I need to find a new refrigerator. What do you have? Do you like it? What would you get?
I’ve decided I’m tired of my refrigerator for a number of reasons. The number one reason is it’s lack of an ice maker. My dog has a drinking problem(drinks to much water) and the veterinary solution has been to give him bowls of ice rather than water. This has been working for some time now but I’m really tired of ice cube trays.
I’m thinking I’d like one of the french door models with the freezer drawer. I like freezer space and find the side by sides to be lacking in this category. I’m undecided on the ice maker on the door, it would be nice but reading reviews it seems like the in door ice makers are more prone to failure.
I like the door in a door options but am wondering if they are worth the extra money.
My only size limitations are i need to be able to get it into my kitchen. It is an older building and the doors are only have 30 inches of clearance. Most models I can get in with the doors off. The refrigerator is in a corner with no cabinetry around it. The existing one is 30x30. A deeper depth may impact my table positioning but is workable. Wider has no impact. Height has no impact.
One option is my brother not to long ago bought a Kenmore elite, this one
It was part of a new kitchen and their designer made an error with the counter depth model, it’s next to the end wall and the door won’t clear with it pushed back. So instead they have it pulled forward so it clears. The regular depth model would give them more storage in the same space. So I could potentially get him to pay some amount to get the regular depth and trade it for his counter depth.
My friend who sells appliances gave me a short list as follows:
I did check the specs on the Samsung “Door in Door” unit and the issue, is going to be the depth. The case on those are 32 and wouldn’t fit through the door
Samsung for example, we have a great deal on a French Door, with an internal Ice Maker Model: [RF26HFENDSR](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-25-5-cu-ft-french-door-refrigerator-stainless-steel/8815004.p?id=1219371331904&skuId=8815004&ref=06&loc=01&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=8815004&extensionType=pla_multichannel:g&s_kwcid=PTC!pla!!!79785812679!g!!81402176679&kpid=8815004&k_clickid=56364c3f-467d-434e-b780-d711e1b2ccb7&lsft=ref:212,loc:1&ksid=56364c3f-467d-434e-b780-d711e1b2ccb7&ksprof_id=13&ksaffcode=pg689&ksdevice=c) $999 after $100 Mail in Rebate ( Normally $1799) Specs Attached
[LG does have a “door within door” model French Door](http://www.sears.com/lg-30-cu-ft-super-capacity-french-door/p-04689093000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2), this unit normally retails for $3799. We do have it on sale for $2299 which is a great price! + there is currently a $275 mail in rebate. ( Below our cost) However I would say LG, is the worst option out of these listed, from service perspective. Specs attached, without the door its current it close at 29 ½ for the case.
Kitchen Aid makes a unit, with an internal ice and water. Model: [KRFS305ESS](http://www.pcrichard.com/catalog/catalog-product.jsp?prodId=KRFF305ESS&cm_mmc=pla-_-Refrigerators-_-KitchenAid-_-KRFF305ESS&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=GoogleBase&KPID=KRFF305ESS&gclid=Cj0KEQiAvuWyBRDO_Yzhpv_4nvEBEiQANBdXMiFu-GDSUTMipMzlkq3NR-Y1eiwQA_P4iWNTB9-2xxsaAnRm8P8HAQ) They are a good reliable brand. ** I would just want to confirm the current availability, on this, it seems like it may be on back order. $1839
Frigidaire French Door with an External Dispenser, good reliable brand Model: [FGHB2866PF](http://www.abt.com/product/68574/Frigidaire-FGHB2866PF.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=sc&utm_campaign=FGHB2866SS&camptype=cpcGooglePLA&kwid=productads-plaid^169453838404-sku^68574-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^77416723924), great use of space 28 cubic ft, LED lighting, reliable, good for service. Touch proof stainless.
My price range tops out at $2500. But part of me thinks I could just buy a $1000 dollar fridge and have money to blow on something else.
