Lush Food & Drink

Buying Guide ·Smart

Best Smart Refrigerators for Buyers Who Read the Specs

The deciding specification is the capacity split between fridge and freezer, because three of these five publish it to two decimal places and two publish nothing at all.

By the Lush Editorial Team·Researched & Compared

  • Researched & ComparedSpecs pulled from the manufacturer listing
  • Like-for-LikeSame measures across every model
  • No Paid PlacementsNobody pays to appear here

I compared capacity splits, published temperature ranges, noise figures, ice and water arrangements, door alarms and special modes across seven listings returned for smart refrigerators, using only the makers' own text.

Our shortlist

Five products, one set of published numbers.
  1. Commercial Cool 18.9 Cu. Ft. French Door Refrigerato...
    Best for software features that work offline

    Commercial Cool 18.9 Cu. Ft. French Door Refrigerato...

    An 18.9 cu ft French door split 12.35 and 6.53 cu ft, with digital control of each compartment separately, a temperature regulating AI mode, a Vacation mode, a Sabbath mode and a door alarm.

    • Commercial Cool
    • 18.9 Cu. Ft.
    • 231.5 lb
  2. VEVOR French Door Refrigerator
    Best for published performance figures

    VEVOR French Door Refrigerator

    The same 18.9 cu ft French door cabinet, split 12.4 and 6.5 cu ft, but publishing a cooling range of 35.6 to 46.4 degrees F, a 45 dB noise level, frost free operation, DOE compliance and a 90 degree door.

    • VEVOR
    • 18.9 Cu.Ft.
    • 216.71 lb
  3. Electactic 18.1 Cu. Ft. Side by Side Refrigerator wi...
    Best for ice and water from the door

    Electactic 18.1 Cu. Ft. Side by Side Refrigerator wi...

    An 18.1 cu ft side by side split 12.1 and 6.0 cu ft, the only pick dispensing chilled water, cubed ice and crushed ice from the front, at 45 dB with a three second child lock and a 60 second door alarm.

    • Electactic
    • 18.1 Cu.ft
    • 202.83 lb
  4. Antarctic Star 2 French Door Refrigerator
    Best for filtered water without a door hole

    Antarctic Star 2 French Door Refrigerator

    A 20.3 cu ft French door with an automatic ice maker and a named water filter inside rather than a door dispenser, plus multi air flow, Energy Star certification, half width shelves and 90 degree doors.

    • Antarctic Star
    • 20.3 Cu.ft
    • 231.04 lb
  5. Samsung Bespoke 23 cu. ft. 4-Door French Door Smart ...
    The largest cabinet, and the thinnest listing

    Samsung Bespoke 23 cu. ft. 4-Door French Door Smart ...

    A counter depth four door French door at 23 cu ft, 35.75 by 28.75 by 70 inches and 341.7 pounds, whose entire published feature text is one line repeating its own product title.

    • Samsung
    • 23 cu. ft.
    • 341.7 lb

Side by side

Blank means the maker does not publish it.
ModelBrandSize (capacity)WeightBest for
Commercial Cool 18.9 Cu. Ft. French Door Refrigerato... Commercial Cool 18.9 Cu. Ft. 231.5 lb Best for software features that work offline
VEVOR French Door Refrigerator VEVOR 18.9 Cu.Ft. 216.71 lb Best for published performance figures
Electactic 18.1 Cu. Ft. Side by Side Refrigerator wi... Electactic 18.1 Cu.ft 202.83 lb Best for ice and water from the door
Antarctic Star 2 French Door Refrigerator Antarctic Star 20.3 Cu.ft 231.04 lb Best for filtered water without a door hole
Samsung Bespoke 23 cu. ft. 4-Door French Door Smart ... Samsung 23 cu. ft. 341.7 lb The largest cabinet, and the thinnest listing

Each pick in detail

What the listing says for it, and against it.
1 Best for software features that work offline

Commercial Cool 18.9 Cu. Ft. French Door Refrigerato...

An 18.9 cu ft French door split 12.35 and 6.53 cu ft, with digital control of each compartment separately, a temperature regulating AI mode, a Vacation mode, a Sabbath mode and a door alarm.

