Ask for a side-by-side refrigerator with an ice maker and you expect a wall of choices. You get seven. That is the honest state of this category in 2026: genuine vertical split fridge-freezers with a factory ice maker occupy a narrow corner of the market, and most of what sells under the banner is actually a French door or a top-mount fridge with a through-the-door dispenser bolted on.
We spent weeks narrowing the field and reading what owners actually report after living with these machines. What follows is every qualifying side-by-side we could find, ordered by how well each one handles ice rather than by how much interior space it gives you. We cover the ice maker itself, the storage bin behind it, the dispenser geometry, and the parts of the cabinet you only notice on delivery day.
If you want a wider view of the format, our guide to the best side-by-side refrigerators for families covers cabinet choices where the ice maker is optional. Here, every model below ships with one built in. And if your household outgrows the freezer bin long before the ice maker wears out, we have separate roundups on the best nugget ice makers and the best pellet ice makers that plug in beside a fridge instead of inside one.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Side by Side Refrigerators With Ice Makers in 2026
LG LS27T3230S 27 cu. ft.
- Slim in-door ice maker
- 16.2 cu. ft. fresh food
- PrintProof stainless
- Wi-Fi enabled
Samsung RS27T5561SR 26.7 cu. ft.
- Family Hub touchscreen
- Indoor ice maker
- Multi-vent cooling
- ENERGY STAR
Midea MRS25I7BST 24.5 cu. ft.
- Counter-depth 29 inch width
- AutoFill water pitcher
- Fingerprint-resistant steel
The LG is the one we would put in our own kitchen. It combines a 4.4 rating across the deepest written-review base of any model here with an in-door ice maker that gives back a full freezer column, and it is the side-by-side we would call the safest default purchase in this group.
The Samsung buys you the smartest cabinet and the longest compressor warranty, at the cost of the ice maker being the part owners argue about most. The Midea is the counter-depth answer, and its 29 inch width is the reason it fits where the others cannot.
Best Side by Side Refrigerators With Ice Makers (October 2026)
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| LG LS27T3230S 27 cu. ft. |
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| Samsung RS27T5561SR 26.7 cu. ft. |
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 Amana ASI2575GRS 24.6 cu. ft. |
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 Electactic FF2-695 18.1 cu. ft. |
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| Midea MRS25I7BST 24.5 cu. ft. |
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 Forno Salerno 20 cu. ft. |
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 Kenmore 29 cu. ft. Side-by-Side |
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Two things jump out of that table. Only the Kenmore publishes a daily ice production figure, at up to 3 pounds a day from its door-mounted maker. And the energy spread is wide, from 560 kWh a year on the Forno to 731 kWh on the Kenmore, which is a difference you will feel on a utility bill every month of the machine’s life.
1. LG LS27T3230S: The Best Overall Side by Side With an Ice Maker
LG 27 cu. ft. Side-by-Side Standard Depth Slim in Door Ice and Water Dispenser in PrintProof Stainless Steel Wi-Fi Enabled LS27T3230S
27 cu. ft. total
16.2 cu. ft. fresh food
PrintProof stainless
38D x 73W x 35H in
267 pounds
Pros
- Slim in-door ice maker frees up freezer shelf space
- Ice dispenses in a controlled stream
- Spacious 27 cu. ft. interior
- PrintProof stainless resists fingerprints
- Wi-Fi and touch controls
Cons
- Ice maker runs loud and slower than rival units
- In-door maker can freeze over overnight and need a manual defrost
- Small touch pad for switching between water and ice
This is the refrigerator we keep coming back to. The LS27T3230S gives you 27 cubic feet split into 16.2 on the fresh food side, and it puts the ice maker in the freezer door rather than taking a shelf out of the compartment. On paper that is the single most important decision on this list, because an in-door maker dumps its product into a bin and leaves the whole left-hand column of the freezer free for actual food.
Reviewers consistently describe the dispenser as well behaved. Ice comes out in a controlled stream rather than a clump, and the machine has a simple touch panel instead of a screen you have to swipe. Owners also like that the interface stays out of the way even though the unit is Wi-Fi enabled, which means you get connectivity without being forced to learn an app.
