We are debating on either counter depth or standard size. The counter depth would look nicer, but we are worried about capacity being an issue. Models we are considering are: GE Cafe counter depth - CSCP5UGXSS CE Cafe standard depth - CSHS5UGXSS Samsung counter depth - RSG257AARS Samsung regular depth - RF267AASH (I think) Pros and Cons: The Cafe has stainless steel sides, so if we go with standard depth, the stainless sides would look better than the Samsung's gray plastic-like sides. If we go with counter depth, the side colors/materials aren't an issue. A plus for Samsung: the hinges are hidden, giving more of a build\t-in appearance (Cafe's hinges show.) The Samsung is less expensive than the Cafe. The Cafe's handles are a closer match to our Electrolux Icon appliances. I really don't like the Samsung's handles.

I would not recommend Samsung. Friends of my sister had serious trouble with a Samsung. Several months of battling delays on parts and repeated unsuccessful repair attempts to the point they settled for a reimbursement deal on the extended warranty contract. They used my spare refrigerator from 7/6/2012 through 9/13/2012, which was after one or more of the repair attempts.

Thanks for the responses so far. Our local Lowes had the Kitchenaid KFIS27CXMS right next to the Samsung 298 model (w/2 icemakers) so my wife and I were able to compare the layout of both models. The Samsung seemed slightly more refined and elegant in the inside. All else being equal, we’d probably choose the Samsung, but it looks like we’ll be getting the Kitchenaid because the dispenser is more child friendly. We have a 2 year old and another one on the way. Here’s a summary of the physical differences: The dispenser on the Kitchenaid is about 6 inches higher on the Samsung. See below: The Kitchenaid has two paddles in the dispenser (one of water and one for ice). You press the glass against one paddle to receive ice, then move the glass to the other dispenser for water. The Samsung has a single paddle. You press a button above the dispenser to change from ice to water. Since the Samsung is already six inches taller, a person needs to be able to reach an additional six inches to press the button. This means that an additional 12 inches is needed to operate the Samsung. The drawers on the Samsung pull out further than the Kitchenaid for both the freezer and the snack tray. I’d say that the ergonomics on the Samsung are slightly better here. In the two photos below, the Kitchenaid is in the front and left, and the Samsung is in the rear and right. The photos below are a little misleading because the Samsung base is a little further out already. Above: Kitchenaid is in the foreground. Samsung is in the background. Above: Kitchenaid is left; Samsung is right. I thought that the Kitchenaid freezer drawers looked a little more industrial and that the Samsung looked a little more elegant. The Samsung has a single auto pull-out tray with an ice tray, while the Kitchen has two separate trays. The ice scoop in the Samsung is a nice touch, though I have read a complaint that ice sometimes gets raked out of the tray and onto the floor when the drawer is opened. Ice makers: On both models, the ice maker for the dispenser is on the top left ceiling of the refrigerator. However, the KA stores the ice in a removable container in the door, while the Samsung stores the ice in a removable container as part of the ice maker (top left ceiling of the refrigerator). Above: Kitchenaid ice tray in the Open position. Above: Kitchenaid ice tray removed. Above: Samsung ice tray partially removed. Above: Samsung ice tray removed. The KA tray seems larger, but it’s hard to quantify. The container is significantly easier to access and remove on the Kitchenaid. However, the location of the container on the Kitchenaid means that it uses up most of the shelf space on the left door, though the Samsung’s dispenser still takes up roughly half of the door too. The Samsung uses up a bit more space on the top interior shelf. The size of the container seems (only) slightly larger in the Kitchenaid. I wonder if one produces ice faster than the other. Like I mentioned in my first post, I’ve seen several complaints that the Samsung’s icemaker’s capacity was too low. I wonder whether the complaints were driven by the container being too small, or whether the ice maker produced ice so slowly that it couldn’t keep up with demand regardless of the size of the container. The Kitchenaid’s container doesn’t seem much bigger, but maybe it refills it faster. Another complaint that I read somewhere about the KA is that the left door doesn’t stay open. I did confirm this, though it seems to be only a minor annoyance. The Samsung has only three large shelves in the right door, while the KA has four shelves of medium height. I’d prefer to have the fourth shelf of the kitchenaid.

Maybe post in Kitchens or Appliances. Now if you were thinking of painting your new fridge....