Get ready for more choices as refrigerator manufacturers refine existing designs and reprise old ones in the name of style and convenience.

If you’re shopping for a new refrigerator, you’re probably considering models that are fancier than your current fridge. The trend is toward spacious models with flexible, more-efficiently-used storage space. Useful features such as spillproof, slide-out glass shelves and temperature-controlled compartments, once found only in expensive refrigerators, are now practically standard in midpriced models. Stainless-steel doors are stylish, but they add to the cost. Bottom freezer, French-door models offer the convenience of a full-width refrigerator at eye level with the style and narrow door swing of a side-by-side. Built-in refrigerators appeal to people who want to customize their kitchens and are willing to pay thousands of dollars for the custom look. Some mainstream cabinet-depth models offer a built-in-style look for less.

Replacing an aging refrigerator may save you in electric bills, since refrigerators are more energy efficient now than they were a decade ago. The Department of Energy toughened its rules in the early 1990s and imposed even stricter requirements in July 2001 for this appliance, which is among the top electricity users in the house.

WHAT’S AVAILABLE

Only a handful of companies actually manufacture refrigerators. The same or very similar units may be sold under several brand names. Frigidaire, General Electric, Kenmore, and Whirlpool account for about three-quarters of top-freezer sales. For side-by-side models, these brands and Maytag account for more than 80 percent of sales. Brands offering bottom-freezers include Amana, Fisher-Paykel, GE, Jenn-Air, Kenmore, KitchenAid, LG, Maytag, Samsung, Sub-Zero, Thermador, and Whirlpool. Mainstream companies have introduced high-end brand lines such as Electrolux Icon, GE Monogram and Profile, and Kenmore Elite. These brands cover built-ins: GE (Monogram and Profile), Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, Sub-Zero, Thermador, and Viking. You can get built-in-style or “cabinet-depth” models from Amana, Electrolux, Frigidaire, GE, Jenn-Air, Kenmore, KitchenAid, LG, Maytag, and Whirlpool.

Top-freezer models. These are generally less expensive to buy and more space efficient than comparably sized side-by-side models. Widths typically range from about 30 to 33 inches. The eye-level freezer offers easy access. Fairly wide refrigerator shelves make it easy to reach the back, but you have to bend to reach the bottom shelves and drawers. Claimed, labeled capacity ranges from about 10 to 25 cubic feet. With top-freezers, the usable capacity is typically about 80 percent of its nominal capacity, according to our measurements. Price range: Most cost $300 to $800.

Bottom-freezer models. A small but growing part of the market, these put frequently used items at eye level. Fairly wide refrigerator shelves provide easy access. Though you must bend to locate items in the freezer, even with models that have a pull-out drawer, you will probably do less bending overall because the main refrigerated compartment is at eye level. Bottom-freezers are a bit pricier than top-freezers and offer less capacity relative to their external dimensions because of the inefficiency of the pull-out bin. Widths typically range from 30 to 36 inches. Claimed capacity is up to 25 cubic feet, nominally, and usable space is a bit less than with top-freezers, but more than offered by side-by-sides. French-door models are increasingly available. Price range: Most cost $600 to $1,200; French-door type, $1,500 to $2,000.

Side-by-side models. These are by far the most fully featured fridges, most often equipped with through-the-door ice and water dispensers--among the most requested consumer features—as well as temperature-controlled bins and rapid ice-making cycles. Their narrow doors are handy in tight spaces. High, narrow compartments make finding stray items easy in front (harder in the back), but they may not hold wide items such as a sheet cake or a large turkey. Compared with top- and bottom-freezer models, a higher proportion of capacity goes to freezer space. Side-by-sides are typically large--32 to 36 inches wide, with claimed capacity of 20 to 30 cubic feet. About 65 percent of that space is usable. They’re much more expensive than similar-sized top-freezer models and are less efficient in terms of energy use, as well as space. Price range: Most cost $800 to $2,000.

Built-in models. These are generally side-by-side and bottom-freezer models. They show their commercial heritage, often having fewer standard amenities and less soundproofing than lower-priced “home” models. Usually 25 to 26 inches front to back, they fit nearly flush with cabinets and counters. Their compressor is on top, making them about a foot taller than regular refrigerators—an issue if you have overhead cabinets. Most can accept extra-cost front panels that match the kitchen’s décor. Side-by-side models in this style are available in 42-inch and 48-inch widths (vs. the more typical 36-inch width). You can even obtain a built-in pair: a separate refrigerator and freezer mounted together in a 72-inch opening. Price range: Most cost $4,000 to $6,000.

