Refrigerator Freezer Question(s)

[Wart]

Christmas is coming. Wife and I pick something we need or could use and that's our present(s) to each other. Last year it was a computer and bed, this year it's a Refrigerator Freezer. Our present unit is 15 years old, has been making noises for a couple of years, and the more I cook the more room I need (at least for processes). For now we're shopping. $1,000~ $1,300 range, MORE or less. Time frame is 3 months.

I'm looking for input to what I ought to be thinking about. What you all have found good and bad.

It didn't take much looking to know we wanted a bottom freezer. Like ... pretty much the moment I seriously looked at one. Open the freezer and NOT have things falling on me? Oh, Yes. Just thinking of this makes my mouth water .. I guess it IS food related. And the volume .. could put off buying a small chest freezer.

I'm not fond of some of the configurations of bottom/drawer freezer, the drawer layout and positioning, other minutia. Has anyone encountered a design issue they wish they didn't have to deal with? Wish the drawer pulled out farther? Pulls out too far?

In your shopping did you think one thing would work better than another and wish you had gone a different direction?

Another question is, wire or solid plastic bin? It seems the wire bin would chill quicker but seems if I had to dig through the bin to find something wire would also warm quicker. Also I wonder about small things falling through the wire.

We don't want the ice maker, or water dispenser. I guess the ice maker can be removed (were told they all come with ice makers)

I've pretty much decided on the two door upper, seems if the shelves could be kept in order (Wife is obsessive about Organization) there would be less warm air intrusion. Plus, the thought of opening both doors and being able to peruse and admire the entire cornucopia ... Gives me a rush! (I know, does not go with minimizing cold air intrusion. LOL!!). Also two doors would be more kitchen space efficient. Less swing and all.

Any issues with the door seal flipper? Or the door seals?

We LIKE stainless, don't know if it's worth the extra $200-$300. I have a stainless range so I know the beauty of it. Wondering about the Clean Steel, I don't even know what it is, haven't yet researched it.

I must be getting old. Use to be another motorcycle or car or girl (Wife would have something to say about that) would get me going , but now an auto-darkening welding helmet and new refrigerators get my blood pumping. LOL!!!

 

[larry_stewart]

We got a new refrigerator a few years ago. When you pull out the cheese drawer, the clear cover on top mechanically opens as the drawer is opened. The problem is, that it always falls of the little dowels or whatever you want to call them, that secures this lid in place. It is completely unnecessary and if and when I ever buy a new refrigerator, i would check all these little mechanical ' cute' features that look great and clever in the show room, but are not really practical.

The water and ice machine features are great if you use them a lot, but they take up a lot of internal storage space, and also have to be hooked up to a water line. I actually took the automatic ice maker out to gain more freezer storage space.

Stupid and simple thing, but if you are like us and like to stick things to the refrigerator door with magnets, make sure that the magnets will attract to the metal of the fridge u are buying. Magnets do NOT stick to our fridge door, but luckily to the sides. This is a very simple thing, but one of those things u may not realize until you get home.

This is all i can think of for now.

 

[DramaQueen]

Seems we just had this discussion a couple of weeks ago but here goes: I've had several fridges in the past 48 years, top freezer, side by side, but until 8 years ago I never had a bottom freezer. I will NEVER have a top freezer again. This one is so much more convenient.
You can look down into the freezer and see everything - nothing gets hidden and same with the fridge. I'm in my fridge dozens of times a day and everything is at eye lever. No more items pushed behind and no more bending over (God forbid I should get a little excercise ). I have an Amana 24 cu.ft.

As for ice makers, never again for me. Had 3 of them and the ice tastes funny. My friends have ice machines and they think their ice tastes funny too. And they're right. I get my ice in bags.

Amana 24 cu. ft. is what I have. White, stainless is too hard to keep shined.

 

[justplainbill]

The pros of upright freezers include a smaller footprint and easier access to items at bottom (but not back). Chest freezers seem less prone to having the cold air fall out. I'm a fan or wire baskets and milk cases. Have a 19 cu ft upright freezer which my wife resisted as being too large. Now she complains it's not big enogh. I've had to give up deer and goose hunting because there's never enough room in the freezer.

 

[Adillo303]

Completely silly comment - forgive me, I worked all noght and am silly sleepy - A walkin fridge and a walk in freezeer.

Is it possible ot have a small one of these?

AC

 

[justplainbill]

Completely silly comment - forgive me, I worked all noght and am silly sleepy - A walkin fridge and a walk in freezeer.

