Thanks Marcydc. Changing the first filter was hard because the installer used big honkin' working man muscles to tighten it so tight we needed tools to unscrew it (I had psychologist man muscles working on it, but he needed pliers for leverage). The real difficulty, however, is changing the filter, and fixing the filter code, without warming up the freezer. After my third change I've learned a few things: The book says that when the filter light first comes on it's just a warning, and when the light changes state (starts or stops blinking--can't remember which), it's time to change. Tech help told me I should change as soon as it comes on, and that the trouble I've had resetting the filter indicator comes from letting it go to the end. In that case, it has to be changed in program mode rather than customer mode. The other thing I've learned is not to even try to reset right after changing the filter. My unit won't go into customer mode if it's even a little warm, and if it loses too much cool, it won't go into program either. It's basically trying to say, "Shut the door, idiot!!!" It's easy enough to change the filter and wait a number of hours. I always set aside some ice, because you're supposed to throw away the first 24 hrs. worth, so waiting another 6-12 hours is no biggie. But what defines "hard"? For me, it's the procedure to get into customer mode or program mode. It's arcane in a way that only a German engineer could like. It's like looking for easter eggs in a computer game. I can't hold the instructions and do the routine at the same time. That's "hard".

"I don't understand the french door thing. Why have to open two doors? It has an application in kitchens with small aisles, I guess, but I dunno - I'd rather have the aisle spaced correctly. The ones with the big trays across the bottom are the worst to me." LOL - side by side fridges are basically French Door fridges - it's just the freezer is one side and the fridge is another - get an old school fridge with the freezer on top or bottom with one door the entire width of the fridge and I don't care how big your kitchen is, you will be desiring side by side or french door for the half-width doors. Also, if you prefer a side by side, why would you have to open both doors on a french door fridge? Your already used to accessing the fridge through a narrow door anyway :o) The side by side fridge I have came with my house - otherwise I would never own one. You can't put in odd-ball sized stuff, and normal stuff doesn't even fit well. It has allot less drawer space than the Samsung freezer on the bottom I had in my town house, and my Samsung was the smaller 18 cubic foot and my side by side is 25.5! To me, a side by side is like a 1500 square foot two story house vs. a 1500 square foot ranch. Theoretically they are the same square footage, but in the two story you loose space to stairs and hallways - not nearly as much actual usual space. I too have an extra chest freezer, but as others stated I would have one anyway. I have a foodsaver and I'm not afraid to use it. I buy things in bulk, on sale, and freeze them routinely. I wish I could find a fridge with a single height freezer drawer for quick access to the stuff I use regularly and the rest dedicated to fridge space. That would be ideal. Indeed, if I ever remodel my kitchen I'm seriously considering putting a fridge only in where my side by side is and a single freezer drawer (if they make such a thing? Surely someone does) in my island. I'd gladly sacrifice a little cabinet space for some more fridge space. I guess if you don't cook at home often, or eat that many fresh fruits or vegetables it's less important, but I never seem to have enough fridge space.

I have an all fridge in the kitchen and an all freezer in the far end of the kitchen with a bunch of extra cabinets and such. I can't imagine dealing with any less space and it is only myself and my teenage son. It is the same basic Figidaire units mentioned above that are frequently combined into a "sub zero" looking double unit except mine are slightly different and not connected by the crappy trim. First I couldn't care less that someone might think they look expensive and wouldn't care about such stupidity. Second these are not made well inside and don't holdup very well. Missing lots of features, cheap plastic insides, etc. When I redo my kitchen, there seems to be a lack of quality individual units unless you spend a bunch of money. I would buy commercial but there seem to be noise issues. I would have considered GE Monogram but now that Haier, owned by the Chinese government, has bought GE appliance division, they won't get a cent from me ever.

So this goes to function and dividing things. First, I think it sounds like a nice idea as long as its symmetrical. Asymmetry makes me crazy. I moved my fridge with top freezer to the other side of the (pocket) door into the mudroom. It's next to my full-sized freezer. So much counter space now! Within 2 months, it crapped out on me. I picked up a Frigidaire dorm type fridge and stuck it under the counter. Within a MONTH, the fridge started working again, but the full-sized freezer crapped out. Luckily, I was due a binge-cook 'n freeze, so I was low on frozen life. I crammed everything left back into the fridge freezer. Now I'm considering trying to make the bottom part of the fridge the freezer ( can they be set that low? ) and the top the fridge ( can that be set that high? ) Since I can't fit much other than beer cans (dorm fridge, remember?) I'm thinking I might try to set the whole thing down to freezing for ice cubes and small frozen soup, 'getti, or other single-serve frozen stuff I live on. Anyway, I'd dump the full-sized freezer, although it's only 5 years old. If I knew then what I know now, I'd have purchased tall and thin, vs. short and wide. Takes up SOOO too much space! So I guess yes, I'd split them. I must ask, though, in a U kitchen, if space is that tight, why are you blocking it with an island?