Here at Consumer Reports, our test engineers, market analysts, secret shoppers, and statisticians combine their skills to help find, analyze, and test thousands of products every year. Like you, we’re consumers, too. We want to find the very best products for your home and ours.
That drive is why we take over 5million temperature readings for each refrigerator that enters our labs, use a photo-imaging machine to determine how well dishwashers clean, and bake thousands of cookies while testing ranges.
In This Article
Best: • Ranges • Refrigerators • Dishwashers • Over-the-Range Microwaves • Cooktops • Wall Ovens
More on Kitchen Appliances
Best Ranges
Best Refrigerators
Best Dishwashers
Best Over-the-Range Microwaves
Best Electric Wall Ovens
The result of all that rigor? Our in-depth ratings charts, which rank ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, over-the-range microwaves, cooktops, and wall ovens.
Below, CR members with digital access can see the very best products across all of the major kitchen appliances we test. Members can view even more CR-tested products in our ratings charts by clicking on the links above.
For help choosing the right appliances for your kitchen, see our free buying guides for ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, over-the-range microwaves, cooktops, and wall ovens. And if you’re looking for countertop appliances, such as air fryers and coffee makers, see our guide to the best small kitchen appliances.
Best Ranges
The best ranges make meal prep quicker and easier and help your baked goods emerge looking and tasting their best. From budget-friendly coil tops to decked-out pro-style ranges, the choices run the gamut, and the most expensive models aren’t necessarily the best.
For more options, see our guide to the best ranges.
Best Refrigerators
To find the best refrigerator, you’ll need to first decide which configuration you want for your household. French-door models are popular because of their high-end aesthetic, bottom-freezers are less expensive and put fresh food at eye level, and side-by-side models fit better in a smaller kitchen because of their narrow doors.
For more options, see our guide to the best refrigerators.
Best Dishwashers
The best dishwashers now can wash your dishes squeaky-clean and dry them almost completely, all while using minimal water and energy—and they run quietly enough that you might forget they’re running at all. The trick is finding a reliable dishwasher that accomplishes all of that and comes with the features you need to suit your needs.
For more options, see our guide to the best dishwashers.
Best Over-the-Range Microwaves
An over-the-range microwave oven is a good choice if you have limited counter space or prefer a built-in appliance that matches the rest of your kitchen suite—plus, you can get a new one for as little as $200. They don’t vent cooking gases as well as a dedicated range hood, though, and they may be tough to reach (at least 18 inches above your stovetop).
For more options, see our guide to the best over-the-range microwaves.
Best Cooktops
One of the most significant benefits of choosing a separate cooktop and wall oven for your kitchen as opposed to a range is the freedom to customize. You can mix and match cooktops and wall ovens from different brands and freely mix heat sources—opting for a gas cooktop and an electric wall oven.
For more options, see our guides to the best electric cooktops, best gas cooktops, and best induction cooktops.
Best Wall Ovens
Like cooktops, wall ovens offer the kind of flexibility that you won’t find in a range. They can be installed on just about any wall and at any height in your kitchen. A majority of wall ovens are electric, so that’s what we test. That also means you won’t need a gas or propane service to install one.
For more options, see our guide to the best electric wall ovens.
Daniel Wroclawski
Dan Wroclawski is a home and appliances writer at Consumer Reports, covering products ranging from refrigerators and coffee makers to cutting-edge smart home devices. Before joining CR in 2017, he was an editor at USA Today’s Reviewed, and launched the site’s smart home section. In his spare time, you can find him tinkering with one of the over 70 connected devices in his house. Follow Dan on Facebook and Twitter @danwroc.
