Best Cheap Fridges
Best Cheap Fridge. It's only three words. But it's a great question.
We’ve all heard the old adage “ You get what you pay for”. My baby boomer father would say this all the time and it implied that low price meant low quality which led to buyers remorse.
But is this old adage still true?
In Australia we have laws which protect consumers when we buy things that didn’t exist decades ago. We have an expectation about quality and we have rights when things don’t meet minimum standards.
Competition amongst fridge retailers is red hot which is great for consumers because it means prices are lower.
User generated reviews also hold manufacturers to account.
The internet has also given us tools to find things at a rapid rate.
So does cheap still imply low quality?
Let's look at the data
Best implies a few things, but for simplicity, let's define “best” as a fridge brand with an established reputation that has been around for a while. Let's leave out the latest brand fridges and “store brands” because they haven’t had enough time to establish reliability or any kind of social proof.
Let's also define cheap as consistent value for money at the lowest price rather than simply the lowest price. A discontinued fridge selling at half price isn't a consistent value because the price is cut to get rid of it. Consistent everyday low prices in a price bracket that is attainable is what we are after.
Finally, let's define “fridge” as domestic fridges. This excludes commercial and specialty fridges such as wine cabinets and medical fridges etc…
We will look at fridges in 4 main categories.
To start out, let's add a little perspective and look at the high end of the market to determine what constitutes a premium fridge. Then we can determine overlapping elements in the mainstream fridge market that we can apply and shake out the better fridges.
Some Perspective
But first, a question. How much is the world's most expensive domestic fridge?
A quick google search uncovers several premium fridges with very large price tags.
An Italian made fridge known as the Meneghini La Cambusa sells for around $41,000 USD (about $64 000 AUD) and is considered the world's most expensive domestic fridge. It is well over 2m in width, far larger than the average space allotted to standard Australian kitchens, where the middle part of the fridge has compartments for a microwave and coffee machine. Often the fridge is built in, but the free standing version looks like an external wardrobe rather than a fridge.
In Australia, the most expensive brands are Sub-Zero , Liebherr and Gaggenau. A top of the range Sub Zero fridge is in the $50,000 AUD price bracket. Made with premium materials, they are expected to last a lot longer. At that price, one would hope so.
But even if it lasted 20 years, the total cost of purchase is $2,500 per year, not to mention the electricity running costs. Even if I could afford one, I’m not sure they represent the best value for money.
They look fantastic and they often need a custom built kitchen to fit them. But for most Australians, spending more on a fridge than the family car isn’t an option.
Features
Premium fridges often have more features. They can be integrated into the kitchen with matching wood paneling and they can be custom built any way you like to include wine cabinets, dispensers, nano-coated spill-proof shelves, smart-touch controls, water-filtration systems, air purification system, adjustable shelves, LED lighting, low-temperature and high-humidity storage zones, magnetic door seal system, microprocessor control, exterior temperature display, Stainless steel sliding bins, soft-close doors and drawers.
But do all the extra features on a premium fridge represent value for money? Many features of premium fridges are “nice to have” rather than essential. Some of these features have now entered the mainstream market where LG and Electrolux offer similar features on their high end products and in some cases they are standard.
Warranty
Many premium fridges offer a 5 year warranty. This isn't too dissimilar to mainstream brands such as Beko who offer a 5 year warranty on many of their domestic products and Hisense who offer a 3 year warranty. For premium products which are expected to outperform and out last the rest, a 5 year warranty seems a bit light. But I suppose if one has enough to buy a $50K fridge for the home, then it follows that there might be enough in the kitty to fix it if it breaks down.
For mine, a longer warranty suggests that a manufacturer has confidence in their products.
