8 Best Built-in Refrigerators of 2025, According to Experts

This large-capacity refrigerator from GE's Café range has everything most people look for in a built-in fridge: a sleek, seamless design, useful smart controls and ample space for all your groceries.

Its side-by-side design provides more freezer space than a French-door fridge and better access to the freezer's contents. Thanks to its wide build, there's also a generous 17 cubic feet of fridge space, but it does require you to bend over to reach the bottom shelves.

The shelves and door bins are adjustable and can accommodate an assortment of ingredients, including tall wine bottles. The bins on the freezer door are also unique and help optimize storage.

Online reviewers love the fridge's quiet performance and variety of interior drawers and shelving that make organization easy. It's also equipped with GE's Wi-Fi Connect technology, so after you download the app, you can adjust settings and receive alerts if the door is open or if something needs repair. It works with Amazon Alexa, too.

While we haven't tested this built-in model, we've tested a couple of standalone Café fridges in both the Lab and with consumer testers. Overall, testers have been very happy with their performance and design.

This built-in model by Dacor features a panel-ready design, allowing it to seamlessly integrate into a variety of kitchen styles. Its total capacity of 21.3 cubic feet provides ample storage space for both fresh and frozen items, featuring two freezer drawers. A stainless steel back helps with temperature regulation.

Key features include drawers with adjustable temperature settings and a hidden touch control panel that looks sleek but is also easy to program.

The internal water dispenser and crescent-shaped ice maker add convenience without disrupting the exterior design. (The water dispenser is located on the inside of the left wall, and the ice maker stores ice in the freezer bin so you can scoop it out.) Additionally, the refrigerator is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing remote monitoring and control through compatible smart devices

Customer feedback highlights the refrigerator's tall design, making it suitable for users who prefer higher shelving. However, some users have noted that the door shelves are relatively shallow, which may limit storage options for larger bottles or jugs.

Thermador's industrial-looking fridge is outfitted with lots of stainless steel, which should help keep the temperature stable.

The ThermaFresh Pro system ensures optimal temperature and humidity control to preserve the freshness of your produce. The middle flex drawer adds versatility, allowing you to switch between settings such as freezer, soft freeze, refrigerator, beverages, meat/fish, deli/cheese and cake. However, some users have noted that the interior drawers are less durable than other high-end refrigerators.

A panel-ready design allows you to install your own cabinet front, and this model enables true flush installation, which means no awkward protrusions or gaps where the fridge meets the neighboring cabinetry.

This model is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing remote monitoring and control through the app. The internal water dispenser and ice maker provide convenience without disrupting the clean exterior lines.

A column refrigerator is a built-in, full-height appliance that's either all refrigerator or all freezer (or even all wine fridge, unlike traditional fridge/freezer combos). Column units are designed to be modular and customizable, allowing homeowners to mix and match refrigerator and freezer columns side by side, separately or even in different areas of the kitchen.

Miele offers a premium design with sturdy features, and this column refrigerator provides ample space for storing fresh food storage. It features Miele's MasterFresh system, which maintains optimal temperature and humidity levels to keep food fresh and preserve its quality. The DynaCool system ensures uniform temperature distribution throughout the refrigerator, while an air filter helps prevent odors

"I like that it has a little floating shelf," says Papantoniou. "It comes in handy more often than you would think. Plus, the gliding drawers are crystal clear so that you can see inside easily."

The Push2Open door mechanism doesn't require a handle, providing a clean, uncluttered look. But, inside the fridge, some users have reported that the touch controls aren't very intuitive and the shelves have limited adjustability.

This JennAir is a showstopper — both in aesthetics and performance. With its panel-ready design, this 36-inch French door refrigerator disappears seamlessly into custom cabinetry for a fully built-in look. (JennAir also sells its own drop-dead gorgeous custom panels.)

But the real magic happens when you open the doors. The black obsidian interior might seem unconventional at first, but it’s a total game-changer.

According to our tester, the dark finish makes food pop, making it easier to see what you’re looking for and giving everything inside a boutique-like glow under the dramatic lighting system. LED strips run up both sides and across the top, casting a spotlight on your produce, condiments and leftovers. Guests, especially design-minded ones, frequently comment on how striking the black interior is, and our tester agrees: “I have never loved a kitchen appliance more than this fridge.”

Looks aside, the JennAir performs exceptionally well where it really counts: keeping food fresh. The dual evaporator system creates separate sensor-controlled climates in the fridge and freezer, which, combined with JennAir’s Produce Preserver and air filter, extends the life of produce.

Our tester routinely leaves for weeks at a time and returns to fruits and vegetables that are still crisp and usable, calling the freshness retention “completely unheard of.”

Adjustable glass shelves and thoughtful organization make it easy to store and access food, and the interior is easy to clean — something made even more forgiving by the black finish, which never seems to show grime or smudges.

There are a few quirks. While the ice maker in the freezer produces what the tester calls “very fresh ice,” the window in the ice drawer occasionally allows cubes to spill out when grabbing a handful. Some broader user reviews have flagged issues with LED light failures and panel alignment during installation, though these weren’t part of our tester’s experience.

This refrigerator, available in stainless steel or panel-ready finishes, has garnered a Good Housekeeping Kitchen Gear Award. Its Signature Fit integrated design provides options for either flush or proud (slightly protruding) installation, eliminating the need for exposed grilles.

In our hands-on testing, it impressed us with its ample storage and thoughtfully designed compartments. It's perfect for large households or entertaining. Testers appreciated the versatility of the convertible drawer, which features five preset temperatures ranging from 41°F to -7°F, accommodating various storage needs, from beverages to meats.

An internal filtered water dispenser keeps the outside looking sleek, and the ice maker produces both regular everyday ice and elegant spherical ice for cocktails, which takes 18 to 24 hours to freeze. The inverter compressors and stainless steel interior work to minimize temperature fluctuations, ensuring optimal food preservation. Wi-Fi connectivity via the app enhances its functionality.