The number to weigh carefully is the 38 inch depth. That is a standard-depth cabinet, and it projects well past a 25 inch countertop. Door swing is the other thing nobody mentions until the delivery crew is in your kitchen, so measure the gap between your wall and the nearest cabinet before this one goes on your list.
Two complaints come up more than the rest. The ice maker is louder than the competition and can be slower to fill the bin after a warm day. More seriously, the in-door assembly can freeze over overnight and need a manual defrost. That is not a rare edge case in the written reviews, and it is the thing to weigh against the shelf space it buys you.
Service is the quiet risk. Owners report LG charging a flat fee that runs into the hundreds for a single visit, and a specialized technician is often required. If you live far from a metro area, that changes the long-term math on any repair, ice maker or otherwise.
What you give up with this LG
You give up warranty length and energy transparency. The coverage here is one year on the appliance, the shortest meaningful term in this group, and no annual kWh figure is published for the model. The Samsung covers the sealed refrigeration system for five years and the compressor for ten, and it publishes its energy use. Those are real differences when you are planning to keep a fridge for a decade.
You also give up the deepest ice storage of the lineup and the only crushed ice option in the top three. If your household empties a cooler every weekend, look at the Kenmore in position seven before you settle.
Who should skip it
Skip this LG if a tight kitchen is your situation. At 38 inches deep and 73 inches wide, it is a large box that needs a real opening, not a galley alcove. Anyone shopping on a tight measurement should start with the 29 inch wide Midea instead.
I would also hesitate if you live in a rural area with no nearby LG service, or if you plan on moving the machine yourself. At 267 pounds, this is not a two-person job.
2. Samsung RS27T5561SR: The Most Versatile With the Smartest Cabinet
Samsung 26.7 Cu. Ft. Large Capacity Side-By-Side Refrigerator with Family Hub, Stainless Steel, RS27T5561SR/AA
26.7 cu. ft. total
17.2 fresh, 9.5 freezer
691 kWh per year
Family Hub touchscreen, Alexa built in
Pros
- Family Hub touchscreen with Alexa built in
- Indoor ice maker frees freezer shelf space
- Multi-vent cooling for even temperatures
- Ten-year compressor warranty
- ENERGY STAR certified
Cons
- Only 10 written reviews leave long-term data thin
- Smart features are dead weight if you never open the app
- Owners question Samsung ice maker reliability
The RS27T5561SR is the most feature-dense cabinet in this group and the one with the most debated ice maker. You get 26.7 cubic feet, 17.2 of it fresh food, inside a flat-panel body with recessed handles and a fingerprint-resistant finish. The interior was redesigned to fit roughly 10 percent more groceries than the generation it replaces, and the flat door panels mean the doors sit flush rather than bulging outward.
The Family Hub touchscreen on the fresh food door is the reason people photograph this fridge. It runs cameras inside, lists what is in the compartment, and has Alexa built in so you can ask for the weather while you are holding a carton of eggs. Multi-vent cooling circulates air to specific zones, and the maker sits inside the freezer so the shelves above it stay free.
Warranty is where Samsung pulls ahead of everything else here. The sealed refrigeration system carries five years of parts and labor, and the digital inverter compressor carries ten years on parts and five on labor. It is ENERGY STAR certified, met the 2020 Emerging Technology standard, and uses R-600A refrigerant at 691 kWh a year.
Now the honest part. With ten written reviews averaging 4.1 stars, this is not a well-tested machine, and 64 percent of those reviews are five-star. The ice maker is the component that draws the most complaint, and owners on r/Appliances question Samsung ice maker reliability as a category rather than for this model alone. Budget for the possibility that a visit from a Samsung-authorized technician is a specialist job.
What you give up with this Samsung
You give up simplicity. This is a 306 pound appliance with a screen, cameras, voice assistant, and app dependency, and the review base itself notes that the smart features may be unnecessary for some households. If nobody in your home will open the app, you are paying weight and complexity for a door panel.