Is it possible ot have a small one of these?

AC

You must have a very big apetite (and fat wallet). The electric bill for such a setup might well exceed many familys' food bill.

 

[Wart]

Seems we just had this discussion a couple of weeks ago but here goes:

I did a search for refrigerator but limited it to appliances. I read several threads but I must have missed the thread where it's discussed in detail., I'll look again.

I will NEVER have a top freezer again. This one is so much more convenient. .... No more items pushed behind and no more bending over (God forbid I should get a little excercise )

Wife heard me growling in the kitchen last night, she thought I was angry about something, No, Honey, I'm looking for something on the bottom shelf and my back doesn't like it ... I always growl at my back.


I don't like ice and never have. The little bit of ice I need for processes I can make in a tray.

 

[Wart]

We got a new refrigerator a few years ago. When you pull out the cheese drawer, the clear cover on top mechanically opens as the drawer is opened. The problem is, that it always falls of the little dowels or whatever you want to call them...

In the same vein, we saw some units with 'party tray storage'. Far as we're concerned these type of things only chew up cubics. Being able to remove them will be a plus and worth money. Whats more, same model, one with the party storage with vents and a water dispenser inside the fridge, the other with the same storage and no dispenser, price difference was $300.

Then another model had a wire basket on the back of the drawer front. I pushed on it , not hard, and it fell off. I couldn't get it to snap back on. ? I gave up.

Same model with the drawer made of plastic stayed secure.

Next time we go looking I'll carry a spiral notebook and take notes.

Stupid and simple thing, but

Its the stupid and simple things that make one smile .... or grit their teeth. I'm looking for smiles.

Fridge Magnets? I'm looking at the fridge, I would be happy to see them go.

 

[mcnerd]

Instead of an internal ice maker, I chose to get an external Portable Ice Maker (you can even take it on picnics if you have a power source) that makes ice on demand in one of 3 sizes too. All I have in my freezer is a small ice bucket.

I would love a stand up frost free freezer, but it was far more economical to get a regular chest freezer that is kept in the garage. When it needs to be defrosted, it is rolled out of the garage and the hose taken to it to speed things along. In less than 20 minutes food is back in and life goes on.

 

[NAchef]

I bought an LG bottom freezer a few years ago and I have been happy with it.

Main reason I wanted this style was I always had problems fitting some items in a side by side. The width just wasnt there. The bottom freezer is a better design and it is how a freezer should be, on top freezers just arent right.

Check with your local repair shop and ask them what they feel is the best units out there. They repair them and know what units are good and what is not.

Good luck.

 

[Wart]

We settled on a Kenmore 22.5 ft model, French door bottom freezer.

30% off ... what can I say?

This is an important point: we looked at Samsung, GE, LG,and so on, it seemed all the larger units came with a "party drawer" or deli drawer, a full width drawer 4 to 6 inches tall and full depth, on the bottom of the refrigerator area.

This drawer didn't seem like a bad idea till we realized the drawer pulled out only half way meaning the drawer would have to be pulled out to get to things shoved to the back (not like we aren't known for growing fuzzy stuff already), that BOTH french doors would have to be opened to even open the drawer (allowing allot of cold to escape). ....

In short I can see where that bottom drawer could become Land of the Lost.

When we stood back and saw the amount of space that 'deli drawer' took up in the bottom of the 25 foot unit VS the amount of room that drawer wasn't taking up in the 22.5 foot unit, for us at least, the functional volume of the two units were close (enough) to the same.

As a side note, I thought our present refrigerator an 18 foot unit. I came across the owners manual, it's a 15 footer. !

When we realized how small our present refrigerator is and how it's suited our needs going on 14 years going larger than 22 feet would seem unnecessary. almost greedy.

 

[LadyCook61]

and the ice tastes funny. My friends have ice machines and they think their ice tastes funny too. And they're right. I get my ice in bags.

Amana 24 cu. ft. is what I have. White, stainless is too hard to keep shined.

I had funny tasting ice too from the internal ice maker, so now I only make enough ice for 2-3 days, what doesn't get used goes in the sink, and I make a fresh batch for the next 2-3 days. It works out for me, ice does not taste funny anymore.

 

[Essiebunny]

Our ice maker is connected to our whole house water filter. So, it's like using bottled water for ice. Also, after a few days, I dump the cubes and start all over. I am happy to say that our ice does not have that nasty, stale taste.

 

[Wart]

The ice makers coming out.