LG and Samsung compete in a similar niche in the appliance market, focusing on creating appliances with smart features and sleek designs for the modern home. If you're trying to decide between LG vs Samsung refrigerators, maybe this article can help! We'll compare a few of the similar features both brands offer, and give you some product reviews to chew on as well. If you want to learn more about choosing a new fridge, check out our refrigerator buying guide!
Samsung sometimes offers higher-end features at lower prices than the competition, making them appealing to consumers. LG and Samsung both offer things like...
Door in door refrigerators
Smart technology
Four door French door refrigerators
Unique matte finishes, fingerprint resistant stainless steel, and black stainless steel
We'll go over the refrigerator designs, smart technology, and appliance color options of these two brands to help you decide which option is right for you!
Table of Contents
Refrigerator Design Features
Door in door refrigerators are a popular option on the market today in both side by side and French door refrigerators. LG offers the InstaView door in door as a premium design option: a tinted panel on the refrigerator door can change to translucent so you can see the items inside without opening the door.
See the LG InstaView in action!
Samsung calls their door in doors Food ShowCase. The designs of the door storage can vary from model to model. Samsung's door in door on side by side refrigerators is full-length, while LG's door in door section only reaches halfway down their side by side models. The door in door models from both brands have panels that further protect the interior from losing cold air and insulate the door in door section better. Samsung calls theirs Metal Cooling, while LG's is named the ColdSaver Panel.
See Samsung's Food ShowCase refrigerator in action!
Both brands offer variable speed compressors (LG's linear compressor and Samsung's digital inverter compressor) that are designed to operate quietly and are more efficient than traditional single-speed compressors. They even compete when it comes to warranties - you'll find extended five and ten-year coverage on the compressors in both brands.
When it comes to external ice and water dispensers, both brands offer in-door icemakers in side by side and French door configurations to free up interior shelf space. LG's tall ice and water dispenser is handy for filling pitchers and sports water bottles. Samsung offers an AutoFill pitcher on select French door models that you can use to make cold brew coffee or infused drinks.
Another popular design is the four door refrigerator. Samsung calls this technology FlexZone. Some models come with a drawer that can be used to refrigerate or chill items, while others offer a split freezer section that can be turned into a refrigerator section if needed. LG's CustomChill drawer offers similar features to the FlexZone drawer. As of this writing, both brands offer four temperature settings for these drawers, from 29 to 42 degrees.
Samsung's Twin Cooling Plus and LG's Smart Cooling Plus are also similar features incorporating dual evaporators and other tech to ensure even cooling and humidity levels.
LG dominates when it comes to offering a broad range of extra-large side by side and French door refrigerators, but the largest Samsung refrigerators often aren't too far behind!
Smart Technology
Samsung stands out here with the Family Hub Refrigerator, which has a huge touch screen that you can use as a calendar, to reorder items from Amazon, and more. You can use the Bixby virtual assistant to give voice commands as well. If you're at the grocery store and can't remember if you need eggs, you can check the fridge's interior cameras with your smartphone!
Both brands offer similar smart connectivity when it comes to refrigerators. You can get alerts when a door is left open, ask the fridge to make more ice, and more. Select models come with smart grid modes to reduce energy usage at peak power times to save you money. Both brands offer diagnostic troubleshooting apps if issues arise with your appliance - LG's Smart Diagnosis and Samsung's Smart Care.
Appliance Colors & Styling
Both brands offer black stainless steel appliances, and each has a unique proprietary color as well. LG has black matte while Samsung has Tuscan stainless.
LG black matte (pictured below) is a deeper shade than their black stainless with matching handles and a soft matte finish for a rich look.
Samsung Tuscan stainless steel is a bronzey, warm, earth-toned shade that is designed to be very durable and fingerprint resistant.
Watch our video on Tuscan stainless!
LG tends to use sleek curved handles for their refrigerator hardware and some pocket handle options in their LG Studio line. Samsung offers a more slender curved handle as well as pocket handles. Both brands offer handles that match the overall refrigerator finish - unlike GE Slate, for example, which has contrasting stainless steel handles against the stone-inspired slate finish.
Quick Review
| LG | Samsung | |
| Door in Door Refrigerators | InstaView on select French doors; door in door with ColdSaver panel on side by sides and French doors | Referred to as "Food ShowCase;" available on side by sides and French doors. |
| Four Door Refrigerators | A CustomChill drawer between the freezer and fresh food sections that can be set from 29-42 degrees | FlexZone drawers can be set from 29-42 degrees; models with FlexZone freezers allow you to convert part or all of the freezer to extra refrigerator space |
| Smart Tech | Smart ThinQ and Smart Diagnosis apps to use smart wifi connected features and troubleshoot any issues more easily | SmartThinQ app and Smart Care apps have similar features; the Family Hub refrigerator incorporates a huge touchscreen into the door of your fridge to use as a "hub" for calendar events, cooking, music, and more |
| Colors & Styling | Colors include black stainless steel, black matte, and fingerprint resistant stainless steel; handles and overall styling tends to be sleek but familiar | Colors include black stainless steel and Tuscan stainless steel; handles tend to be sleeker; overall styling often has a more premium feel even at lower price points |
Pricing
When it comes to smart refrigerators, models with the Samsung Family Hub start at around $3,299. LG InstaView refrigerators start at $2,399, while their top of the line smart models start at $3,999.
LG French doors start at $1,699 for a 22 cubic foot model, while Samsung's start at $1,499 for an 18 cubic foot model. Side by sides start at $1,299 for Samsung and $1,499 for LG. Both offer large top freezer refrigerators - LG offers 24 cubic foot models starting at $1,199, while Samsung offers 21 cubic foot models at a similar price.
LG offers a limited selection of bottom freezers starting at around $1,299 while Samsung does not offer any.
Prices are overall pretty similar, but keep in mind that factors like holiday sales and package deals can shave 20-40% off of the retail price! Different brands may have different promotions and rebates available throughout the year, so we can't say for certain whether all refrigerators from one brand will be a better deal than the other.
If you're looking for refrigerator product reviews, here are a few articles we've written that may help:
The 7 Best Side by Side Refrigerators of the Year - Often features one or both brands!
The 7 Best French Door Refrigerators of the Year - Same as the above.
LG vs GE Bottom Freezer Refrigerator Comparison - Which is Better?
We hope this helped you learn more about how LG vs Samsung refrigerators compare. Leave us a comment below - We'd love to hear from you!
Editor's Note: This blog was originally written in March of 2018 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy as of the publication date noted above.