X

14 tricky fridge features you never knew you wanted (pictures)

There are plenty of refrigerators that can do a lot more than keep your food cold.

Ry Crist
Originally hailing from Troy, Ohio, Ry Crist is a writer, a text-based adventure connoisseur, a lover of terrible movies and an enthusiastic yet mediocre cook. A CNET editor since 2013, Ry's beats include smart home tech, lighting, appliances, broadband and home networking.
Andrew Gebhart Former senior producer
frigidairefpbc2277rfprofessionalrefrigerator-product-photos-9.jpg
1 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

What to expect when you expect more from your fridge

It wasn't long ago that switching between crushed and cubed ice was about as tricky as refrigerator features came. That's all changing, though, with a new generation of fridges that feature innovative builds designed to do more. Click through for a look at what's out there.

lg-double-door-refrigerator-product-photos-6.jpg
2 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

A door in a door?

LG has found recent success with its "Door-in-Door" feature, which lets you open a panel on the front of the fridge to access food and drinks stored in the door. The newest Door-in-Door model was on full display at January's Consumer Electronics Showcase in Las Vegas, where plenty of showgoers oohed and aahed over it.

2Z9A9557.jpg
3 of 15 Colin West McDonald/CNET

Food Showcase

Samsung put its own spin on in-door access with the addition of "Food Showcase" models to its refrigerator lineup. Like the Door-in-Door models, you can pull the entire front panel of the fridge open to access the in-door shelving.

kenmore-refrigerator-grab-n-go-door.jpg
4 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Grab-N-Go

For the same sort of feature in a slightly less-expensive model, consider one of Kenmore's "Grab-N-Go" refrigerators.

electroluxei28bs80ks4afrenchdoorrefrigerator-product-photos-2.jpg
5 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Smarter than the average shelf

These days, it's also fair to start expecting more from your refrigerator shelves. Plenty of fridges offer spill-proof shelving, but Electrolux takes things one step further, with elegant, curved-glass shelves designed to come right out of the fridge and double as serving trays at your next party.

ge-proile-refrigerator-drop-down-tray.jpg
6 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

A shelf with a secret

You'll find another tricky shelf in this GE Profile fridge, but only if you know where to look for it. It's called the Drop Down Tray, and it nestles underneath the butter bin when you aren't using it. Very clever.

electroluxei28bs80ks4afrenchdoorrefrigerator-product-photos-6.jpg
7 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Subtle luxury from the drawers

This Electrolux fridge features "Luxury Close Drawers." Try to slam them, and you'll fail -- they automatically finish those last few inches as softly as possible. It's a little thing, but one that feels fancy every time you use it.

lgmxs30776sfrenchdoorrefrigerator-2.jpg
8 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Climate control

Other fridges, like this LG French door, feature drawer-specific temperature controls, letting you adjust as needed for whatever it is you're storing inside.

samsung-rf34h9960s4-chef-collection-refrigerator-product-photos-6.jpg
9 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Fridge? Freezer? Why not both?

The ultra-high-end Samsung Chef Collection fridge does the same thing with an entire half of the freezer, which comes in handy if you somehow manage to run out of fridge room up top. Although, with a fridge this big, that's truly an accomplishment.

ge-top-freezer-gte18gmhes-product-photos-1.jpg
10 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Slate style

Manufacturers are also getting creative with fridge design. Stainless steel is an obvious favorite, but it's prone to fingerprints. Enter GE's line of "Slate" refrigerators, which keeps the attractive metallic aesthetic, but eliminates the shinier, smudgier qualities of stainless steel.

ge-slate-french-door-water.jpg
11 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Sneaky fill-ups

Fridges have been dispensing water for decades, but today's refrigerators are getting more and more creative in order to set themselves apart. This GE French door hides the dispenser inside of the fridge, which leaves the simple, streamlined exterior intact.

samsung-rf34h9960s4-chef-collection-refrigerator-product-photos-9.jpg
12 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Sparkling water on demand

That pricey Samsung Chef Collection fridge even lets you load a SodaStream cannister directly into the door for sparkling water on demand. Gin and tonic, anyone?

ge-profile-refrigerator-precise-fill.jpg
13 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

A smarter water dispenser

Give the measuring cup a vacation. The GE Profile fridge will let you select exactly how much water you want, then dispense that precise amount. There's even an expandable heavy-duty shelf below the water dispenser that's built to accommodate full-size pitchers and pots. It can even fill pots on its own, automatically sensing when things are full.

ge-cafe-refrigerator-hot-water.jpg
14 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Heat things up

GE is at the front of the pack when it comes to clever water dispensers. This GE Cafe fridge offers to heat water to precise temperatures at various presets, like soup, tea, and hot cocoa. Just set your mug down and pick your poison.

ge-cafe-fridge-with-keurig-k-cup-brewer-product-photos-16.jpg
15 of 15 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Fridge-brewed coffee

There's even a new fridge with a Keurig coffee brewer built right into the water dispenser. That makes a ton of sense -- with the fridge's water intake, you're essentially getting a K-Cup coffee maker that you'll never need to refill.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos