Review: The Best Fridge Brands in Kenya for 2024

In the previous post; Chill Out; Your Guide to Buying the Perfect Refrigerator, we emphasized that the reputation of a refrigerator brand does not necessarily indicate its overall quality or suitability of a model, for your specific requirements. Instead, it is crucial to research the particular model you are considering.

Even a well-regarded brand can have a model with potential issues. That article covers all the essential factors you should consider, such as size, capacity, technology, and more, to help you make an informed decision when choosing the most suitable refrigerator for your needs. If this topic piques your interest, feel free to click the article above for more information.

If you’ve already determined your requirements and have a set budget but are seeking assistance in selecting the most suitable refrigerator brand and model, I have a post that discusses the top refrigerators available in various price ranges, ranging from KSh 25,000 to over 360,000 in Kenya. The Best Fridges for Every Budget in Kenya It provides detailed information on each available fridge by comparing the features each offers for the same price and then selecting the best value. Feel free to explore that post for more insights.

If you just want brand names; the best fridge brands in Kenya, and nothing else then settle for this. This post will explain why a particular brand made it to the compilation and also list any pros and cons of the competition

1. LG

LG is a renowned electronics and appliance brand that offers good and generally high-quality products ranging from washers, dryers, microwaves, and fridges.

The fridges have signature technologies that make them better performing, energy efficient, and durable. These advanced features and technologies include:

InstaView™: A technology that lets you see what is inside your LG smart fridge without opening it, just knock on the door twice and see inside. Great, now you can see your vegetables rotting without opening the refrigerator!
Door-in-Door®: For easy access to frequently used items in a compartment without opening the entire door letting warm air in, that is a dread to the optimal temperatures.Typically found in the French Door layouts. Door-in-Door® creates minimal temperature disturbance while offering you easy accessibility. Talk of killing two birds with a stone- the key to that is; big rock, small birds.
DoorCooling+™ offers more cooling to the door after it has been opened to ensure no temperature fluctuation in stored produce that could compromise its quality.
SmartThinQ™: This is a home automation app for your smartphone that works with your LG fridge. You can make controls e.g. temperature from your phone. This app works on other obedient LG devices like TVs, Washers among others. No more messing with knobs. All done with a touch of your smartphone. It also offers self-diagnosis, and how to troubleshoot each error without calling in maintenance services.
Linear Cooling™ preserves and maintains the delicate essence of your produce ensuring that taste, color, and smell remain the same as when you added them to the fridge by ensuring no variations in temperatures.

Pros of an LG refrigerator

Class-leading reliability, generally better than Samsung according to consumer reports
Modern, elegant, and stylish finishes
Quality materials and an overall sturdy mechanical build
10-year compressor warranty
Packs LG’s custom technologies and innovations
Has an official service center in Nairobi
Self-diagnosis and troubleshooting
Customizable humidity control in your vegetable box, for optimal storage conditions for a particular fruit or vegetable

Cons of an LG Refrigerator

Generally high-end and expensive, the cheapest LG fridge starts at KSh 78,000
They can be costly to repair once out of warranty
Doesn’t offer the best value if storage capacity is your main priority, you pay for the bells and whistles

2. Samsung

Samsung is one of the most popular home appliance brands. They make premium refrigerators with cutting-edge technology and excellent general performance with smart home integration in some models.

Their smart home is through SmartThings, an automation system that works with your Samsung devices and your refrigerator can communicate with your phone. You can use SmartThings to do basic controls like temperature adjustment remotely. This feature is not available in all models, just the high-end ones. It is basically your butler but for fridge things

Samsung is no newcomer in developing its in-house refrigeration technologies. Their refrigerators offer a seamless combination of functionality and contemporary design, incorporating advanced features such as ;

FlexZone™ for personalized temperature adjustments, at each section
Twin Cooling Plus™ for precise humidity regulation, for even crisp fruits and vegetables, no more wilting. Preserves the texture and taste of your foods even leftovers
Family Hub™ for intelligent connectivity, it connects to the internet and is like a digital whiteboard, you can leave notes, manage calendars, and more.

