Buying guide for Best Samsung smart refrigerators
The biggest and perhaps most important kitchen appliance is the refrigerator, the home for a variety of food and drink. In fact, the quality and freshness of your food and drink is influenced by the quality of your refrigerator. Modern smart refrigerators go beyond the storage and preservation of food: they can actually help you with cooking, shopping, and maximizing time and energy.
Samsung is a leading maker of sleek and efficient refrigerators. The company’s smart refrigerator line blends technological innovation with impressive functionality. Samsung smart refrigerators are designed to make life easier, from shopping for groceries to deciding what to make for dinner. Many have WiFi connectivity that allows you to check the status of the appliance and monitor energy levels.
Shopping for a Samsung smart refrigerator requires you to make the same decisions you would for a regular refrigerator: size, placement, the division of cooling and freezing compartments. With a smart refrigerator, however, those features are brought to their highest potential. Read this guide to determine if a Samsung smart refrigerator is right for you.
Key considerations
Family Hub
The Family Hub is an impressive and versatile feature that makes Samsung smart refrigerators “smart.” Essentially, it is a tablet embedded into the door of the refrigerator — an interactive touchscreen that offers plenty of convenient and entertaining features, including the following:
Connection: If you have other Samsung smart appliances, you can access information about them and control their functions from the Family Hub. For example, you can program the dishwasher or oven, starting and stopping them as needed.
Food apps: The Family Hub connects to Grubhub for takeout food ordering and Instacart for grocery shopping. In addition, there are apps that allow you to create shopping lists, view recipes, and look inside the refrigerator to see what’s available.
Home apps: You can access your calendar or memos from the Family Hub. If you have a Ring home security system, you can access that as well. For those heading out from home, the Family Hub is also compatible with Uber.
Entertainment apps: The Family Hub features Pandora and Spotify so you can access and play music from the fridge. You can also surf the internet and mirror from your Samsung TV or smartphone.
Social apps: You can download your favorite social media apps on the Family Hub. What’s more, it can show pictures and play videos, offering a way to share content within the family.
Refrigerator type
Samsung smart fridges come in side-by-side, French door, and 4-Door Flex configurations.
Side-by-side models feature a refrigerator on the right and a freezer on the left, with the fridge slightly larger than half the unit. These appliances are average in size and would easily serve a couple or small family.
French door refrigerators have a side-by-side door configuration on top; both doors access the refrigerator. A freezer drawer sits on the bottom. Samsung also offers a four-door French style option in which a second drawer is added above the freezer as a separate compartment for the refrigerator. These come in medium and large sizes.
4-Door Flex designs feature four doors to access three separate compartments in the fridge. Two doors on top open to reveal either side of the same fridge portion. One door on the bottom is for the freezer. The last door features space that can be toggled between cooling and freezing, depending on your needs.
Size
Samsung smart refrigerators come in medium and large sizes. The smallest option is around 22 cubic feet. These are best for couples who cook frequently and for smaller families. It’s likely too much space for singles and couples who cook infrequently.
The largest option is 28 cubic feet in size, which is ideal for families or four or five people, especially if the people in the home have varied eating habits and tastes.
Did You Know?
You can share videos and photos on the Family Hub, and you can even create collages. The slideshow feature makes for exciting content.
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Features
Color
All Samsung smart refrigerators are made of stainless steel, but there are a few different colors from which to choose. The basic stainless steel option has a silver, utilitarian look and tends to cost about $100 less than other choices. Samsung offers three colors of fingerprint-resistant stainless steel: basic silver, black, and Tuscan. Silver tends to be more eye-catching, but black stainless steel is a trendy option. Tuscan is a newer innovation that has a brownish “earthy” look.
FlexZone
As mentioned, some Samsung smart refrigerators give you the option to switch a single compartment from freezing to cooling, or vice versa. This Samsung trademark is called FlexZone, and it brings considerable convenience and versatility to the appliance. Allow a couple hours for the temperature to adjust before storing food.
