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  • Introduction

  • Design & Usability

  • Features

  • Performance

  • Conclusion

  • Science Introduction

  • Temperature Performance

  • Moisture Retention

  • Freezing & Thawing

  • Storage Space & Energy Efficiency

  • Other Tests

  • Introduction
  • Design & Usability
  • Features
  • Performance
  • Conclusion
  • Science Introduction
  • Temperature Performance
  • Moisture Retention
  • Freezing & Thawing
  • Storage Space & Energy Efficiency
  • Other Tests

Introduction

The Frigidaire FFSC2323LS, unfortunately, is one of the latter. With a very high MSRP for a mid-level fridge—it's set at $1,899—and performance characteristics that are surpassed by cheaper models, this particular product doesn't have a lot going for it. This can be overlooked if you find an exceptional sale price, but the best we found dropped it down to just $1,485, which is still rather high for a fridge of this quality. True, temperature variations often plague side-by-sides, and this Frigidaire did better in that respect than others we've tested... but still not enough to justify spending that much money.

Design & Usability

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It’s an attractive fridge, but it doesn’t quite reach the high-end quality of some more expensive models.

The through-the-door ice and water dispenser, set just below the control panel, is quite big, taking up a large portion of the door. Unfortunately, its plastic trim feels cheap compared to the rest of the fridge’s stainless steel exterior. With a standard set of plastic shelves and drawers in the fridge, as well as wire shelves in the freezer, there's very little about this product's layout or design that distinguishes it from any other mid-range side-by-side on the market today. The one exception to that sweeping statement is the inclusion of a two-tiered beverage rack located on the bottom of the fridge door.

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Features

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The squeaky drawers and very poor spill containment make for a somewhat sloppy appliance.

The smaller number of shelves compared to other models means you won’t have to worry too much about having to move things around to get to items in the back. Door storage is also very accessible, with the layout taking advantage of the Frigidaire’s full height. The plastic-on-plastic drawers, however, don’t move smoothly, occasionally emitting a loud, disruptive squeal when opened or closed.

The plastic-on-plastic drawers don’t move smoothly, occasionally emitting a loud, disruptive squeal when opened.

The control panel is located just above the water dispenser on the freezer door. The cheap-looking black plastic looks tacky, but its large size and big text adds up to create a panel that’s easy to read and even easier to use. The use of an actual degree scale for temperature control is a plus, too.

The Frigidaire’s water dispenser, on the other hand, was a bit… odd. It uses a standard paddle that is easy to depress, but the paddle is rather short. It’s dispenser cavity is tall, so you can easily angle in even larger containers, but the lip isn’t very deep. It’s almost as if the design were half-finished, allowing for easy access but denying the ability to set a glass down while filling it.

Performance

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Questionable temperature consistency mars this fridge’s performance.

The fridge section was set to 37 degrees according to the appliance’s control panel, which was an accurate reading of the internal air temperature. The inside of our test materials, however, averaged a degree warmer than that, so you may want to drop the thermometer a degree or two. Thankfully, temperatures managed to remain fairly consistent over time; objectively, it wasn't the best we've seen by a long shot, but within the realm of side-by-sides, it was actually pretty good. There wasn’t a huge difference in temperature from the top to the bottom, either, which is also impressive for this type of appliance.

While the fridge showed off acceptable performance, the freezer lacked consistency.

While the fridge showed off acceptable performance, the freezer lacked consistency. Temperatures at the top weren’t terribly different from the bottom—much less so than the usual difference in a side-by-side—but it fluctuated significantly over time at every height. Make sure you keep similar items on the same shelf at all times; moving them around in the freezer could increase the risk of freezer burn.

Fridges in this price range don't generally do well in our moisture retention test, and this model was no exception. Food that's placed in the crisper drawers should be fine, as long as you don't let them sit too long. After more than a couple of days, you'll begin to notice a clear decrease in quality.