Fridge Brands with the best warranty periods out of the box
- 5 years: Mitsubishi Electric
- 5 years (3 years manufacturer warranty + 2 years bonus with registration) : Chiq, Beko
- 3 years: Hisense, TCL
- 2 years: LG, Haier, Westinghouse, Electrolux, Euromaid
Annual Cost of Purchase
To determine Cost of Purchase, let's use the brand every day price (not a sale price) for the fridge category and divide it by the warranty period to calculate the annual cost of purchase of the fridge.
Annual Cost of purchase= Purchase Price/warranty period
One would hope that a fridge lasts a lot longer than the warranty period. But if manufacturers are prepared to back in their products for a longer warranty period, one might expect it to be better built.
So let's break it all down. The Best Cheap Fridge needs to have
- Functional basic features and maybe some “nice to haves”
- Best lifetime value for money
- Best warranty in its class
- Best social proof (reviews)
Methodology
Selection
The reviewed fridges are approximately the same size that we have in stock. Naturally there are going to be slight variations in size between each brand.
Features
Product features were gathered from manufacturer websites.
Prices
Prices of each fridge are the everyday ticket prices at Save On Appliances.
Warranty
Warranties are those displayed for each model on manufacturer websites.
Ratings and Reviews
Ratings and reviews are gathered from google reviews only.
Rating and reviews from manufacturers and retailers were not used.
Top Mount Cheap Fridges
The top mount fridges reviewed were:
- Chiq CTM347NB5E - 348L
- Hisense HRTF326 - 326L
- TCL P362TMW - 362
- LG GT4S - 335L
- Westinghouse WTB3100WKX - 312L
- Mitsubishi Electric MR458ERSBA - 458L
Top Mount Features
| Feature | Chiq | Hisense | TCL | LG | Westinghouse | Mitsubishi Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | CTM347NB5E | HRTF326 | P362TMW | GT4S | WTB3100WKX | MR458ERSBA |
| Adjustable Shelves | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crisper Drawers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LED Lighting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Energy Efficiency (Star Rating) | 5 | 3.5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4.5 |
| Digital Display | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ice Maker | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water Dispenser | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Adjustable Door Bins | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Frost-Free Operation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Humidity Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spill-Proof Shelves | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Child Lock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reversible Door | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Quiet Operation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fridge Capacity (Litres) | 347 | 326 | 362 | 454 | 310 | 458 |
| Door Open Alarm | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plumbing Required | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Warranty | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Manufactured | China | China | China | South Korea | China | Japan |
| 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Top Mount Features Analysis
Features of each Top Mount Fridge were all very similar offering many of the same features. The Chiq top mount was the most energy efficient, while the LG and Mitsubishi Electric fridges had the most capacity in Litres. The Mitsubishi Electric had the highest warranty period.
Top Mount Price
| Brand | Model | Warranty (Years) | Top Mount | Cost of Purchase |
| Mitsubishi Electric | MR458ERSBA | 5 | $1,899 | $380 |
| Chiq | CTM347NB5E | 3 | $799 | $266 |
| Hisense | HRTF326 | 3 | $849 | $283 |
| TCL | P362TMW | 3 | $749 | $250 |
| LG | GT4S | 2 | $949 | $475 |
| Westinghouse | WTB3100WKX | 2 | $799 | $400 |
Top Mount Price Analysis
The cheapest top mount fridge was the TCL with a buy price of $749. When dividing by the 3 year warranty period, the cost per year was $250 which made it the cheapest over its warranty period. Even though the buy price of the Mitsubishi Electric top mount was more expensive, the 5 year warranty period made the cost per year very competitive.
Top Mount Reviews
| Brand | Model | Stars | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiq | CTM347NB5E | 5 | 5 |
| Hisense | HRTF326 | 4.3 | 594 |
| TCL | P362TMW | 4.5 | 30 |
| LG | GT4S | 5 | 3 |
| Westinghouse | WTB3100WKX | 4.4 | 224 |
| Mitsubishi Electric | MR458ERSBA | 4.3 | 4 |
Top Mount Reviews Analysis
The Chiq and LG Top mount fridges had the highest star rating, but the lowest number of reviews. Whereas, Hisense had the highest number of reviews with an overall star rating of 4.3 and has considerably more social proof than any of the others.