Automatic identification
Samsung smart refrigerators come with cameras built inside. These cameras can identify the foods within and log them, so you know exactly what you have and what you need. It won’t be able to identify everything easily or accurately, but it does take note of fruits, vegetables, and meats. You might run into a few kinks, but the technology will continue to improve over time.
Personalized recipes
The Family Hub can quickly get to know your eating and cooking habits. Combined with the knowledge of what’s in your refrigerator, the Hub can come up with personalized recipes or even a meal plan so you don’t have to spend additional time trying to figure out what’s for dinner.
If you’re ready to purchase an entire kitchen’s worth of appliances, Samsung offers bundles that feature a refrigerator, dishwasher, range, and microwave at a lower price than you would pay if buying them separately.
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Accessories
Magnetic spice rack: Gneiss Spice Magnetic Spice Jars
The ideal spice rack preserves what’s inside while being accessible. We love these jars from Gneiss Spice, which do just that. They also look pretty cool stuck to your fridge.
Food storage containers: Tupperware Fridgesmart Containers
Keep your food preserved with the proper containers. We recommend this Tupperware set that conveniently stacks and stores in the fridge.
Freezer mug: Rockin Mug Double Wall Freezer Mug
Keep a chilled glass ready for cold beverages on hot days. Check out this large and inexpensive mug that is sure to provide a refreshing drink.
Samsung smart refrigerator prices
Inexpensive: For $2,000 or less, you can find a smaller side-by-side Samsung Smart refrigerator that includes the Family Hub.
Mid-range: Most Samsung smart refrigerators cost between $2,000 and $2,600. These come in different types and sizes and feature the Family Hub.
Expensive: The priciest Samsung smart refrigerators run from $2,600 to around $3,200. These will mostly be the 4-Door Flex variety of the four-door French style.
Did You Know?
While you can download music and videos, keep in mind that the Family Hub only has about 3GB of storage, so it’s best to cast or stream and use other devices for downloads.
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Tips
- Customize your Family Hub. Just like a phone or tablet, the Family Hub is only as efficient and convenient as you make it. Prioritize apps you use, and remove what you don’t.
- Track freshness. With the Family Hub, it’s easy to track how much time you have to enjoy certain foods. Note the purchase dates so you remember to use items before they expire.
- Avoid overloading. You may have a lot of space in your Samsung refrigerator, but be sure not to fill it up too much. Blocking the vents can lead to cooling issues, which may cause your food to become too warm.
- Invest in other Samsung appliances. The Samsung smart refrigerator is best utilized if you have other Samsung smart devices as well because the connectivity offers such an immense convenience.
FAQ
Q. How should I clean the interior of my Samsung smart refrigerator?
A. About once a month, remove all of the items from the fridge (or rearrange them to make certain sections accessible) for cleaning. Carefully remove glass shelves, and let them warm up slightly before washing them. Use a glass cleaner on the shelves, and dry them with a soft cloth. Bins can be soaked in a warm, soapy bath before drying and being replaced. Use mild detergent on the interior of the fridge.
Concerning the outside, you can wipe it down once or twice a year; it shouldn’t attract dust or prints. Spray a soft cloth with warm water to easily wipe down the outside.
Q. How should I install my Samsung smart refrigerator?
A. In preparation for its arrival, make sure you have a clear pathway into the house and into the kitchen. Measure doorways and hallways ahead of time, and keep in mind that the packaging will be slightly larger than the size of the appliance itself. Leave at least two inches of clearance behind the refrigerator and at least a half-inch on either side.
Samsung smart refrigerators require an outlet with enough power and a water line connection for proper installation. The appliance should be on level ground. Samsung offers professional installation, but if you choose to go about it yourself, you might want to enlist the help of a friend and follow the installation guide on Samsung’s website.
Q. Are Samsung smart fridges compatible with iOS?
A. If you’re an iOS user, you can connect to your Samsung smart fridge through the Samsung Smart Home app available in the Apple Store. The Family Hub allows connections from an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Screen mirroring, however, will not be available without a Samsung device.