Cabinet-depth models. These freestanding refrigerators offer the look of a built-in for less money. They are available mostly in side-by-side styles, with some top- and bottom-freezers available. Many accept extra-cost panels for a custom look. Cabinet-depth models have less usable space than deeper freestanding models and cost more. Price range: $1,500 to $3,000.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

Interiors are ever more flexible. Adjustable door bins and shelves can be moved to fit tall items. Elevator shelves can be cranked up and down without removing the contents. Some split shelves can be adjusted to different heights independently. With other shelves, the front half of the shelf slides under the rear portion to provide clearance.

Shelf snuggers--sliding brackets on door shelves--secure bottles and jars. A few models have a wine rack that stores a bottle horizontally.

Glass shelves are easier to clean than wire racks. Most glass shelves have a raised, sealed rim to keep spills from dripping over. Some slide out. Pull-out freezer shelves or bins improve access. An alternative is a bottom-freezer with a sliding drawer.

More models have replaced mechanical controls with electronic touchpads. Some have a digital display that shows the temperature setting; a few show the actual temperature, which is more useful.

A temperature-controlled drawer can be set to be several degrees cooler than the rest of the interior, useful for storing meat or fish. Crispers have controls to maintain humidity. Our tests have shown that, in general, temperature-controlled drawers work better than plain drawers; results for humidity controls are less clear-cut. See-through drawers let you see at a glance what’s inside.

Curved doors give the refrigerator a distinctive profile and retro look. Most manufacturers have at least one curved-door model in their lineups.

Step-up features include a variety of finishes and colors. Every major manufacturer has a stainless-steel model that typically costs significantly more than one with a standard pebbled finish. Some brands offer fingerprint-resistant stainless with clear coatings, while other brands have faux stainless that resists prints. Another alternative is a smooth, glass-like finish.

Most models have an icemaker in the freezer or give you the option of installing one yourself. Typically producing several pounds of ice per day (although some produce 10 pounds or more), an icemaker reduces freezer space by about a cubic foot. The ice bin is generally located below the icemaker, but some new models have it on the inside of the freezer door, providing a bit more usable volume. Through-the-door ice-and-water dispensers, a side-by-side staple, have been hard to come by on top- and bottom-freezers. More of those models have added water dispensers inside the fridge in recent years, and some now have through-the-door water dispensers--icemakers are still in the freezer.

With many models, the icemaker and/or water dispenser includes a water filter, designed to reduce lead, chlorine, and other impurities in ice and/or drinking water. An icemaker or water dispenser will work without one. You can also have a filter installed in the tubing that supplies water to the refrigerator.

Once a refrigerator’s controls are set, there should be little need to adjust temperature. Still, accessible controls are an added convenience.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Size is likely to be more important than style or price, since most new refrigerators must fit in the same space as the old one. So begin by measuring the available space, including the space you’ll need to open the door wide enough to pull out bins and drawers if there’s a wall on the hinge side of the door. Also measure doorways and halls through which the refrigerator must pass when delivered.

Then choose a type that fits your space, needs, and budget. Once you’ve decided on a type, keep these shopping tips in mind:

Look for space-stretching features. A fridge’s claimed capacity lists raw volume, including space taken up by lights, hardware, and unreachable nooks. Top- and bottom-freezers give you more storage for their size than side-by-sides. Some 30-inch-wide, 18-cubic-foot top-freezers we tested have about 15 cubic feet of usable space--nearly as much as some 36-inch-wide, 25-cubic-foot side-by-sides. With any fridge, look for features that maximize space, such as split shelves and cranks for adjusting shelf height. Pull-out shelves provide access to the back of the fridge and freezer. In bottom-freezers, full-extension drawers help you find items in the rear.

Consider costs and reliability. Most new refrigerators cost about $40 to $70 a year to run, based on average energy rates, but up to twice as much in the priciest markets. Top- and bottom-freezers are typically more efficient than side-by-sides. To get the most bang for the buck, pick a model that scored well for energy efficiency in our tests.

Weigh the likelihood of repairs as well. Some brands have been more reliable than others, and an icemaker and ice-and-water dispenser increase the chance that a fridge will need repair. As a group, built-ins appear to have had higher repair rates than freestanding models.

Listen up. Any new refrigerator is likely to be quieter than an older one. If your kitchen is a gathering spot, look for a model that did very well in our noise tests.

Keep styles coordinated. If you want the fridge to blend in with cabinetry, consider a built-in or cabinet-depth model that accepts custom panels. If you’re mixing stainless-steel and metallic look-alikes, make sure any difference in the finishes doesn’t bother you.

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