Pros of a Samsung Refrigerator

Stylish design with premium finishes to match your aesthetics
Low noise operation
Modern technology and features incorporation
Popular brand so the availability of replacement parts
Excellent energy efficiency so cheaper in the long run
Reliable compressor with 10year warranty
Built-in stabilizers for voltage control, so you won’t need a fridge guard
Some models have cool packs that store cool air keeping your produce safe for up to 10 hours without power, you know KPLC’s reliability score is as strong as a wet cardboard. So this is a handy feature
With slide-out shelves, the back pain of reaching for items in the back will be nonexistent
Some models have a convertible freezer feature where you can change your freezer section to act as a fridge as well; in case you are storing all fresh products and no frozen ones. You can pull an uno reverse card and convert your entire fridge into a freezer too!

Cons of a Samsung Refrigerator

Models with ice makers have a higher failure rate
Generally high-end and expensive, the cheapest Samsung fridge starts at KSh 68,000
They can be costly to repair once out of warranty
Not sure of an official service center, so you may have to rely on 3rd party centers
It’s clear that quirks and features come at a price, and unfortunately, it’s your precious storage space that often pays the toll.

3. Bosch

Bosch is a reputable German engineering brand committed to quality and durable products. You probably know Bosch from industrial equipment, and DIY tools more than consumer appliances. However, Bosch makes decent kitchen appliances including; fridges, cookers, ovens, microwaves, grills, and more

Technologies used in Bosch refrigerators:

VitaFresh™ technology for prolonging the freshness of fruits and vegetables, while maintaining their texture just like LG’s Linear Cooling™. Your vegetables will stay green and un-wilted, and your apples will remain crisp and crunchy and not mushy. You can store the fresh produce longer in Bosch fridges compared to your average fridge brand.
MultiAirFlow™ for even temperature distribution, no more inconsistency; just symphonic like your favorite power metal band. It gotta be Dynazty, else we can’t be friends.

Pros of a Bosch Refrigerator

Efficient cooling system, thus saving on energy operation costs
Quiet running no noise, no more endurance to humming from your fridge and mosquitoes too, you now have one struggle- mosquitoes.
Sleeker and unique designs compared to LG and Samsung. I love Bosch because they are more subtle and minimalist, on the exterior there’s not a lot going on. Just visually striking and will match minimalist vibes and sophistication
Customizable shelving and organization to fit every geometry or symmetry of your products, while utilizing and maximizing storage space
Cool packs that cool longer than Samsung, Bosch pushes up to 30 hours compared to 12 hours in Samsung
4 Star freezing meaning it freezes upto -24°C

Cons of a Bosch Refrigerator

Not very popular hence limited service and repair
Expensive to fix in case of circuit board failure
Expensive pricing, Bosch is more expensive than even equivalent Samsung and LG. Starts at over KSh 90,000
Don’t offer many innovative features or in-house technologies like in Samsung and LG
Limited models, in Kenya you will find less than 5 models are in stock

4. Hisense

Hisense has been around for a while but is a newbie in the fridge game. They however offer insane features for the price, and in my opinion, it packs the best bang for each shilling you pay compared to all other brands.

They are by far the most stylish fridges on a budget too, can’t be so sure about reliability tho, but so far no complaints. Plus with warranty backings, you should be covered well. They don’t re-invent the wheel like LG, Samsung, and Bosch, but they offer good more than basic fridge performance.

Pros of Hisense Refrigerators

Highest capacity offering for every budget
Offers flagship features at a budget e.g the 90° door opening, supercooling, pull-out drawers
Best aesthetics and finishes in the budget category
Have dispenser tanks that do not require plumbing
Have a smart fridge offering

Cons of Hisense Refrigerators

Relatively new fridges to the market, so can’t be sure about long-term reliability
Limited models in the higher-end budget
Doesn’t offer the best value for its mini fridges

5. Von

Von is a commonly known appliance brand in Kenya offering a variety of fridges, freezers, cookers, and more. They cater to a wide demographic, unlike LG, Samsung, and Bosch which appeal to high-end, Von has probably the highest number of models spanning from mini-fridges to double doors. Von fridges are a fairly good value and affordable. In every 10,000 price tier, they have at least one model.

Pros of Von Refrigerators

A lot of models to choose from for literally every budget bracket, so you are sure to find a fridge with the perfect balance of features you want without compromising on anything
Models are affordable to the majority of Kenyans, just priced right
Higher-end end models offer flagship features at a lower cost compared to LG and Samsung. For instance, a convertible freezer a feature you will find in a 100k plus Samsung fridge is available in Von at less than 80,000
Being a common brand, repairs and, parts availability won’t be a hassle. Repairs are expected to be affordable too.

