Maytag M0RXEMMWB 19.7 cu. ft. Top Freezer Refrigerator

Fridge Temperature

When we first got the Maytag M0RXEMMWB, we followed the instruction manual and set the temperature control to 3 for "Normal." After three days, the temperature in the fridge barely hit 40 degrees, which is not ideal for food storage. We turned the controls up to 4 and still couldn't get an adequate temperature. It was only when we cranked the knob almost to the maximum setting -- 5 -- that we got our tester in the ideal range for a fridge. This may only be an issue with our test unit, though a similar Amana-branded fridge also required the controls be set slightly higher than norbal.

Once it reached that sweet spot, however, it barely varied. The temperature sensors mounted inside simulated food in the Maytag M0RXEMMWB's fridge compartment showed a variance of only 1.36 degrees in either direction, which is just what you want in a fridge to keep food from spoiling.

Freezer Temperature

To find out how well the Maytag M0RXEMMWB kept foods frozen, we put simulated food fitted with temperature sensors in the freezer compartment.

Unfortunately, as this is a single compressor fridge, cranking up the temperature meant the freezer stayed a little colder than we'd like. Still, it did so with great consistency, barely varying in temperature. This is important for those folks who store frozen foods, as thawing and re-freezing causes ice crystals to form, which lead to freezer burn.

Vegetable Drawer

Refrigerators move a lot of cold air around, which tends to dry out fresh foods. That's why they have dedicated vegetable drawers meant to lock in humidity. We test this feature by measuring the water loss from a piece of wet floral foam that simulates a real vegetable.

The Maytag M0RXEMMWB did pretty well in this test, losing only 0.21 grams of water per hour over four days. That's not as good a measure as on higher-end fridges, but fine for a refrigerator in this price range.

Power Loss

Freezing Performance

The Maytag M0RXEMMWB took 2 hours, 3 minutes to take a food from room temperature to freezing. That's about average for a fridge in this class.