Think Twice About A French Door Refrigerator If You're A Boomer

When it comes to refrigerator shopping, the options can be overwhelming. Looking for your next big-kitchen buy can feel intense since refrigerators today look nothing like they used to. There are so many modern-day AI integrations and smart fridges that make it more than a mere ice box for leftovers. In order to discover what you need, you have to research brands, features, and designs to find the right fit. More than likely, during the process, you'll come across the French door refrigerator design — they're very popular, but they're not right for everyone, especially those who are older or have physical restrictions.

As people age, accessibility becomes an important factor in most purchases. When it comes to the French door refrigerator, the wide fridge design on top can offer convenience when storing larger items, but the pull-out freezer drawer on the bottom requires the user to bend over to access its contents. People also have to dig around for items as the freezer has less shelves and bin compartments for storage. This can be difficult on an aging or strained back. Despite the potential appeal of the French door style, a more accessible model may be a better choice. This even applies to millennials, looking to make their home more senior-friendly as aging in place becomes standard.

The French door style refrigerator has been popular in the last decade, but it's far from the only option. There are multiple other refrigerator designs, including the side-by-side refrigerator, top-freezer, bottom-freezer, and quad-door configurations. The side-by-side refrigerator generally offers the easiest access when it comes to putting items in or removing them. There is less bending and reaching since the vertical design allows more shelves to be at your eye level. It even offers a little more freezer space than other designs. Boomers may find this two-door model to be the perfect option, and when it comes to refrigerator shopping, the Amana brand was reported the most reliable for side-by-side refrigerators.

If you're not a fan of the side-by-side option, however, a bottom-freezer design is recommended over a top-freezer design to prevent reaching upwards for heavy frozen items. Pulling out that frozen 10-pound turkey come Thanksgiving won't be the easiest thing on the prep list. The quad- or four-door design, which involves two center-opening doors for the top fridge and bottom freezer may also be a suitable alternative. It too can offer a slightly more accessible option then French styles with the double door opening replacing the bottom pull-out freezer drawer. Still, keep in mind, it requires more bending to reach the needed items and there's no freezer access at eye level.