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About two years ago we bought the Whirlpool Gold french door fridge, in the stainless steel finish that doesn't show fingerprints, and we LOVE it. It was also the most highly rated in Consumer Reports and other sources at the time (2012). It is large, food is easy to get to, the lower freezer holds an amazing amount of food, the filter is very easy to replace, and I like the different humidity settings for fruits and veggies - things really do stay fresh a LOT longer in those drawers. It will set you back about $2000 give or take a coupla hundred.
Everyone's tastes and needs are different, so I won't bash other's choices. I'll just say that I personally have not been happy with side by side fridges and will never buy another one. Space is too limited, especially for larger items (think "ham" or "casserole dish"). I personally have never in 52 years had a problem with an ice maker or water dispenser on the front of a fridge, regardless of brand, but maybe I'm just lucky.
I really do like the filter feature for dispensing cleaner water.
It seems like almost everyone I know who has a refrigerator with a water line -it has leaked - causing lots of damage. The home I am in the process of buying had this problem. It was repaired and disclosed on the report they provided. The very first thing I will do once I am in there is have someone come in and turn off the water line so it cannot happen in the future. I hate ice makers and would never use one. When it comes time to replace the refrigerator I will buy one without an ice maker.
This is most likely because they have been using the "piercing saddle" tap that's commonly supplied with the refrigerator or sold as a "water supply adapter."
If you have someone with genuine plumbing skills install a properly soldered Tee and valve to a nearby cold water line, you won't have that problem any more than you have a problem with any other household faucet.
I think the best place to start is by measuring the width, height and depth of the space where the refrigerator will go. Also ask what kind of clearance you need as I think some refrigerators still require some space between the top of the unit and the cabinets above it.
Once you have the measurements of the space, ask what brands/styles will work in that space. You will probably eliminate 50% to70% of refrigerators that way due to the space limitations. Once you know what will work in the available space you can choose from these brands/styles.
You don't want to spend a lot of time deciding on a style/brand only to find out it will not fit in the available space. My biggest issue was finding a unit that was the correct overall depth for the available space.
Mary2014
This is true. First identify your space requirements.
For instance, down here in Dallas the 60s and 70s seem to have been decades where galley kitchens were the rage, and they often don't have satisfactory space to open a full-sized door without blocking the narrow path through the kitchen. Bottom freezers will do the same thing. Side-by-sides work best in such spaces.
I have put--and will put--under-the-sink filters in my kitchen, so I have no need for a door water dispenser. But now that I suddenly think of it, I do like icemakers...maybe I should just install an under-the-sink filter right behind the refrigerator.
When I moved into my current house, a little over ten years ago, we needed a new refrigerator and we went for a bottom freezer model. I think the main reason was for energy efficiency. I wish we hadn't done it. The freezer is a drawer that pulls open with two levels of racks. We have found it to be very hard to keep the contents of the freezer organized; once something gets covered with other items it's very hard to keep track of it.
The other problem, and this is something we might have been able to anticipate, is that we didn't realize that all their bottom freezer models had an ice maker built in, which we didn't want. It takes up space and we have never had it connected. If you're not going to use the ice maker/water dispense avoid buying it and paying for it.
A problem with top-freezer models is that they are generally every manufacturer's "bottom of the line" units that seldom have high-end quality features. I'm not seeing any that have modern energy efficiency technology, for instance. They're like the "economy cars" American car makers produced in the 70s...cheap by design and cheap in design.
I had an offer on a house accepted last week and the house doesn't have a fridge, so I need to buy one. To this point I've only rented, so I've had nothing but basic top freezer fridges with no ice maker/water line. I wonder if people could advise on the following:
1. What's your preference: top freezer, side-by-side, or french door with freezer below.
2. There's no water line in the kitchen for a fridge: is it worth it to have one installed and get a fridge with an ice maker or water/ice in the door?
3. Brands that you like? GE, Samsung, etc?
Alas, the flippers who are selling the house put in stainless steel appliances, so unless I want mismatched I'm going to have to pay the stupid premium for stainless steel, which really annoys me.
I go to consumer report for this kind of stuff. thats why they exist
We have a bottom freezer but I liked my side by side better...digging for ice in the bottom freezer is not
as convenient as the ice/water in door we used to have...both being Kenmore and have no problem with
that, but next time no bottom freezer.
We have a bottom freezer but I liked my side by side better...digging for ice in the bottom freezer is not
as convenient as the ice/water in door we used to have...both being Kenmore and have no problem with
that, but next time no bottom freezer.
There are plenty of bottom-freezer models with ice in the door if that is your complaint...
I'm single & have a 25 cu ft side by side w/ice & water in the door. My Kenmore is almost 16 yrs old. I have an inline water filter so I don't have to buy those expensive replacement filters that fit inside the fridge. I love cold, filtered water. So the ice & water in the door was a must-have for me. I've read some online comments regarding newer side by sides making enough ice quickly to keep up with demand. This wasn't an issue for me since I live alone. I thought maybe this was due to a smaller ice reservoir to allow for more usable freezer space.
I too would recommend a ball valve water supply line. DO NOT use a saddle valve. They develop leaks over time.
I have a peninsula perpendicular to my fridge/freezer doors. So no other style of fridge would easily fit the space. I don't like bottom freezers as it's hard to see what's stacked in there. When I bought my fridge, I took an empty frozen & delivered pizza box with me to the showroom. My friends & family laughed at me but I wanted to make sure both boxes would fit. The frozen pizza box easily fit in the freezer and the delivered pizza box fit in the fridge. I've also fit those large, pink cake boxes in my fridge when a neighbor needed extra fridge space.
Also measure the overall dimensions very carefully to make sure it will fit into your house. Consider that handles & hinges tend to stick out further than the appliance cabinet itself.
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