Best Refrigerators Without a Water and Ice Dispenser or an Icemaker
These refrigerator models maximize space and forgo repair-prone features—plus, they work as well as any fridge should
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Refrigerators with a water dispenser, a water and ice dispenser, or an icemaker are popular, but those features are also consistently the source of the biggest complaints owners have about their refrigerators, according to Consumer Reports’ member surveys.
- Models to Consider: Top-Freezers Bottom-Freezers Side-by-Sides French-Doors
- How CR Tests Refrigerators
In our most recent surveys, covering more than 80,336 refrigerators that members bought new between 2013 and 2023, we learned that 15 percent of models had trouble making ice and 14 percent of models with a dispenser had problems dispensing water or ice.
Best Top-Freezers Without a Water/Ice Dispenser or an Icemaker
Best Bottom-Freezers Without a Water/Ice Dispenser or an Icemaker
Best Side-by-Sides Without a Water/Ice Dispenser or an Icemaker
Best French-Doors Without a Water/Ice Dispenser or an Icemaker
How CR Tests Refrigerators
In CR’s refrigerator lab, our engineers wire up models with thermocouples and monitor the refrigerators for more than a month in a climate-controlled chamber. They collect more than 5.4 million temperature readings for each model to detect warm and cold spots—for CR’s temperature-uniformity test—and determine which refrigerators keep food fresh longer.
In addition, Consumer Reports’ member surveys allow us to create predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings. All this data informs our overall refrigerator ratings, which include more than 250 models. For more information on CR’s refrigerator tests, see our How We Test Refrigerators page. To learn more about the different types of refrigerator configurations, see our refrigerator buying guide. And for our highest-rated picks across categories—from French-door refrigerators to mini fridges—look at our guide to the best refrigerators of the year.