Monica Hewitt is an accomplished chef with an extensive background in setting up kitchens around the world. From selecting kitchenware and kitchen utensils to menu planning, Monica has been responsible for establishing complete restaurants from the ground up. As the Kitchen and Cooking Expert at Homesthetics, Monica is in charge of reviewing and curating all cooking and kitchen-related content on the platform. In her free time, Monica is a good sport, enjoying critiquing our homemade meals around the clock and telling us what could have been improved in sandwiches.
Are you searching for the best refrigerators to add to your home or apartment?
You've come to the right place if you prefer a bottom-freezer refrigerator over the other top-freezer models!
This major appliance can feature either a single-door design or French doors. But never without its characteristic bottom-freezer drawer.
Aside from the best bottom-freezer fridges, you'll also find other things you should know here to determine whether a bottom-freezer refrigerator is right for you.
Best Bottom-Freezer Refrigerators
Store your fresh and frozen foods the way you like them with these best bottom-freezer fridges. I've highlighted the edge of each product based on my testing to save you the effort of having to read each review.
Only available in PrintProof stainless steel or black stainless steel finish
This LG model of a smart Wi-Fi-enabled French-door counter-depth refrigerator with a craft ice dispenser has everything you need. Its long name doesn't even cover half of its features.
If you're worried about how adding this refrigerator to your kitchen would impact your energy conservation efforts, that's nothing to worry about.
At first glance, its InstaView Door-in-Door design on the rightFrench door will catch your attention. Knock on the glass; it will reveal what's inside your refrigerator without opening it.
This is an energy-efficient feature that adds to its auto-closing door hinges.
It also features a Smart Cooling system that vents cold air to keep your condiment, dairy, and beverage products chilled. Even those in your door bins are no exception to this.
Aside from Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, this counter-depth French door refrigerator is compatible with LG's SmartDiagnosis and ThinQ Care apps. With your smartphone and the internet, the operation and maintenance of your refrigerator can be hassle-free.
This bottom-freezer refrigerator only has two stainless steel finish options, but it's still a perfect fit for any home.
Dimensions: 70.25 x 35.75 x 31.25 inches | Total Capacity: 22.5 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 13.2 cu. ft | Freezer Capacity: 6.5 cu. ft | Energy Star Certified: Yes
Has EveryDrop Filtration for its ice and water dispensers
Has practically designed storage spaces
What I don't like
Large footprint
The French door design may have originated in France, but no one says a French-door refrigerator can't be available in the United States.
Whirlpool Corporation effectively designs this French-door refrigerator that maximizes frozen and fresh food storage.
The brand creates this bottom-freezer refrigerator that features a through-the-door ice and water dispenser to increase the space of its fridge compartment even more.
My kids are big water drinkers, and a built-in water dispenser is a big plus for me. It saves lots of space from my fridge compartment and, most especially, from the rest of my kitchen. This feature was one of my priorities when shopping for appliances for our smaller home.
Another thing I like about this French-door refrigerator is the organizational design of its storage spaces. Its proper storage isn't limited to my frozen food but extends to those I store in the fridge.
Its storage features include a special slot for pizza boxes, a full-width deli drawer, and a beverage can storage.
This bottom-freezer refrigerator may cost a bit more than similar types, but its detailed storage design is worth it.
Dimensions: 69.88 x 35.69 x 35.63 inches | Total Capacity: 26.8 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 19 cu. ft | Freezer Capacity: 7.77 cu. ft | Energy Star Certified: Yes
Features LED lighting for a more energy-efficient use
It has electronic control and an automatic defrost
What I don't like
It does not come in a fingerprint-resistant stainless steel finish
You can still have a bottom-freezer refrigerator even if you're working around a tight budget.
This Midea Group refrigerator comes at an affordable price point without compensating for capacity. It may be a so-called budget refrigerator, but its capacity is full-sized.
Instead of having freezer drawers, you can pull out the entire bottom-freezer of this fridge.
I found this feature very convenient, especially when I had to store the leftover turkey from our Thanksgiving dinner. Cutting it up into smaller pieces was one thing off my to-do list.
