Refrigerators

My 14 year old fridge is making some ominous noises. It has made noise for a while now but this is new and it doesn’t sound good. It might be time to get a new one.

I’m not going to spend 4 grand on a Sub-Zero, so save that suggestion, but I’d like so sugestions. I like the look of the side-by-side models, but what is their inherant advantage? They occupy the same space, so what makes them better? I would like to get one with an ice and water dispenser in the door. I’m willing to spend up to $1000 or thereabouts if it is worth it.

Any help?

Here’s one site that rates Kenmore as two of the top units. Also, check this site and click on the appropriate link.

Side by sides are not a good choice if you keep your fridge full, IMO.
If you’re the type to have a carton of eggs and a hunk of cheese and not much else they’d probably be great, But the shelves are just so narrow that stacking is unavoidable, and once there’s more than a few things in there they quickly become lost in the clutter.

Pull the fridge out and take a vaccum cleaner with a hose and remove the dirt on the coils.

That may stop the bad noises.

Go to Home Depot, Lowe’s or Sears and take a look at the refrigerators. You can open up the side-by-side models and others to see the amount of interior space. Also look at the freezer on top and freezer on the bottom models (some have a freezer drawer on the bottom). There are a couple of side-by-side models where the doors are not straight, but have a wider part and a narrower part for both the refrigerator and freezer.

And icemakers and water dispensers are ubiqutious; it’s hard to find a model without them.