Question about appliances

[lhafer]

DH and I want to get an All-Refrigerator to replace our side by side (which we hate). We will also replace our current upright freezer with a larger one (but not high end) that is in our laundry room.

If you were to choose from a high end brand, which one would you choose and why? I'm having a hard time finding reviews on several of the higher end all-refrigerator models.

I've seen the Viking one IRL, and love it. I've seen the GE Monogram online and really like it too, but haven't seen it in person. And our current refrigerator is a GE (basic one) - and I don't like it because of the space. So I would want to make sure I would like a bigger version before buying it! Also liked the Sub Zero one.

What would you look for in a frig? We are starting to do a lot more organic shopping, so much more leafy greens, fruits and veggies than before, which is why we need the space (and why we hate our current frig, as it's small). Neither one of us is sad to see the water/ice dispenser go, so that's not a big deal to us.

Here are examples of what we are looking for:

Viking (http://www.vikingrange.com/consumer/product/products/refrigeration/built-in-refrigeration/professional-built-in-refrigerator-freezers/all-refrigerators/36--quiet-cool-trade--all-refrigerator---vcrb)

Sub Zero (http://www.subzero-wolf.com/builtin-refrigerators/BI-36R-all-refrigerator)

GE Monogram (http://appliances.monogram.com/ApplProducts/ZIRS360NXRH)

[crl]

I have never bought a high end refrigerator so I have no idea at all. Have you checked the appliances forum on Gardenweb? I would look there and I would look at Consumer Reports for information on reliability.

Catherine

[codex57]

Check the reliability ratings.

I know Sub Zero is known to be HORRID at reliability. I think Viking is bad too, but not positive. My guess is GE Monogram is teh way to go.

My uncle has a Sub Zero. Well, an all-fridge on one side of the sink and an all-freezer on the other. Pretty, but so what? I don't get why it's so much more expensive than, say, LG's highest end model. For what it does, the LG, being thousands cheaper, does a much better job at the core function of storing and keeping food cold.

[vludmilla]

I have friends who had a GE monogram refrigerator and they hated it. They repaired it three times in 6 years. They now have a SubZero and they like it but it too has needed a repair already :(

[WatchingThemGrow]

When I look at the interiors, I would prefer to stuff my groceries into the Sub-Zero. No idea why, but that's my first instinct.

Just so I understand, you'd have ice and frozen fruit in another room? That would drive me crazy. Can you just get a bigger fridge?

[AnnieW625]

None of them. The Sub Zero is nice, but I'd rather spend $6500+ on a lot of something else.

[codex57]

Bleh. The subzero picture is my uncle's setup. It's not particularly special. Worth maybe $800 IMO. The fact that they charge $6500 is insane.

I'd just go with this and call it a day:
http://www.lg.com/us/refrigerators/lg-LFX33975ST-french-3-door-refrigerator

[scrooks]

I love the idea of an "all fridge" with a separate freezer elsewhere but I am super cheap and would probably look at

http://www.sears.com/frigidaire-19.0-cu-ft-freezerless-refrigerator-stainless-steel/p-04691033000P?prdNo=5&blockNo=5&blockType=G5

Or

http://www.sears.com/electrolux-19.0-cu-ft-built-in-all-refrigerator/p-04601255000P?prdNo=10&blockNo=10&blockType=G10

Both of which are unfortunately a bit smaller than the ones you were looking at. ...

[StantonHyde]

You really have to figure reliability. Sure, a sub zero looks cool, but what a pain when it keeps breaking down and the cost for repairs. I bought mine after looking at Consumer Reports. I love my fridge--LG--BUT--I hate, hate the stupid water/ice dispenser. It is so counter intuitive. bizarre.

So if you want to go high end--look at the repair rates. That would be key to me.

[KLD313]

I have a Sub Zero, it was here when we moved into the house. It's got to be over 20 years old. I hate it. I hate that it's counter depth, I hate that it freezes lettuce and I really hate that I've had the repairman out four times in the 3 years I've lived here, once to replace the compressor for $900. They were just out here last week and I said what's so great about sub zero, the fact that you can repair it and he said yup, pretty much.

So, they last forever if you want to repair them a bunch of times.

