About Us

RefrigeratorLab is the place where you find all the information about refrigerators and home cooling systems. We discuss all the refrigerators, cooling technologies, and troubleshooting manuals. We have a very basic mission: to give you the truth, expert-supported information (so that you would not spend money on buying refrigerators, but so that your kitchen would work at its best).

We will ensure that we give you quality information regarding refrigerators. We have done all the guesswork, having thoroughly tested many models of all types. We want to help you make informed and cost effective choices on your home appliances.

Let RefrigeratorLab show you the way around the refrigerator world.

Get to know our testing process and our founder here:

RefrigeratorLab Testing and Rating Refrigerators.

We have designed certain tests to test all kinds of refrigerators at RefrigeratorLab. Once these tests are completed, our professionals use a means to rank every model. The following is a simplified explanation of our refrigerator evaluation and rating process:

How We Test Refrigerators

Who is behind the testing?

We have a founder Shoumitra Goswami who has more than ten years of practical experience in repairing refrigerators and a Diploma in Electronics. He has been repairing over 200 refrigerators of all kinds imaginable and therefore, he knows what it takes to make sure that the refrigerator you are buying is not only good but also worth the money. Learn more about his path below.

Our testing process

Research and select: We research and select the products to test according to our experience and then we purchase the products in the retail stores or directly with the manufacturers (manufacturers may also offer units, but this will not influence our fair reviews).

Put on the test:

• Our team unloads the refrigerators and tests their design and quality of construction. We assemble every unit, check their functionality and evaluate the interface design. Several refrigerators (typically 4 to 6) are subjected to testing at the same time in various categories to offer detailed and comparative outcomes.
• We then critically test the performance of each refrigerator on 10 separate tests and collect 18 data points. We contrast their advantages and disadvantages. This strategy offers a full picture of their strengths and weaknesses.

• We apply photography to demonstrate what marketing materials never depict. We will have a test period of approximately three weeks, and this will give us enough time to test the refrigerators to their full capacity beyond their first performance. This time makes sure that there are reliable and comprehensive assessments.

Reporting & Scoring:

• Our team develops a detailed report containing temperature measurements, energy use statistics, testing process, results, and views, as well as refrigerator specifications. We use standardized guidelines (How We Rate Refrigerators) to make consistent and objective judgments.
• The individual refrigerators are rated under standardized criteria. The scores are based on actual real-life performance and experiences taking into account the performance of individual refrigerators and their comparison with other refrigerators in the test.
• In this simplified testing procedure we have offered unbiased reviews and detailed reports to enable you make informed decisions concerning the refrigerators we test.

How We Rate Refrigerators

What is RefrigeratorLab Rating (RL Rating)?

We give our reviews in a candid and thorough manner to give a complete evaluation of the refrigerators. Nevertheless, it may be difficult to evaluate and compare refrigerators on the basis of text reviews only.

To simplify it, we have come up with a RefrigeratorLab Rating (also known as RL Rating). This score is a compilation of standards that rank the most significant factors of every refrigerator. These aspects include:

• Cooling Performance (35%)
• Energy Efficiency (25%)
• Storage & Design (20%)
• Build Quality & Durability (10%)
• After-sales Service (10%)

Rating Score Scale

We suggest that refrigerators with green RL Rating, which are good and excellent quality units, should be selected. Although a refrigerator may have low score in a certain aspect, provided that its overall score is good, we will still recommend it.

But, when a refrigerator has RL Rating less than 7.0 which means it is of low quality, then, there is nothing to worry about, we will not recommend that specific refrigerator after testing it.

How we rate each aspect

1. Cooling Performance (35%)

Our criteria of refrigerators are the ability to keep the same temperatures in all parts of the refrigerator. In our evaluation, we evaluate different factors to find out the effectiveness of a refrigerator:

01. Uniformity of temperature between shelves and drawers.

Temperature changes are measured using thermal photography and digital thermometers. The refrigerator with even cooling in all zones will be rated higher.

02. Freezing rate and recovery time.

We also test the speed at which the freezer achieves optimal temperature and how fast the unit returns to normal after the doors have been opened. This is a simulation of real-world usage patterns.

03. Cooling technology efficiency.

We determine the effectiveness of such features as inverter compressors, multi-airflow systems, and frost-free technology in their promises. We are trying to confirm manufacturer claims using actual data.

2. Energy Efficiency (25%)

The use of energy has a direct effect on your electricity bills in the future. We test real power consumption during long durations and compare it with the specifications of the manufacturers. Our evaluation considers:

• Normal operating wattage consumption.
• Energy consumption of the intensive cooling cycles.
• Comparison with BEE star ratings and advertised efficiency.
• Cost implications in the long run according to the existing electricity rates.

3. Storage & Design (20%)

A refrigerator should be in line with your lifestyle and kitchen space. We assess factors such as:

• Advertised capacity and usable storage capacity.
• Flexibility and adjustability of shelves.
• Bottle storage and depth of door bin.
• Humidity retention of vegetables crisper.
• General design and availability of compartments.
• Installation requirements and external dimensions.

4. Build Quality & Durability (10%)

When we inspect and use the product, we make our judgement as to its quality. We examine the fridge in terms of its good construction or low quality of materials used, airtight door seals, quality of handles and hinges, and problems during testing.

5. After-sales Service (10%)

The after sales service is very important particularly in large appliances. The manufacturer should also be supportive with regards to installation, warranty claims, and issues that might be encountered. Moreover, the actual price of a refrigerator consists of the presence of spare parts and the timeliness of service centres.

In terms of customer support, we evaluate its reliability, usefulness, information provision, and timeliness (we regard the response within 24 hours as fast).

