Best top freezer refrigerator with ice maker

We updated this article in July 2022 to ensure all pricing is accurate and all picks recommended by the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab are in stock.


If the home is a family's universe, the refrigerator is the sun. Everything revolves around it, from breakfasts to-go and healthy lunches to dinners around the table. That's why getting a new refrigerator is kind of a big deal. There are tons of factors to consider — everything from configuration and dimensions to finishes and special features. You should also ask yourself if you want to invest in a smart refrigerator. Of course, there's no getting around the price: They're expensive. But if you want a top pick from a reliable brand that will stand steady in your family's orbit for years to come, you're in the right place.

The Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab evaluates all types of kitchen appliances yearly, from gas ranges to blenders to toaster ovens and beyond. We regularly test fridges evaluating performance and efficiency — each refrigerator is scored on its ability to regulate temperatures and ease of use including the readability of the manual, the functionality of the door handles and refrigerator controls. We also look at other interior features including drawers, shelves and more.

Our top picks:

  • 1

    Best top freezer refrigerator with ice maker

    Best Overall Refrigerator

    36'' French Door with Keurig K-Cup Brewing System GE Profile

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  • 2

    Best top freezer refrigerator with ice maker

    Best Value Refrigerator

    Wide French Door Refrigerator Maytag

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  • 3

    Best top freezer refrigerator with ice maker

    Best Door-in-Door Refrigerator

    InstaView Door-in-Door Refrigerator LG

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  • 4

    Best top freezer refrigerator with ice maker

    Best Top Freezer Refrigerator

    Top Freezer Refrigerator Maytag

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  • 5

    Best top freezer refrigerator with ice maker

    Best Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

    Bottom Freezer Refrigerator LG

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Here's a list of the best refrigerators to buy, according to testing. Stick around after our picks to learn more about how we evaluate refrigerators plus several shopping tips to ensure you select the right one for your home.

      1

      Best Overall Refrigerator

      GE Profile

      36'' French Door with Keurig K-Cup Brewing System

      2

      Best Value Refrigerator

      Maytag

      Wide French Door Refrigerator

      3

      Best Door-in-Door Refrigerator

      LG

      InstaView Door-in-Door Refrigerator

      4

      Best Top Freezer Refrigerator

      Maytag

      Top Freezer Refrigerator

      5

      Best Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

      LG

      Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

      6

      Best Smart Refrigerator

      Samsung

      Family Hub French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker

      7

      Best Side-by-Side Refrigerator

      Whirlpool

      Side-by-Side Refrigerator

      8

      Best Counter-Depth Refrigerator

      GE

      Café French-Door Refrigerator

      9

      Best Double Freezer Refrigerator

      Miele

      PerfectCool Series Refrigerator

      10

      Best Refrigerator for Wine Storage

      Bosch

      800 Series French Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator

      11

      Best Smudge-Proof Refrigerator

      Kenmore Elite

      French Door Refrigerator

      How we test refrigerators

      We rate fridges on their ability to regulate the best temperatures for grocery list staples like lettuce, deli meat and frozen foods. For every model, we score for uniformity of temperatures from shelf to shelf in the refrigerator and freezer compartments, as well as for temperature variations in single areas over time. We test fridges' ability to maintain moisture on both refrigerator shelves and in crisper drawers. In addition, we evaluate each refrigerator's ease of use, including the helpfulness of the manual, the type and ease of use of the controls and the comfort of grasping the door handles.

      We score interior features including the type of shelves in the refrigerator cavity and on the doors, the ease with which the freezer drawer and baskets could be opened, the presence or absence of crispers with humidity controls and the presence or absence of a meat keeper or deli drawer with temperature controls. All notable features including Wi-Fi connectivity were considered but not rated. Our top Lab pick is the GE Profile Series French-Door Refrigerator, complete with a Keurig K-Cup Brewing System. It scored highest on temperature maintenance and uniformity testing and wowed our Lab experts with its smart design features. It's also Wi-Fi enabled, so you can adjust settings, preheat water for coffee and more with the downloadable app.

      How to find the best refrigerator for you

      When shopping for a new refrigerator online or in a store, these are the main things you want to consider. Once you make your pick, don't miss our Test Kitchen's ultimate guide to organizing your fridge.

      ✔️Configuration: The big players are side-by-sides, top-freezers and bottom-freezers. Side-by-sides require less space for the doors to swing open, but you need to bend down to find food at the base of the fridge and freezer. Bottom-freezers (like French-door models) put the most-used compartment at eye level. Top-freezer fridges cost less but require you to bend to get into the fridge.

      ✔️Dimensions: Your fridge typically has to fit between counter space, so you'll need to match the width to the layout of your kitchen. Built-ins and cabinet-depth models sit flush with counters and cabinets but may be more costly.

      ✔️Finishes: Stainless steel is the most popular because it has a sleek-yet-neutral look, but some prefer a white or black fridge (or the recently popular black stainless steel and even carbon fiber). Built-ins typically offer exterior paneling that matches your kitchen cabinets. Many modern finishes are fingerprint-resistant. At the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show this year, we saw a lot of customizable patterns, too; a trend to look out for!

      ✔️Features: Consider the shelving and internal drawers to see if they work for your family's eating habits. If you like to store a few bottles of wine in the fridge, make sure there's ample height and/or adjustable shelving; if you order pizza frequently, you'll probably want a fridge that can fit the box inside. Some fridges also offer humidity controls on crisper drawers, meat or deli drawers and other features for keeping foods at the ideal storage temp.

      Why trust Good Housekeeping?

      In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab, Director, Nicole Papantoniou oversees all of Good Housekeeping's content and testing related to kitchen appliances, tools, gadgets and gear. She's been testing kitchen appliances professionally since 2013 and has worked at kitchen appliance companies where she helped develop some popular air fryers as well as many recipes for them. She is trained in classic culinary arts and is a professional recipe developer.

      Nicole Papantoniou Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab Director Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019.

      Betty Gold Betty Gold is an experienced food writer and editor who worked at Good Housekeeping from 2013 to 2019.

      What is the most reliable refrigerator and ice maker?

      Best Overall: Frigidaire Gallery® 21.8 Cu..
      Extra tall ice and water dispenser..
      PureSource Ultra II Ice & Water Filtration..
      TwinTech Cooling System..
      OpenAccess Door..
      Custom-Flex Temp Drawer..
      Energy Star certified..

      Are top freezer refrigerators good?

      Top-freezers Are Great For Energy Efficiency If the prospect of using less water and energy is appealing to you, top-freezers are some of the most efficient options for a new fridge. Typically, the more complicated your fridge (in features and design), the more energy it uses.

      What brand of refrigerator has the least problems?

      Most Reliable Refrigerator Brands: GE, Bosch, Whirlpool, KitchenAid. Based on my interviews with appliance service professionals, Yale's annual reliability report, and consumer reviews, GE, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, and Bosch are the most reliable refrigerator brands right now.

      What is the top rated brand of refrigerators?

      Our Best Refrigerators of 2022 Rating.
      #1 LG 26.2-Cubic-Foot Smart French Door LFXS26973 Refrigerator..
      #2 Samsung 27.7-Cubic-Foot Four-Door RF28R7551 Refrigerator..
      #3 Whirlpool 25.2-Cubic-Foot French Door WRF535SMH Refrigerator..
      #3 Café 27.8-Cubic-Foot Smart Four-Door CVE28D Refrigerator..