Top Mount Cheap Fridges Conclusion
On balance, the best value cheap fridge was the Hisense HRTF326. It has plenty of features, good warranty period, well priced and plenty of social proof. A special mention to the Chiq CTM347NB5E. Currently Chiq offers a promotional 5 year warranty which makes it cost per year the cheapest.
BOTTOM MOUNT CHEAP FRIDGES
The Bottom Mount Fridges reviewed were:
- Chiq CBM396NW3 - 396L
- Hisense HRBM292S - 292L
- LG GB335WL - 335L
- Haier HRF420BW - 433L
- Westinghouse WBE4302WCR - 425L
- Electrolux EBE5307SCR - 496L
- Mitsubishi Electric MRCX450ERSTA - 450L
Bottom Mount Features
| Feature | Chiq | Hisense | LG | Haier | Westinghouse | Electrolux | Mitsubishi Electric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | CBM396NW3 | HRBM292S | GB335WL | HRF420BW | WBE4302WCR | EBE5307SCR | MRCX450ERSTA |
| Adjustable Shelves | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crisper Drawers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LED Lighting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Energy Efficiency | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Digital Display | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ice Maker | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water Dispenser | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Adjustable Door Bins | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Frost-Free Operation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Humidity Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spill-Proof Shelves | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Child Lock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reversible Door | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Quiet Operation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fridge Capacity (Liters) | 396 | 292 | 335 | 420 | 430 | 530 | 450 |
| Door Open Alarm | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plumbing Required | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| warranty | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Manufactured | China | China | South Korea | China | China | Thailand | Japan |
| 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Bottom Mount Features Analysis
The Bottom Mount Fridges again had similar features, with the Chiq Bottom Mount coming slightly ahead. The LG and Electrolux fridges had the best energy rating, with Mitsubishi Electric the highest warranty period.
Bottom Mount Price
| Brand | Model | Warranty (Years) | Price | Cost of Purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Electric | MRCX450ERSTA | 5 | $2,099 | $420 |
| Chiq | CBM396NW3 | 3 | $999 | $333 |
| Hisense | HRBM292S | 3 | $899 | $300 |
| LG | GB335WL | 2 | $999 | $500 |
| Haier | HRF420BW | 2 | $999 | $500 |
| Westinghouse | WBE4302WCR | 2 | $1,199 | $600 |
| Electrolux | EBE5307SCR | 2 | $1,899 | $950 |
Bottom Mount Price Analysis
The cheapest bottom mount fridge buy price is the Hisense HRBM292S and is also the best value over its 3 year warranty period. Following this is the Chiq CBM396NW3.
Bottom Mount Reviews
| Brand | Model | Stars | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiq | CBM396NW3 | 4.7 | 3 |
| Hisense | HRBM292S | 4.7 | 31 |
| LG | GB335WL | 4.6 | 942 |
| Haier | HRF420BW | 4.6 | 5 |
| Westinghouse | WBE4302WCR | 3.9 | 20 |
| Electrolux | EBE5307SCR | 4.7 | 115 |
| Mitsubishi Electric | MRCX450ERSTA | 5 | 4 |
Bottom Mount Reviews Analysis
The highest rated bottom mount fridge is the Mitsubishi Electric with 5 stars, however, the total number of reviews is very low. Grouped on 4.7 stars were the Chiq and Hisense. At 4.6 stars was the LG which had the highest number of reviews giving it the best indicator of social proof.
Bottom Mount Cheap Fridges Conclusion
On balance, the best value Bottom Mount Fridge is the LG GB335WL because it has a good energy rating, plenty of features and lots of social proof and is well priced.
The cheapest Bottom Mount Fridge is the Hisense HRBM292S with the lowest buy price and lowest cost over its 3 year warranty period.