About the Founder

Shoumitra Goswami
Founder, RefrigeratorLab.com

My Storey: How I Started RefrigeratorLab.com.

The Unexpected Beginning

This was the summer of 2010 and I was only 17 years old. As most teenagers, I did not know what I wanted to do in my life. But fate had other plans.

On one hot afternoon, our family refrigerator, which was a double door model, broke down. The compressor was silent. The food within was getting spoilt gradually. My mother was concerned and calling a technician required three days and money that we could not afford easily.

Curiosity set in at that point.

I was always interested in the way things work. I took a screwdriver, pushed the refrigerator off the wall and began to investigate. I had no ideas of what I was doing but something in me never wanted to give up.

The First Repair That Changed Everything.

Hours of fiddling, reading ancient manuals, and numerous errors later I found out the cause of the problem, a defective relay switch. I was able to repair it by replacing it with a very inexpensive part.

As the compressor started humming back to life and the cold air began to flow once more, I had a feeling that I had never had.

Pride. Accomplishment. Purpose.

Transforming Passion into Education.

The experience led me to the direction of obtaining a Diploma in Electronics. When my classmates were learning about circuits and theories to pass exams, I was learning about refrigerators.

I began fixing refrigerators of neighbours, friends and later strangers who heard of the young man who fixes fridges. Every mending taught me something new:

• Refrators with two doors made me learn about the fundamentals of cooling.
• Frost-free models also exposed me to defrost timers and heaters.
• Side-by-side refrigerators presented me with complicated airflow systems.
• French door refrigerators demonstrated to me the modern inverter technology.

I found myself repairing more than 200 refrigerators of all kinds before I realised it.

The Frustration That Started RefrigeratorLab.com.

A few years later, I chose to purchase a new refrigerator in my house. I figured it would be a breeze–after all I was familiar with refrigerators, inside and out.

However, I was appalled when I began using the internet to do research.

Most review websites were:

• Unclear and unsupportive – No actual testing, rewritten product descriptions.
• Biassed and paid – Selling refrigerators on commissions and not quality.
• Confusing – There are no definite comparisons or data that can assist the buyers.

I said to myself: I have spent years learning how to use these machines. I am familiar with what makes a refrigerator really good. Why does no one tell the real, honest information?

That anger was my driving force.

Building RefrigeratorLab.com

I chose to make the site that I would have liked to have when I was searching to buy a refrigerator.

A place where:

• All refrigerators are put to the test using real and data-driven techniques.
• 18 data points and 10 individual tests are used to create reviews.
• Thermal photography shows what marketing never tells.
• Marks are clear, unbiased, and never bribed.
• Recommendations are credible to the readers, as they are earned and not purchased.

I called it RefrigeratorLab.com- because all the refrigerators pass through our laboratory before they can be recommended.

A Broken Refrigerator to a Mission.

In retrospect, I did not expect to be here because of a broken refrigerator on a hot summer day.

What began as an inquisitive teenager attempting to assist his mother has become a mission:

To enable millions of individuals to make informed choices on their refrigerators by honest, expert-supported, data-driven reviews.

The same spirit of that first repair is in every article I write, every refrigerator I put to trial, every score I compute, and a profound sense of your confidence.

RefrigeratorLab.com Welcome.

I will be happy to assist you whether you are purchasing your first refrigerator, a french door model, or you are having a problem with the cooling system.

I know how you feel, I have been you. I have experienced the anger of a refrigerator that is not working and the bewilderment of having to select another one.

Today, having more than 200 repairs under my belt, a Diploma in Electronics in my hand, and a passion that began when I was 17, I am telling you all I know.

Welcome to the lab.

— Shoumitra Goswami

Founder, RefrigeratorLab.com

How we do our reviews on refrigerators.

Data-Driven Testing

Every refrigerator is put through a standardised set of data-driven tests. We test 10 tests individually and collect 18 data points on each refrigerator. Our testing system generates scores, data, and photos which can be easily compared across refrigerators. The objective and quantifiable data is measured, recorded and analysed in relation to each model. This aids us in developing more objective data-based reviews. In situations where objective analysis cannot be done, highly structured and defined subjective assessment ratings are utilised.

Transparent & Fair Scoring

We have summarised all testing and scoring methodologies in our reviews and tooltips, and detailed them in detail above. Moreover, each list of the best refrigerators has a set of rules that we used to choose the winners of that list. The main attributes of any review, comparison, and best refrigerator list that we prepare are structure, consistency, transparency, and fairness. Whereas most other review sites may decide to give the winners to those who give them the highest payment, we give the winners according to our scores and well-established metrics.

No Paid Content

We do not accept payment to review their refrigerator, to give them a better rating, or purchase a top spot on our best refrigerator lists. We base our scores on our objective, systematic and data-based reviews. We make our recommendations according to our scores. Our recommendations are also given to the refrigerators that receive the highest scores.

What is our way of earning money and how can you help us?

We do not have plans of filling our review pages with clutter and annoying advertisements, and we are not just out to promote refrigerators to make money.

That is how we keep our business going: when you buy something using the links we provide, we get a commission. Notably, this does not affect the price that you will pay. More importantly, it does not affect our guidance or advice.

We always aim at assisting you in finding the most appropriate refrigerator that suits your unique needs!

What are the sources of the products that we review?

You may be asking where we acquire the products that we review. Well, here’s how:

We primarily purchase units in retail outlets and authorised dealers to test them.

We also get some of them directly with the manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, and Whirlpool. But there is no cause to worry, it does not influence our ratings. We review, not promote.