On top of all these, this bottom-freezer refrigerator is affordable from the get-go and in the long run. Its electronic control, LED lighting, and automatic defrost features contribute to the Energy Star certification of this refrigerator.
Its slate finish may not be fingerprint or smudge-proof. But cleaning these minor prints is only a minor setback compared to the money you can save from its price and energy consumption.
Dimensions: 66.6 x 29.5 x 30.9 inches | Total Capacity: 18.7 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 13.07 cu. ft | Freezer Capacity: 5.62 cu. ft | Energy Star Certified: Yes
Available in white, black, cream, blue, green, orange, pink, and red glossy finishes
It has a LifePlus 32-degree Fahrenheit cooler drawer
Features MultiFlow Cooling System
What I don't like
Expensive for its functionality
In terms of design, this Smeg bottom-freezer refrigerator is the winner.
It has various colors that even the Hisense RS-12DR fridge can't beat. Even its handle has a retro-style design!
When it comes to what's inside this aesthetic refrigerator, you'll find all the basic features you need.
Two adjustable glass shelves and a LifePlus 32-degree Fahrenheit cooler drawer are inside its fridge compartment.
Not only can you customize the arrangement of your refrigerator contents to fit taller and larger items, but you can also safely store cheese, meat, and other fresh foods with their separate temperature control.
The freezer compartment is similar as well. It has a fast-freezing compartment in addition to two drawers for organization.
This fridge may not be one of the counter-depth bottom-freezer refrigerators available, but if you value an aesthetic statement over this, I say give it a go.
Dimensions: 77.5 x 23.69 x 30.25 inches | Total Capacity: 12.75 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 8.76 cu. ft | Freezer Capacity: 3.99 cu. ft | Energy Star Certified: Yes
Features a concealed water dispenser and a dual ice maker
What I don't like
Can't fit in narrow kitchens
Here's a modern refrigerator that can match every inch of your home interior.
Aside from the regular stainless steel finish, you can choose between two additional finishes and eight-panel colors for this counter-depth bottom-freezer refrigerator.
I thought this was the fun part, but I was wrong. Even the usability has flexible features when it comes to this refrigerator.
The lower righthand area, for example, is a so-called FlexZone with five adjustable temperature settings. Whenever I have lots of fresh meat, I use it as a freezer. On the other hand, every time I come from the farmer's market, I use it as a refrigerator.
What I love about this fridge is it's highly customizable but doesn't forego dimensional considerations. At the end of each day, it's still a counter-depth refrigerator that fits seamlessly in my kitchen.
Dimensions: 73 x 35.88 x 28.75 inches | Total Capacity: 22.8 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 14 cu. ft | Freezer Capacity: 8.8 cu. ft | Energy Star Certified: Yes
It has glass shelves and freezer drawers with metal trim
Fits narrow kitchen spaces
What I don't like
Priced higher than other brands
The German company Robert Bosch GmbH, or simply Bosch, is popular for its top-quality dishwasher. They combined high quality with a thorough design when they started manufacturing refrigerators.
The brand developed a counter-depth bottom-freezer refrigerator of fingerprint-resistant stainless steel built to fit in most apartments for long years.
It also features outstanding temperature control and quiet operation. This is all thanks to its dual evaporator and multi-airflow that keep your fresh food safe, even those in the door bins. Even the BFBF3018SS of Beko is incomparable.
Long-lasting LED lights illuminate every shelf of this refrigerator while ensuring efficient energy use.
Even its interior stands out. Its refrigerator compartments have a removable metal wine rack to give more space for tall bottles.
Aside from the three-layered drawers in the freezer, you'll also find an automatic super freeze feature that cools your food fast while saving energy.
While searching for bottom-freezer refrigerators, you may not have thought of this brand, but their research and design make them worthwhile.
Dimensions: 78.88 x 23.5 x 25.75 inches | Total Capacity: 11 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 7.7 cu. ft | Freezer Capacity: 3.3 cu. ft | Energy Star Certified: Yes
It has a lower capacity than other bottom-freezer refrigerators
I love this narrow refrigerator for its versatility. It fits smaller kitchens, features a counter-depth design, and has two freezer drawers to give you more freedom to choose where to place it and what to put in it.