You also give up cabinet width for the money. It measures 35.88 inches wide by 33.5 inches deep, so it is narrower and shallower than the LG, which means a little less raw volume for a considerably higher ticket. Door open, it needs 51.31 inches of clearance.
Who should skip it
Skip it if reliability history outranks features for you. The written review base is thin, and the brand’s ice maker reputation is the single most discussed negative on appliance forums. Buyers who want the smart cabinet but not that risk should read our troubleshooting section further down before deciding.
Skip it too if your kitchen cannot swallow 51 inches of door swing. In a galley layout, that clearance number is the whole decision.
3. Amana ASI2575GRS: The Straightforward Everyday Pick
Amana 24.6 CU. FT. Side BY Side Refrigerator with Dual PAD External ICE and Water Dispenser in Stainless Steel ASI2575GRS
24.57 cu. ft. total
15.46 cu. ft. fresh food
Hot gas defrost
34.12D x 35.87W x 69.25H in
Pros
- Dual pad external ice and water dispenser
- Hot gas defrost system
- Stainless steel doors
- Deep 34 inch cabinet for a 24.6 cu. ft. body
Cons
- Only one written review so reliability is unproven
- Wire shelves rather than glass
- Not ENERGY STAR certified in the listed specs
The Amana is the appliance equivalent of a no-nonsense tool. There is no screen, no app, and no voice assistant. You get 24.57 cubic feet, 15.46 of it in the fresh food compartment, behind a dual pad external ice and water dispenser that gives you two separate buttons instead of one toggle you have to hold.
Hot gas defrost is the technical detail worth knowing here. Rather than a heating element or a coil, the defrost cycle runs hot compressor gas across the freezer evaporator, which tends to leave less moisture on the walls and fewer ice sheets to chip away at. Three door shelves and three wire shelves cover the storage, and the stainless doors are the standard fingerprint-magnetic finish rather than a coated printproof variant.
Two things hold this one back, and neither is a dealbreaker. The shelving is wire, not glass, so a tall bottle of olive oil needs a door bin or a very steady hand. And the listed specifications show it as not certified for energy efficiency, which means you should expect a higher operating cost than the Samsung or the Forno.
What you give up with this Amana
You give up the written evidence. There is exactly one review on file for this model, which is not enough to tell you anything about how the ice maker behaves in year three. Treat this as a specification-driven purchase rather than a proven one, and ask the retailer directly about parts availability before you commit.
You also give up fresh food capacity compared with the leaders. At 15.46 cubic feet, it sits below both the LG and the Samsung, and the deep 34.12 inch body means it needs a full-size opening.
Who should skip it
Skip it if energy cost matters to you over the life of the appliance, since the listed efficiency status is not certified. Skip it if you have tall glassware, because wire shelves are a downgrade you will notice immediately. And skip it if the idea of owning an appliance with no published long-term reliability record makes you uneasy, in which case the LG has eleven reviews to the Amana’s one.
4. Electactic FF2-695: Best for a Garage, Basement or Utility Room
Electactic 18.1 Cu. Ft. Side by Side Refrigerator with Freezer, 2-Door Refrigerator with Built-in Ice Maker, Water Dispenser, Garage Ready Freezer with Digital Temperature Control, White
18.1 cu. ft. total
12.1 fresh, 6 freezer
624 kWh per year
45dB inverter compressor
Pros
- Dispenses both cubed and crushed ice
- Inverter compressor rated at 45dB
- Garage-ready freezer with digital temperature control
- Glass shelves with LED lighting
- Child lock and door open alarm
Cons
- Smallest fresh food section here at 12.1 cu. ft
- Only one written review
- Lesser-known brand with a thin service network
The Electactic is the only model here that dispenses both cubed and crushed ice, and it does so from a single external chute. At 18.1 cubic feet it is the smallest of the seven, splitting into 12.1 fresh food and 6 cubic feet of freezer, which is why it belongs in a garage or a basement rather than a main kitchen.
