Best 33-Inch-Wide Refrigerators – Consumer Reports

We rate refrigerators based on their thermostat control, temperature uniformity, noise output, ease of use, and efficiency. 

Every refrigerator we test gets wired with 15 temperature sensors. We then monitor these thermocouples for more than a month in one of three temperature-controlled chambers. These results tell us how well a refrigerator maintains a set temperature and how temperature varies in different areas of a fridge.

Our testers measure the noise when the compressor starts up and the steady hum while the fridge is running. We also examine the fridge’s layout, controls, and lighting for ease of use.

We also measure each fridge’s true usable capacity, subtracting the space taken up by filters, lights, and other components. To see how efficient each fridge is, we measure the electricity consumption per cubic foot of that usable capacity.

Take a look into our refrigerator labs for more information on how we test.