  • For it
  • Publishes the capacity split to two decimal places, 12.35 and 6.53 cu ft
  • The most specific software features here: an AI temperature mode, Vacation mode and Sabbath mode
  • Digital display controls each compartment separately
  • States a door alarm if a door is not shut properly
  • Against it
  • Publishes no temperature range, no noise figure and no energy figure
  • States only that its freezer drawers accommodate ice, so ice means trays
  • Its weight of 231.5 pounds is 15 pounds apart from the same cabinet sold under another brand
2 Best for published performance figures

VEVOR French Door Refrigerator

The same 18.9 cu ft French door cabinet, split 12.4 and 6.5 cu ft, but publishing a cooling range of 35.6 to 46.4 degrees F, a 45 dB noise level, frost free operation, DOE compliance and a 90 degree door.

  • For it
  • The only pick that publishes a cooling range, 35.6 to 46.4 degrees F
  • Publishes a noise level of 45 dB and states DOE compliance
  • States frost free operation with an inverter compressor
  • Publishes a 90 degree door opening and four casters
  • Against it
  • Says nothing about ice anywhere in five bullets, on a fridge sold for parties
  • Publishes no door alarm and no child lock
  • Its width and depth fields are entered in the opposite order to its own bullet
3 Best for ice and water from the door

Electactic 18.1 Cu. Ft. Side by Side Refrigerator wi...

An 18.1 cu ft side by side split 12.1 and 6.0 cu ft, the only pick dispensing chilled water, cubed ice and crushed ice from the front, at 45 dB with a three second child lock and a 60 second door alarm.

  • For it
  • The only pick with chilled water, cubed ice and crushed ice from the door
  • The most precisely specified behaviors here: a three second child lock and a 60 second door alarm
  • Publishes a 45 dB noise level and total no frost operation
  • Publishes the capacity split, 12.1 and 6.0 cu ft, and states garage readiness
  • Against it
  • A side by side, so each compartment is narrow and wide platters do not fit
  • Publishes no temperature range and no energy certification
  • Publishes no door opening angle
4 Best for filtered water without a door hole

Antarctic Star 2 French Door Refrigerator

A 20.3 cu ft French door with an automatic ice maker and a named water filter inside rather than a door dispenser, plus multi air flow, Energy Star certification, half width shelves and 90 degree doors.

  • For it
  • States Energy Star certification, one of only two energy claims here
  • Publishes an automatic ice maker and a named water filter for drinking and cooking
  • States half width adjustable shelves for tall bottles
  • Publishes a 90 degree door opening so drawers clear a wall
  • Against it
  • Publishes no capacity split between fridge and freezer
  • Publishes no temperature range and no noise figure
  • No water dispenser in the door despite the filter
5 The largest cabinet, and the thinnest listing

Samsung Bespoke 23 cu. ft. 4-Door French Door Smart ...

A counter depth four door French door at 23 cu ft, 35.75 by 28.75 by 70 inches and 341.7 pounds, whose entire published feature text is one line repeating its own product title.

  • For it
  • The largest stated capacity here at 23 cu ft in a counter depth cabinet
  • A four door layout, the only one in this group
  • Publishes a real footprint, 35.75 by 28.75 by 70 inches
  • Publishes a weight of 341.7 pounds, so delivery can at least be planned
  • Against it
  • Its single feature bullet is a word for word repeat of its own product title
  • No published capacity split, temperature range, noise figure or energy figure
  • Names a Beverage Center and never says what it holds or how it works

Our verdict

Commercial Cool is the one to buy for software: digital control of each compartment, a temperature regulating AI mode, a Vacation mode and a Sabbath mode, splitting 18.9 cu ft into 12.35 and 6.53. VEVOR sells the same cabinet and publishes the figures instead, 35.6 to 46.4 degrees F and 45 dB. Electactic is the only one with ice and water in the door. Antarctic Star adds a water filter. Samsung publishes one bullet.

“The word smart appears in a title, not in a specification.”