Standard size for French Door units is 35" They make 33" ones, but they are rare. Ice makers IN doors do not make much ice–a better and far more inexpensive alternative is to go to Walmart and get the countertop ice maker. 10 cubes per 7 to 9 minutes, just got to pour water in every once in a while. The in-door unit in our LG just can’t make enough ice for one person, let alone our whole family.
We picked out a Kitchen Aid French Door model with external ice/water a few weeks ago. It is indeed on back order. I hope we love this thing, we have waited long enough for it.
Our appliance guy made similar comments about LG - he said they have really cool features but if you need service, they’re not the best for that. On the other hand, my sister has one and loves it. I did get an LG washer and dryer, and they’ve been great so far.
A while back I considered a counter top ice maker. My findings where they can make ice quickly but they can’t really store it. They aren’t generally freezers. I could care less about how fast the ice is made, if it’s made slowly but has storage capacity that’s fine by me. Counter space is a premium at my place so that was also a consideration.
This has me leaning more towards a refrigerator with an internal ice make that can feed into a bin.
Obvious thing, but just in case (since you mentioned that the refrigerator is in a corner by itself): Is the water located in a place where it will not be inconvenient to run a line to the refrigerator?
To the left is a shared wall with a pantry. Behind it is a shared wall with the living room. Unfinished basement, cold water line to the washer runs underneath.
Plumbing I can do in my sleep. I work in a plumbing related field with more experience supply side than a lot of plumbers.
We just bought this one a few months ago and overall, I’m pretty happy with it. We didn’t have the luxury of shopping - our old fridge died without warning and we needed a replacement immediately. Stupid thing didn’t quite last 11 years. Oh well…
Anyway, I like the ice bin, altho my husband misses the ice thru the door. We keep a scoop in it - it’s very convenient. I do wish the freezer was a bit bigger, but there are just 2 of us in the household, so I’ll learn to deal with less storage. The fridge part is huge for us, and I love having double-width of shelves after years of side-by-side.
For the record, I don’t work for Lowe’s or Whirlpool - just sharing my experience. Good luck!
Earlier this year we bought a GE side-by-side fridge. We don’t like it. Even though the outside is larger, it holds less stuff. That big divider between the freezer and the other side of the fridge takes up a lot of room. Plus it’s difficult to put something in the freezer like a large frozen pizza or a Thanksgiving turkey.
I’m not sure what you’re reading WRT problems with ice makers in the door, but I have an LG french door (bottom freezer) with the ice maker in the fridge door. I do have some problems with it. Mainly that the ice will pile up above the feeler arm, holding it down and it’ll just continue to make ice forever. Over the years I’ve learned the sound it makes when there’s a problem (the motor starts making some noise when it’s trying to push the ice out but it doesn’t have anywhere to go) and I check on it a few times a week. If there’s a ton of ice built up in there, I pull the ice maker out and dump some of the ice in the sink, if I see the problem forming, I just hit it a few times and the ice will fall down and it frees everything up.
More of a hassle than I’d expect out of such an expensive fridge, but it is what it is (at this point) and probably just part of what happens when you put an ice maker in such a narrow spot.
I did try turning it off when it would fill up, but then it doesn’t send cold air up that way and what is up there starts melting.
I’ve had a few other issues with it over the years, but they’ve mostly been small and probably not worth mentioning.
Two other things:
1)I didn’t look at your links, but when shopping, make sure you’re not looking at identical models from different brands. It’s pretty common for one brand to make something and everyone else just makes some minor changes to it and puts their badge on it. I know when I bought my LG, there were 3 or 4 other ones that pretty much the same. At that point, you may just want to look at cost.
2)Don’t get too hung up on EnergyStar. If you can get a rebate for buying it (check out FocusOnEnergy . com) that’s great, but if you look at similar models where one is ES rated and the other isn’t, often times you’ll find that the savings in energy isn’t worth how much more they cost.