favorite fridge layout(or style)

[roger]

side-by-side / freezer on top / freezer on bottom

We currently have a side-by-side, love the look, but miss the fridge width of our old
traditional "freezer on top" fridge.

The "freezer on the bottom" fridges seem to have become very popular lately. Anyone have this type and wished they could change it?

 

[hydralique]

As far as freezers go I like 'em on the bottom unless it's a really big refrigerator, then side by side is fine.

 

[mixfinder]

After All These Doors

I have a separate freezer so refrigerator real estate is important. Top of the list is bottom freezer with single door. Never met a French door I wanted to french with, a side by side ends up being a 25cu foot ice and water machine and last choice choice would be top freezer.

 

[gansky1]

I'm with Kelly on all points. We just talked about this when he was here last weekend and was discussing these with my mom last night. They have an eleven year old top-freezer GE that has had one repair two months ago. At the next failure, it will be time to replace it and she's leaning toward a bottom-freezer but does not like the french-door style.

I have a KitchenAid counter-depth side-by-side that is, as Kelly so succinctly put it, a 25 cu. ft. ice and water machine. I do like the ice and filtered water dispenser although the narrow spaces in both refrigerator and freezer sections are annoying.

My all-time favorite refrigerator was a 1987 Sub Zero 36" bottom freezer. We had chalkboard inserts in the door which was fun when my son was young and every day new artwork would appear. Though the depth was shallower than the Hotpoint top-freezer it replaced, the usable capacity was outstanding and the built-in, flush look outweighed the negatives.

 

[maytagbear]

I love

my bottom freezer refrigerator. I only wish I had one earlier. I have the Whirlpool with the DOOR, not the drawer.

I'm still not a vegetarian, but more so than I used to be, and it is SO nice to have the fresh food compartment up front!

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[foraloysius]

Bottom freezer adept here too. I had a bottom freezer fridge for 20 years, replaced it with a Bosch with a freezer at the bottom too.

Here's the thread about it with some pictures.

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?23677

 

[danemodsandy]

Bottom Mount, IF....

....The freezer is a pull-out drawer, not a side-swinging door.

This is the arrangement I grew up with, on a 1958 GE Combination, and it has been my preference ever since.

That having been said, I can live with a top-mount freezer. I am not a huge fan of side-by-side models, at least those which are not counter-depth; their spaces tend to be narrow and deep, with everything you've looking for in constant migration to the back of the shelf.

I have never lived with a wall-mount fridge, though I've been around one, and I can see how that could be the most convenient arrangement of all, if only someone made a new one with a current feature set, like an icemaker, and more interior capacity than vintage ones.

 

[ovrphil]

Side by side is off our list - still have a counter depth GE Arctica(2008)and dislike it. Prefer top or bottom freezer or none at all, if space was avail. I like the vintage lower freezer units, but can only say that from a windowshopper's view.

 

[ronhic]

I'm a bottom dweller too...

I've owned a 'bottom mount', as they are referred to here, since 1994. Never bought anything else.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Currently have a Maytag bottom freezer

I love, it, my Mom is in a wheelchair so it leaves the frozen items for her to snack on easier to get at when in the chair, but if she is standing it is a chore to bend down. Grabbing ice can be a bother even with the pull out shelf.

Would love a French Door type frig, but don't have the room for that wide of a unit in my kitchen.

 

[circlew]

Bottom freezer

Have an Amana with freezer on the bottom that I got in '97. It's a 22 cu. ft. with door, not drawer. I will definately get another, but would get the drawer style freezer.

 

[washer111]

Currently have two separate devices. We were considering French-Door when one dies, but space is an issue and the only companies that seem to really market them is LG and Samsung: Both companies I am dubious of.

Would go with a bottom mount design, probably F&P (but depending on reviews), as they have "ActiveSmart," which eliminates those models that control the Freezer temperature or the fridge temperature then have airflow control for the other compartment (How they are allowed to be sold?!)

 

[xraytech]

We have a 2005ish Kenmore Elite Bottom freezer with freezer drawer and NO icemaker.

It is a wonderful fridge and so great to have easy access to fresh foods.

My second choice would be separate fridge and freezer units if space permitted.
A top freezer model doesn't bother e just not top pick.

I absolutely hate side by sides as it seems they have very little space and they cant accommodate very large containers.
Also not a fan of French door models

 

[firedome]

Separates...

French doors being the answer to a question nobody asked ioho.

 

[mrb627]

French Door

I have a French door model with the pull out drawer. Will be replacing it with another when the time comes, but want an actual drawer on the bottom, no baskets!

Malcolm

 

[48bencix]

Side by Side

I really like a side by side. I have a Whirlpool 1997 model with 25 cu. ft. water and ice. I use the water and ice every day and no problems so far. This Whirlpool was made in response to a government contest for energy efficiency and was very efficient when I bought it. I think it holds lots of food both fresh and frozen, most of what I use is at arm level.

 

[philr]

I like bottom freezers. I prefer single door fridges (I mean with a separate freezer door!) to the french door models. I guess French door and side by side designs are good when you have very limited space to open the doors or for very wide fridges.

 

[yogitunes]

I have a bottom drawer fridge....by Amana.....I think its 22cu ft......and hate it....access to ice is a pain, and there is NO storage space, thankgoodness for a seperate freezer in the basement.....I would sooner push this thing off a cliff!

the best one I have is the 30 cu ft SxS.....maximum space all over.....would not go with anything else.....

 

[DigAPony]

Side by sides can be narrow, but always stooping over bottom mount freezers is no picnic either.

We have 20 cu. ft GE side by side, 20 years old and still going strong.

It replaced an Avacado Whirlpool french door with wood panels on the doors, nice fridge but used a lot of power.