Updated: 06/05/18 – See Gripes and Nitpicks Section

If you are like me, you can probably readily recall a day not so long ago when no one would dream of calling a refrigerator smart. 

Use of the term “smart refrigerator” does not sound quite so strange anymore—the technological renaissance that we now find ourselves in has changed what we think about our appliances in a big bad way. 

Jenn-air’s Latest 72″ High French Door Refrigerator

There is a lot of good stuff out there, but the new Jenn-Air JFFCC72EFS that has just dropped may be poised to once again change what we expect out of our refrigerators. 

I have had the pleasure of looking at this high-end, luxury refrigerator and today we will explore what I found out.

Jenn-air French Door Refrigerator Review / Rating

Let’s set the stage a little bit by mentioning that this fridge is aiming for top-tier status — a fact that becomes abundantly clear even before one considers the wifi components that are at work. 

Black Obsidian Interior has now been added to their non-builtin line.

The refrigerator exterior features classy French doors, a pullout freezer drawer, a stainless steel surface, and of course the always obligatory ice and water dispensers. 

When you open the dual French doors, you will find ample storage space and an obsidian interior that lends a very modern vibe to the appliance. It even features LED theatre style interior lighting to create an elegant backdrop for your midnight snack. 

Finally, it also features digital LED back lit controls on its doors. 

Beautiful design, nice lighting are the highlights of the dispenser.

Of course, the biggest selling point for this refrigerator is not its blacked-out insides or even its digital or LED components. What most potential shoppers are likely to find their attention drawn to is the wifi capability that will allow you to sync this high-end unit up with your IOS or Android device.

The app control features vary from the ability to control temperature to even receiving updates when the doors are left ajar. 

 It All Comes Down to The Price

Much can be said about whether or not a product is priced fairly. However, fair and affordable are not the same thing. 

Temperature control placed in door frame?

One could argue that the sleek design, the innovative features, and the large storage space are all components that make a $4000 price tag reasonable. They do not, however, make it more affordable. 

This is without question a luxury purchase. This said if you have the dough and you like the features you might find it well worth the expense. 

Just keep in mind that if you are looking for something more practical you should try the bargain aisle at Sears. 

Gripes and Nitpicks

This is a machine that does what it is supposed to at a very high level. That being the case the terms “gripes” and “nitpicks,” are being used quite literally. If you already like this fridge and have the loot to make your fantasy a reality, then nothing that we say here is probably going to change your mind. 

That said, here are a few things that didn’t make our jaws drop:

• Price – Easily 1k over many of it’s competitors in the counter-depth market, and while new lighting and smart connectivity is awesome, we aren’t sure that they warrant such an up-charge on a whirlpool-based product.
• Where’s the outer screen? – No, like seriously. Where the heck is the outer screen Jenn-air?
• Wifi doesn’t top its class – Samsung still far ahead in the usability and integration of wifi smart devices currently.
• ***Production delays – This is the one that really hurts. We have multiple reports from customers that have been waiting literally 3-4 months to get this new product. Many customers who ordered these are still waiting for them to come in at this time (June 2018). 

I’m not holding the price against this refrigerator because it is high—I mention it only because you can get similar or even better tech at a comparable or even better price. 

That brings us to our next point. For as good at this unit is at embracing modern phone compatibility trends in terms of temperature controls and even notifications that alert you when the door is open, it’s still not the very best that we have ever seen these features implemented –

For example, Samsung produces similarly priced refrigerators that are capable of showing you what is in your fridge from your phone, which makes quick trips to the grocery store a breeze. 

Interior door shelves are adjustable.

It’s also missing the exterior LED screen that seems to be a common component of smart refrigerators of this category these days. 

Are these make or break discrepancies? No, of course not, but it does serve as a reminder that there are other options out there in the world of smart refrigerators. 

Related: Fisher Paykel Integrated Refrigerator Review / Rating

The Difference:

So how does this differ from the rest of the refrigerator market? Well, of course, the features and elegance of this unit are going to set it apart from the entry-level options and it will even earn the Jenn-Air refrigerators distinction from many of the mid-level options.

As already mentioned, this refrigerator does bump up against some of the other smart refrigerators in the market. 

However, the fact remains—if you want something modern, sleek and very elegant, you may very well  find it in the Jenn-Air JFFCC72EFS.