ProductReportCard Editors' In-Depth Review
Specifications
Refrigeration System
The Kenmore Elite 31.0 cu. ft. French-Door Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator 7205 is an ENERGY STAR® compliant refrigerator that uses 579 kWh/year. Kenmore estimates that it could cost you about $62 a year to run.
It features the innovative GeniusCool™ cooling system that has a linear compressor and dual evaporators to keep optimal internal temperatures and humidity levels in the fridge and freezer. It also has a frost-free freezer and separate external temperature controls in the water/ice dispenser that allow you to make precise temperature adjustments to each compartment.
You can control temperatures in the fridge and freezer from the external water/ice dispenser.
Credit: Mary Griffin
Storage in the Fresh Food Compartment and Freezer
The 7205 series Kenmore Elite refrigerators have 30.7 cu. ft. of capacity and offer the most storage space of any Kenmore refrigerator. With 20.7 cu. ft. of capacity, the fresh food compartment has very flexible storage capabilities. It has a total of five spill-proof glass shelves including one full-width shelf and four split ones. The four split shelves are all adjustable and the two top shelves can even be retracted to allow for more space below. The refrigerator also has three drawers including a full-width, digital temperature-controlled pantry drawer and two half-width AirTight Crispers that Kenmore promises will keep your produce fresh longer than a standard humidity crisper bin. In terms of door storage, there are three storage bins on each door including two gallon-size bins and a covered dairy bin on the right side and three narrower door bins on the opposite side (to make room for the in-door icemaker). The 7205's freezer has 10 cu. ft. of capacity and is designed with a Tilt-N-Take freezer drawer that conveniently tips open to reveal three tiers of storage space including two pullout drawers and a deep bin.
The fridge has adjustable shelves, door bins and dairy bins, as well as temperature- and humidity-controlled drawers.
Credit: Mary Griffin
The freezer has three levels of storage space.
Credit: Mary Griffin
Extra Features
The refrigerator has an external water and ice dispenser on the left door that uses a built-in water filter and provides easy access to filtered water and cubed or crushed ice. The automatic icemaker is even built into the fridge door to allow for more useable capacity in the freezer, and there is an ice storage container in the freezer that you can use whenever you need extra ice on hand. It also has a CleanFlow™ charcoal air filter to keep the air circulating through each area fresh and odorless, and it features bright LED lighting along the sides and top of the fridge as well as under its doors for the freezer. For additional convenience, the Kenmore Elite 7205 refrigerator has an open door alert that will beep after a set amount of time.
The automatic icemaker is built into the refrigerator door to save space in the freezer.
Credit: Mary Griffin
A built-in air filter keeps air odorless and food fresher.
Credit: Mary Griffin
Exterior Style and Functionality
The Kenmore Elite 7205 is a French-Door, Bottom-Freezer refrigerator with a Tilt-N-Take freezer drawer. It has smooth, contoured doors and is available in three different finishes with matching door handles including White (72052), Black (72059) and Stainless Steel (72053). It has exposed hinges, and it isn't ADA-compliant.
The Kenmore Elite 31.0 cu. ft. French-Door Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator 72052.
Credit: Mary Griffin
All of the finishes have matching handles.
Credit: Mary Griffin
Brand Reputation
In a 2013 J.D. Power and Associates refrigerator study, Kenmore Elite received a 4/5 in overall customer satisfaction. It also received very good ratings from Consumer Reports. They awarded the 72053 a 78/100 and gave it an excellent score on temperature performance and noise level. In terms of warranty, Kenmore only includes a 10-year warranty on linear compressor in the price, but you can also purchase an additional In-Home Master Protection Agreement for either $379.99 (3-year) or $549.99 (5-year).
User Reviews
The Kenmore Elite 31.0 cu. ft. French-Door Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator (72052, 72053, 72059) has received very good feedback from customers online including a 4/5 on Sears.com (558 reviews). Most customers are very happy with the refrigerator's useable capacity, energy efficiency, style and performance. Customers also appreciated the bonus features like its LED lighting, external water and ice dispenser and flexible storage options. About 67% of reviewers on Sears.com said that they would recommend the refrigerator to a friend. While there were some complaints about structural issues with the fridge (narrow door bins, inconvenience of sometimes having to open up both doors, etc.), the most common complaints that came up in customer reviews were related to the icemaker being too small and/or not working properly. When problems did come up with the appliance, many customers also expressed frustration with Sears' customer service and felt that the quality of Sears' service had deteriorated in recent years. It is hard to tell from Sears' website because reviewers aren't required to include how long they have owned their appliance, but I did feel like many positive reviews I read were from customers who had just installed the fridge and might not have yet encountered the problems that other reviewers mentioned. Overall, the Kenmore Elite 7205 model sounds like a pretty good refrigerator, but we would definitely suggest purchasing the extended warranty or protection agreement just in case problems do come up.
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