A refrigerator is a huge investment for your home, and it’s hard finding models that are made with U.S. parts and by the U.S. workforce. We dug in to help you make that process a little easier. Below is our complete list of fridges made in the USA (or, mostly, as you’ll find out), along with tons of details about each one and the factors we considered in our research.
Full List of Fridge Brands Made in the USA
The Cafe Series fridge from GE is an appliance that is made from 90% American parts and 100% American labor. The size of this built-in fridge model is pretty comfortable at 42″ wide, which would work for any small to mid-size family. Featuring temperature control, it has an easy-to-read gauge, and the temp is pretty even across all compartments, so you don’t get any unexpectedly cold or warm spots. One of the “cooler” features is the ability for this fridge to connect to Wi-Fi, so it can send real-time performance feedback to GE and also work with smart home assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home. It has a sleek stainless steel design and a classic side-by-side look.
The ENERGY STAR French door fridge from GE is made of 84% U.S. materials and from 100% U.S. facilities and labor. Along with the typical LED lighting, humidity-controlled drawers, and other features that you come to expect from high-quality fridges these days, this GE model has a couple of different unique specs. One is that the fridge is ADA-compliant, meaning that it’s accessible and easy to open by people of varying abilities. It also has a couple of nifty features with an optional second icemaker and an advanced water filtration system.
The affordable 17.5 cubic foot top-freezer ENERGY STAR model from GE is made with 81% American materials and is exclusively assembled in American factories. For just a few hundred dollars, it comes equipped with three shelves (two adjustable) and two drawers in the main compartment, along with additional storage space in the door. The freezer has two shelves inside and additional door space as well. The temperature control is designed to be very straightforward. Other experts seem to think it’s reliable, too, rated #1 in quality and dependability by The Stevenson Company, which specializes in market research for appliances.
This GE Profile Series fridge comes with all the bells and whistles, including a unique Keurig K-Cup brewing system right in the front door! Just heat up water (button on the front of the fridge, or you can schedule it through the app), plug in a K-Cup, and go, getting a hot coffee in your mug almost instantly. It is made of 84% U.S. materials and 100% U.S. labor. Another feature is the drawers in the fridge have adjustable temperature settings. The setting you choose is designated with colored LED lights in the drawer. This model can also connect to Wi-Fi to send real-time performance feedback and alerts, and connect with your smart home assistant.
Brand name: Whirlpool
Headquarters: Benton Harbor, MI
States manufacturing in: IA, MA, MI, OH, OK, TN,
This Whirlpool bottom-freezer refrigerator is designed with a spacious interior and features to help with temperature control and food preservation. The shelving on the interior is well sectioned to fit a variety of foods, and each shelf is shaped to contain spills so they don’t leak down to other areas of the fridge, and you can clean up easily. It has automatic defrost technology in the freezer – it monitors the freezer environment for frost, and only runs when it needs to take care of any buildup starting to happen. There’s temperature management in the fridge portion, along with designated drawers for fruits, vegetables, and deli meats to keep each in the right environment.
Although not all materials are sourced from the U.S., the Maytag stainless steel bottom mount fridge is designed, engineered, and assembled in Amana, Iowa. Featuring fingerprint-resistant stainless steel, this fridge also comes equipped with LED lighting, crisper drawers to help preserve fruits and vegetables, and even temperature control in both the fridge and freezer portions. The size of each section is pretty standard at 15.6 cubic feet and 6.5 cubic feet, respectively. For more info, read our entire breakdown on Maytag.
Sub-Zero products are built with one simple idea in mind – keep food fresher for longer. Their built-in over/under fridge and freezer combination uses some of the most advanced food preservation technology on the market. A microprocessor inside each model monitors the temperature and climate at every section in the fridge and automatically adjusts as needed. In addition, each one is also equipped with an anti-microbial air purification system, which scrubs the air in the fridge every 20 minutes to rid it of any traces of mold or other toxins. In terms of storage space, this BI-30U model has over 13 cubic feet of space in the fridge section and over 4 cubic feet in the freezer. It is an expensive model but features some top-of-the-range technology.
Wolf is owned by the same parent company as Sub-Zero and has some fridges that are assembled in the USA with domestic and global components – pretty standard for the refrigerator industry. Wolf fridges are top-of-the-line and the price reflects that.
How To Find Fridges Made in The USA
Your refrigerator keeps your food cold, prolonging the amount of time your food is edible before it starts to rot. This important appliance comes at a high price tag which is why you want to ensure that the fridge you are buying is good quality and will last a long time. American-made appliances are known to be more durable and long-lasting. Unfortunately, many fridges nowadays are made abroad, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find true American-made products.