FRENCH DOOR CHEAP FRIDGES
The French Door Fridges reviewed were:
- ME MRLX564ERGBKA - 564L
- Chiq CCD601NBS - 601L
- Hisense HRCD610TS 609L
- TCL P421CDN - 421
- LG 2 GFB590PL - 594
- Haier HRF530YS - 463
- Westinghouse WHE5204SC - 524
- Electrolux EQE5607BA - 562L
French Door Features
| Feature | Mitsubishi Electric | Chiq | Hisense | TCL | LG | Haier | Westinghouse | Electrolux |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | MRLX564ERGBKA | CCD601NBS | HRCD610TS | P421CDN | GFB590PL | HRF530YS | WHE5204SC | EQE5607BA |
| Adjustable Shelves | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crisper Drawers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LED Lighting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Energy Efficiency | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Digital Display | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Ice Maker | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Water Dispenser | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Adjustable Door Bins | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Frost-Free Operation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Humidity Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spill-Proof Shelves | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Child Lock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Quiet Operation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fridge Capacity (L) | 564 | 601 | 610 | 421 | 590 | 530 | 520 | 560 |
| Door Open Alarm | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plumbing Required | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Warranty | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Manufactured | Japan | China | China | China | South Korea | China | China | Thailand |
| 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 |
French Door Features Analysis
The Chiq and LG French Door Fridges have the most features and also were amongst the group with the highest energy rating. The Chiq fridge is slightly larger and both do not require plumbing. Of the two, the Chiq has the highest warranty period.
French Door Price
|
Brand |
Model | Warranty (Years) | Price | Cost of Purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Electric | MRLX564ERGBKA | 5 | $3,999 | $800 |
| Chiq | CCD601NBS | 3 | $2,299 | $766 |
| Hisense | HRCD610TS | 3 | $1,899 | $633 |
| TCL | P421CDN | 3 | $1,299 | $433 |
| LG | GFB590PL | 2 | $1,999 | $1,000 |
| Haier | HRF530YS | 2 | $1,449 | $725 |
| Westinghouse | WHE5204SC | 2 | $1,899 | $950 |
| Electrolux | EQE5607BA | 2 | $2,399 | $1,200 |
French Door Price Analysis
French Door Reviews
| Brand | Model | Stars | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Electric | MRLX564ERGBKA | 4.8 | 27 |
| Chiq | CCD601NBS | nil | nil |
| Hisense | HRCD610TS | 4.5 | 22 |
| TCL | P421CDN | 5 | 8 |
| LG | GFB590PL | 4.4 | 302 |
| Haier | HRF530YS | 4.5 | 95 |
| Westinghouse | WHE5204SC | 4.2 | 26 |
| Electrolux | EQE5607BA | 4.6 | 7 |
French Door Reviews Analysis
The highest rated french door fridge is the TCL with 5 stars but this represents a very small pool of reviewers. The fridge with the most reviews is the LG with 4.4 stars. Both the Haier and the Hisense have 4.5 stars with a reasonable amount of reviews.
French Door Cheap Fridges Conclusion
On balance, the best value French Door fridge is the TCL P421CDN because it has plenty of features, it's energy efficient with a 3 year warranty and the lowest buy price. However, it’s the smallest of the reviewed french door fridges and has few reviews, yet all reviews are very positive.
A good second place is the Haier french door fridge. It’s larger, has plenty of features, has a good energy rating and good social proof with 4.4 stars.
A special mention to the LG and Hisense fridges which are also both very good fridges with the LG consolidating the most social proof and slightly better energy rating than the Hisense.
The Chiq french door fridge is the dark horse of the reviewed fridges. It's one of the largest french door fridges and has a promotional warranty period of 5 years. It's also a fridge that often has a promotional “special” price where the buy price is low and brings down the cost of purchase over its 5 year warranty period. It's unfortunate that reviews have not been collected yet.