The specs are genuinely strong for the class. An inverter compressor rated at 45 decibels makes this a notably quiet machine, total no-frost technology eliminates the manual defrost cycle entirely, and glass shelves with adjustable slide-out rails beat the wire shelving on the Amana. Digital temperature control, a child lock, and a door open alarm round out a feature list that would look out of place on a machine twice its size.
It also runs at 624 kWh a year, and at 202.8 pounds it is the lightest weight published in this roundup, which matters when you are the one navigating it down a basement ramp. Warranty coverage is one year, which is the shortest term available.
What you give up with this Electactic
You give up capacity, and that is the real cost. Twelve cubic feet of fresh food space runs out fast for a family of four, and this is not the machine you stock a week of groceries into. The 6 cubic foot freezer is fine for a overflow shelf, not for a serious frozen food inventory.
You also give up service support. Electactic is a lesser-known brand with a thin parts network, so a sealed system or compressor failure can mean a long wait for a technician. One written review is a thin basis for a ten-year commitment, and a five-star average from a single owner tells you about that owner’s week, not the machine’s lifespan.
Who should skip it
Skip it as a primary kitchen refrigerator. This is a secondary appliance: a garage beverage station, a rental unit, a workshop kitchen, or a backup freezer. It is also the right pick if your home simply cannot give a 69.69 inch tall, 26.38 inch deep box a dedicated main-floor position.
5. Midea MRS25I7BST: The Counter-Depth Answer
Midea MRS25I7BST 24.5 Cu. Ft. Stainless Counter-Depth Side-by-Side Refrigerator with AutoFill Water Pitcher
24.5 cu. ft. total
29 inch wide counter-depth
Built-in ice maker and water dispenser
229 pounds
Pros
- Counter-depth 29 inch width suits narrow kitchens
- AutoFill water pitcher fills from the dispenser
- Built-in ice maker with external water dispenser
- Fingerprint-resistant stainless finish
Cons
- 36 inch depth is deeper than most counter-depth cabinets
- Only one written review
- One-year manufacturer warranty
This is the one to look at if a full-depth side-by-side will not physically fit your kitchen. The MRS25I7BST is 29 inches wide against a 35 to 36 inch width on most of the competition, and it still holds 24.5 cubic feet. The trade is depth, not width, and at 229 pounds it is among the lighter machines on this list.
The AutoFill water pitcher is the feature that gets talked about. You set a pitcher under the dispenser, press the pad, and the fridge fills it to a measured level instead of leaving you holding a gallon jug at the sink. The dispenser also serves ice, and the doors are finished in fingerprint-resistant stainless so the flush front stays presentable.
Be clear-eyed about the geometry, though. The 36 inch depth is deeper than a true built-in counter-depth cabinet, so this gives you the narrow silhouette without the flush installation. It will still stand proud of your countertop, just by less width than the alternatives.
What you give up with this Midea
You give up feature depth. There is no screen, no app, no smart connectivity, no dry system, no custom temperature zones, and no craft ice. It is a mechanical appliance with a good dispenser, and buyers who want the connected experience should look at the Samsung instead.
You also give up warranty length, with one year of coverage against the Samsung’s ten years on the compressor. For a machine you would expect to keep a long time in a small kitchen, that gap is worth thinking about.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you need crushed or nugget ice, or if you want temperature control you can adjust from your phone. Skip it if you are buying on a long service history, because one review is not a track record and Midea’s US parts network is thinner than Whirlpool’s or GE’s. If width is your binding constraint rather than budget, this is the only one on the list that solves it.
6. Forno Salerno: The One Built for Crushed Ice
Forno Salerno 36-inch Side-by-Side 20 cu.ft Refrigerator in Stainless Steel with Ice & Water Dispenser
20 cu. ft. total
13.48 fresh, 6.53 freezer
560 kWh per year
Crushed ice dispenser, inverter compressor
Pros
- External dispenser serves crushed ice
- Inverter compressor with multi-air flow cooling
- Spill-proof glass shelves on four levels
- Sabbath mode and temperature memory
- Two-year parts and labor warranty
Cons
- Lowest rating in the lineup at 3.7 stars
- About a quarter of written reviews are 1-star
- 20 cu. ft. is small for a 35.9 inch cabinet
The Forno Salerno is one of only two models here that can dispense crushed ice, which makes it a different proposition rather than another variation on the same cabinet. Outside the ice function the spec sheet is strong: an inverter compressor, a multi-air flow cooling system, four levels of spill-proof glass shelving, and LED interior lighting.
