Whirlpool WRT511SZDM High Freezer Fridge assessment: The forecast is frosty for this Whirlpool fridge

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How chilly is just too chilly, although? The freezing level (32 F) looks like a good place to start out, and certain sufficient, this Whirlpool blows proper previous it, with a mean physique temperature of 26.4 F on the coldest setting. Even on the default setting, the fridge’s backside shelf is available in at 30.1 F.

That stated, it is robust to fault a fridge for being too good at its job — particularly when you’ll be able to dial it up a setting or two and save slightly cash in your energy invoice. If cooling efficiency that errs on the cool aspect is what issues most, then this no-frills prime freezer matches the invoice. Simply do not blame me when your milk freezes.

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There’s a complete lot of cupboard space in these in-door cabinets.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Design and options

The WRT511SZDM is a sturdy-feeling stainless-steel fridge that is additionally obtainable in white or black for $100 much less. It is a very primary construct that passes on vital design thrives in favor of a safer, extra conventional aesthetic. In different phrases, it is a token prime freezer.

Open it up, and you will find a grand whole of 21.3 cubic ft of cupboard space, 15.2 of that are within the fridge compartment. That is an honest quantity of room so far as prime freezers go, however it’s not as a lot as you will get with the king-sized LG LTCS24223S — that fridge beats Whirlpool by 2.5 cubic ft. Nonetheless, it was large enough to suit all of our take a look at groceries, together with 5 out of six of our king-size stress take a look at gadgets (I could not fairly jam the social gathering platter and the additional giant pizza field inside on the similar time.)

By the best way, the MVP of these storage assessments was the in-door shelving. The cabinets are sizable sufficient to carry a shocking quantity of groceries, and there are sufficient of them to make it simple to part issues off and arrange all the pieces simply how you want. I additionally appreciated that there have been loads of completely different spots into which I may rearrange the cabinets.

High freezer fridges for round $1,000

Whirlpool WRT511SZDM LG LTCS24223S Frigidaire FGHT1846QF GE GAS18PSJSS
Fridge capability 15.2 cubic ft 17.6 cubic ft 14.2 cubic ft 13.5 cubic ft
Freezer capability 6.1 cubic ft 6.2 cubic ft 4.1 cubic ft 4.0 cubic ft
Whole capability 21.3 cubic ft 23.8 cubic ft 18.3 cubic ft 17.5 cubic ft
End Stainless Metal Stainless Metal Stainless Metal Stainless Metal
Out there in Black Stainless Metal No Sure (+$100) No No
Power Star Licensed No Sure Sure No
Yearly power consumption (kilowatt hours) 443 kWh 501 kWh 363 kWh 399 kWh
Yearly power price ($0.12 per kWh) $53 $60 $44 $48
Power effectivity (yearly price per cubic foot) $2.49 $2.52 $2.40 $2.74
Urged retail value $1,100 $1,200 $1,100 $1,000
Lowest retail value (as of seven/19/16) $900 $1,075 $850 $900

Function-wise, there is not a lot else value mentioning, save for the “Flexi-Slide Drawer,” which is only a drawer that slides from left and proper beneath the highest shelf to make room for tall objects under. That is actually about it. No water dispenser, no spill-proof cabinets, no further bells or whistles in any way.

Regardless of the sturdy exterior, sure components of the inside additionally felt a bit flimsy to the contact. The crisper bins do not glide out as easily as you will see in nicer fridges, and a number of the door cabinets did not snap into place as tightly as I might like. The bar that blocks off the underside in-door shelf was notably annoying, popping misplaced sufficient instances throughout my assessments that I used to be pressured to tape it into place.

All of it provides as much as a fridge that does not do very a lot to set itself other than the competitors. That is considerably forgivable within the top-freezer class, however nonetheless disappointing provided that it is a $1,000+ fridge we’re speaking about.

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On the really helpful setting, a lot of the fridge held tight within the low-to-mid thirties — however that backside shelf (gentle blue) ran means too chilly.

Ry Crist/CNET

Chilly as they arrive

In the event you’re in search of the factor that units this fridge other than the competitors, it is efficiency. Merely put, the Whirlpool WRT511SZDM is as chilly a fridge as we have ever examined, which is not essentially an excellent factor, provided that we noticed temperatures drop under freezing even on the fridge’s really helpful setting.

Fridges sometimes default to a 37-degree setting, however with this fridge, your default temperatures are nearer to 34 levels, with a few spots that run even colder. That features the underside shelf within the physique of the fridge, which spent the near-entirety of our 72-hour default setting take a look at under the freezing level, and finally yielded a mean temperature of 30.1 F. It is the sunshine blue line on the backside of that fridge graph up above.

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We examined the WRT511SZDM at its coldest setting, its really helpful setting, and its warmest setting. None are ideally suited — the “candy spot” is someplace in between the second two.

Tyler Lizenby/CNET

We additionally examined the fridge out at its coldest setting, the place issues have been clearly even colder. That backside shelf was as soon as once more the coldest spot within the fridge, with temperature swings starting from 28 F to an icy 18 F, with a surprisingly chilly last common of twenty-two.3 F. Even the butter bin — sometimes the warmest spot in a given fridge — dropped near the freezing level.

That is just about unprecedented in our assessments. We have seen the occasional fridge dip under freezing in a single part or two in the course of the coldest-setting take a look at, however by no means the near-entirety of the fridge, and by no means something within the default setting take a look at.

Provided that, I made a decision to run a 3rd take a look at on the fridge’s warmest setting. Temperatures rose as anticipated, and maybe by greater than anticipated — an excessive amount of so to suggest the warmest setting for something aside from storing drinks.

That places the efficiency “candy spot” someplace in between the really helpful setting and the warmest setting. If I had this fridge in my kitchen, I feel I might attempt to discover it by putting a jug of milk on the underside shelf, seeing if it froze, after which dialing up from there. Not the worst downside to have, however an annoyance, nonetheless.

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Chris Monroe/CNET

The decision

Frigid efficiency is not an automated deal-breaker — some folks would in all probability favor it over a fridge that runs a bit heat. Nonetheless, it is sufficient to present me pause earlier than recommending this fridge outright. The dearth of fascinating options and design touches would not assist a lot, both.

That stated, at $1,100, the Whirlpool WRT511SZDM is a no-frills prime freezer with loads of cupboard space that will not ever have an issue preserving your groceries chilly. In the event you’re not in search of a forward-thinking aesthetic out of your icebox and also you’re snug dialing issues up a tad to stave off icy milk, then it’d benefit consideration.

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