Whirlpool WRS975SIDM Refrigerator Review

Why do we like it? Well, the design is straightforward but attractive, we recorded temperatures steady enough for good long-term food preservation, and the retail price of about $1,800 is fair for a unit this size.

Yes, this model costs as much as many popular French door models. We like how a French door fridge puts fresh food at eye level and fits wide items like baking sheets. But if you prefer a side-by-side layout and don’t want to visit your local Sears and buy our favorite Kenmore, this extremely similar Whirlpool should also be on the list.

Design & Usability

That old familiar feeling

This standard side-by-side has few surprises in store. Glass shelves in both the fridge and freezer are a nice touch, and they easily adjust to a few different heights. Bright LEDs illuminate both the fridge and freezer compartments, though we noticed a shadowy area in the freezer's midsection.

On the outside, the upscale touch screen control depicts cool blue icons against white text that’s easy to read. Certain "press-and-hold" features make the interface more streamlined, but also a little convoluted.

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Performance & Features

Efficient, but a bit warm

This stainless fridge did an excellent job in most of our tests, and its key detractor is easily fixed: We suggest manually setting the fridge thermostat to 36°F, instead of the recommended 37°. It might use a little more energy, but it will do a better job keeping your food fresh.

Once that's done, you'll find your groceries keep as long as they're supposed to. That's especially true for those in the crisper drawer—which is one of the best we've tested. This fridge is also exceptionally energy efficient, and the freezer did a great job freezing our room-temperature test materials quickly. That preserves taste and texture.

For in-depth performance information, please visit the Science Page.

Warranty

{{amazon name="Whirlpool Refrigerator Ice and Water Filter Cartridge", asin="B00L9FDO1W", align="right"}} Whirlpool offers a standard one-year limited warranty that covers parts and labor for manufacturer defects and failed parts. After that time, you get an additional four years of partial coverage specifically for the cavity liners and the sealed refrigeration system. More details about the warranty are available on Whirlpool's website.

Why We Like It

A Safe Choice

If you’re looking for something flashy or unique, the Whirlpool WRS975SIDM is not for you. On the other hand, if you’re a fan of the side-by-side layout and want something that’s attractive and relatively affordable, this fridge is a fine choice. With phenomenal energy efficiency and some fantastic crispers, it’s hard to go wrong here.

The model we tested will run you about $1,800—not exactly a bargain, but a fair price for a stainless finish and 25 cubic feet of storage. If you’re still not convinced, consider the Kenmore 51763, which retails for just $1,350 at Sears and is our top pick for side-by-sides.

The Cold Hard Facts

Every fridge we test is subjected to over 100 hours of analysis, and our data says this model is definitely worth considering. If you take a moment to lower the thermostat on the Whirlpool WRS975SIDM (MSRP $2,099), you’ll have an excellent fridge on your hands.

Temperature Performance

Our chief concern with this fridge was its average temperature output. On the fresh food side, our sensors recorded average temps of 39.22°F at the top, 37.65°F in the middle, and 40.39°F at the bottom. Aside from the very middle of the fridge, that’s too warm, especially because we also recorded temperatures fluctuating by an average of ±0.5°F over time. You’ll definitely want to turn the thermostat down to about 36°F for optimal cooling.

The freezer was even less stable—it averaged a shift of ±0.84°F over time—but temperatures were cold enough that it really didn’t matter. The upper portion of the freezer averaged -2.05°F, while the lower shelves clocked in at -1.93°F. That’s cold enough that freezer burn should be minimal.

Moisture Retention

Over the course of three days, our test materials lost only 0.08 grams of moisture per hour, making it one of the best crispers we’ve tested to date. We only wish more than one of the three fridge drawers featured an adjustable slider, but that lone drawer did a fantastic job retaining moisture.

Freezing

Our room-temperature test materials took about 1 hour and 26 minutes to hit 32°F. That's a little faster than average, and it's important because the faster food is frozen, the more taste and texture is retained.

Storage Space & Energy Efficiency

The layout of side-by-side fridges is inherently bad for certain types of food—there’s no easy way to fit a frozen pizza into such a narrow freezer, for instance. Nevertheless, this Whirlpool has a decent amount of usable space. In the fresh food side, all those shelves and drawers offer a total of 12.07 usable cubic feet.

Over in the freezer, which also provides a number of adjustable slot heights for its shelves, you get a total of 6.18 usable cubic feet. Neither of these totals can compete with most French door fridges, but compared to other side-by-sides, it’s not bad.

More impressive is this Whirlpool’s energy consumption. With the ice maker running, the WRS975SIDM only needs about 0.05 kWh per usable cubic foot per day. That work out to roughly $32.83 per year in electricity costs, making it one of the most efficient side-by-sides we’ve tested.

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