Lush Editorial Team

What separates these five

Two brands, one cabinet Commercial Cool and VEVOR both sell 18.9 cu ft French doors with the same splits and heights, and a shared 32.8 inch figure.
The split is the useful number 12.35 and 6.53, 12.4 and 6.5, 12.1 and 6.0. Two of the five publish a total and never divide it.
One temperature range in five VEVOR publishes 35.6 to 46.4 degrees F. Nobody else publishes any temperature figure at all.
The smart title, the thin listing Samsung's only feature bullet repeats its own product title, with no capacity split, noise figure or app mention.
Two alarms with a figure Electactic states a door alarm at 60 seconds and a three second child lock. Two rivals state an alarm and no timing.

How we chose

Priorities, not a computed score. The inputs are published specifications, so we rank by what matters most and say how much.

  1. 30% Whether the capacity split is publishedA 23 cu ft total tells you nothing about whether a sheet pan fits or a week of frozen food does. Three listings divide the total and two leave a buyer to guess at a figure that changes daily use.
  2. 25% Published performance figuresA temperature range, a noise level and an energy standard are what separate a described refrigerator from a measured one. One listing publishes all three and three publish almost none.
  3. 20% How ice and water are actually deliveredA door dispenser, an internal ice maker with a filter, and two drawers that hold trays are three different appliances. Two of the five never make the arrangement clear.
  4. 15% Named control behaviorsA Sabbath mode, a three second child lock and a 60 second door alarm are specific and checkable. A claim of smart cooling is not, and the difference is worth scoring.
  5. 10% How much the listing publishes at allOne of these five publishes a single feature bullet. The volume and precision of what a seller chooses to state is itself evidence about what buying it will be like.

How the Five Compare on the Numbers

Two listings were set aside. Frigidaire is a 7.5 cu ft apartment refrigerator with an adjustable thermostat and no digital control of any kind, which is a different appliance class. LG carries the strongest smart claim in this pool and its published dimension fields all read 10.0 inches, which is a placeholder, and its 333 pound weight cannot belong to a ten inch cube. Its own bullets never mention wi fi.

What is left is four appliances that publish real figures and one that publishes almost nothing. The most useful number here is the split between fridge and freezer. Commercial Cool gives 12.35 and 6.53 cu ft, VEVOR gives 12.4 and 6.5, Electactic gives 12.1 and 6.0. Samsung publishes a 23 cu ft total and no split, because Samsung publishes a single feature bullet that is its own product title.

Specification Commercial Cool 18.9 VEVOR counter depth Antarctic Star 20.3 Electactic 18.1 Samsung Bespoke 23
Configuration French door, two freezer drawers French door, counter depth French door Side by side Four door French door, counter depth
Total capacity stated 18.9 cu ft 18.9 cu ft 20.3 cu ft 18.1 cu ft 23 cu ft
Fridge capacity stated 12.35 cu ft 12.4 cu ft not published 12.1 cu ft not published
Freezer capacity stated 6.53 cu ft 6.5 cu ft not published 6 cu ft not published
Temperature range published not published 35.6 to 46.4 degrees F not published not published not published
Noise figure published not published 45 dB not published 45 dB not published
Ice maker stated Ice storage in the freezer drawers not published Automatic ice maker Built in, cubed and crushed Beverage Center, in the title only
Water dispenser stated not published not published Water filter stated Yes, chilled water from the door not published
Door alarm stated Yes not published Yes, with LED alarm Yes, after 60 seconds not published
Special modes stated AI temperature mode, Vacation, Sabbath Fast cooling, energy efficiency Fast cooling not published not published
Child lock stated not published not published not published Yes, a three second lock not published
Frost free stated not published Yes not published Yes, total no frost not published
Energy certification stated not published Meets DOE standards Energy Star not published not published
Published dimension fields 32.8 x 27.8 x 71.7 in 26.77 x 32.8 x 71.65 in 29.88 x 30.83 x 70.08 in 35.83 x 26.38 x 69.69 in 35.75 x 28.75 x 70 in
Published weight 231.5 lb 216.71 lb 231.04 lb 202.83 lb 341.7 lb
Feature bullets published Six Five Five Five One

What the table does not give you is the one figure every refrigerator buyer needs and nobody here publishes: the depth with the door open and the handle included, and the clearance required at the hinge side. Every one of these has a published cabinet depth and none has an installation depth. Nor does anyone publish a kilowatt hour per year figure, even the two that name an energy standard.