[lhafer]

Bleh. The subzero picture is my uncle's setup. It's not particularly special. Worth maybe $800 IMO. The fact that they charge $6500 is insane.

I'd just go with this and call it a day:
http://www.lg.com/us/refrigerators/lg-LFX33975ST-french-3-door-refrigerator

Yeah, I wouldn't pay those prices either. I can find all of these models for much cheaper online, with free shipping and no tax.

That said....I hate our current side by side. It came with the house. I miss our old French door frig we had in our old house. Because of how the frig is surrounded by a cabinet, we would have to do some pretty big reconfiguring with cabinets and counters to fit a frig like this. DH despises how far this one would stick out, and therefore refuses to let me get this one. I've asked (and pleaded and begged). He wants a counter depth frig. So if I go with a counter depth I have to go with larger overall frig to keep the space. The depth area of the current space is 24", and DH hates how far our current model sticks out. The LG frig would stick out quite a bit further (we've measured it).

My current frig is 25.3 cu ft total capacity. And the frig part is not big enough. I think a French door model would work just fine....it's just finding one my DH would approve of for fitting in the space.

As for the freezer....I get into our current freezer on our side by side a couple of times a week. That's for frozen waffles. I keep all of our frozen meat, fruit, etc in our upright freezer, which is in our laundry room (which is literally 7 steps away from my frig).

[khalloc]

Viking is supposed to have horrible customer service and not be reliable at all. So I would not choose that.

You should check out the Appliance forum at GardenWeb.com

[bostonsmama]

We have GE monogram appliances that came with the house. They weren't 1 year old when we moved in last fall and we've had each one serviced twice. The repairman asked why we chose GE monogram (we didn't), then asked if we bought an extended warranty (we did), then he patted me on the shoulder and said, "good girl."

For an $800 and almost $2,000 dishwasher, they're fussy to use and super repair-prone. I think Viking and SubZero are even worse. Family who owns a B&B in Wash DC got an all fridge (glass front) that after breaking (and spoiling food!!) twice, they bought a second hand warranty plan they have to continually keep on it. Because of its footprint, there's no way they're reconfiguring custom cherry cabinetry to put something else in there. For now they just keep condiments (like butter) that can handle a thaw or two.

[crl]

You may have already done this. But AJ Madison has a search feature where you can search by size. I found that very helpful when I was looking for a refrigerator to work with an existing cabinet configuration. Maybe there are some more options out there?

If the existing refrigerator has been reliable and isn't old, could you get creative with aa additional refrigerator in a nearby pantry or garage space? Or refrigerator drawers? I would just hate to spend a boatload of money on a refrigerator that doesn't even reliably keep food cold.

Catherine

[hellokitty]

None of them. The Sub Zero is nice, but I'd rather spend $6500+ on a lot of something else.

:yeahthat: None of them. The subzero and viking are not reliable. I would not be willing to pay for the status of the viking or subzero, only to be a sucker to it's poor reliability. I don't know anything about GE, so can't comment on it. We like electrolux fridges, which is frigidaire's high end line. We buy a lot of fresh produce and basically we just have another fridge in the garage to hold any extra that won't fit in our counter depth electrolux. What I would do if I were you is if your fridge still works ok, but you don't like the style, move it to the basement or garage and use it as an extra fridge and then get another conventional fridge that you like better for your kitchen. It will cost you a lot less.

[lhafer]

What about LG - anyone have experience with it?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/LG+-+24.5+Cu.+Ft.+French+Door+Refrigerator+with+Thru-the-Door+Ice+and+Water+-+Stainless-Steel/3460309.p?id=1218413772055&skuId=3460309&st=LFX25991ST&cp=1&lp=1&psrid=33040395&AID=10728785&PID=1796839&SID=33040395&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2FLG%2B-%2B24.5%2BCu.%2BFt.%2BFrench%2BDoor%2BRefrigerator %2Bwith%2BThru-the-Door%2BIce%2Band%2BWater%2B-%2BStainless-Steel%2F3460309.p%3Fid%3D1218413772055%26skuId%3D3 460309%26st%3DLFX25991ST%26cp%3D1%26lp%3D1%26psrid %3D33040395&ref=39&CJPID=1796839&loc=01

[crl]

