LG LFX32945ST Door-in-Door Refrigerator Review

The features, capacity, and performance are worth the price.

When LG introduced the door-in-door concept on the LFX31945ST refrigerator at CES in 2013, we weren't sure if customers would bite or balk at a trick door that lets users quickly get at condiments and drinks without opening up the whole fridge.

Since then, the market has spoken, and the design is apparently a hit. LG responded with a slew of new door-in-door fridges, a lineup that's topped by the LFX32945ST (MSRP $3,699.99). Compared to the similar LFX29945ST (MSRP $3,199.99) and the original LFX31945ST (MSRP $3,499.99), it's the best of the bunch... and also the most expensive.

At 33 cubic feet, the LFX32945ST has one of the largest advertised interiors on the market, but it the was impressive results in our lab tests that secured our recommendation. If you can swing the high price, we think this fridge is a perfect fit for a big family.

Design & Usability

A stainless steel Swiss Army fridge

LG LFX32945ST Door-in-Door Fridge

This high-performing, stainless behemoth is both spacious and user-friendly.  View Larger

When it comes to high-end fridge design, this LG checks off almost every traditional box. There's a through-the-door ice and water dispenser that's tall enough for pitchers and vases, and controls that blend in with the stainless exterior.

On the inside, bright LEDs illuminate glass shelves with silver trim. Two spacious crispers and a slim middle drawer sit below a bevy of adjustable shelves. At the bottom, a fridge-wide Glide N’ Serve drawer offers three preset independent temperature settings. Two “hidden” compartments are built into the bottom wall of the fridge called the Slide N' Glide bins—LG must have gotten a discount on apostrophes—and they make for great child-height snack storage.

LG LFX32945ST Crispers

Crispers, temp drawers, slide n' glide compartments... The drawers, Duke, the drawers!  View Larger

There's a slim icemaker on the left door, while the right plays host to this fridge’s main selling point: door-in-door storage. The six shelves on the right-hand door exist in an almost completely enclosed plastic casing. You can get at shelves normally by popping open a plastic flap on the inner portion of the unit with the main fridge door open normally, or you can open a thin secondary door triggered by pushing a button on the fridge’s handle. (Sound complicated? It's really not—just check out the little video for a demonstration.)

That same plastic casing I mentioned earlier? It serves as a buffer to keep more cold air inside the fridge compared to opening the regular doors. It means the fridge doesn't have to work as hard to cool down after it's been opened, which improves efficiency.

The drawback is that the six door-mounted shelves are completely fixed. Yes, they're carefully positioned so that you can fit anything from cups of yogurt and sticks of butter to gallons of juice and cans of soda. If you want to chill a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, though, it’ll have to go into the fridge proper.

Performance & Features

It tested well, too.

When it comes to food preservation, our lab tests indicated no major flaws with the LFX32945ST. The crispers did a great job retaining moisture for fresh fruits and veggies. Freezer temperatures proved both cold and consistent, which should minimize the risk of freezer burn. It's good to know that a fridge this pricey holds up when it comes to food preservation as well as storage.

LG-LFX32945ST Freezer

Despite all the compartments in the fridge, the pull out freezer is actually quite straightforward.  View Larger

LG LFX32945ST Icemaker

The door-mounted icemaker takes up minimal space while still serving up plenty of ice.  View Larger

No fridge is perfect, but the LFX32945ST's downsides were minimal. For instance, we noticed some warm spots at the top of the fridge cavity, so be sure to store the most sensitive food items (like soft cheeses and defrosting meat) in the middle. It's really hard to keep temperatures even across a fridge cavity as large as this one, so we're willing to overlook this mild flaw.

Even if you're sold on style alone, there are two numbers you should know when buying a fridge: 0ºF and 41ºF. A freezer that fluctuates above 0ºF puts food at risk of nasty freezer burn, and bacterial growth might start when a fridge goes above 41ºF. Neither compartment in this LG got warm enough to put food at risk.