Latest Smart Fridges Get Frosty and Futuristic

These high-tech refrigerators do a lot more than your average icebox

By John ElliotOriginally Published August 22, 2023

Photo: Samsung

Photo: Samsung

While some may make an impassioned argument that the stove is the most important appliance in your kitchen, deep down we all know the answer is the refrigerator. This marvelous machine not only serves as a storage unit for the bulk of your food but it preserves your goods as well.

So what if your refrigerator could do more than just hold and chill? It’s a question smart-home developers asked themselves—and answered.

From a do-it-all unit with a built-in touchscreen and a fridge with a voice-activated icemaker to a cooler you can see through with a tap, today’s ice boxes are packing some serious intelligence.

Here are our top picks for smart fridges.

Your fridge is the centerpiece of your kitchen, so it should also serve as a command center for your home—that’s the philosophy behind the Family Hub by Samsung. Featuring a sizable 32-inch touchscreen built into its front door, the Smart Hub will let you review calendars, check news, weather and traffic, see who’s at the front door, make lists and “sticky” notes, control your home’s other connected devices and all the other fun things that touchscreens are known for (such as stream music or share photos. And that’s just the start of the Family Hub’s smarts. Wi-Fi-connected, it can also be monitored remotely and controlled via the Samsung app, letting users check performance, adjust temps and track energy use.

Samsung Family Hub Bespoke 4-Door Flex is available for $3,999.

Samsung

Samsung

LG

LG

The LG Smart Wi-Fi Enabled InstaView is transparently smart—literally. Thanks to LG’s InstaView technology, owners need only knock twice on the front door of their fridge for its smart glass to instantly become transparent, revealing what is inside and allowing the user to decide if they really need another slice of pizza or if they can keep the fridge closed. Working in conjunction with the accompanying ThinQ app, the InstaView will learn more about you as you use it, like what temps you prefer, your ice usage and energy consumption—and automatically make adjustments to anticipate your needs.

The LG Smart Wi-Fi Enabled InstaView is available for $4,299.

Your phone is bound to be your new best friend (like it isn’t already) if you get a GE Profile. Why? Because you can do just about anything to this smart fridge with the GE SmartHQ app. Want to adjust the brightness of the Profile’s LED light wall? The app is for that. Want to activate Turbo Cool (or Turbo Freeze) to drop the temps after leaving the door open? Just tap in the app. Want to know if you (or a child) accidentally left the freezer open? You’ll get an alert in the app. But the GE Profile also has a number of built-in, off-phone smart features, too—like a hands-free autofill water dispenser that has sensors to automatically fill your receptacle with the appropriate amount of filtered water. Or an adjustable temperature drawer that lets you cycle through four different settings optimized for different food and beverage types. Oh, and as you might have guessed from the name, your GE profile will also be smudge-free.

The GE Profile Smart Fingerprint Resistant 4-Door French-Door is available for $3,332.

GE

GE

Kenmore

Kenmore

The Kenmore Smart 4-Door is a high-tech fridge that you can have a chat with, which is actually very convenient. Designed to be compatible with Amazon Alexa, the Kenmore lets users to peruse what’s inside it—while making a shopping list by talking to Alexa or the Kenmore Smart App. But it’s not just ideal for list making, the Kenmore is also optimal for ice making. Using voice commands (or the app), Kenmore owners can instruct their clever cooler to “Activate Accela Ice” or “Max Air Filter” and ramp up their fridge’s ice production in anticipation of a party (or hot summer’s day). Users can also use the app to adjust temperatures, get maintenance alerts, check to see if a door was left open or monitor filter life.

Kenmore Smart 4-Door is available for $3,959.