Two Brands, One Refrigerator

The 18.9 Cubic Foot Coincidence

Commercial Cool and VEVOR both sell an 18.9 cu ft French door refrigerator with two bottom freezer drawers. Commercial Cool splits it 12.35 and 6.53 cu ft. VEVOR splits it 12.4 and 6.5. Commercial Cool publishes a height of 71.7 inches and VEVOR publishes 71.65. A 32.8 inch figure appears on both listings. Those are not independent products.

They are almost certainly the same cabinet from the same factory, sold under two brands, with the specifications rounded differently and the width and depth fields entered in opposite order. Commercial Cool’s fields read 32.8 by 27.8 inches and VEVOR’s read 26.77 by 32.8, and VEVOR’s own bullet calls the appliance 32.8 inches counter depth, which settles which axis 32.8 belongs to.

Where They Genuinely Differ

The feature lists diverge in a way the shared hardware does not explain, which tells you the two sellers chose what to publish. Commercial Cool publishes a temperature regulating AI mode, a Vacation mode and a Sabbath mode, and a door alarm. VEVOR publishes none of those and instead publishes the figures: a range of 35.6 to 46.4 degrees F, a 45 dB noise level and DOE compliance.

The weights also differ, 231.5 pounds against 216.71 pounds, which is nearly 15 pounds on a cabinet of the same stated dimensions. One of those two figures is wrong or one of the two appliances carries different glass and drawers. Either way, treat both as approximate and do not plan a floor or a dolly around either.

What the Word Smart Is Doing on These Listings

The Only Smart Title Publishes One Bullet

Samsung’s listing is the clearest case in this pool of a brand trading on its name. Its single feature bullet is a word for word repeat of its own product title: a Bespoke 23 cu ft four door French door smart refrigerator with a Beverage Center in Morning Blue and White Glass, counter depth. That is the entire published feature text.

So there is no published capacity split, no temperature range, no noise figure, no energy figure, no description of what the Beverage Center holds, and no mention of an app, wi fi, a screen or voice control despite the word smart. What it does publish is a real footprint, 35.75 by 28.75 by 70 inches, and 341.7 pounds, which is the heaviest of the five.

Digital Control Is Not the Same Thing

The four other picks all have digital temperature control and none of them claims a network. Commercial Cool comes closest to something worth the word, publishing a temperature regulating AI mode alongside a Vacation mode for reduced consumption and a Sabbath mode that pauses displays and sounds to comply with religious law. That Sabbath mode is the most specific software feature published anywhere here.

VEVOR describes a smart control interface for temperature and humidity with fast cooling and energy efficiency modes. Electactic publishes a three second child lock and a door alarm that sounds after 60 seconds, which are the two most precisely specified behaviors in this group. Antarctic Star publishes an LED alarm and fast cooling. None of the four mentions a phone.

Ice, Water, and the Doors Themselves

Only Two Publish a Dispenser

Electactic is the only pick that puts water and ice in the door, stating chilled water, cubed ice and crushed ice from the front of a side by side cabinet. Antarctic Star states an automatic ice maker inside plus a water filter for drinking and cooking, which is a different arrangement: no hole in the door, and the filter is named as a component you will replace.

Commercial Cool states only that its two bottom freezer drawers accommodate ice, which means trays. VEVOR states nothing about ice at all across five bullets, on an appliance it sells for parties. Samsung’s title names a Beverage Center and its one bullet does not explain what that is, so on published information it counts as a name rather than a feature.

Door Geometry Is Almost Unpublished

Two listings publish a door opening angle and both give 90 degrees: VEVOR, which says a 90 degree door allows easy access to the drawers, and Antarctic Star, which says doors open to 90 degrees so drawers are reachable even against a wall. That figure matters more than it sounds in a galley kitchen and it is missing from the other three.

Shelving is described everywhere and measured nowhere. VEVOR states three repositionable shelves and two freezer drawers. Antarctic Star states half width adjustable shelves for tall bottles. Electactic states slide out shelves. None of the five publishes a shelf depth, a shelf load rating, or the interior height between shelves at any setting.

Which One Fits Your Kitchen

A household that wants software features. Commercial Cool publishes a temperature regulating AI mode, a Vacation mode and a Sabbath mode alongside digital control of each compartment separately, splitting 18.9 cu ft into 12.35 and 6.53. At 231.5 pounds and 71.7 inches tall it needs a standard opening.

