
Buying a new refrigerator for your home can be a stressful experience. They come in so many different styles and options and typically represent a significant investment of money. How do you know you've bought the one that will best meet your needs? It's a good idea to spend some time researching the different makes and models you are considering to fully educate yourself about the pros and cons of each.
In this article we have gathered for you the important and pertinent information concerning the Frigidaire refrigerator model number FFTR1821QW. This is a standard refrigerator model with the freezer on top and the fridge on the bottom. It is 18 cubic feet, which is a good size for a couple, a small family, or roommates sharing an apartment. It's simple to use. Just plug it in and it runs, and it needs little care other than cleaning.
Product Specifications
This top-freezer model fridge is great for a small home or for use as a second fridge in the garage, basement, or rec room. It has the following features:
Price of FFTR1821QW
- Adjustable Glass Shelves
- Humidity-Controlled Crisper Drawers
- Full-Width Wire Freezer Shelf
The MSRP for this model in white is around seven hundred and thirty dollars. If you want it in stainless steel, the MSRP is about eight hundred and thirty. The black model is also about seven hundred and thirty. They can be found on sale quite easily from five to six hundred dollars, so it pays to do your homework and shop around. Many home improvement stores and appliance retailers sell this model. They can also be purchased online, but the cost of shipping is prohibitive.
How It Compares
This compact little GE fridge is a good size for tight spaces. Despite its narrow width, it has a surprisingly roomy interior with 17.5 cubic feet of storage space. The top-freezer design is no frills, no fuss, but still does a good job of keeping your food cold. The features are:
If you want the stainless-steel model you will pay about one hundred fifty dollars more, while the black model is the same price as the white. This GE is nearly identical in the interior layout to the Frigidaire model above. They only really differ in width, the GE being two inches smaller. We give it the following ratings:
Description | Rating | |
Ease of use | This is a simple, frost-free refrigerator. The complete lack of any smart features and the very basic interior set-up make it one of the easiest fridges to use. | |
Assembly Time | Assembly time – There's not much to do other than put it in place and plug it in. The relative lack of shelving options means it won't take you long to put everything in its place. | |
Build Quality | This is a bargain fridge and it feels that way. The interior feels like cheap, flimsy plastic. The compressor runs loudly and there's no light in the freezer. | |
Warranty | The warranty on this refrigerator is as basic as they come. |
Another top-freezer model, this fridge packs in a few amenities not normally available at this price point. It has LED lighting rather than incandescent bulbs and also includes spill-proof glass shelving. It has an attractive design with a sleek, handle-free exterior that looks modern in the kitchen. The features include:
You can find this refrigerator on sale for as low as four hundred eighty, which makes it one of the cheapest on the market. For the price point, it's not too bad, although if you can afford more you should probably upgrade. We give it the following ratings:
Description | Rating | |
Ease of use | This fridge is definitely easy to use. There's almost nothing to it. It is frost-free and has no features that could possibly be difficult to use. | |
Assembly Time | Just plug it in. That's all you've got to do. There are not enough shelving options to make arranging the fridge difficult. | |
Build Quality | The bins are flimsy plastic and break easily. Some consumers complain that the refrigerator and freezer doors don't closely smoothly or tightly enough. | |
Warranty | This is a basic, uninspired warranty. |
This refrigerator is a top-freezer model from a widely respected brand that's been in the appliance industry for decades. It has some nice features that set it a little above the GE and Frigidaire models above, such as frameless glass shelves and a fingerprint resistant surface on the stainless-steel model. The features include:
This refrigerator runs more quietly than its competitors above. It also has very sturdy glass shelves as opposed to weak plastic. It is still a basic fridge, however, and lacks freezer lighting or LED lighting in the refrigerator. We give it the following ratings:
Description | Rating | |
Ease of use | Plug it in and it runs. Consumers report that it reaches temperature quickly. It only requires a minimum of cleaning for maintenance. | |
Assembly Time | It doesn't need to be assembled and if you've measured correctly it should fit into your kitchen just fine. The relatively few shelving options make arranging them a breeze. | |
Build Quality | While there are complaints that it is cheaply made, with alignment a little off and rickety plastic shelves, there are a few more upscale features than the Frigidaire, GE, and Insignia models above. | |
Warranty | Once again, this is a pretty poor warranty. The only warranty worse than this is having none at all. |
Listed at a great price point, this 17.6 cubic feet refrigerator is as basic as they come, but it does a decent job of keeping your food safe and cold. If you don't want any bells or whistles, this refrigerator might do the job for you just fine. The features include:
This is a noisy refrigerator. Many customers state it's perfect for a second fridge in the garage where you can't hear it. On the plus side the freezer capacity is very good for its size and the interior doesn't feel quite as cheap as some of the other brands at this level. We give it the following ratings:
Description | Rating | |
Ease of use | No problems here. It comes to temperature fine and is easy to set up. | |
Assembly Time | Just set it up in the kitchen, plug it in, and it runs. It won't take long to adjust the few shelves. | |
Build Quality | It's noisy, but the plastic interior isn't quite as flimsy as some options. | |
Warranty | This is not a great warranty. It doesn’t give you much faith in the product. |
Frigidaire FFTR1821QW Rating
Description | Rating | |
Ease of use | This refrigerator is so basic, there's not much you have to figure out. It's very easy to use. | |
Assembly Time | No real assembly require other than deciding where you want your shelves to go. | |
Build Quality | The plastic shelves and bins feel cheap and thin. | |
Warranty | The warranty is the bare minimum offered by refrigerator manufacturers. |
Pros
Cons
The Bottom Line
If you’re on a budget or need a second refrigerator, the Frigidaire FFTR1821QW is an OK choice. It will do the job for you, provided you set the controls much lower than the owner’s manual recommends. It has a lower than average repair and reliability history. Consumers complain about the cheap interior quality, but at this price point you’re not going to get anything better.
There isn’t anything to set it apart from the GE, Insignia, Whirlpool, and Hotpoint models above. All the interiors are virtually the same layout and the cubic feet is similar. You could get a few more nice features from the Insignia or the Whirlpool with their spill-proof glass shelves and fingerprint-resistant stainless-steel options, but those are small upgrades to an otherwise basic and unexciting refrigerator.
If you can afford to go up just a few hundred dollars more to the eight to nine hundred dollar range, you will find a much higher quality level, more cubic feet, lower noise level, and greater versatility with the interior layout. There is significantly greater bang for the buck at that price point than at five to seven hundred. We think it’s worth the investment to spend a little more and be a lot happier with your refrigerator. We give the Frigidaire FFTR1821QW 2.5 stars.
Comparison Table
Product | Rating | Price |
---|---|---|
![]() Frigidaire FFTR1821QW 18.0 Cu. Ft. White Top Freezer Refrigerator | ||
![]() GE GTS18GTHWW | ||
![]() Insignia NS-RTM18WH7 | ||
![]() Whirlpool WRT318FZD | ||
![]() Hotpoint HPS18BTHWW |
Last update on 2021-03-01 at 11:59 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API