It also posts the lowest published energy figure in this roundup at 560 kWh a year, and it carries two years of parts and labor coverage. Sabbath mode and a temperature memory function are unusual at this level and genuinely useful for observant households. At 213 pounds it is light enough to reposition, and reversible doors mean it can be hinged either way at install.
The rating tells the harder story. At 3.7 stars across seven reviews, this is the lowest-rated model here, with 59 percent five-star and 24 percent one-star. That is a wide spread, which usually means a product some owners love and others cannot get working, and the one-star share is too large to wave away. Owners also flag that assembly is more involved than the big brands, and that the machine is built by CTM Household Appliances, a smaller manufacturer with less parts support.
What you give up with this Forno
You give up capacity per inch of cabinet. Twenty cubic feet across a 35.9 inch wide, 29.76 inch deep body is thin, with 13.48 cubic feet of fresh food and 6.53 of freezer. If you shop for a family of four, you will feel that.
You also give up confidence, which is a strange thing to lose in an appliance category but real here. With a 3.7 average and a one-star quarter, we would want a written record of service response before committing.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you need cubed ice, since there is no cube option listed. Skip it if crushed ice is a nice-to-have rather than a must, because you are paying in reliability confidence for a dispenser style you might use twice a year. And skip it if you are far from a major metro area, where a smaller manufacturer’s technician may be a long drive.
7. Kenmore 29 cu. ft.: The Biggest Box and the Only Published Ice Rate
Kenmore 29 cu. ft. 36″ Wide Side-by-Side Refrigerator – FPR Stainless Steel
29 cu. ft. total
18.6 fresh, 10.4 freezer
Door ice maker up to 3 lbs per day
731 kWh per year
Pros
- Door-mounted ice maker rated up to 3 lbs a day
- Largest fresh food section here at 18.6 cu. ft
- Accela Chill and Accela Freeze for fast recovery
- NSF-certified water filtration
- Four gallon-size door bins
Cons
- Only four written reviews
- 731 kWh a year is the highest figure in this group
- One-year warranty on the appliance
The Kenmore is the volume play. Twenty-nine cubic feet splits into 18.6 fresh food and 10.4 of freezer, which is more fresh food space than any other model on this list publishes, and it is also the only one that publishes an ice production rate. The space-saving door ice maker is rated at up to 3 pounds of ice per day, the number we wanted from every other brand in this group and did not get.
Around the ice maker the feature list is aimed at volume too. Accela Chill and Accela Freeze dump cold air on a full grocery load to bring it down quickly, the Multi-Flow Air System pushes air through dedicated vents to keep temperatures even, and there are four gallon-size door bins plus edge-to-edge glass shelves across seven shelf positions. The dispenser serves cubed ice, and the water goes through NSF-certified filtration.
A 4.7 rating is the highest among the models here that have more than a handful of written reviews, and 74 percent of those reviews are five-star. That said, four reviews is a thin foundation, and this is also the highest energy figure published in the group at 731 kWh a year. Fingerprint-resistant stainless, an inverter compressor for quiet operation, and enhanced LED lighting finish out a well-equipped cabinet.
Note what is not on the list. There is no smart connectivity, no screen, and no voice assistant. This is a mechanical machine with a fast ice maker, which is either exactly what you want or a dealbreaker depending on how much you care about the connected kitchen.
What you give up with this Kenmore
You give up energy efficiency and warranty. At 731 kWh a year this fridge costs more to run than the Forno, and it is the only model in the lineup whose published figure is at the high end of the range. One year of appliance warranty against the Samsung’s ten years on the compressor is a real difference on a machine this size.
