Downsize to a 36”, and put an old fashioned top freezer model in the laundry or pantry. There are more choices. And you’ll be many dollars ahead. There will be more breathing room in your kitchen too.

Thanks! I thought about that too, but then when I looked at the price differences between 36" and 42" fridges, they really were very minimal.... and the 36" FD that I looked at seemed cramped inside. In fact, the SZ 36" FD does not have split shelves and so if I put a one gallon jug of milk on the bottom shelf, I will have to move up the whole shelf above it to make room. That does not seem very practical for me....

But you are right. I should keep my options open by looking at 36" built-in FD fridges too. What will be good options for 36" built-in FD fridges?

Thanks again!

Someone else could chime in, i thought sub/zeros etc are just show offs. Not much space in them... Dacor Modernist DRF427500AP for example has 23.5 cu ft of space, 36" ref samsung, etc would have 27.5 cu ft. Now they are gorgeous but not practical.

Hi Karen Rose, it's great to hear that you love your JA 42" built-in FD! Did you choose to have the factory stainless panels, or did you go custom with integrated panels that match your cabinetry please? If so, I just wonder if that was easy to do, since I read somewhere that perhaps the older JA specs did not work for the custom panels? Or maybe I just misunderstood?

Also, do you find that things keep really fresh inside your JA?

Thanks again!

SZ and Dacor use two compressors. Dacor uses variable speed digital Samsung compressors. You should make sure service is available for your choice. Samsung is having problems with that currently. JA has a dual system but one compressor. No real info on their site.

On AppliancesDotCom, the least expensive, counter-depth, 42" refrigerator is a Dacor DYF42SBIWS with a claimed capacity of 24.3 cu. ft. at a whopping $6500. The least expensive, counter-depth 36" model is a Frigidaire FGSC2335TF with a claimed capacity of 22.2 cu. ft. at $1200. The least expensive counter-depth refrigerator with claimed capacity of at least 25 cu. ft. is the LG LMXS28636S (27.8 cu. ft.) at $2600.

We have a JennAir 42" french door fridge. We've had it since 2010. I'm reasonably happy with it--last year we had to replace its computer brain (not sure of the technical term). It has a couple of cold spots in it, but overall okay.

Lawrence, thanks - isn't it outrageous how much the price difference is between a regular fridge (like the Bosch one you listed above) and a counter depth one like the Dacor that you listed above (or is it a built-in?)? I think that it's a total rip off! LOL! If we find a 36" built-in the price will suddenly be much higher... I am not sure why! I guess it does look better as a built-in, so we semi-willlingly pay more for it... sigh!

vpierce, thank you for sharing the experience - I am wondering if yours is the same model as the one that I am thinking of please: Jenn Air JS42NXFXDE? I am very curious to know. If you had to do it all over again, would you still have chosen the same Jenn Air now, or would you have gone with something else now?

My 2 cents on appliances with the integrated panels vs stainless steel. it's all fun and games and pretty until you have to replace an appliance! Often the new appliance has different specs then you have to find someone to make you a new panel and then the wood is a slightly different shade or the older wood has lightened or darkened. When I had my kitchen redone I did the dishwashers and refrigerator with custom panels. One dw was a bosch and one was Fisher paykel drawers. My FPdrawers gave endless trouble a few years ago so I gave up using them and sat wtih them for years as I knew I wasn't going to get the same product again but then did I put a wood panel on the new dw or have a stainless steel model? My carpenter said he could never match up the same wood perfectly. I had an extra panel that had not been used but it had been kept in a basement closet so it hadn't weathered like my other doors had. After being paralyzed with indecision for years I just went with a stainless bosch and am trying to tell myself that the ovens, mw and warmer drawer are all stainless so it matches. But I can't get used to it. My paneled subzero is on life support and if it gets replaced the newer models have different panel specs. I'm now doing a new kitchen in a different house and am definitely not putting in paneled appliances.

We moved into a new (for us) house two years ago. For the kitchen reno, we purchased our second SZ, the 42” FD. We couldn’t be more pleased. Food stays fresh for long periods, there is plenty of space...much more than our old 36” over under. The ice maker is quick, and haven’t had a lick of trouble with it. The interior is bright, and storage is well thought out. It’s also very energy efficient.

We left our old SZ in the house we sold. It was still going strong after 26 years.

BTW, milk should never be kept on the door. It’s the warmest place in the fridge.

waverley66, thank you for your great advice. It does make me think more carefully about going the custom, paneled look now. Thanks!

darbuka, I appreciate your sharing! The SZ 42" FD surely is a nice refrigerator. I just need to decide if I want to use the additional CAD6000 that I can save by going with a Jenn Air so that I can use it on something else, esp since the SZ does not have all of the features that I have wanted. I don't typically keep any vegetable for over a week or two so I may not need to have the superior performance of the SZ.... but I reserve the right to change my mind! :-)

BTW, good point about the milk being put on the door - that said, I have done that for years and years now and without any problem with it! Then it allows me the space on the shelves for something else.... but then again, I may finally change my mind over this too :-) Thank you!

Thank you, vpierce! It is really hard to find a built-in 42" FD! If I go down to 36" then there are many more choices, but they seem to be a bit small inside.... hmm.... but if I go counter depth then suddenly they appear to be so much larger inside! It's so annoying... what a difficult decision!