Kitchen

[chickenbutt]

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@Sweetbay magnolia wrote:

I replaced ours two years ago.  The old Whirlpool side-by-side still worked, but as there was duct tape holding some things together and just in general yuckiness (it was clean, but not mine to begin with), and since I thought the "bisque" color was going to be hard to find going forward (maybe not?), I went ahead.

Wow, had fridge sizes changed.  I was not about to have upper cabinets cut out for the new one, nor did I need anything fancy.  It's in a major walk through area, so I  couldn't have anything stick out too far, and it sits at an angle to cabinets and the oven door; that had to be factored in.

I ended up with a small GE with recessed handles (they are in the side of the door).  It is surprising how jut that small touch made it seem sleek and modern.  I don't care to draw attention to what is essentially a box for keeping things cold, important as it is.  It's perfect.  Freezer on top, no ice maker.

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One thing that amazed me about our new one is that it fits in the same space exactly, which I hoped for because I put a few things on one side of it, between the refrigerator and the wall, BUT there is so much more space in there than my old one!

Mine is also freezer-on-top and that is what I prefer, so I'm glad they still make them.    It came with an ice maker but, as I did with the old one, I just bagged that up and put it out in the garage.   Nothing wrong with them, I suppose, but I just had no interest in that and wanted the extra space in the freezer,   

Between the freezer and refrigerator, and being the same outside size as the old one, I could not believe how much more space there is inside!

I also love not having the handles that stick out.

[loriqvc]

I'm also in the market for a new refrigerator, and like several of you, I will need to get a narrow side-by-side unit due to space constraints. Would those of you who ended up buying this style mind sharing the makes and models you chose?

It definitely isn't easy to find a small(ish) fridge nowadays—and I want one without an ice maker, which apparently means I'm crazy based on the reactions I get from family, friends, and salespeople.

[loriqvc]

@chickenbutt - It looks like we were replying at the same time—I'm glad to know I'm not the only person who doesn't want an ice maker! And I would love to have recessed handles again; that approach apparently went out of style a few years ago, so I do hope it's coming back and that it will be easier to find.

[chickenbutt]

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@loriqvc wrote:

@chickenbutt - It looks like we were replying at the same time—I'm glad to know I'm not the only person who doesn't want an ice maker! And I would love to have recessed handles again; that approach apparently went out of style a few years ago, so I do hope it's coming back and that it will be easier to find.

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I hear that!    The only time I need a bunch of ice is once a year, when I'm going to brine, so the husband brings me home a bag of ice. Done and done! 

My new one must be a pretty new model because it was in the August issue of Consumer Reports.    It's actually the first time I've seen one without the handles and I was very impressed.   Since I had my old one for 18 years, I had not even seen that before.   Hopefully, that means they are here to stay.   It looks so much nicer and the absense of handles sticking out made the size work super well in the spot I have between the end of a counter and the wall because it's on the way through the laundry room, out to the garage.  Handles sticking out can get in the way if there is a man (bull in a china closet type) in the house. 

I am amazed at how the outside is the same as the old one, yet the inside is much larger!  

[wagirl]

@Tigriss---just got my 18 year old refer fixed---its a Kenmore too---repair guy said that the fewer bells and whistles the new ones  have, the better, as those parts cost hundreds of $$ by  themselves and then more to install. I NEED all new appliances but everything is working fine------they are all 18 years old----geez--prob shouldn't have put that out in the universe---

[Tigriss]

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@loriqvc wrote:

I'm also in the market for a new refrigerator, and like several of you, I will need to get a narrow side-by-side unit due to space constraints. Would those of you who ended up buying this style mind sharing the makes and models you chose?

It definitely isn't easy to find a small(ish) fridge nowadays—and I want one without an ice maker, which apparently means I'm crazy based on the reactions I get from family, friends, and salespeople.

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You do need to go to the websites for Sears, HomeDepot, and Lowes.  When you go to the appliances section, then refrigerators, then you will see the options for side-by-side, French Door, Top Freezer, etc, you select the side-by-side or French door (I was set to get another side-by-side but the more models I saw the more I liked the full width) you can then refine your search by width.  There are several choices but 33 or 32 and change will be the most common for what is a narrow fridge these days.  Measure your space cabinet to wall/cabinet and top to bottom of the space.  Then you will know if you have enough room for the large ones these days at 36", which is considered standard width, or something narrower like 33", 32", 29" (my Sears had an LG that was the duplicate of the one I got that came in a bit smaller at 29" or so) or even narrower than that as an apartment sized appliance.  You may not get many of these in the store.  The Sears guy told me they didn't have any that were 33" in French door, but there were three models there he didn't realize he had.  Sears had the measurements on signs posted on the doors, but Lowes did not, so I had to snag a measuring tape from the register back there and walk around measuring.  There were others doing the same, so it would have been nice to have all the measurements right up front on the door for all to see as Sears had.  You may find you can get a French door model or a top freezer or bottom freezer with the full sized traditional door.  I don't have space for the full-sized open door and Sears had two of those.  My Sears is a small strip mall "Home Town Locally Owned" Sears, so selection as about 10 French door models, 10 side-by-side, 6 or so top freezer models and two bottom freezer models.  If my rural town Sears had them, then yours may, but they do tend to stock what is popular which is why Lowe's pretty much had 36" models in every style but their apartment model, one of them, that was like 16 or 17 cubic feet size.  

