If you’re wondering about good refrigerator brands, then you should know about True. Their refrigerators aren’t your run-of-the-mill boring appliance that lacks personality. They are built with heavy-duty materials that are designed to last and are easy on the eyes. Their sleek aesthetic and superior engineering grant True legit luxury status.

True is widely known as one of the leading manufacturers of commercial refrigerators and freezers across the world for more than 70 years. Luckily for us, they’ve refined their line for the home. Bringing along their decades of expertise to the home front, they’ve set the bar high for luxury standards.

This article will explore what makes True Residential refrigerators stand out from the crowd and how they contend as the new luxury standard—while noting a few aspects that may be a turn-off for some:

• Where are True refrigerators made and what is their story?
• What kind of products does True have?
• How much does a True refrigerator cost?
• What makes a True Residential refrigerator so special?
• What are the cons of a True refrigerator?

If you’re in the market for a new refrigerator for your home, Atherton Appliance & Kitchens will go the extra mile to ensure you get the best service, from inquiry to installation, and even with recycling of old appliances. But before investing in such an important staple for your home, it’s good to weigh your options before you decide if True is the right fit for your family.

What is the story behind True refrigerators?

The Trulaske family from St. Louis, Missouri started pioneering the refrigeration game back in 1945. Since then, they’ve made quite the name for themselves. If you’ve ever wandered into a Whole Foods, Wegmans, or basically any convenience store, there’s a high chance you’ve seen their commercial gear in action.

They took that commercial quality and integrated it into their residential products for everyday homeowners to enjoy. They’ve dubbed their refined home refrigeration line as “True Residential,” and they bring the performance and quality of their commercial grade products to kitchens and outdoor spaces of everyday homes.

What kind of products does True refrigeration have?

All of True’s products are made in the U.S.A. and use an industry-leading combo of high-quality metals and pieces that are designed to optimize and maximize performance. They offer side-by-side or stand-alone columns that you can mix and match, and their fridges offer either a solid door or a glass door on the fridge compartment.

Here are the main products True offers in their residential line:

1. The True 48: 48” Pro side-by-side unit (not French door types like the Sub-Zero Pro)
2. The True 42: 42” Pro side-by-side unit (again, not French door types like the Sub-Zero Pro)
3. Bottom Freezer: Refrigerator with bottom freezer with built-in ice maker. Offers flexible shelving and ample space. The ice maker creates up to 3 pounds of ice a day, and the container holds up to 5 pounds.
4. 30” or 36” Refrigerator Column: Their pairing options give homeowners and designers complete control and freedom, which translates to luxury.
5. 36” Glass Door Refrigerator Column: Offers 4 adjustable/removable stainless steel encapsulated glass shelves and 3 stainless steel soft-close drawer bins with polycarbonate fronts and integrated handles.
6. 30” or 36” Freezer Column: Note that there is typically no ice maker in their freezers.
7. 30” Dual Zone Wine Column: Features fancy lighting options and temperature flexibility from 40 to 65 degrees with full extension shelves that are soft closing.
8. 30” Beverage Column Stainless Glass
9. Undercounter Line: Refrigerator, beverage center, freezer, wine cabinet, beverage dispenser, refrigerator drawer, and freezer drawer.
10. Ice machine: capable of producing 85 pounds of clear ice per day—more than any other residential ice machine out there—with industry-exclusive Energy Star certification that uses less water and energy than any other ice machine in the industry.
11. ADA line: ADA height undercounter beverage center, refrigerator, refrigerator drawer, wine cabinet, and ice machine.

True’s engineers refined their commercial refrigeration for the home by using strict dimensions that accommodate all modern kitchens—both indoor and outdoor.

They even worked in noise-conscious engineering that balances commercial performance with residential environments, which is nice when you’re living your day-to-day life.

On top of all of their industrial-grade materials, they offer different styles of their products to boost their luxury allure. They offer a wide variety of 9 custom colors and 6 hardware finishes to choose from.

From stainless glass and overlay panels to right-side or left-side hinges, True can accommodate any homeowner’s preferences and tastes.