It may have a smaller capacity than many bottom-freezer refrigerators I've tested, but its storage design makes up for it.
This includes a removable wine bottle rack with up to five bottles, a full-width crisper drawer, and another with adjustable temperature settings.
This third storage feature highlights, even more, the versatility of this fridge. Whether you store lunch meat items or beverages here, you can easily adjust its temperature separately from the rest of the fridge for better food preservation.
On the other hand, the two freezer drawers give you more room to organize your frozen goods better. One freezer drawer has a smaller removable tray to store smaller frozen items, while the other can be used for bulkier frozen meals.
Dimensions: 70 x 23.5 x 26.5 inches | Total Capacity: 11.9 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 7.71 cu. ft. | Freezer Capacity: 4.19 cu. ft | Energy Star Certified: Yes
It comes in PrintProof stainless steel and PrintProof black stainless steel
With reversible-hinge doors
What I don't like
Dimensions can't fit narrow kitchens
If you think French-door refrigerators are always more spacious than bottom-freezer refrigerators, you're wrong.
This LG Corporation bottom-freezer refrigerator gives you accessibility to fresh food at eye level while giving you as much, if not more, freezer space as an average French-door refrigerator.
As soon as I had to take care of my firstborn, I had to lessen my trips to the grocery store and do my shopping in bulk instead. The space of the bottom-freezer allowed me to conveniently dump my perishable groceries into it when I had to attend to my baby first.
In addition to its fingerprint-resistant stainless steel finish, this bottom-freezer features innovative technology that addresses major consumer pain points.
Among which are its Multi-Airflow sensors that adjust its temperature and humidity automatically. These sensors are why the refrigerator's humidity-controlled crisper drawers are highly effective.
Another one is its DoorCooling+ technology, which adjusts compressor operations to even out temperature.
Based on my experience with this bottom-freezer refrigerator, I highly recommend it to busy moms who don't have time to check and maintain their fridges regularly.
Dimensions: 69.88 x 32.75 x 34.88 inches | Total Capacity: 25.5 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 17.2 cu. ft | Freezer Capacity: 8.3 cu. ft | Energy Star Certified: Yes
Regarding refrigeration, its organization is key to maximizing its functionality. This doesn't have to mean that you have to get a French-door fridge.
This Whirlpool bottom-freezer fridge with ice maker has superb features that make organizing a breeze. Available in regular stainless steel, black, or white finish, you can still enjoy the same organizational benefits regardless of your choice.
Let's start with the refrigerator compartment. It has five adjustable shelves, which you can configure to fit your milk cartons and tall bottles, depending on which ones you have more.
It also has two humidity-controlled crisper drawers with FreshFlow technology, which absorbs the gas that spoils your food.
On top of this, all your refrigerator contents are kept fresh thanks to the Accu-Chill sensor that manages the temperature for you.
I owe it to this refrigerator's technology features that I no longer had to keep serving my family breakfast smoothies to save my fruits from ending up in the wastebasket.
Moving down to the freezer compartment, you'll find a factory-installed ice maker and two storage layers. This organizational design kept my frozen meal within easy reach whenever I had a busy day ahead.
This fridge may not be one of those bottom-freezer refrigerators with a through-the-door water dispenser, but its factory-installed ice maker was enough for us when we built our family.
Dimensions: 70 x 32.63 x 33.38 inches | Total Capacity: 22.07 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 15.62 cu. ft. | Freezer Capacity: 6.45 cu. ft | Energy Star Certified: Yes
Available in stainless steel, black, or white finish
It comes with a factory-installed ice maker with a water filter
Features LED lamp lighting
What I don't like
It has a short and limited warranty
If you're not exactly looking for bottom-freezer refrigerators with a through-the-door water dispenser, this one might be for you.
This General Electric (GE) Appliances bottom-freezer fridge is about storage space and food preservation.
Its freezer has a drawer and a shelf to easily segregate your frozen food while ensuring you can fit more.
Regarding fridge space, you can conveniently customize its arrangement with its adjustable glass shelves.
What's more to this is this refrigerator's unique sliding snack drawer, which slides across the center rack. This handy feature gives you more space to fit tall drink bottles on the shelf just below it.