So get out that measuring tape and write down some numbers.  Go in measuring and realize you may have to order it.  I had a GE model picked out that is 33" wide at 24.9 cubic feet to order if I didn't find anything that would work.  I basically got the non-door ice/water model of that GE one but as a Kenmore.  Here is what the appliance section of Sears dot com looks like and where to find the refrigerator section with the styles to select.

It is 32.75" according to the specs listed on the product page under the specifications section.  Read carefully.  Pre-shopping online can give you an idea of what you want, reviews of models (why I picked the GE33" one), prices, in-store availability (though this isn't always accurate) and what you are generally entering into.  In the reviews, several people mention that the Bisque color is hard to find and why so many picked this model.  Other reviews were of the delivery or customer service, which doesn't apply to the product itself.  Below is the GE I was looking at ordering.

Basically same layout/fridge.  The slate and stainless steel colors were cheaper than the white.  That was consistent in the pricing of most models.  White is still the top.  

[loriqvc]

@Tigriss - Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of those details. I've actually done extensive research for this project already and just wanted to know what make and model was purchased by some of the other posters who seemed to have the same goals for size and style that I do.

[Tigriss]

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@loriqvc wrote:

@Tigriss - Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of those details. I've actually done extensive research for this project already and just wanted to know what make and model was purchased by some of the other posters who seemed to have the same goals for size and style that I do.

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What I saw of the side by side was that they were so narrow on the inside in both the fridge and freezer compared to my 24 cubic foot 1998 Kenmore.  The ice makers were half the size and quantity of the ice but took up the same space in the top of the freezer section and in the dispenser in the door.  I don't know if ice is out of style or if they want people to buy these countertop ice makers.  Yet another expense.  This was especially true in the French door models even the ones that had a second ice maker in the bottom.  What is the point if you can only get two glasses of ice a day and still have to use the ice maker in the freezer section. There are some in the stores that do not have the ice maker installed, but you are the minority in the ice maker department.  It really isn't an add-on anymore like A/C isn't added into cars at the dealer anymore.  I'm not even sure you can get one without a special order. 

The dispenser part adds about $500 or more to the price as well for the same size.  While I do know that top freezers are more energy efficient because cold air sinks, I do like having the fridge part where I don't have to bend over or kneel on the floor to get into it.  The side by side gave me half the convenience, but the French door one is all fridge up top.  Maybe I won't forget about things as much since I can see them.

I really looked at reviews at multiple sites for the same fridge to find one that was consistently 4 stars and up.  I also looked at the newest reviews, the highest and the lowest to get an idea of what the likes and complaints were.  Many reviews aren't actually for the product but for some complaint.  On the one I got on Amazon I found a lady gave it one star because of the delivery company.  There were several of those.

Below are the two side by side ones I looked at that were 33" wide.  I found the Frigidaire at my local Sears in this size and the next size up at 35.75" wide. The 33" models are so narrow in the freezer part.  I really could just about spread my hand out and touch either sidewall.  The Frigidaire model is the most basic with just push button controls for the dispensers and digital temp controls.  It was the most simple mechanical model I could find.  The GE one is the side by side version of the French door one I would order but with dispensers.  You can see the price difference with the computerized dispensers and versus no dispenser.

[software]

@chickenbutt   What brand?

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@chickenbutt wrote:

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@AuntG wrote:

@Tigriss, I still like the bisque color the best. We got a stainless French door refrigerator in February. I really like the appliance, but have nothing but bad things to say about the stainless exterior. It always has streaks and fingerprints on the doors.

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We just got a new refrigerator in August.   My appliances are black, so I definitely wanted something black.

We got the 'black stainless'.   I'll tell ya - you cannot put smudges or fingerprints on that thing no matter how hard you try (I tried, just for kicks).

I don't know how different the regular stainless is, but this surface is specifically made to avoid fingerprints and such.   The only tiny negative is that the front is not magnetic, so my magnets and mostly magnet hooks have to go on the sides.  Fortunately, that works fine for me as the side nearest the stove is where I hang a few things and it was good.

Plus, I like the new thing with no gaudy handles sticking out.  My old one was 18 years old, from when they still had those handles in the front.   

It's absolutely beautiful and sleek.

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[loriqvc]

@Tigriss - Thanks for all the information!