What about LG - anyone have experience with it?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/LG+-+24.5+Cu.+Ft.+French+Door+Refrigerator+with+Thru-the-Door+Ice+and+Water+-+Stainless-Steel/3460309.p?id=1218413772055&skuId=3460309&st=LFX25991ST&cp=1&lp=1&psrid=33040395&AID=10728785&PID=1796839&SID=33040395&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2FLG%2B-%2B24.5%2BCu.%2BFt.%2BFrench%2BDoor%2BRefrigerator %2Bwith%2BThru-the-Door%2BIce%2Band%2BWater%2B-%2BStainless-Steel%2F3460309.p%3Fid%3D1218413772055%26skuId%3D3 460309%26st%3DLFX25991ST%26cp%3D1%26lp%3D1%26psrid %3D33040395&ref=39&CJPID=1796839&loc=01

We had a tiny, tiny LG in our first house because it was one of the few options in our price range that fit the space (kitchen pre-dated refrigerators). We had it for about three years before we sold the place. We were very happy with it and had zero repairs.

One thing I gleaned from refrigerator shopping is that ice makers and water are the things that break the most on refrigerators (and they are what cause damage when they break due to flooding). So we always skip those features. Ice cube trays and the kitchen faucet work for us. ;)

Catherine

[egoldber]

We had an LG French door in our old house and I loved it. Ours had water but not ice in the door and I actually really liked that. Ice through the door wastes a ton of interior space IMO.

We have a GE SBS in our new house (what the builder provided as standard and we chose not to upgrade) and I hate it.

We are also looking to maybe replace it eventually with a refrigerator only. (When it eventually needs a repair.) But we have another refrigerator in our garage that is just steps outside our kitchen.

[khalloc]

I just wanted to add that I bought a 36" Kitchen Aid stainless steel side by side 10 years ago and a Kitchen Aid Architect dishwasher at the same time. The fridge had one problem when it was less than 1 year old - the icemaker wasnt working. We had it repaired and I havent had a single problem with either appliance since then.

I dont LOVE the fridge just because of the setup. But I will say that both models have worked very well. I couldnt imagine buying an appliance and having it need to be repaired multiple times. Ugh!

[bcafe]

There are many other brands that make an all-fridge. We have the Fridgidaire and really love it. I didn't want water so that's a non issue. Our freezer is 2 steps away from the kitchen so freezer storage is no problem. It is 19 cu. feet and we have 6 of us home. I have room to spare inside. I highly recommend it unless your house requires a high-end fridge. Look at the Liebherr brand.

[MMMommy]

We like our Samsung French doors fridge. Not sure about the ratings though.

[Dcclerk]

We have a Thermador Column like this one: http://www.thermador.com/refrigeration/refrigerator-columns/t30ir800sp-30-inch-builtin-fresh-food-column We also have the freezer column.

We really love the height, because it is quite a bit taller than usual and the main motor, etc. is at the bottom. Everything is much easier for us to get to. It really is appreciably better in ergonomics. I also much prefer counter depth over full depth so that things don't get lost. It is a very efficient space where I can pack a ton in. I have never used the motorized lift for the shelves, though, so I think in retrospect getting the basic Bosch model of the same thing would have been the way to go.

The only complaints that my DH and I have had with our Thermadors is that one of the drawers does not stay on its track perfectly. It doesn't affect the performance, but it is semi-annoying. Similarly, the icemaker is great, when I get it positioned correctly. However, it now takes some propping, which I think is annoying to find its sweet spot. I actually find that for all of my Thermador/Bosch/Gagg. appliances there is some plastic piece that doesn't work quite right.

That said, when I compare my freezer/fridge with my friends' ones, I realize that I have a really good set up. Our Therms. were cheaper than their Subzeros, too.

[MaiseyDog]

Viking was just recently bought out by another company. I'm not sure how this will affect their appliances or customer service issues, but it would make me hesitate before buying their products until things are settled a little more.

[codex57]

We have a LG French Door. With water dispenser and ice maker. Still going strong (6 yrs old ish), but I've never heard of fridges failing before like 15 years until I learned about Sub Zero and Viking (still no real experience with GE Monogram).

I know someone with a Samsung, and it too just operates like a fridge with no repairs needed.