You also give up ice variety. Cubed ice only, no crushed option, and no second maker for craft or nugget ice. If your family goes through ice faster than 3 pounds a day, you are still relying on a countertop unit, and our portable ice maker roundup is worth a look for overflow.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your kitchen is tight, because 36.02 inches deep means it stands well past the counter and needs 51 inches of clearance with the door open. Skip it if your household is two people, because you will pay for capacity and energy draw you never use. And skip it if you want connected features, since there is no app here.
In-Door vs Freezer Ice Makers: Which One Should You Want?
An in-door ice maker gives you a full freezer column and dispenser access without opening a door. A freezer-compartment maker is mechanically simpler, usually holds more ice, and is easier for a technician to reach, but you have to open the freezer door to grab a handful.
The trade is shelf space against reliability, and it is the most argued question in this entire category on appliance forums. Buyers who went in-door report that the shelf recovery pays for itself within a month, because the freed column holds a full week of frozen goods. Buyers who went the other way report fewer jams and fewer service visits.
In this lineup, the LG and the Samsung both mount the maker in the door, and the Kenmore does too while publishing a 3 pound per day rate. The Amana, the Electactic, the Midea, and the Forno use compartment-based assemblies. Nothing in the published data proves one is more reliable, so the honest answer is to pick based on how you will actually use the freezer.
One more factor: in-door makers are the component that most often needs a technician. If you are not comfortable with a service call, a compartment maker is the lower-risk choice.
Counter-Depth vs Standard-Depth: Measuring Before You Buy
Measure the width first, because that is the constraint people miss. This lineup splits cleanly into a 29 inch wide group, which is just the Midea, and everything else at 35 to 36 inches wide. In a galley kitchen or a narrow alcove, that six inch difference decides the purchase before any feature matters.
Depth is the second measurement and it is where counter-depth marketing gets murky. A true counter-depth cabinet sits nearly flush with a 25 inch countertop. The Midea is described as counter-depth at 29 inches wide, but its 36 inch body depth still projects past the counter line. Standard-depth machines here run 33.5 to 38 inches deep.
Then check door swing, which is the number that decides whether the fridge can be opened at all. The Samsung needs 51.31 inches with the door open, the Kenmore needs 51 inches, and the Forno needs 45.74 inches. If a wall or peninsula sits within that distance, the machine is wrong regardless of how good the ice maker is.
Finally, allow for top clearance and rear ventilation. Every model here is freestanding, and a side-by-side needs room at the top to let warm air rise out of the condenser.
Capacity, Energy Use and Water Filters
Budget four to six cubic feet of fresh food space per adult. On that basis, 16.2 cubic feet suits three people and 18.6 suits four comfortably, which is why the LG and the Kenmore are the two we would put in a family home. Anything under 14 cubic feet of fresh food, including the Amana and the Forno, is a household of two or three.
Energy figures vary more than most shoppers expect. The Forno runs at 560 kWh a year, the Electactic at 624, the Samsung at 691, and the Kenmore at 731. The gap between the lowest and highest here is meaningful over a decade, and it is worth asking the retailer for the kWh figure on any model where the manufacturer does not publish one, as with the LG and the Amana.
On filtration, change the water filter every six months. This is the single highest-return maintenance task on any fridge with a dispenser, because a clogged filter slows the fill line, degrades ice taste, and forces the ice maker to work harder than it should. The Kenmore uses NSF-certified filtration, which is a standard worth checking on any replacement you consider.
Brand Reliability and Service Networks
Whirlpool, GE, and Frigidaire come up most often in long-term owner reports on appliance forums because their service networks and parts availability are nationwide. None of those three built a qualifying side-by-side with an ice maker that we could verify for this roundup, which is itself worth knowing before you start shopping.
Among the brands that are here, the Samsung covers the sealed system for five years and the compressor for ten, the longest compressor term in the group. The Forno covers parts and labor for two years. The LG, Amana, Midea, and Kenmore each carry one year on the appliance.
Read the community signal on Samsung carefully. Owners on r/Appliances raise Samsung ice maker design flaws and failure reports more often than any other brand in this category, and the same threads note that repairs may require a specialized technician. That does not disqualify the RS27T5561SR, but it should move it down your list if an ice maker is the feature you care about most.