No matter how much you store in this bottom-freezer refrigerator, its turbocharger cooling technology keeps all your stored food fresh.
Because of this, I didn't have to pay attention to frequent door openings anymore. All our fruit and vegetable produce and cheese products were kept fresh no matter how often my son opened the fridge to search for something to snack on.
Dimensions: 69.86 x 29.75 x 36.63 inches | Total Capacity: 20.97 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 14.92 cu. ft. | Freezer Capacity: 6.05 cu. ft. | Energy Star Certified: Yes
Best Bottom-Freezer Refrigerators Comparison Table
Buying Guide For The Best Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator
Choosing the best bottom-freezer refrigerator is more than just about design. These are the other things you should look into as well:
Refrigerator Space in Cu. Ft.
Refrigerator space is measured in cubic feet and can range from 11 to 27 cubic feet.
It's best to know the breakdown of the total capacity between the fridge and freezer compartments to see if it can fit your lifestyle. This will tell you if the capacity is enough to hold your fresh and frozen food storage.
Freezer Compartments
Your freezer space is meant to hold the meat and other perishables you don't plan to consume immediately.
You can opt for a bottom-freezer refrigerator with an ice maker for convenience. But you should know that this will give your freezer section less space for other frozen foods, such as ice cream, meat, and frozen meals.
Ice Maker and Water Dispenser
Your bottom-freezer fridge doesn't need an ice maker or water dispenser. But they're quite common for many bottom-freezer refrigerators, including French doors.
You can usually find the water dispenser on the door of the refrigerator. The ice dispenser can be inside or outside, and it can dispense either cubed ice or crushed ice.
Of course, bottom-freezer refrigerators with an ice and water dispenser are priced higher. It's now up to your budget and your needs to decide whether or not you should give this feature a go.
Does It Sit Flush With Your Countertop?
Aside from your bottom-freezer refrigerator's fingerprint-resistant stainless steel, you might want to consider another dimension in terms of design.
If you don't want your refrigerator to protrude past your cabinetry and counters, ensure its depth is at most 30 inches. Look into counter-depth refrigerators for this.
Alternative Storage Options
Aside from refrigerator shelves, a bottom-freezer refrigerator can have other storage features, such as sliding drawers, door bins, wine racks, and freezer baskets.
These storage options allow you to organize your refrigerator contents better. On the other hand, they take up space meant for your refrigerator contents.
You'll want a good balance between storage features and space.
Sliding Drawers
These include the likes of crisper drawers and deli drawers.
Crisper drawers are best for prolonging the lifespan of fruits and vegetables because these drawers expose your products to different humidity levels.
In contrast, deli drawers are colder as they're meant to store cured meat and cheeses.
Sliding drawers can either be fixed or removable. Removable drawers give you more customization options to organize your refrigerator better.
Smart Features
Nowadays, smart features are typically found in luxury goods.
Regarding bottom-freezer refrigerators, Wi-Fi-capable ones allow you to adjust some settings directly from your smartphone. This includes temperature, humidity, airflow, and air filtration.
This is also useful for the maintenance and diagnosis of the bottom-freezer refrigerator.
However, these convenient features spike the prices of smart bottom-freezer refrigerators.
Bottom Freezer Refrigerators FAQs
What you’re wondering about could be a FAQ. Here are some FAQs I’ve answered for you.
You can reach this life expectancy with regular refrigerator maintenance. This means vacuuming the air intake, wiping the door seals, and monitoring the drain pan.
Many smart bottom-freezer refrigerators make this easier for you as they can alert you whenever your refrigerator needs regular maintenance.
Are Bottom Freezer Refrigerators Reliable?
The compressor location of bottom-freezer refrigerators generally makes it more challenging to keep heat out, but they are still reliable.
A factor you might want to think about is your built-in ice maker. This feature can result in problems with your home appliance down the road. Bottom-freezer refrigerators without an ice maker are typically more durable than those with an ice maker.
Conclusion
The best bottom-freezer refrigerator for you shouldn't only fit your kitchen and budget. It should, more importantly, fit your needs and capacity.
It helps to list your priority features first to narrow down your options when exploring retail shops.