If you love cooking and technology, smart appliances and kitchen devices are the ideal gadgets for your home. Perhaps the appliance with the most buzz in the smart home space is the smart refrigerator. They have been on the market for years and have developed a faithful following.
Companies like LG and Samsung are the “old reliables” – if one can call smart home technology old that is – and continually improve their connected refrigerators offering the most updated features. Some let you check their status through your phone so you can make sure things are working properly and that you have enough ice. Others have their own touch screen and can function as a communication center for your home. While others even have cameras inside, so you can see what you’re low on while you’re out shopping.
Smart refrigerators aren’t cheap, and you can expect to spend several thousand dollars on one. But these refrigerators tend to be equivalent to the highest-end non-smart appliances from manufacturers in terms of design, build quality and features.
The question is – which smart refrigerator is best for you?
Bells and whistles while not breaking the bank.
At a mid-range price, the LG French Door Smart Refrigerator with its InstaView Door-in-Door is a safe bet. Tap the door twice to have a look at what’s inside without opening it. Use the Door-In-Door feature to grab frequently used items — cold drinks — while keeping cold air in. This refrigerator also features a companion app to remotely survey your refrigerator’s contents. At the grocery store and can’t remember if you have eggs? No problem. Hit the app and the answer becomes evident.
Reliable for a tight budget.
The LG French Door Refrigerator in the stainless-steel model won’t completely destroy your appliance budget. While this fridge isn’t crazy fancy, it does come with many of the tech features found in higher end units. French doors and adjustable shelves mean you control its configuration as needed and easily see all the fridge contents. The energy-efficient model has a temperature sensor that adjusts interior temperatures as needed. Although not as “smart” as some of its pricier sibling models, it is solid.
A smart refrigerator for a smart family.
Samsung pretty much wrote the book on smart fridges. Their Family Hub Four-Door, French Door model is the gold standard for busy households. This refrigerator makes it easier to connect to your family and home, whenever and wherever you want. The Family Hub feature lets you manage your family’s calendars, play music on Spotify, share pictures and stay connected right through your refrigerator. With the family board (a digital bulletin board), you can customize pictures, add stickers and leave handwritten notes. And those are the perks before adding in the utility of the actual fridge, which needless to say, is impressive. The FlexZone feature lets you switch different quadrants of the fridge from cooling to freezing functions. It also features spill proof shelves and app capabilities.
Not too complicated.
Want a smart refrigerator but don’t have super advanced smartphone skills? Then the Bosch 800 Series French Door model is for you. It features an internal icemaker – no drips and puddles on the floor – and an alarm that sounds off when the door is left open. It’s also counter-depth, so takes up less floor space in your kitchen. Simple and easy to use, yet efficient.
My kitchen is too small for a smart refrigerator.
A small kitchen shouldn’t keep you from enjoying the convenience of a smart fridge. The skinny model from the Bosch 800 series is the perfect size for a city apartment or suburban condo. It offers HomeConnect wired technology, a door alarm and quick-cooling features for the freezer and fridge. Note that this model is customizable, meaning panels and door handles are sold separately.
And now you know. Is it time to make your kitchen just a little smarter?
