Thanks all. We were planning on the SZ 36" bottom freezer, but cabinet changes left us with a bigger refrigerator opening and, as kaismom suggested, I like the sxs look. So, rather than having some fillers or a strange looking 7 foot tall skinny cabinet, we have embarked on a search for a 42" refrigerator. Jumab -- One of the things I hated about some french door refrigerators (apart from those plastic thingys that many have on the left door to provide a seal surface) is that, when you open one door (let's say with a handful of stuff), you may find that you can't open one of the drawers or crispers inside without opening the other door. How is the interior of the Jenn-Air?

I'm sorry Gary, you are just wrong here. I understand you like the variable speed set up, nothing wrong with that. And I'll even get on board that it is newer. But that doesn't make it better ! There just isn't enough acceptance from the engineers designing residential fridges for you to make any kind of broad statement that this is the way to go for the mass market. Your 8 track analogy is pretty stupid. That format has been dead, not produced, sold or serviced for 30 + years. The regualr old embraco system that you loath is still alive and kicking and still has something like 80% + market share. It ain't going anywhere any time soon. Better would be halogen lights vs. HID , vs. LED technology for the headlamps. Or a gas combustion engine vs. an electric would be even better. The elect engine on the Tesla S that's all the rage with the green crowd these days up against that old fuddy duddy gas engine tech of the Maseratti you mentioned. Is the point coming where the variable speed units take over? Perhaps, but it will not be this decade. The majority of manuf. are still using the regular old setups and with sometimes spectacular results. Sub Zero fridges are still going strong that were purchased the same time as your JAir even with their old style compressors. Like I said there are benefits to both types. The fact that YOU feel the benefits of the vari speed type works best for you does not make it a slam dunk for everyone and neither does the opposite. Back to the OP - in his case he'd be silly to base his choice solely on the use of one type of compressor over the other-or-even weigh it that heavily. I bet at the end of the day he's only REALLY interested in the thing working well for 20 years or so - not in how that's accomplished. Good engineering, plain ol luck, superior parts, magic beans or the tooth fairy , few people care. And to throw a wrench in phooey's weekend. Suppose he's swayed by your argument for the vari speed setup and gets the miele only to find out his spouse hates the waaa waaa waaa noise that particular VS setup makes and which is exacerbated by the acoustics in some kitchens ? Or that the hidden controls are just a plain a PIA to use and adjust ? Are you going to send him a check for the thing so he can get something that works better ? FWIW _ I have a fridges with both types. I got them for the purpose they served and my needs - not because of the specific internal parts. Just think if the IT crowd started sticking their noses into the electronics some of these fridges have !

We've had a Subzero 650 for a couple of months, and we really love it. We were able to purchase the floor sample (which was only 3 months old) from the local dealer, because they said that there were updated models on the way. The price of the Subzero was initially out of our range, but when the dealer offered 50% off for the floor sample, I couldn't say no. The quality of the construction is amazing, and the perfomance is wonderful. Everything from the door racks, to the shelves, to the drawers is very well made. We are convinced that vegtables stay fresher longer than with any previous fridge we've owned. This is the first counter depth fridge we've owned, and we like it too. The layout is very simple, so the usable volume is very high, and everything is very easy to see. Things don't get "lost" in the back like they did with our old side-by-side. The ice maker works great, and easily keeps up with the demands of the five people in our family. The freezer on the bottom is great. It's on the small side, but we have a chest freezer out in the garage, so that isn't a big deal for us. I measured the noise with a sound meter, and compared it to our old fridge. It's about the same, maybe 1dB less, so the difference in sound really isn't a big change. It is not loud at all, but I expected it to be quieter for some reason. So there you have my opinion. I definately recommend the SubZero.

First I want to ask, have you gotten a chance to see these appliances in person? If not I highly recommend you do so. Just looking at appliances in person will often reveal "deal breakers" that you may never have found online. This is a great way to narrow your list quickly when you're overwhelmed with choices. I've been reading a little more on hoods on garden web. From what I read, it seems a 600 CFM should be sufficient and 24" depth by 42" length would be best...does that sound about right? If we go with 600 CFM we won't need makeup air correct? What do you think of vent-a-hood? Looks like that would not require the separate blower.Or do you think baffle is preferable? I think there may be confusion here as to some of the terminology. Baffle refers to the type of grease filter in the hood. It is the same type of filter as found in commercial restaurant hoods. The alternative to a baffle filter would be a mesh filter, which are mainly found in lower end hoods. Baffles are what you want, especially for a more powerful hood. Internal vs. external blower is a separate issue. Internal blowers are cheaper and easier to service, but external blowers can be quieter. Most inserts can be ordered with either an external or internal blower option, including the Faber you were quoted, so you don't need to go Vent-A-Hood to get an internal blower. I have never owned a Vent-A-Hood, but my overall impression of them from reading Gardenweb is that some of their advertising claims ("Magic Lung") may be a bit far fetched, but that they do make a quality product. It is true that best case scenario, the hood should overhang the cooktop by 3" on each side, so yes 42" would be the optimal width hood for a 36" cooktop. As for depth: remember that you are NOT buying a hood here. You are having your hood custom made, and buying an insert to put into it. The depth of the insert for example, could be 19" like the Faber you were quoted, but the overall hood depth would be 24" which is what you ultimately want. Still no idea on the fridge. Thinking of probably doing the 36" french door style and having a second cheap one in the garage or pantry (would add in the future, not now). There are too many options for french door! It is completely overwhelming. Do any stand out? Do you think the columns would look nicer than a typical 36"? "Nicer" is a subjective word, but the columns would definitely give a higher end look than a typical 36" (even if in reality they cost about the same). You're right that the french door options can be overwhelming. If you go that route, start by narrowing down your options. Do you want it to be counter depth or do you need the extra capacity of a standard depth? Do you want ice and water thru the door? If no, do you want an internal water dispenser? If yes, do you want dual icemakers? Which ones do you like the layout of the most? Work from there. Thanks again for all of this guidance. Sorry for all the questions. We have a very short time line to figure everything out and I am starting out with a knowledge level of close to 0. No problem. You came to the right place!