Samsung Family Hub vs. LG InstaView French Door Refrigerators - Best of the Smart Features

If you're in the market for an intelligent upgrade to your current refrigerator, you're in luck.

Both the Samsung Family Hub and LG Insta View French door refrigerators have been generating a lot of buzz, and for good reason. These appliances are meant to elevate your experience both in the kitchen and away from it by integrating contemporary technologies like touchscreens, Wifi connectivity, mobile apps, and door-in-door. We've chosen two of our top-selling hi-tech French door refrigerators to compare. They both feature new technology, innovative design, and stunning good looks. Homeowners looking to add some wow factor to their kitchens will appreciate both these models. But upon closer inspection and testing out both appliances, we found that they were each geared toward a different lifestyle. Read on to find out which model best fits your refrigerator wish list.

Samsung Family Hub

Samsung, the same company made famous for its smartphones and tablets, has tackled the once humble workhorse of the family kitchen and transformed it into what they call the Samsung Family Hub. The name is appropriate. While the family often gathers in the living room to relax and watch their favorite shows, they also congregate in the kitchen to grab snacks or prep dinner. In a stroke of brilliance, the engineers at Samsung decided to combine both quintessential family bonding moments into one souped-up appliance.

Featuring an eye-catching 21.5-inch touchscreen on the upper right door, this innovative counter-depth refrigerator integrates an intuitive device with features that facilitate organization, entertainment and convenience. We found that just the look of the gleaming touchscreen was enough to cause everyone in the room to gravitate toward it. But more than being snazzy eye-candy, the LCD interface is packed with some serious functionality.

At its most basic level, it allows you to display your calendar of events and appointments, post photos and notes via your mobile device or directly onto the refrigerator as you would scribble on a sticky note. This is where we feel the Family Hub really shines. Magnetic fridges of old were always plastered with photographs, artwork, business cards and reminders. The touchscreen display allows for all that, but streamlines it into a beautiful, clutter-free package.

At a deeper level, the LCD touchscreen is a robust entertainment center. If you have a Samsung TV, you can mirror your favorite shows right to the refrigerator. Follow along with a cooking show as you make dinner or stay entertained as you clean up after dinner. We also found the Family Hub to be a pretty sweet music player. Stream music from your mobile device playlists to the built-in speakers. Or if you like Pandora or Tune-In Radio, this model comes pre-loaded with apps to connect to them.

While much of the allure of the Samsung is its exterior media center, we don't want to gloss over the smart technology found inside the refrigerator. For example, three cameras are built into the refrigerator, allowing you to view the contents on your smart device without opening the door. This is lifesaver for anyone who has gotten to the grocery store and wondered, "Are we almost out of milk?" The Samsung Family Hub lets you use your smartphone to answer that question from anywhere.

LG Insta View

While Samsung deployed much of its technological prowess toward entertainment purposes, the LG InstaView 36-inch French door refrigerator's bells and whistles focus on food freshness, energy conservation, and a seamless chef's experience for organizing, preserving, and selecting foods.

At first glance, the technology housed in this model might be a little hidden. You'll see a sleek and modern appliance with a roomy interior capacity of nearly 30 cubic feet. But a double knock on the refrigerator's right door transforms the solid stainless steel panel to reveal the appliance's namesake: an illuminated window into the roomy door compartments and beyond. This feature allows you to check what's on the inside without losing cool air in the process.

We liked this feature because similar to other models that feature a gallery window, you can take a peek at what's inside. However, the tap-activated InstaView window returns to an opaque metallic panel afterward, conserving energy and maintaining an understated, minimalist look of luxury.

The Door-in-Door feature allows you to quickly snatch a beverage, snack, or condiment from the gallon door bins without opening the entire refrigerator. Again, this saves you time and money on your electric bill.

As we mentioned earlier, this model boasts quite the storage capacity. With 24.1 cubic feet in the refrigerator, you can easily store a week's worth of groceries. LG's technologies will help ensure your stockpile of ingredients remains at peak freshness. The model's Fresh Air Filter provides a clean, bacteria-free climate. Additionally, Multi-Air Flow vents circulate the cold air to balance out temperatures in every nook and corner.

One final innovation that makes the LG InstaView stand out is its SmartDiagnosis System, an app that records and analyzes problems and provides you with troubleshooting advice, all without calling a service representative.