A buyer who wants published figures. VEVOR publishes what nobody else does: a cooling range of 35.6 to 46.4 degrees F, a 45 dB noise level, frost free operation, DOE compliance and a 90 degree door, in the same 18.9 cu ft cabinet at 216.71 pounds with four casters.

Ice and water without opening the door. Electactic is the only side by side here and the only pick with cubed ice, crushed ice and chilled water from the door, running at 45 dB with total no frost, a three second child lock and a door alarm at 60 seconds. It is the lightest of the five at 202.83 pounds.

A filter rather than a door dispenser. Antarctic Star is 20.3 cu ft with an automatic ice maker, a named water filter, multi air flow, Energy Star certification, half width adjustable shelves and 90 degree doors, at 231.04 pounds. It publishes no capacity split for fridge against freezer.

A kitchen already built around a brand. Samsung is the largest here at 23 cu ft in a counter depth four door cabinet, 35.75 by 28.75 by 70 inches and 341.7 pounds. Its published feature text is one line repeating its own title, so everything else has to come from elsewhere.

What We Could Not Verify

These are the figures that decide whether a refrigerator fits and what it costs to run, and none of the five publishes them.

  • No listing publishes a depth with the door open or the hinge side clearance, so installation cannot be planned from these figures.
  • No listing publishes a kilowatt hour per year figure, including the two that name an energy standard.
  • Samsung publishes one feature bullet that repeats its own title, so it has no published capacity split, noise figure or temperature range.
  • Antarctic Star publishes a 20.3 cu ft total and never splits it between fridge and freezer.
  • Commercial Cool and VEVOR publish the same cabinet with weights 15 pounds apart, and nothing reconciles the two.
  • No listing publishes a shelf load rating or the interior height between shelves at any setting.

Frequently asked questions

Are the Commercial Cool and VEVOR refrigerators the same appliance?+

On published figures they are very close to it. Both are 18.9 cu ft French doors with two bottom freezer drawers, split 12.35 and 6.53 against 12.4 and 6.5, and their heights are 71.7 and 71.65 inches. A 32.8 inch figure appears on both. The likeliest explanation is one cabinet sold under two brands with the specifications rounded differently and the width and depth fields entered in opposite order.

Which of these refrigerators actually connects to a phone?+

None of the five, on their own published text. Samsung has smart in its title and its single bullet never mentions an app, wi fi, a screen or voice control. The other four all have digital temperature control and none claims a network. The LG listing excluded from this page carries the strongest wi fi claim in its title, and none of its five bullets mentions wi fi either.

What does a Sabbath mode do?+

Commercial Cool describes it as pausing settings and features including displays and sounds, so the appliance can be used during the Sabbath and Jewish holidays without a person operating a switch or triggering a light. It is the most specific software feature published anywhere in this pool, and it is the sort of thing a listing only includes if the appliance genuinely has it.

Why was the LG refrigerator excluded?+

Because its published measurements cannot be true. All three dimension fields read 10.0 inches, which is a placeholder rather than a measurement, and its 333 pound weight cannot belong to a ten inch cube. Its five bullets are also generic, describing a French door layout, counter depth fit, smart cooling, a dual ice maker and a stainless finish, and never mentioning the wi fi or the door in door feature its own title advertises.

Does a side by side refrigerator hold less than a French door?+

Not necessarily, but it holds things differently. Electactic is 18.1 cu ft split 12.1 and 6.0, which is close to the two 18.9 cu ft French doors here, but both of its compartments are tall and narrow rather than full width. A sheet pan or a large platter fits across a French door fridge and will not fit across a side by side. What the side by side buys you is ice and water from the front.

Which of these publishes a noise level?+

Two. VEVOR states 45 dB and Electactic states 45 dB, both attributing it to an inverter compressor. Antarctic Star also names an inverter compressor and publishes no figure. Commercial Cool and Samsung publish nothing about noise at all. For an appliance that runs continuously in an open plan room, that leaves three of the five unassessable on the thing you will notice most.

Specifications come from the manufacturers' own published listings. Lush Food & Drink may earn a commission if you buy through a link on this page, at no extra cost to you. How we research.