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The best fridges for big families

These fridges are big on capacity – and big on performance.

large double door fridge perfect for families
Last updated: 02 November 2022

Need to know

  • Our experts tested more than 50 fridges, with 17 of these being extra large (525L-plus)
  • Extra-large fridges can cost more than $5000, so you'll want to make the right choice
  • We reveal the top-performing fridges for large families, based on factors including temperature stability and evenness. Plus, we report on energy consumption and 10-year running costs

If you're considering an extra-large fridge, they cost anywhere from around $1500 upwards. (The most expensive fridge we've tested costs $5499.) When you're dropping that sort of coin, you'll want to make sure you're buying something that will perform well and stand the test of time.

And the most expensive fridge isn't always the best: four of the top performers in the extra-large category cost below $3000 – so if you want a huge fridge but have a smaller budget, you don't have to spend at the top of the range.

For CHOICE members, we've gathered a list of the top-performing extra-large (525L-plus) fridges to help you in your decision making. If you're not yet a member, joining will help you avoid making a costly mistake by choosing a poor-performing fridge. 

How to choose the right fridge for your family

Not sure what size you'll need? Here's our guide to choosing fridge capacity:

How to choose the right size fridge
Household size Recommended volume Price range
1–2 people 250–380L (1) $429–2399
3–4 people 350–530L $699–4799
5 or more people 440L+ (2) $1079–5500+

(1) We don't recommend smaller fridges, as they tend to be less energy efficient and cost you more in the long run. (2) Add 28.5L for each additional family member, plus freezer space. If in doubt, get the bigger fridge.

Expert tips

CHOICE fridge expert Ashley Iredale shares his tips for choosing a fridge for a larger family:

  • Side-by-side fridges may seem like a good size for larger families, but we generally don't recommend them because they're not great for temperature evenness. Also, the shelves are often quite narrow, which can limit your options in terms of putting in larger things.
  • If you get a fridge with a multi-use compartment, this improves the flexibility of the fridge – you can allocate that compartment to extra freezer space or fridge space as you need it.
  • Something else to consider is a 'pigeon pair': separate but matching upright fridge and freezer. This will give you a lot more room than a French door or side-by-side fridge, and you can keep them separate by putting the freezer in the laundry or garage, freeing up extra space in your kitchen. These do cost more than buying an all-in-one fridge-freezer, but you might find it's worth the extra for a set-up that suits your lifestyle.
  • If you've got a large family but not much space or money, don't get a fridge with an ice dispenser – it can take up almost 30% of your freezer capacity.
  • A French-door fridge (a bottom mount freezer with a two-door fridge) is a good option as they have good storage capacity, and both the fridge and freezer are wide enough for large platters and bulk foods. Again, they cost more than a single-sized fridge, but you may be prepared to pay the price for the space and convenience. 

Best fridges for big families

To help you find the best fridge for your family, we've compiled the best buys in the extra-large (525L-plus) category, based on our test results. 

Consider becoming a CHOICE member to access them and our full fridge results, plus reviews from more than 200 other categories. 

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.

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samsung srf7300sa

Samsung SRF7300SA.

Samsung SRF7300SA

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 86%
  • Volume: 649L
  • Price: $3399
  • Brand reliability score: 78%

Not only is this 649L fridge the top performer in the extra-large category, it's also the highest-scoring fridge overall in our fridge tests. Our fridge experts rated it as "excellent" or "very good" for almost every single element we assess, including keeping food fresh for longer, temperature evenness and noise level. 

The only place where it fell down was its default setting, which means it won't perform optimally straight out of the box. But if you adjust the settings to suit your situation, it'll work beautifully. Learn more with our fridge temperature guide

In fact, it performed so well that the only criticism our experts had was that it doesn't have a chiller – but few of the other models in this category have chillers either, so you're probably not missing out, especially considering how well it performs in every other aspect. 

(Not sure what a chiller is? It's a compartment that's for storing meat, fish and poultry. Its temperature should be around 0°C to help keep things fresher for longer.)

Read the full Samsung SRF7300SA review

lg gf l570pl

LG GF-L570PL.

LG GF-L570PL

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 83%
  • Volume: 570L
  • Price: $2599
  • Brand reliability score: 89%

Proving that you don't need to buy the most expensive product to get the best quality, this LG fridge is one of the cheaper models in the extra-large category, yet it outscored most other models in our test – even products costing nearly twice as much. 

Our testers were impressed by its temperature evenness, response to changes in outside temperatures, temperature range and ability to keep food fresher for longer. In fact, the only bad thing they could find to say was that it doesn't have a chiller, which is not uncommon in this size category. 

This fridge delivers on both price and performance. You can't go wrong. 

Read the full LG GF-L570PL review

electrolux ehe6899ba

Electrolux EHE6899BA.

Electrolux EHE6899BA

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 80%
  • Volume: 681L
  • Price: $4999
  • Brand reliability score: 87%

Another pricey performer, this Electrolux fridge looks the business and certainly delivers on performance. Its unique layout includes a multi-use compartment that can be set as a freezer, chiller or deli, giving you extra flexibility when entertaining and when the season changes. 

It received very good scores for temperature stability, temperature range, response to outside temperature, default settings and noise level. In fact, our experts couldn't find any bad points to mention.

Read the full Electrolux EHE6899BA review.

lg gf l706pl

LG GF-L706PL.

LG GF-L706PL

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 80%
  • Volume: 706L
  • Price: $3799
  • Brand reliability score: 89%

Another high-performing LG, this 706L model did well across all our tests, scoring a particularly good score in temperature range, response to outside temperature, noise level and default setting. Again, the only quibble our testers had was its lack of a chiller. 

Read the full LG GF-L706PL review.

To find out more about which extra-large fridges topped our tests, visit our fridge reviews and tick the 'extra large' box on the left-hand size to filter your results. 

Best of the rest

These fridges scored just under 80%, but are still recommended by our experts. They're definitely worth considering if you're in the market for an extra-large fridge. 

LG GF-B590PL

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 78%
  • Volume: 594L
  • Price: $2279

LG GS-B680PL

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 78%
  • Volume: 687L
  • Price: $1987

Samsung SRS656MBFH4

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 76%
  • Volume: 657L
  • Price: $2995
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.