ProductReportCard Editors' In-Depth Review
Specifications
Refrigeration System
The KitchenAid 22 cu. ft. Standard Depth Architect® Series II Refrigerator is ENERGY STAR® qualified.
Credit: Mary Griffin
The KitchenAid KBLS22KW/KBRS22KW is an ENERGY STAR® qualified refrigerator and uses 459 kWh/year. KitchenAid estimates that it will cost you about $49 a year to run. It is designed with KitchenAid’s FreshChill™ Temperature Management System, which uses a single evaporator for cooling the fridge and freezer. With automatic defrosting technology, multiple sensors and vents, the refrigerator is able to ensure that temperature and humidity conditions are at optimal levels throughout each compartment. If necessary, you can make general temperature adjustments to the fridge or the freezer using an electronic control panel inside the fridge, but KitchenAid recommends just always keeping both on Level 4 (levels range from 1 to 7). Since it only has a single evaporator, you won’t be able to make precise temperature adjustments to the fridge or freezer, and, since the fridge and freezer will share the same air, there is potential for odor transfer.
You can make general temperature adjustments to the fridge and freezer from inside the fridge.
Credit: Mary Griffin
Storage in the Fresh Food Compartment and Freezer
The KitchenAid KBLS22KW/KBRS22KW has a total capacity of 21.9 cu. ft. The fridge has 15.6 cu. ft. of capacity and is designed to keep food items not only fresher for longer but also easy to find and well organized.
The interior of the fridge has very flexible storage options.
Credit: Mary Griffin
All of its shelves, drawers and door bins are made with ClearVue™ tempered glass. There are five spill-proof shelves including one full-width shelf and four adjustable, split shelves. The fridge is also equipped with two FreshSeal™ humidity-controlled crispers for keeping fruits and vegetables fresh and with one full-width, FreshChill™ temperature-controlled drawer for keeping deli/meat items fresh.
The fridge has two FreshSeal™ humidity-controlled crispers and one full-width, FreshChill™ temperature-controlled deli drawer.
Credit: Mary Griffin
On the door, it has one sealed dairy bin, one gallon-size bin and four smaller, adjustable bins that are lined with a rubber mat. Adjustable shelves and door bins are very convenient because they allow you to maximize your fridge’s useable capacity and make room for bulky/large food items.
The door has a sealed dairy bin and a gallon-size door bin that are both stationary, as well as four smaller door bins that are adjustable and lined with a mat to prevent items from slipping around.
Credit: Mary Griffin
The freezer has 6.3 cu. ft. of capacity and a pull-out drawer design. It has two wire baskets for storing items, and the lower basket is divided into two sections for improved organization.
The wire bins have dividers to help keep frozen items better organized.
Credit: Mary Griffin
Extra Features
The refrigerator doesn't have a factory-installed icemaker, but you can purchase an automatic icemaker separately for about $129 (Part #IC-13B). It does have a built-in water filter to supply the icemaker if you choose to buy it. It also has a bright, incandescent lighting system in the fridge and the freezer to keep food items well lit (40-watt bulbs in each area). Lastly, the refrigerator comes with an open door alert and will start to chime after the door has been left open for over five minutes.
Exterior Style and Functionality
The KitchenAid Architect® Series II is a bottom-freezer, standard depth refrigerator with a pull-out freezer drawer. The fridge has flat, smooth doors, and it is available with a left-hand door swing (KBLS22KW) or a right-hand door swing (KBRS22KW). The right-hand door swing model is available in three different finishes including White (KBRS22KWWH), Black (KBRS22KWBL) and Monochromatic Stainless Steel (KBRS22KWMS). The left-hand door swing model is only available in Monochromatic Stainless Steel (KBLS22KWMS). Both models have matching door handles.
The pull-out freezer drawer in a Monochromatic Stainless Steel finish with matching handle.
Credit: Mary Griffin
Brand Reputation
In a Consumer Reports study, customers of KitchenAid refrigerators with icemakers reported slightly more issues (repairs and serious problems) with their refrigerators than customers of other refrigerator brands. In a J.D. Power & Associates study on refrigerator manufacturers, KitchenAid refrigerators ranked on the lower end in terms of price and they received average marks for overall customer satisfaction and above average marks for styling and appearance. In terms of warranty for this model, KitchenAid offers a 1-year limited warranty on parts & labor for the entire unit, a 5-year limited warranty on parts & labor for the cavity liner and sealed refrigeration system, and a 10-year limited warranty on parts for the sealed refrigeration system.
User Reviews
The KitchenAid 22 cu. ft. Standard Depth Architect® Series II Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator (KBLS22KW & KBRS22KW) hasn’t received many customer reviews online, but, as a brand, KitchenAid has a solid reputation for manufacturing quality appliances. While there are some drawbacks of having a single evaporator cooling system, you won’t find a refrigerator that has a dual cooling system within this price range. We do appreciate that KitchenAid included an automatic defrosting system, which is especially convenient for keeping the freezer frost-free when it shares the same air as the fridge. We also love that the refrigerator has great storage space and that its shelves and door bins can be adjusted to accommodate a wide variety of food items. Additionally, we love that it is ENERGY STAR® qualified and will help you save money on your energy bills. We wish that the KitchenAid KB(L/R)S22KW had some more of the extra bells and whistles found on a similarly priced refrigerator (like the LG LDC22720), but, overall, we think that the KB(L/R)S22KW is a great fridge for the price.
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