Cool tips for buying that new fridge

Most of the refrigerators we test nowadays chill and freeze at least adequately, and include such conveniences as pullout shelves or bins, spill guards and room on the door for a gallon of milk. Buying a fridge often is just a matter of finding one to fit your kitchen space, needs and budget.

But knowing when to scrap your old model can be just as important as choosing a new one. Obviously, do-it-yourself repairs such as replacing a gasket nearly always make sense. More serious problems, too, may be resolved on the cheap, often by visits to the troubleshooting section of an owner?s manuals or a manufacturer?s Web site.

Quandaries arise when you must decide between paying for a more costly repair or buying a new model. Our in-house experts ? the people who test new refrigerators ? offer these guidelines:

? Repair a model still under warranty or less than four years old (three years for fridges with top freezers).

? Consider repairing one between four and seven years old, but bear in mind a new refrigerator can save on energy costs.

? Replace any broken fridge whose repair would run you more than half the price of a new, comparable model.

If you find that it?s time to pull the plug on your old refrigerator, start your hunt for a replacement by considering the pros and cons of the major types. Top-freezer models, for example, cost the least, are relatively inexpensive to run and offer the most storage space for their size. Bottom freezers are best for putting often-used items at eye level, but you must bend or squat for items at the back or bottom of the freezer. Although they?re relatively pricey to buy and run ? and aren?t very space-efficient inside ? side-by-sides fit well in kitchens that can?t accommodate the wide-swinging doors of a top- or bottom-freezer model.

Once you?ve decided on a type, measure the available space in your kitchen ? especially the width ? to see whether it comes in that size. (Also measure the doorways and halls through which the refrigerator must pass when it?s delivered.) Our tests revealed several fine picks spanning all types in three typical widths.

? Top freezers: Among small (30 inches wide) models, we like the Kenmore 7495 (at $650, from Sears, it?s a CR Best Buy) and Frigidaire Gallery GLRT217TD ($730). For the higher price, the Frigidaire adds space and available stainless-steel styling. For a midsized (33 inches wide) model, the Kenmore 7425 offers the most performance for its price. At $720 (from Sears), it, too, is a CR Best Buy.

? Bottom freezers: Our picks for small models are the Amana ABB1921DE ($750) and the icemaker-equipped Kenmore 7500 ($750, from Sears), both CR Best Buys. The Amana ABB222ZDE (at $980, it?s also a CR Best Buy) was our top-scoring midsized bottom freezer, while two large (36 inches wide) models earned our recommendation: the LG LRFC25750 ($1,650) and the Kenmore Elite Trio 7652 ($1,650, from Sears). Both feature French-door styling.

? Side-by-sides: Among midsized models, we like the Kenmore 5538 for its low price (at $1,120, from Sears, it?s a CR Best Buy) and the Kitchen Aid KSRD22FK ($1,300) for its stainless styling and energy efficiency. Our picks for large side-by-sides are the top-rated Kenmore 5666 ($1,400, from Sears), the GE GSH25JFR ($1,040) and the Kenmore 5653 ($1,200, from Sears). Consider the Kenmore 5666 for its quietness and available stainless styling, the GE for its added space and the Kenmore 5653 for its low price. All qualify as CR Best Buys.

And don?t worry about buying an extended warranty for your new fridge. We?ve found that models from reliable brands ? such as the ones noted above ? are unlikely to break during the coverage period.