The Ikea Datid or Nutid S23 are worth checking out - basically the same thing as the Whirlpool WRS965CIAM with different handles and missing the beverage rack (which can be ordered from the parts department if you must have it), but with an excellent 5-year warranty, and often a lower price. Similar refrigerators are also sold under the Kenmore, KitchenAid, and Jenn-Air brands, the latter two which Whirlpool owns. There are two heights available, the taller ones are about 72"h, almost 3" higher than the shorter ones for a bit of extra space inside if you have the height available. The Ikea is short only, Jenn-Air tall only, and the Whirlpool and Kitchenaid available both ways. These are new designs, with sleek LED lighting, wide glass shelves, and icemakers that don't take up any room in the main freezer compartment. There are minor feature differences between the different brands, but they're all the same basic design, and a vast improvement over the outmoded refrigerators Whirlpool was making until last year. The Electrolux Icon (and less-expensive Electrolux, Kenmore, and Frigidaire offshoots) are also worth a look, as are Samsung and LG.

Fridge shoppers have my sympathy. It is not just Kitchenaid SxS models getting "awful" reviews these days, but it does seem to be the currently least reliable line of SxS models. A few of years back, LG was the worst, with a one in four failure rate. Then, as LG got a bit better, Electrolux/Frigidaire started showing 40% defect rate (over one-in three.). The Yale Appliance blog reported that they were seeing even higher service rates for Elux and the "Pro" line of Frigidaires. Now, according to the latest membership survey results published by Consumer Reports , Frigidaire/Elux is the "best" with "only" a 32% failure rate (a "mere" one in three!) while KA is showing a 40% rate for SxS models and everybody else in between. There may not be much comfort in those figures for any brand, however, because the fine print on the survey report says that rate differences of less than 8 points are not statistically significant. The fine print also says the survey is not counting fridges with "service contracts" apparently meaning that they are not counting he responses from people who had defects covered by extended warranties. It is just as bad with French door models except that all Whirlpool brands are showing defect rates over forty percent (some even reaching one out of two!). With plain bottom freezer fridges, the only difference is that LG is now the reliability leader with a one in four failure rate and everybody else with one-in-three rates except for Whirlpool whose brands are showing a one-in-two defect rate. Apparently, ice-maker problems are the thing that makes the Whirlpool brands worse than others. CR is recommending against any kind of Whirlpool-branded fridge with an ice maker It was a much different story when I, Rob30 and Anglophilia bought our KA fridges five and six years ago. Back then, LG was showing the same one-in-four failure rates for its fridges (as was GE, btw), but the Whirlpool brands' rates were down around one-in-ten for BF/FD models and slightly higher for the SxS models. You still saw a lot of awful reviews but that was mostly attributable to Whirlpool's large market share. With that market share, ten or fifteen percent of Whirlpool buyers was still a very large number of folks who could and did write complaints and reviews. Nonetheless, those rates meant that 80% to 90% of us KA/WP owners did not have problems with our fridges. Seems to be a very different story today. Dunno about the "boutique" brands of premium priced fridges as they apparently do not sell enough of them to CR members to generate a statistically large enough response to show up in the survey reports. Have not found anything else that reliably indicates problems rates and longevity. As Landsdowne points out, Bosch fridges in the North American market are made by Whirlpool. Presumably, those would have comparable problems rates. As would Dacor fridges which, I believe, were contracted from Whirlpool. (Now, with Samsung acquiring Dacor, that will likely change, as you might imagine.) Viking fridges have long had a terrible reputation in this forum. (Made in-house in a former Amana plant acquired from Whirlpool, IIRC.) Miele and Liebherr seem to have something of a following here, but I don't think they make SxS fridges. Neither does Fisher & Paykel/DCS which also has had some favorable reviews. If you are going to consider FD or BF models, none of these brands seem to have a lot of user reviews and manufacturer warranty service can be geographically spotty. FWIW, I have often opened and closed my KA's freeezer drawer from the side and have never had a problem torquing the drawer. That's not much consolation given the other problems with the make's current products. Looks like a bad time to be shopping for a new fridge.

Why Hamma? Because most Americans say they need humongous refrigerators/freezers. I hear people say they need to store the meat they killed on a hunt. They have very large parties every weekend. They cater large parties. They have many children who need many snacks all day long. Maybe they live many miles away from the nearest grocery store or supermarket. One of the posters above mentioned pizza boxes and soda/beer can boxes. (Not sure why you'd need to put a whole pizza or beverage box in the fridge.) Personally I have none of those issues. I do not like nor need a large hulking refrigerator. Counter depth is a cost-effective way to avoid the behemoth fridge look in the kitchen. Yes, they do protrude a few inches, but not as much as a conventional depth one. I have the same KA counter depth fridge (cost $2,000) as Anglophilia in my vacation rental home, and after 7 years it's still working fine, and looks great. In my primary residence we went for a 42" side by side built in Subzero, which protrudes only about 2", but is much more expensive ($9,000 retail). Fully integrated Subzeros are totally flush with the cabinets, and require expert installers.

Itsourcasa - does your KA French door have the interior on the left side water dispenser? If yes, how‘s it working? Ours drips for a bit after use causing water mineral build up on deli drawer side below. We keep a folded up paper towel there to catch after using & pumice stone to clean off orange mineral deposit. Lovely. Also, our ice maker is turned off bc of the klunking noise it’s making. Per research it’s ice maker trying to push out ice that‘s not there. Frig just had new water line installed & water disp works so not plugged. Our frig was new in 2012. If motor is failing it’s lasted longer than BeverlyFLADeziner’s sister’s did! Is your sister’s dislike of her SXS due to space only? Counter depth increases the space loss issue but we must have counter depth! Patricia, we also dislike look of ice maker & water dispenser on door which is why we have current KA French door with interior but I’ve just described problem with that interior water dispenser. The KA SXS in door dispenser looks much better than other counter depth models & the ice bucket inside doesn’t sit on freezer shelf taking up freezer space. That’s why looking at this specific model. I’ll look at Frigidaire brand though based on your recommendation. I looked only at the brands with top ratings. I know SXS are a love em or hate em deal! Since I have experience with both types I think I’m realistic about limits of SXS space & the ice maker not on shelf is big improvement. Beverly, the supply chain delays are why I want a new frig ordered before mine gives up. Getting parts is a problem too though & the couple bad reviews on the KA SXS model I’m considering are giving me pause. Don’t want new frig issue can’t get fixed either! That’s why I’m looking for specific experience with this current model.