Refrigerators? About This Page:

[PrincessJ9]

I am going to need a new refrigerator for my new house - I would really like the kind with the freezer on the bottom. Can anyone recommend a good one? Or share some feedback on what you have in your home?

[crystalloubear]

I have a side by side and absolutely hate it! The freezer is not wide enough to even put a frozen pizza in. I looked at the one that are french door on top and freezer on the bottom - not sure how well that would work. We are building a new house and I ended up picking a subzero all refrigerator and an all freezer since we had the space for it. Good luck!

[wheatenwalker]

I have a side by side but I love it- I really like the ice and water feature- it has a filter for the water so its like having fresh water all the time. Sheila

[graygables]

I just sold my 2yo freezer on the bottom and replaced it with a side-by-side. I *HATED* the freezer on the bottom and I'm the one who was so excited about it when I bought it. First, there was no ice through the door. We use ice a lot and the children getting their own inevitably led to puddles or stepping on chunks. I had to rummage through the drawers to get to what I wanted and frequently ice from the ice maker had overflowed the tray to the bottom of the freezer, so when I pulled the drawer out to do my digging, ice on the floor again. That was a design flaw and probably does not apply to all models. The 'ledge' on the fridge part and the upper gasket on the freezer got dirty very easily from people pulling stuff out, dropping things, etc. The gasket actually had to be replaced on the freezer, b/c I had cleaned it so often (I'm not obsessive, and the repairman said it was very common). Also, when DDs were getting ice for dinner, the freezer stood open the whole time with them squatting down in front of it. The doors are wide and heavy. I researched in detail before I bought it and thought I'd done the right thing. DH hated it from day 1 and I hated it from about day 10, but couldn't justify a new one.

Last Christmas, DH got me a stainless side by side, no bells and whistles, water and ice through the door b/c his dad needed a new fridge and bought our old one. This one can hold frozen pizzas in the freezer and a large pizzaria box in the fridge. The freezer actually holds more than the other one did and it's easier to find what I need. I still have to rummage a little, but not much. The doors aren't as wide, so, in our kitchen arrangement, it doesn't block the traffic flow. Ice and water through the door is the primary advantage to me. That, and not having to hear DH curse the refrigerator several times a day!

Good luck with your choice...it's a tough one!

[RobDVC]

We have a side-by-side one. Seems to have more space in the freezer compartment then the top/bottom ones do.

[Happymommy]

I have a freezer on the bottom and LOVE IT!! I've had it for 6 years now. We have an Amana. Our freezer is very large, and its great because when you open the door, you don't have everything falling down on you (my mom had a side by side, and before that a freezer on top, and everything always fell down in both of them). Also, everyone warned me about side by sides because its hard to fit party trays-- our refrigerator is great for our parties-- everything usually fits very well-- its very big. It's nice it has a chef's drawer, and two very big fruit/veggie drawers. Lots of room on the door for beverages too!! You can get the built in ice maker-- we have it, just never had it connected. I'm not a big ice person (hate it actually), so we usually just end up buying some before parties.

[HiddenMickey]

We've been looking at fridges lately too. I think we're going to stick with a sidebyside (counter depth) for the new house. Sears and Lowes both have some that have enough room for party trays or pizza boxes in freezer but you have to really look for that. And we like to have ice in the door.

My sister just bought a bottom freezer from Sears. I haven't got feedback from her now that they've been using it yet.

[chelle89]

I just got a "French Door" model and I LOVE IT!!!! Granted it takes some getting used to the freezer on the bottom but to me well worth it.

[JoanW]

I got Whirlpool Sidekicks. It's five feet across, and it's a stand alone freezer and a stand alone refrigerator. They just sit next to each other. I can fit trays in both. I also opted to not get an ice maker in the freezer, as it would take up almost an entire shelf. I bought a stand alone ice maker, which makes and holds 50 lbs of ice. It is under the counter. I got rid of the freezer we had in the garage when we got rid of the side by side we had. I hated our side by side. Everything fell out or you could not fit wide stuff in it (pizza boxes and party trays).

We have every family holiday dinner here, so for me it was worth it and the Side Kicks were less than my original side by side.

Good Luck!

[BostonTeaParty]

Jeannine - I have an online subscription to Consumer Reports. I am posting some info. that I hope will help you decide. Good luck!
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Refrigerators: Opening new doors


H2O TO GO Once found mostly on side-by-sides, through-the-door water dispensers are showing up on more top-freezers, including this $700 Frigidaire.

New refrigerator configurations and updated designs give you more ways to chill out. Here are some trends that might affect your buying decision:

New door style goes mainstream. French-door refrigerators are coming on strong. These armoire-style fridges have double doors on the refrigerator compartment and a freezer below. The doors have a narrow swing like those of a side-by-side model, but the space inside spans the full width of the refrigerator, so it can fit large items such as pizza boxes. Seven brands now offer one or more French-door bottom-freezers in their line. We tested five models from four brands. Prices range from about $1,500 to $2,000.

Slim-line fridges gain favor. Cabinet-depth refrigerators that mimic the built-in look are also catching on. Measuring 27 or 28 inches deep--a few inches less than typical freestanding fridges--these models extend only a bit beyond cabinets. Most major brands now have at least one slim fridge. Side-by-sides are most common, but top- and bottom-freezers are also available. Several side-by-sides in the Ratings are cabinet-depth. At $1,500 and up, they're high-priced for freestanding refrigerators but less than half the cost of built-ins.

Glass door offers another look. Sub-Zero's line of built-ins includes a model with a glass door, and an enclosed bottom freezer. You can see into the main space, but everyone else can, too, so there's no hiding messy leftovers. The Sub-Zero 650G did well in our tests but costs $6,000--$1,500 more than a sibling without a glass door. (See Window dressing, below.)