Cons of Von Refrigerators

Lower-end and mid-range models have boring designs and are just basic to the wall. Hisense offers better designs for the same price
Noisy operations compared to the big brands
No in-house technologies to ensure even more efficiency like in Samsung or LG
Material and build quality are not up to par with other brands
Bulky designs for the same price as big brands. At a higher budget, you still get big protruding door handles instead of retractable ones

6. Ramtons

Ramtons is the most common appliance brand in Kenya. Search any appliance and the autocomplete will add the name Ramtons.

Ramtons is a Kenyan company and maybe their success is attributed to understanding consumer needs in the region and providing exactly that to the consumer. The reliability score is generally good, and their products are fairly priced. Better value than Von generally, but not better than Hisense

Pros of Ramtons Fridges

Satisfactory reliability rating. Lack of advanced features means low failure points
Affordable models for every budget
A famous brand means easy repairs and part availability
Cheap repairs because the units are relatively cheap
Best capacity-to-price ratio where Hisense models are not available

Cons of Ramtons Fridges

Very basic, with no advanced features or technologies even on high-end models, you just pay for extra capacity.
Bulky for the same capacity as bigger brands
The boxy design is not aesthetically pleasing, and thick edges compromise storage capacity that could be achieved from the same dimensions
Higher operation noise
No variety offering in the high-end segment

Honorable Mentions

7. Haier

Good value fridge, just no advanced features. They are also noisy like very noisy so you might wanna skip on Haier if that is unbearable for you. It also has strange occasional squeaking noises across most models. Apart from the noises, everything is fine.

8. Bruhms

Same as Ramtons in almost every aspect, just a little more priced

9. Mika

Good designs and build quality in lower-end budgets, runners up in terms of design after Hisense in that category. Generous capacity provisions for each budget comes third after Hisense and Ramtons

10. Beko

A Turkish brand since the 1950s, models are not consistently available in Kenya though. It falls in the top 5 if all fridge brands are ranked

11. TCL

Relatively new to the fridge arena but they make good TVs and the brand is reputable. The fridge is aesthetic and ergonomic and anyone who has bought it seems to be loving it so far. The only downside is you can’t be sure of long-term reliability as the product hasn’t been there for a while.

12. Whirlpool

Very practical and reliable with satisfactory consumer reports score, limited availability in Kenya however. This would be my number 1 recommended brand if availability was consistent.

13. Cheapest Fridge Brand-Roch Fridges

This is a new electronics brand that I have never heard of before, but without a doubt; this offers the cheapest fridges for every price category

It is so cheap that it is almost scary, take a mini fridge for instance it costs almost KSh 10,000 less than the average price of all other brands. It is literally 53% cheaper than the competition and moving up the price ladder the gap widens even further!

This might be a good deal or a low quality product, opting for this is like a gamble because you are not assured of the brand reputation

But considering the reviews are good(if they are real), this is a good steal since it is backed up by a 1 year warranty. Now the worry is, will it last past after the warranty period?

Best Places to Buy Fridges in Kenya

LG, Samsung, Bosch, Beko and Von: Von Hotpoint Appliances Ltd
Hisense: Hisense Kenya
Ramtons: Ramtons Electronics Kenya
Bruhm: Carrefour Kenya
TCL: Carrefour Kenya
Haier: Haier KE

Verdict

While a refrigerator brand alone may not provide a complete picture, it is still advisable to avoid purchasing a generic or no-name brand. Instead, opt for a well-established brand that offers warranty coverage, after-sales support, and repair centers, with a reputation for overall reliability from consumers. These factors ensure that you receive adequate customer satisfaction in case of any issues or repair needs that may arise.

Top mount refrigerators are more reliable than the bottom mount, ice maker refrigerators are less reliable, and go for simple fridges, probably non-tech packed because they will outlast the fancier ones.

Which brand is generally best for;

Reliability: LG

Energy Efficiency: Samsung

Unique Styling: Bosch

Value: Hisense

Affordability: Ramtons

Model Variety: Von

I hope this helps find your next fridge brand on the fundament of what your buying point is, cheers!

Personal Ranking

This ranking is on the basis of personal tastes, individual factors, and preferences and should not be used as expert purchase advice.

Whirlpool
LG
Samsung
Bosch
Beko
Hisense
Mika
Von
Ramtons
Bruhms
Haier
TCL

Review: The Best Fridge Brands in Kenya for 2024