other mid sized ones but at only around $600 it costs just as much as any other mid sized one. It is a top mounted model which means that the freezer comes on top of the fridge. The freezer alone is 5.3 cu ft in size which is larger than most other compact fridges in total.
As a replacement fridge for your home there is nothing else that even comes close to the Haier in terms of value for money. Of course features wise it is pretty basic with most controls operated manually. The one good thing is that it is a frost free system.
2. Avanti RA752PST 22 7.5 cu ft top mount refrigerator
This model is the second most popular one but is less than half the size of the Haier. The only reason why this model is popular is because it costs only around $450 but with discounts available most of the time, you can pretty much get it for around $350 if you look hard enough. Going online is a good bet for this. The capacity may not be as large, but is sufficient for most nuclear families. Plus you get it in different colors while the Haier only comes in white. As a low cost option to a full sized fridge, it is as good as any other out there.
3. Haier HBQ18JADW bottom mount refrigerator
Once again it is Haier that comes in as the third most popular in this category. This fridge is a little smaller than the previous model and is only 17.6 cu ft in size. It is however more than sufficient and the difference in size is not apparent to most except those who really need it. What the advantage of this model is that you get it in different colors and the freezer is bottom mounted.
To many of us who have grown up with the top mounted freezer we think that it is the best way for a fridge. It is only when you start using the bottom mount that you realize that it is in fact more practical. You never open the freezer as much as you do the fridge, which means that you do not have to keep bending down as often. Most things are available to you at arms reach and it is only when you want something in the freezer that you need to actually bend down.
At just under $700 it is a mite expensive though, but you can get it for up to $100 cheaper if you go online to purchase it.
For most of us an average refrigerator is more than sufficient. All we need is one that is reliable enough to last, and is large enough to keep everything. As long as it is a frost free one, most of us do not even touch any of the other settings that you get with the fridge.
There are however some of us who want more out of our refrigerators for whom the top end ones are available. Let us then take a look at what is available in this category what the top selling ones are.
Top End (Over $700) Refrigerators
These fridges are really not for the average Joe. Most of them cost well over $2000 which is just too much to pay for a fridge considering that you can get very good ones for less than half that price. Going online is however a good option because very often the discounts that you get on purchase can come to nearly 50% of the purchase price. Let us look at the best selling models in this category then.
1. LG LMX25984ST 4 door French door refrigerator
This model from LG is the top selling in this category. At nearly $2500 you could probably get three proper full sized fridges for this price, but then none of them will give you the options that this does. For example you get the ice dispenser only in fridges in this category. This particular model also gives you two separate freezer compartments so that you can keep your frozen food separate from your ice tray.
Everything that you would ever want in a refrigerator and then some more comes as standard on this model.
This fridge is probably the Boeing of the refrigerator world and is humongous. If you want one of these it may be a good idea to check online because there is every chance that you can get it cheaper there.
2. Whirlpool GD5DHAXVY refrigerator
This model gives you the same ice dispenser that is standard in this category, but not the separate freezer compartments that come with the LG. Apart from this one thing, it has most of the other features including a water filtration system. At more than $2500 it may not be the best option for you while the LG is there, but if you are willing to purchase online, you can get it for as little as $1300, which may make it a good choice for many.
The size is also a determining factor and at 25 cu ft, there is no problem about finding space in the fridge at all.
3. Summit SP6DSSTB
Surprisingly the third best selling fridge in this category is the Summit. This model is their three drawer model which makes them unique in the refrigerator industry. It is only 35 inches tall which means that you can pretty much install them under your cabinet in your kitchen. If you are short of space, or like the look of the appliance, this is a very good option for you.
The flip side though is the price as at nearly $1600 it is a little too expensive for a fridge. It does give you a fully stainless steel outer cover though but its capacity leaves a lot to be desired. For most normal folks it is also not as convenient to use as the normal ones as you will have to stack stuff one on top of the other, but then there are people who like it this way.
As can be seen with almost any other kitchen appliance, the determining factor when it comes to purchasing refrigerators is the price. It is only in the top end ones that price does not matter as much as features and facility, and the top selling model is actually one of the most expensive in the market.
The Haier models have pretty much taken the market by storm, and are the top selling models except in the high end segment. This is probably due to two reasons, one that they are the cheapest on the block, the second being that they have concentrated at giving maximum value for money.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most online stores offer a huge discount when you buy from them. Imagine getting a model that retails at $2500 for around $1300. You should however calculate the shipping costs as chances are that it is not free. Plus never go in for the lowest price alone. Go with someone who has good reviews because only then are you assured of a good product.
Top Selling Refrigerators Online
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