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The best space-saving refrigerators for smaller kitchens, according to Consumer Reports

Counter-depth refrigerators are a cheaper path to a built-in look. Consumer Reports rated models on cooling and efficiency to find 12 standouts

Alex Tyson / Unsplash

Counter-depth refrigerators sit nearly even with kitchen cabinets, so they don't jut into the walkway the way standard models can. Shoppers can get that streamlined look for thousands less than a built-in, though most models still extend slightly past the countertop.

Consumer Reports measured temperature control, energy use, noise, and more in its labs, so read on for 12 counter-depth fridges across every major style.

Consumer Reports gave this compact Samsung top-freezer standout marks for holding steady temperatures and using energy efficiently. CR's testers were less impressed by its crisper drawers, controls, and icemaker performance. Samsung top-freezers rated highly for reliability in CR's member surveys, though owner feedback was more mixed. The 28-inch-wide, 29-inch-deep fridge is $750 and has spillproof shelves, with an icemaker sold separately.

Budget shoppers can get this 24-inch-wide Whirlpool top-freezer for $628. Consumer Reports found that it kept temperatures even throughout, ran quietly, and used........

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