If you are looking for an ioMabe fridge, you meet a brand with a longer history than most competitors in the American-style fridge segment. ioMabe comes from Mabe, a Mexican maker that has built large household appliances since 1946 and grew from a local company into an internationally recognised manufacturer. From 1987 Mabe worked with GE Appliances on the development and production of cooling appliances, which laid the foundation for the quality ioMabe is known for now.
In this article you read where the brand comes from, which models exist - with the INO27JSPF as a concrete example - how ioMabe compares to brands such as Sub-Zero and Liebherr, and what to check before you buy an ioMabe fridge in the Netherlands.
- ioMabe is the European premium brand name of Mabe, active since 2007 with licensed GE technology.
- The INO27JSPF is a 91 cm-wide French-door fridge with 765 litres net volume, energy class E and 302 kWh/year consumption.
- Customers often compare ioMabe with Sub-Zero and Liebherr Monolith, but at a more accessible price.
- When you buy, check built-in vs freestanding, ventilation direction and the energy label - this differs per version.
Where does ioMabe come from?
ioMabe is not a standalone brand, but the Europe and Middle East arm of Mabe. Mabe was founded in 1946 in Mexico City and grew from a local company into an internationally recognised maker of household appliances. The company is now market leader in large household appliances in Latin America and one of Mexico's larger employers, with thousands of staff. In 1987 Mabe formed a strategic alliance with General Electric Appliances to develop and produce cooling appliances together.
That alliance is the core of the story: from 2000 almost all No Frost fridges for the American, European and Middle East markets - side-by-side, bottom freezer and top freezer - were produced in the Mabe factory in Mexico. When GE Appliances strategically focused on the US 110V market in 2013, Mabe products with a GE licence stayed available for Europe under their own brand name: ioMabe, founded in 2007 to combine design and function in the kitchen.
Concretely for the Dutch market: you are not buying an unknown new brand, but a fridge built on decades of GE cooling technology, with its own European distribution and warranty. In the Benelux and Germany the official importer handles both sales and after-sales of mabe and ioMabe appliances, including personalisation in stainless steel, mirror, glass or painted finishes.
Also see our Norcool range for built-in fridges.
Which ioMabe fridges are there?
ioMabe offers three main lines: side-by-side (two doors next to each other, freezer on the left), French door (double fridge door on top, freezer drawer below) and separate wine fridges. Within each line you choose freestanding or (semi-)built-in, with ventilation through the plinth at the front - essential if you want to integrate the fridge between kitchen cabinets.
The side-by-side range comes in dozens of variants and finishes, from classic stainless steel to matte white or any RAL colour. For smaller kitchens there is the IWO19JSPF: a French door at 84 cm width, a more compact format that still offers the layout and luxury of a wide American-style fridge. At the top of the range sits the wine fridge with 51-bottle capacity, dual temperature zone and UV-blocking glass door - a logical extra next to a side-by-side or French-door model.
What stands out in the technical finish: all models have damped hinges that close the door themselves and quietly, and the higher models offer an adjustable MultiZone that can work as a freezer, fridge zone or zero-degree drawer.
Browse the current offer on our ioMabe page.
ioMabe INO27JSPF: this model in detail
The INO27JSPF is a good example of what ioMabe stands for: a 91 cm-wide French-door fridge with a generous freezer drawer below and a double fridge door on top. The model comes in stainless steel, matte white, matte black and a RAL colour of your choice, both freestanding and built-in.
The main specifications at a glance:
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | French door (fridge on top, freezer below) |
| Width | 91 cm |
| Dimensions (h x w x d) | 1805 x 910 x 867 mm |
| Net fridge volume | 533 litres |
| Net freezer volume | 232 litres |
| Energy class | E |
| Consumption | 302 kWh/year |
| Noise level | 46 dBA |
| Defrost | NoFrost automatic |
Standard on board: an internal water dispenser with GE SmartWater filter, automatic ice maker, deli drawer with adjustable temperature, and two crisper drawers. ClimateKeeper technology and the TurboCool system keep the temperature stable, even with many door openings - relevant for families who use the fridge intensively. For anyone who does not want the light to come on when opening the door on Friday evening and Saturday, there is also Sabbath Mode.
On price the INO27JSPF competes in the €3,000 to €4,000 segment, depending on colour and material - comparable with what other ioMabe sellers in the Netherlands ask for this model.
Compare all ioMabe models in our range.
ioMabe versus Sub-Zero and Liebherr: where does the brand sit?
If you are looking at a premium American-style fridge you will eventually meet Sub-Zero and Liebherr Monolith. The difference sits mainly in price and custom work, not so much in basic function.
Sub-Zero focuses on full custom work with an ultra-premium finish, including a stainless-steel interior - at a price that is often two to three times an ioMabe model. Liebherr Monolith stands out with precision cooling and smart-home connectivity, also in a higher price segment. ioMabe sits in between: close to these top brands on function, but more accessibly priced - the practical premium alternative if you want the space and technology without the custom surcharge.
For the average buyer in the Netherlands who wants a spacious, reliable American-style fridge without shopping in the absolute top segment, that is a real difference: you get No Frost, an internal ice maker, a water filter and a solid metal chassis, without the entry price of a custom Sub-Zero install.
Price positioning (indication): ioMabe €3,000-€4,000 · Liebherr Monolith €8,000+ · Sub-Zero €10,000+ · Samsung/LG €1,500-€2,500
What should you check when buying an ioMabe fridge?
Before you order an ioMabe fridge, a few practical points make the difference between a smooth install and a disappointment afterwards.
Built-in or freestanding. Not every model suits both. Models with ventilation through the plinth at the front can be fully integrated between kitchen cabinets; others are freestanding or semi-integrated only. Check this per model code before you order, because the INO27JSPF series has both a freestanding (FS) and a built-in variant (WM/CWM).
Energy label and consumption. Most ioMabe models sit in energy class E, comparable with many competing American-style fridges in this segment - the market for American-style fridges rarely has A labels because of the size and type of cooling system. At 300 kWh/year count on about €90 to €100 electricity costs per year at an average Dutch tariff.
Space and doorways. With heights around 1.80 metres and weights that climb quickly, measuring door widths, stairwells and the final spot in the kitchen is not a luxury. Full-service delivery with installation is advisable for this type of appliance.
Warranty and service. Ask who handles warranty and maintenance. For ioMabe this runs via the official Benelux importer, typically with 2 years full warranty and 5 years on the hermetically sealed cooling circuit.
As an extra: wine climate cabinets for proper wine storage.
Buying ioMabe at XARO: what you get
At XARO we combine the ioMabe range with the same approach we already use for Norcool: personal advice and delivery with an installation option. Torn between freestanding and built-in, or between the INO27JSPF and a more compact IWO19JSPF? Get in touch - we think along based on your kitchen layout and budget.
Conclusion
ioMabe brings together almost 80 years of Mexican production experience and decades of GE cooling technology in an American-style fridge that sits close to Sub-Zero and Liebherr Monolith on function, at a more accessible price. The INO27JSPF shows what that means in practice: 765 litres net volume, NoFrost, internal ice maker and water filter, in a wide range of finishes.
Unsure which model fits your kitchen? Contact XARO for personal advice on the ioMabe range.