[Ms B]

We went through this analysis when the Whirlpool custom panel front side-by-side that came with our house died a couple years back. We are fortunate that we have a friend who is in the appliance business who helped us out with this.

Bottom line, none of the "high end" fridges have decent reliability. Their records show that they all require substantial repairs on a regular basis. Moreover, many of them are extremely shallow, including some of the "all fridge" units, which means that you cannot put things like large casseroles, a turkey in its roasting pan, or a deli tray in the fridge.

Our friend's recommendation was to go for a KitchenAid or Jennair bottom freezer with side by side doors. The cost is thousands less, the repair records are much better (and note that bottom freezers overall have the lowest repair rates in most cases -- it has something to do with how the cold air circulates), and they have the most usable interior space relative to total size. Note that the Kitchenaid is made by Amana -- our garage fridge is an Amana bottom freezer that was purchased in 2000 and still is going strong (even after almost seven years in the garage) without a single repair over that time.

If you hate water and ice in the door, you can get models from both Kitchenaid and Jennair that do not have that feature. We went with a Kitchenaid with a small icemaker in the bottom freezer and a water spigot inside the left hand wall (hard to explain, but very efficient spacewise). We have a freestanding ice machine in our upstairs bar off the family room, so this works for us, but we often are glad to have ice right in the kitchen (for blanching veg, cooling custard, and to have available for ILs who cannot get their heads around a fridge that does not make any ice).

Of course, we have another full size fridge in the garage . . . and a chest freezer out there too . . . and a beverage fridge in our upstairs bar . . . and another bev fridge in the basement bar . . . not to mention the wine cooling units. Don't ask what our electric bill is! :wink2:

Oh . . . and my decorator friend says avoid stainless finishes. She claims it will be the avocado of the 21st century!! :rotflmao:

[lhafer]

We went through this analysis when the Whirlpool custom panel front side-by-side that came with our house died a couple years back. We are fortunate that we have a friend who is in the appliance business who helped us out with this.

Bottom line, none of the "high end" fridges have decent reliability. Their records show that they all require substantial repairs on a regular basis. Moreover, many of them are extremely shallow, including some of the "all fridge" units, which means that you cannot put things like large casseroles, a turkey in its roasting pan, or a deli tray in the fridge.

Our friend's recommendation was to go for a KitchenAid or Jennair bottom freezer with side by side doors. The cost is thousands less, the repair records are much better (and note that bottom freezers overall have the lowest repair rates in most cases -- it has something to do with how the cold air circulates), and they have the most usable interior space relative to total size. Note that the Kitchenaid is made by Amana -- our garage fridge is an Amana bottom freezer that was purchased in 2000 and still is going strong (even after almost seven years in the garage) without a single repair over that time.

If you hate water and ice in the door, you can get models from both Kitchenaid and Jennair that do not have that feature. We went with a Kitchenaid with a small icemaker in the bottom freezer and a water spigot inside the left hand wall (hard to explain, but very efficient spacewise). We have a freestanding ice machine in our upstairs bar off the family room, so this works for us, but we often are glad to have ice right in the kitchen (for blanching veg, cooling custard, and to have available for ILs who cannot get their heads around a fridge that does not make any ice).

Of course, we have another full size fridge in the garage . . . and a chest freezer out there too . . . and a beverage fridge in our upstairs bar . . . and another bev fridge in the basement bar . . . not to mention the wine cooling units. Don't ask what our electric bill is! :wink2:

Oh . . . and my decorator friend says avoid stainless finishes. She claims it will be the avocado of the 21st century!! :rotflmao:

Thanks for the info.

I think I am going to go with the LG, after going to my Best Buy and looking at the show room kitchens they have (Viking/thermador/JennAir/etc) and looking at Samsung, LG, Electrolux, etc. The LG has the best use of space for me (in terms of ice maker, etc). It also has the largest counter depth frig at 25cuft. that will fit our current frig spot without any remodeling necessary. Plus it's on sale saving over $600.

Stainless steel isn't my first choice, but is what would make the rest of our appliances (all put in by the builder 3 year ago). I had a black French door frig before (I think LG) that I loved, and liked the black. And black would go with our kitchen.

I will start another thread about that, now that I think about it...