It’s what most of us grew up with. This Whirlpool fridge and freezer combo looks like the Platonic Ideal of a refrigerator. It’s 20.5-cubic-feet, so it’s designed for smaller kitchens.

When it does, your fridge needs to be fixed or replaced in a flash. Regardless of the brand and manufacturer, you'll encounter fewer problems with a simpler refrigerator. Top-freezer designs tend ...