Smaller brands are the opposite trade. Midea, Electactic, and Forno are not household names on this side of the Atlantic, so parts and technicians are harder to find outside major metro areas. That is fine for a secondary appliance and a bad surprise for your primary refrigerator.
Ice Maker Troubleshooting: Six Checks Before You Call a Technician
First, confirm the ice maker is switched on and in the right mode. A control accidentally turned off will stop production entirely, and that is a 30 second fix.
Second, check the water filter. A filter past its service life slows or stops the fill, and it is the most common cause of a slow ice maker in this category.
Third, check the supply line and the shutoff valve behind the fridge. A partially closed valve or a kinked line reduces pressure and the maker quietly under-produces.
Fourth, if the maker is in the door, defrost the assembly. Owners of in-door makers report overnight freeze-ups that stop production until the ice is cleared by hand.
Fifth, empty and rinse the storage bin. Ice that fuses to the walls of the bin is the second most common cause of an apparently dead maker.
Sixth, leave the freezer closed and at temperature for a full day before judging the result. A maker that has just been loaded, defrosted, or opened repeatedly will restart production slowly by design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best side-by-side refrigerator with an ice maker?
The LG LS27T3230S is the best overall side-by-side with an ice maker in our testing. Its 27 cubic feet, slim in-door ice maker that frees up freezer shelves, and 4.4 rating across the largest written review base in this group made it the safest default. The Kenmore 29 cu. ft. wins on capacity and is the only model here with a published ice rate of up to 3 pounds per day, while the Samsung RS27T5561SR leads on warranty and smart features.
What brand of refrigerator has the most reliable ice maker?
Reliability in built-in ice makers tracks service network and parts availability more than any other factor. Among the models in our roundup, the Samsung RS27T5561SR has the longest warranty, with five years on the sealed refrigeration system and ten years on the compressor. For in-door makers specifically, compartment-based designs are the safer long-term choice because technicians reach them without pulling the whole door. Owners weigh in frequently on r/Appliances, where Samsung ice maker complaints come up more often than any other brand.
What is the best counter-depth refrigerator with an ice maker?
The Midea MRS25I7BST is the best counter-depth option in this group. At 29 inches wide it is the only model narrow enough for a tight kitchen, and it still holds 24.5 cubic feet with a built-in ice maker and external water dispenser. Its AutoFill water pitcher is a genuine convenience, and at 229 pounds it is light to position. One caveat: the 36 inch body depth means it still projects past a 25 inch countertop, so it gives you a narrow silhouette without a flush installation.
How long does a refrigerator ice maker last?
Ice makers are usually the first part of a refrigerator that needs attention, and the components that wear out first are the water filter and the fill tube rather than the freezing mechanism. Change the filter every six months and keep the supply valve fully open, and the assembly will outlast most owners’ expectations. In-door makers fail more often than compartment-based ones because freezing and mechanical ejection happen in the same small space. If a maker stops producing, run through the six checks in our troubleshooting section before assuming the part has failed.
Is a side-by-side refrigerator with an in-door ice maker worth it?
It is worth it if you use the freezer heavily and want quick access to ice without opening a door. Mounting the maker in the door frees an entire shelf column, which in a 27 cubic foot cabinet like the LG is roughly a week of frozen storage. The cost is that the door assembly is the component most likely to need a technician, and it can freeze over overnight. If you already own a countertop ice maker, a compartment-based design such as the Amana or the Forno is the lower-risk choice.
The Verdict: Which Side by Side Fridge With Ice Maker Should You Buy?
The LG LS27T3230S is our pick for 2026. It pairs the in-door ice maker that frees the most freezer space with the largest written review base in this group, and its 4.4 rating holds up when the criticism is specific rather than vague. Buy the Kenmore 29 cu. ft. if capacity and a published 3 pound daily ice rate matter more than energy draw, the Midea if width is your constraint, and the Samsung if you want the connected cabinet and the longest warranty.
Whichever you choose, measure the door swing and change that water filter on schedule.