How much does a True Residential refrigerator cost?

ADA under-counter units range from $2,700-$3,500.

Standard height under-counter units range from $3,500-$5,000.

Columns range from $9,800-$11,000.

Side-by-side fridges range from $16,500-$19,000.

What makes a True Residential refrigerator so special?

With the hefty price tag of most of the models, one has to think, “What makes this fridge so special?”

First off, True stands above the rest with their industry-exclusive, 300-series stainless steel interior and exterior. This is a major benefit since stainless steel helps to retain cold. This results in fewer temperature swings and preserves the temperature throughout the whole fridge. Also, stainless steel doesn’t absorb odors like regular plastic interiors tend to do.

The stainless steel structure paired with their forced-air refrigeration is a dual weapon for maintaining a steady cool climate to preserve all your precious food and goodies for a longer period of time.

The hinges on their fridges go through a tough one-million-times door opening test and feature a 120-degree stay-open feature.

Here are other noteworthy features of their coveted residential refrigerators:

• The ramp-up showcase interior LED lighting is a shining feature, providing amazing illumination throughout their products.
• Like the Sub-Zero refrigeration line, True fridges have dual compressors that regulate temperature for a more controlled fridge and freezer climate. In fact, True engineers stepped it up a notch by matching and balancing oversized compressors, evaporators, and condenser coils, creating environmentally friendly refrigeration systems with shorter run times, lower energy consumption, and the industry’s coldest holding temperatures.
• Their fan motors use a balanced system with commercial-grade components, which allows for faster recovery and uniformity of temperature throughout the refrigeration unit. When you put in a warm 6-pack, expect it to cool much faster than in a standard fridge.
• Their evaporator coils have 20-40% more surface area than the industry standard, resulting in faster pull-down of product temperatures and quicker recovery times.

Oh, and all of their doors have a soft-close feature, which really adds that touch of luxury..

Eco-conscious operation

A big plus that stands out for True is their dedication to reducing their carbon footprint to minimize the environmental impact of their operations.

They even have a “Green Promise” that states they are continually searching out environmentally friendly components and processes that will reduce their carbon footprint, which applies to both their approach to manufacturing and the performance of their equipment.

In the last 15 years, they’ve managed to:

• Reduce water usage by 40% per sq. ft. by using a closed loop water system.
• Show a 99.97% reduction in TRI (Toxic Release Inventory) reported chemical releases.
• Reduce the release of CO2 by 136,000 metric tons—the equivalent of removing 28,333 cars from the road.
• Reduce natural gas consumption by 60% per sq. ft.
• Recycle 100% of scrap metal.

What are the cons of a True refrigerator?

One of the biggest turn-offs for most prospective refrigerator buyers is the fact that True refrigerators do not have an ice maker in their freezers. This also means that there is no water dispenser either.

True’s reasoning for foregoing an ice maker in their refrigerator units is the simple fact that ice makers are the number one thing that tends to break in fridges. To adhere to their reliability standards, and to provide ample room in their freezers, True decided to omit an ice maker and offer a standalone ice-maker unit instead.

Another big factor to consider is that True cannot offer a fully flush installation due to its hinge system. This could be a deal breaker for some, since some families want their refrigerator to blend seamlessly with the rest of their cabinetry. However, their special hinge system is a big benefit that may outweigh the fact that the refrigerator may stick out a little from the rest of your setup.

Other features missing from True products are the bells and whistles you may see on other models, like Wi-Fi, a touch screen, or a camera. Also, if you’re not into the commercial look, True may not be the right fit for you.

Conclusion

The possibilities are quite endless with the range of customizable options True offers for their residential line. The glass door option for the fridge and wine cabinets exude celebrity vibes that are sure to give off a luxury feel and will impress anyone that enters the room.

True sets the bar high when it comes to functionality and aesthetics, which classify their products as the new luxury standard. 

Curious about what they look like in person? Stop by the Atherton Appliance & Kitchens 20,000- square-foot showroom located in Redwood City. Our friendly consultants and kitchen designers will be happy to show you around and answer any questions you may have.