Install can be difficult. 48 and 42" models are tricky to navigate through a kitchen so make sure it is easy for the retailer to bring it in. Also, the anti-tip wedges are highly important. The most common mistake made by people installing these is they put the water shut off valve behind the refrigerator. Do not do this! Locate it somewhere else becasue once this is installed, you should not move it until you replace it.

Just to follow up - I went to Atlanta today to Guy Gunter and the *awesome* showroom manager showed me around. I looked at everything, asked a zillion questions and think I have made my decision! I would recommend them as a stop for sure if you are in the area. He was very frank about the benefits/detriments of various appliances and quick to tell me where there was a less expensive alternative that worked just as well. He was not trying to push anything, and was frank about the failings of some of the lines they carried (Thermador) and well versed in the open (Wolf version and Bluestar version which they also carry) and sealed burner debate. Highly recommend them and what a switch from our local shop, where the salesperson knew absolutely nothing. FYI - their 48 inch SZ wasn't hard to open, even if you opened and then closed it. Slight resistance maybe but not like the one in town which required two hands and brute force (and I am not a weakling!). I think the local one needed to be adjusted. Not worried about the SZ now at all, in case anyone else has issues. I also looked at the Miele and am going with the SZ for several reasons - track record, cost (SZ is less expensive), and a couple of layout things. Hope this helps someone else with the same question - didn't want to raise a concern that wasn't answered!

Live Wire Oak, this refrigerator is still under warranty and many parts for GE Profile models have a 5 year warranty. I would never have even considered an appliance that didn't have a decent warranty. For a less than one year old refrigerator to have problems is not normal or acceptable. Does anyone really think so? GE's offer of a discount on another model, is not acceptable either. Firstly, there isn't another GE model that I would want. We needed a refrigerator that had lots of space. I took a measuring tape with me to showrooms and measured the shelf space of many different refrigerators. I was surprised that most 24 cu ft models today have even less shelf space than my old 23 year old, 20 cu ft Whirlpool which did not have enough capacity for our needs. (and it was old - but as I stated earlier, never necessitated a service call). And we needed one with the largest refrigerator space - We have a small freezer in the garage. Today's French door and bottom freezers models just don't fill that requirement. We also didn't want an icemaker or water dispenser which take up way too much space and have many problems. This GE Profile model is the only 24 cu ft top freezer on the market. I felt reassured by a ringing endorsement by Consumer Reports at the time we bought it, although I notice that in their most recent ratings, GE refrigerators has lost its high rating status. As for my doing the diagnostics, the GE tech was just here. Wasn't that what he was supposed to do? But as I stated previously, of course we checked the door seals. And, of course I don't know for sure what the problem is, but I realized that once again I can't always depend on those who are supposed to have the skill, knowledge, and experience, to do work the homeowner can't be expected to because the homeowner didn't have years of training and experience. After researching the issue I've read enough to come to believe that the build up of ice in the freezer and water in the refrigerator compartment should not be considered "operating as designed". I wonder if Live Wire Oak understands what is involved in testing and replacing the thermostat. It's just not reasonable to advise that I do this repair myself. I don't have the ability or electrical knowledge. An internet repair clinic advises to"Consult with an appliance repair technician if you do not feel you have the skill or the ability to successfully complete this repair". I believe I read that one homeowner who tried this ended up with severe burns. Okay, first step, (according to the instructions on the website), is to locate the defrost thermostat, and in freezer-on-top models, it may be located under the floor of the unit. I'm not sure how I can get under the floor of the unit. Being 5' tall and 96 lbs, I can barely move the beast. And even if I were Wonder Woman, I don't have the equipment to do this repair. For example, in order to test the thermostat, one would need to "set your multitester to the R X 1 ohms setting". Apparently, the thermostat is wired in series (whatever that means) with the defrost heater. I just wouldn't touch that - even I could get access to it. You might want to check out the post: French Door Refrigerators. mmhmmgood wrote on Sat, Aug 13, 2011, "The only one that might be worth avoiding is GE, consumer reports show a pretty poor brand reliability with GE's fridges. " What I am complaining about is that the service technician was here for 5 minutes and left abruptly, without checking anything other than the evaporator coils. He was not originally scheduled to come to our house that day; we were added at the last minute - the fault of GE service schedulers. He normally starts his calls at 8 but he was forced to start his day earlier because of us and was here at 7:45 and he was quite angry. It was very, very unfortunate for us. And I want to stress that our first refrigerator was replaced because every test the tech did - and he did a number - all done with his laptop connected to a central service location - showed every test as failing. It was under warranty and it was declared "unrepairable". If it's unrepairable, it doesn't make a lot of sense to continually try to repair it. It costs a company money to have to send service people over and over again to try to make repairs (costs in labor and parts) when it knows that the appliance is not repairable.

Anne, that's so frustrating. Are you in the "can't give it away for trying" family, too? My problem at times is "familial obligations"... Family members don't want the (perceived) heirloom and don't want me to pass it on to someone who'd appreciate it. I keep reminding myself 'first world problems...first world problems', HaHa! chelwa, have you thought of using the cedar chest for outdoor seating & storage? I did that with an old steamer trunk years ago. It worked quite well for storing a bag of charcoal briquettes, fire-tending tools, and what-nots. An old-fashioned chaise lounge cushion fit ok on the lid. Now I have a domed-top steamer trunk of dubious heritage... Not quite sure what to do with it yet. We relo'd cross country and bought a house at less than half the square footage we originally had. And, we were in a more modest 2400-sq'er. The most challenging aspect has been furniture proportions. Our current house is a 1947 ranch/rambler with 8-foot ceilings. Furniture originally designed for stately mansions with soaring ceilings looks decidedly misplaced. Most of today's substantial styles look imposing, too. Now if I could just nudge DH a tiny bit closer to taking the plunge...and stop taking things off of my FreeCycle list ;-).