Lower-priced fridges add water dispensers. Through-the-door water dispensers, a side-by-side staple, have been hard to come by on top- and bottom-freezers. More of those models have added water dispensers inside the fridge in recent years, and some--including models selling for about $700--now have through-the-door water dispensers. (Icemakers are still in the freezer.)

Noise level is dropping. A few refrigerators in the Ratings, including a Fisher-Paykel bottom-freezer and an LG side-by-side, are among the quietest we've tested. Several others came close, reflecting the trend toward ever-quieter operation.
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Choosing a brand with a good repair history can improve your odds of getting a reliable model. Models within a brand may vary, and changes in design or manufacture may affect reliability. Adding an icemaker greatly increases the odds of repairs. Sub-Zero, Frigidaire, Jenn-Air, and Maytag were among the more repair-prone brands of side-by-sides. Sub-Zero was also the most repair-prone brand of bottom- and top-freezers. We have enough data to list only Sub-Zero among built-in, bottom-freezer models. But our data suggest that, as a category, these bottom-freezers have had higher repair rates than freestanding models.
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Important features Refrigerators

Interiors are ever more flexible. Adjustable door bins and shelves can be moved to fit tall items. Elevator shelves can be cranked up and down without removing the contents. Some split shelves can be adjusted to different heights independently. With other shelves, the front half of the shelf slides under the rear portion to provide clearance.

Shelf snuggers--sliding brackets on door shelves--secure bottles and jars. A few models have a wine rack that stores a bottle horizontally.

Glass shelves are easier to clean than wire racks. Most glass shelves have a raised, sealed rim to keep spills from dripping over. Some slide out. Pull-out freezer shelves or bins improve access. An alternative is a bottom-freezer with a sliding drawer.

More models have replaced mechanical controls with electronic touchpads. Some have a digital display that shows the temperature setting; a few show the actual temperature, which is more useful.

A temperature-controlled drawer can be set to be several degrees cooler than the rest of the interior, useful for storing meat or fish. Crispers have controls to maintain humidity. Our tests have shown that, in general, temperature-controlled drawers work better than plain drawers; results for humidity controls are less clear-cut. See-through drawers let you see at a glance what’s inside.

Curved doors give the refrigerator a distinctive profile and retro look. Most manufacturers have at least one curved-door model in their lineups.

Step-up features include a variety of finishes and colors. Every major manufacturer has a stainless-steel model that typically costs significantly more than one with a standard pebbled finish. Some brands offer fingerprint-resistant stainless with clear coatings, while other brands have faux stainless that resists prints. Another alternative is a smooth, glass-like finish.

Most models have an icemaker in the freezer or give you the option of installing one yourself. Typically producing several pounds of ice per day (although some produce 10 pounds or more), an icemaker reduces freezer space by about a cubic foot. The ice bin is generally located below the icemaker, but some new models have it on the inside of the freezer door, providing a bit more usable volume. A through-the-door ice-and-water dispenser is common in side-by-side refrigerators. Top- and bottom-freezer refrigerators generally don’t offer through-the-door ice-and-water dispensers, but some models have water dispensers inside the main compartment.

With many models, the icemaker and/or water dispenser includes a water filter, designed to reduce lead, chlorine, and other impurities in ice and/or drinking water. An icemaker or water dispenser will work without one. You can also have a filter installed in the tubing that supplies water to the refrigerator.

Once a refrigerator’s controls are set, there should be little need to adjust temperature. Still, accessible controls are an added convenience.
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Amana ABB222ZDE[W] (This one was one of several recommended for you, Jeannine.)

RECOMMENDATIONS & NOTES
A CR Best Buy. A very good low priced bottom-freezer. Excellent energy efficiency.

FEATURES
Here are the features that are most important to determining how well this model will meet your needs.

STORAGE FEATURES
Uniquely adjustable shelves No
Pullout shelves/bins Freezer Only
Half or split shelves Yes
Gallon storage on door Yes
Temperature controlled meat/deli bin No

CONVENIENCE FEATURES
Icemaker Optional
Ice dispenser No
Water dispenser No
Built-in water filter No
Touchpad controls Yes
Spill guard on shelves Yes
Freezer light Yes

OTHER INFORMATION
Type Bottom-freezer
Total usable capacity (cu. ft.) 16.5
Fridge usable (cu. ft.) 11.4
Freezer usable (cu. ft) 5.1
Exterior height (in.) 70
Exterior width (in.) 33
Exterior depth (in.) 31
Energy Star Yes
Child lock-out for dispenser NA
Door style Flat front/does not accept panel
Stainless/SS-look option Yes

[PrincessJ9]

[ QUOTE ]
Jeannine - I have an online subscription to Consumer Reports. I am posting some info. that I hope will help you decide. Good luck!
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[/ QUOTE ]


Thank you so much!! That was very sweet of you to look it up for me - It has definitely helped me. And thanks to everyone that has posted their experiences...I knew I could count on everyone to help!

[BostonTeaParty]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Jeannine - I have an online subscription to Consumer Reports. I am posting some info. that I hope will help you decide. Good luck!
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[/ QUOTE ]


Thank you so much!! That was very sweet of you to look it up for me - It has definitely helped me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Anytime! I'm here to help.

[Laughaholic]

BostonTeaParty, is there any way you could provide a link or send that in a PM? Under the board policies, you really aren't supposed to post full articles.

[BostonTeaParty]

Oh that wasn't a full article Laughaholic, there was lots I left out due to said policy. However, if you feel I've posted too much of the article, let me know and I'll handle it.

[Laughaholic]

I'm sorry Nancy! I just was skimming thru and saw part of it copied, thanks for taking out taking out what would have been against rules, I appreciate it!