5 Useful Refrigerator Parts and Accessories

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is great for your health, but can be hard on your wallet, especially if you find yourself spending money on produce, only to throw it away when you find it brown and spoiled in your fridge. But that's when our next refrigerator accessory can help -- it's a crisper liner for your refrigerator's produce drawer. Not only does it reduce moisture to help your fruits and veggies last longer, it also provides a soft, cushiony surface that helps prevents bruising. Some are even made to resist to odor and mold as well, so your refrigerator will stay smelling fresh, too.

Soda, water, juice, beer -- are beverages taking over your refrigerator? If so, you might want to invest in a beverage dispenser. These handy, compact accessories stack your drinks neatly, hold them in place and dole them out one at a time. Many are designed with a flat top, so you can stack other groceries on top. While can dispensers are probably the most popular variety, there are also ones designed to hold bottles, as well.

And if you frequent tailgate parties, there's even on designed to be used as a tote. Not only does this version fit snuggly in your fridge, it also sports a handle for easy carrying to your next tailgate or picnic. And they're available in large and small sizes to fit your household's needs.

Who hasn't gone to rummage through their refrigerator only to find the door already open, and for who knows how long? Leaving the fridge door open too long can let out all of the cold air, which can spoil your food and add to your energy bill.

But not if you have a refrigerator alarm. This helpful device will alert you if you leave your refrigerator door open for too long by mistake. Most alarms even allow you to set the specific amount of time that passes before the alarm sounds. So if you like to take your time browsing the contents of your fridge, no problem. You can still do so in peace without worrying about the constant beeping of the alarm. You can just set it to alert you if the door stays open for a longer amount of time.

Bottled water is getting a bad rap these days, but maybe for good reason. Not only does it add 1.5 million tons of waste to landfills each year, it's also expensive. If you want to help the environment and your wallet, consider installing a refrigerator water filter. For a fraction of the cost you would spend on bottled water for a year, you can get clean, filtered water right out of your fridge.

For about $30, you can buy a simple system that you can easily install yourself. And, since it's installed at the refrigerator's water line, it filters drinking water, as well as the water used by your icemaker. Once it's in place, you just need to change the filter about every six months for clean, great tasting water and ice.

So now you've got nice filtered water, but what about your fridge's air? What's worse than having a tall glass of milk that tastes like last night's garlic chicken? If your refrigerator seems to hold on to food odors, forget about that box of baking soda. Instead, try installing an air filter. If you're willing to give up a little bit of precious space in your fridge, an air filter can keep those food odors at bay and have your fridge smelling clean for up to nine months. After that, simply change the filter for a new one for about $11.

For just a few extra dollars, in addition to eliminating pesky odors, some air filters will even help control your refrigerator's humidity, which can keep your food fresher longer.