Fridges

Splurge vs save: The cheaper fridges that rival expensive ones

Our tests show some affordable options can outperform models more than twice their price. 
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Last updated: 21 Feb 2025
fridge splurge save lead mitsubishi electric and tcl

Need to know

  • Our testers reviewed more than 100 popular models for temperature stability and evenness, running costs, and more
  • We often find cheaper fridges that perform similarly or better than pricier products
  • Exclusively for CHOICE members, we reveal the more affordable fridges that are better buys than their pricier competitors

How much would you pay for the fridge of your dreams? What if we told you that you could pick up a similar product for less that’ll perform just as well – or even better? 

Our fridge experts test around 50 fridges every year, putting each product through rigorous testing in our labs, so we see past the marketing hype and judge each model on its merits.

Our reviews show you which fridges deliver champagne performance on a beer budget.

And this is why a CHOICE membership is such a good investment: for less than $100 a year, you can save yourself hundreds because you’ll know which expensive products to avoid, and which cheaper products are a better bet.

With the money you save on a new fridge, you could treat yourself to an air fryer, update your dishwasher, or even just pocket the cash for a rainy day (or spend it on something more fun than appliances!).

Here, we reveal two fridges that both disappointed in our testing, despite one costing almost $1500 than the other – showing that spending more doesn’t always buy you more.

And exclusively for CHOICE members, we’ll show you which cheaper French door and freezer-on-top models are better buys than ones costing hundreds of dollars more.

If you just want to get straight to the best products, you can jump to the results now.

Splurge vs save: Why pay more for the same poor performance?

Splurge: Mitsubishi Electric MR-CGX450ER-GWH-A

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 53%
  • Capacity: 450L
  • Price: $2349

Save: TCL P445BFB

  • CHOICE Expert Rating: 58%
  • Capacity: 416L
  • Price: $899

There’s a huge price difference between these two fridges: costing nearly $1500 more than the TCL, the Mitsubishi is around two-and-a-half times the price. 

That’s a lot of money for a not-especially-large fridge. So is the extra money worth it?

According to our test results, no. 

Neither fridge is an especially strong performer – they’re the second- and third-lowest scoring fridges in this size category – but comparing these two really highlights why high prices don’t always equal high quality.

Doing things on the cheap doesn’t always pay off, either: when we bought the TCL fridge to test, it was faulty so we had to buy a second one. Of course, this could’ve been a one-off, but the risk with super-cheap appliances is that they can be made with cheaper materials and may not last as long.

Even sticking with a good brand won’t always save you from an expensive disappointment. Mitsubishi is actually the CHOICE Best Fridge Brand for 2024, which is based on our test results and feedback from our members about brand satisfaction and reliability. 

But despite Mitsubishi’s overall good track record, this fridge isn’t one of its finest moments.

Researching before rushing out to buy can save you from disappointment, and from wasting your money.

Read more:
The best fridges for big families

Splurge vs save fridges: The cheaper buys that outperform expensive models

We independently test and review dozens of new fridges each year in our onsite thermal lab, and our experts know exactly what to look for to help you find the best product.

Our detailed fridge testing data is available exclusively for CHOICE members. If you’re not yet a member, join CHOICE to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews, from dryers and dishwashers, toasters and TVs, kettles and cots, and more.

Or log in to unlock this article and find out which cheaper fridges outperformed expensive models in our expert testing.

Alice

I'm a content creator and marketer here at CHOICE – which basically just means that I write stuff. CHOICE's testing is so comprehensive that we publish vast amounts of data on all the products we test. We know that not everyone likes to wade through numbers to find the best product, so my job is to take the data and translate it into something more easily digestible for readers who are time-poor or just want to know the best products to buy – and which to avoid. I also get to dream up fun ways of taste-testing products, like the Tim Tam challenge and the Democracy Sausage taste test. I write about all kinds of things, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, so each day is different and I'm lucky that I get to learn about all the different things CHOICE does to help consumers.

I'm a content creator and marketer here at CHOICE – which basically just means that I write stuff. CHOICE's testing is so comprehensive that we publish vast amounts of data on all the products we test. We know that not everyone likes to wade through numbers to find the best product, so my job is to take the data and translate it into something more easily digestible for readers who are time-poor or just want to know the best products to buy – and which to avoid. I also get to dream up fun ways of taste-testing products, like the Tim Tam challenge and the Democracy Sausage taste test. I write about all kinds of things, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, so each day is different and I'm lucky that I get to learn about all the different things CHOICE does to help consumers.

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