Conclusion

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A decent fridge that costs way too much

The Frigidaire FFSC2323LS is a very frustrating appliance. If it just cost less, it would actually be a very good buy, offering solidly average performance, storage, and ease of access. With an MSRP of $1,899 and sale prices that only drop down to about $1,485, though, it’s hard to justify as a first-choice fridge. There are other models out there that look as good—or better—and perform just as well, but they attain that level of quality at a lower cost to the consumer. If you don’t mind taking a hit in the wallet, then by all means, give this Frigidaire a spin. If you’re more budget-conscious, though, keep on looking.

Science Introduction

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The Frigidaire is, with all the connotative levels of quality that the word implies, adequate. Its temperature control is decent and even surpasses some other side-by-sides in its consistency. Moisture retention is perhaps just under the ideal average, but its freezer does an excellent job cooling items quickly. While it isn't the cheapest fridge to run, it does make decent use of electricity for its size. Overall, the Frigidaire actually does pretty well... just not well enough to justify the price tag.

Temperature Performance

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While temperatures from top to bottom were more consistent than average, we had some concerns with the freezer's stability.

The sensors placed in the fridge average one degree higher than what was on the thermostat—we had it set to 37, and the inside of our test materials only reached an average of 38—but that's an easy fix with the controls. From top to bottom, there was only a variance of about one degree either way, and there was almost no temperature shift over time. All in all, this is a very reliable fridge compartment.

The freezer, though, had some bigger issues. From top to bottom again, there was only a difference of about one degree in either direction, and an average fluctuation of about one degree. Sounds similar, but the thing that distinguishes it is the range of fluctuation as opposed to the average. While temperatures stayed within one degree most of the time, we saw spikes as large as four degrees. That sort of irregular shift means food is at a greater risk of freezer burn, which leads to spoiled food and wasted money.

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Moisture Retention

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For a fridge this pricey, we expected better.

The test materials that we placed in the Frigidaire’s vegetable drawer lost an average of 0.21 grams of moisture per hour. At this rate, produce stored in this fridge may start to wilt just a bit faster than if it were stored in a lot of other models that we’ve tested. This rate of loss is just barely acceptable—it's slightly below average in the overall world of fridges, but that's actually better than lots of cheaper fridges.

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Freezing & Thawing

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The freezer will chill your groceries extremely quickly, and keep them that way.

The sooner a freezer can bring room-temperature items down to freezing, the better. Faster freezing times result in a better texture when thawed, particularly with frozen meats. Despite the freezer’s height and the distance the cold air has to travel, the Frigidaire managed to freeze our test materials in 1 hour and 13 minutes. It’s surprisingly fast for side-by-sides in this price bracket, though not the fastest on the market today—the best we’ve seen takes just a bit over an hour, so this one comes pretty close. As far as the fridge's insulation is concerned, you should be fine in an average-length power outage. After being unplugged for 36 hours, our test materials were still quite thoroughly frozen.

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Storage Space & Energy Efficiency

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A straightforward layout offers fairly average capacity backed by reasonably high levels of efficiency.

This side-by-side offers relatively straight forward, simple storage options. Including the bottle racks on the fridge door, this model contains 9.71 cubic feet worth of fresh food storage. The freezer is somewhat more cramped, providing just 4.28 cubic feet, about half a cubic foot less than average. It's a bit under par in both compartments, though not so much that a small family would have difficulty using it.

As a somewhat larger than average fridge, the Frigidaire will cost about $48.25 per year to power based on a rate of $0.09 per kWh. It’s not the cheapest fridge on the market, but there are other models that will cost more. Yearly operating cost doesn’t always reflect efficiency, though; as such, we also determined that this Frigidaire uses just 0.10 kWh per cubic foot of space. That, ladies and gents, does tell us that this fridge is in fact incredibly efficient, using less power per cubic foot than many other products both in and out of its price bracket.

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Other Tests

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Meet the tester

Matthew Zahnzinger

Matthew Zahnzinger

Logistics Manager & Staff Writer

@ReviewedHome

Matthew is a native of Brockton, MA and a graduate of Northeastern, where he earned a degree in English and Theatre. He has also studied at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin and spends most of his free time pursuing a performance career in the greater Boston area.

See all of Matthew Zahnzinger's reviews

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