But finding fridges made in the USA is not impossible. Let’s go over some of the best tips to find US-made fridges!
What Does “Made in the USA” Mean?
To know how to find fridges made in the USA, you first need to understand what “made in the USA” means. The FTC states that “made in the USA” means that “all or virtually all of the product” is made in the United States. This means everything from sourcing the materials to the assembly of the fridge must take place domestically.
Check out our helpful “made in the USA” guide to learn more about the FTC’s standards.
Materials
The first step to finding fridges made in the USA is to look at the materials used to make the product. It is a good idea to research the origins of the materials to see where they come from.
Fridges are typically made from materials like steel, plastic, and fiberglass.
Steel
Steel is often used in the interior and exterior of fridges because of its durability. While China is currently the leading producer of the world’s steel, the USA is currently ranked fourth for steel production. In addition, it’s worth noting that US-made steel is three times stronger than Chinese-made steel. So, if you’re after quality, you should definitely be on the lookout for a steel fridge made in the USA.
Overall, finding a steel fridge made in the USA should be relatively easy.
Plastic
Most fridges these days are made with plastic in the interior and exterior because it is a lot cheaper. The USA produces 20% of the world’s plastic, which is not insignificant. However, this is much less than in China. In general, you’re more likely to come across manufacturers that use Chinese plastic, but since the USA still produces around 20% of the world’s plastic, a little research will help find fridges made with US-made plastic.
Fiberglass
Many fridges are made using fiberglass because it is durable and lighter than steel. China produces a staggering amount of the world’s fiberglass, but the USA comes in second place. You’ll find that companies looking to cut down manufacturing costs use fiberglass from China, but those more focused on durability may use US-made fiberglass. All in all, fiberglass made in the USA shouldn’t be too difficult to find, but definitely double-check the country of origin when you come across it.
Labeling
When looking for a fridge made in the USA, it is important to pay attention to the labeling. Title 19 Chapter 4 Section 1304 of the United States Code states that all imported products must be labeled as such. In addition, the FTC protects the “made in the USA” label. These two things make it easier for us to find products made in the USA. However, there are a few things to watch out for.
While any wrong use or misleading labeling of products is prohibited by law, the FTC does not do a very good job policing this. One reason is that the FTC does not pre-approve the usage of this label. This means it’s up to the companies to determine whether or not their products meet the “made in the USA” criteria. But with that said, the FTC will investigate any complaints of misleading labeling and take action when necessary.
You should also watch out for any misleading language in labels, such as “assembled in the USA” or “designed in the USA.” These labels do not actually mean that the products are made in the United States in their entirety. Also, be careful of labels like “made in America,” as America can also refer to Canada or Mexico.
One final thing to look out for is the American flag sticker. The usage of American flags on labels is not regulated, so just because you see an American flag on the fridge does not mean the product is made in the USA.
Other Tips
Here are some additional tips to help you find fridges made in the USA.
Visit The Company Website
Pay a visit to the company’s website, as many of them will have an “About Us” page with information about who they are and how their products are made. It should be noted that “made in the USA” is an excellent selling point, and many companies would proudly advertise this.
On the other hand, companies are not required to state the country of origin when it comes to online or promotional materials. So, if you can’t find the country of origin, it’s safer to assume the product is made abroad.
Check Online Shopping Sites
Online shopping sites like Amazon often state the country of origin in the Product Information section of their page. Another great place to check is the FAQ section; someone may have already asked a question regarding the product’s country of origin.
Call The Company
If you are still unsure where a product is made, simply call the company and ask. A representative should be able to answer all of your questions.
Fridges Not Made in the USA
Here are some popular fridge manufacturers that are not making their products in the USA. We’ll keep updating this list as we find more.
- Samsung – South Korea, Germany, China, Hungary, South Africa, Luxembourg, Sweden, Poland, India, and South Carolina in the USA.
- Beko – Made in Turkey.
- Blomberg – Made in Germany and Turkey.
- Insignia – Made in China.
- LG – They supply a lot of fridges to the U.S. from their factory in Tennessee, but also make them in South Korea, Mexico, China, and India.
- Bosch – Quite a lot are made in the USA (North Carolina), but some are also made in China, and Germany.
- Frigidaire – A lot of their fridges are made in the USA, but some are made in Mexico, Italy, and China.