SIDE BY SIDE FRIDGE CHEAP FRIDGES
Reviewed fridges are:
- Chiq CSS559NWD - 559L
- Hisense HRSBS578SW - 578L
- LG GSB655PL - 655L
- Haier HRF575XHC - 575L
- Westinghouse WSE6630WA - 624L
Side by Side Features
| Feature | Chiq | Hisense | LG | Haier | Westinghouse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | CSS559NWD | HRSBS578SW | GSB655PL | HRF575XHC | WSE6630WA |
| Adjustable Shelves | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crisper Drawers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LED Lighting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Energy Efficiency (Star Rating) | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4 | 4.5 |
| Digital Display | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ice Maker | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water Dispenser | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Adjustable Door Bins | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Frost-Free Operation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Humidity Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spill-Proof Shelves | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Child Lock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reversible Door | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Quiet Operation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fridge Capacity (L) | 559 | 578 | 655 | 575 | 663 |
| Door Open Alarm | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plumbing Required | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Manufactured | China | China | South Korea | China | Thailand |
| 13 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 |
Side by Side Features Analysis
Each of the reviewed Side By Side Fridges have many of the same features with Hisense and LG having the highest set of features. The Hisense is grouped with the longest warranty period. The Westinghouse was the most energy efficient with a 4.5 star energy rating.
Side by Side Price
| Brand | Model | Warranty (Years) | Price | Cost of Purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiq | CSS559NWD | 3 | $1,299 | $433 |
| Hisense | HRSBS578SW | 3 | $2,099 | $700 |
| LG | GSB655PL | 2 | $1,899 | $950 |
| Haier | HRF575XHC | 2 | $1,699 | $950 |
| Westinghouse | WSE6630WA | 2 | $1,599 | $850 |
Side by Side Price Analysis
The least expensive of the reviewed Sie by Side fridges was the Chiq CSS559NWD and with its 3 year warranty also had the best annual value. The next cheapest was the Westinghouse which well known for quality. With only a 2 year warranty, this bumped up its annual value.
Side by Side Reviews
| Brand | Model | Stars | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiq | CSS559NWD | 4.3 | 30 |
| Hisense | HRSBS578SW | 4.6 | 467 |
| LG | GSB655PL | 4.4 | 168 |
| Haier | HRF575XHC | 4.5 | 42 |
| Westinghouse | WSE6630WA | 4.5 | 199 |
Side by Side Reviews Analysis
Hisense were the clear winners with the highest overall star rating and the most reviews.
Westinghouse ranked 2nd with an overall star rating of 4.5 with a substantial number of reviewers.
Side by Side Cheap Fridges Conclusion
On Balance, the best value side by side cheap fridge is the Hisense HRSBS578SW. It has plenty of features, longer warranty and its energy rating was only slightly lower than that of the most energy efficient. Importantly, it had the highest satisfaction rating with plenty of reviewers as social proof.
WINNERS - BEST CHEAP FRIDGES
Best overall value top mount: Hisense HRTF326
Cheapest Top Mount TCL P362TMW
Best Overall value bottom mount: LG GB335WL
Cheapest Bottom Mount: Hisense HRBM292S
Best Overall value French Door Fridge: TCL P421CDN
Cheapest French Door Fridge: TCL P421CDN
Best overall value Side By Side Fridge: Hisense HRSBS578SW
Cheapest Side by Side Fridge: Chiq CSS559NWD
Cheap Fridges Final Thoughts
The old adage “you get what you pay for” implies that cheap = low quality.
With solid consumer laws in Australia, hot competition and user generated reviews across the internet leave little room for manufacturers and retailers to sell inferior products.
Based on the above analysis of inexpensive fridges “you only get what you pay for” adage no longer holds true. In this case, cheap doesn't necessarily mean poor value. There are some excellent value fridges on the market that are inexpensive. For me, the key indicators are warranty, features, reviews and then price measured over the warranty period.
