We have similar requirements and are just a phone call away from ordering an Electrolux that is under $3k, especially since they are offering 10% off for a few more days on some of their appliances.

There are actually two models that might work for you. Check out their website and scroll to the bottom and make sure to look at the counter depth and not standard depth as I keep doing! LOL! Their prices are unilateral. For example, we have received several bids of $2699 on the model number that ends in 36. And when you subtract the additional 10% off, well it makes it easier to write that check...

We looked at a lot of frigs and nearly bought a Samsung but we had space issues too. It was disturbing to see how many models in this size and price range that had the crisper bins off track or other little things that made us uneasy about buying the product. And then there were the reviews...

Good Luck!

Check the depths because "counter depth" fridges are NOT counter depth, i.e. 25." I was looking at a Bosch that turned out to be 28.5" only a couple of inches or so less than regular depth. If you want true CD you have to get a "24"."

Bill/Memphis

I have a GE Profile which fits your requirements. I've had it for 2 years & like it very much--its also QUIET.

Good point Bill regarding those oh so important inches! The Electrolux one I am mentioning is 25" with it just over 28" in the center because of the handles.

Great I will have a look at some of these suggestions. I will also have to see whether 28" would be a big deal or not. :)

I actually originally wanted a 'good ole' regular standard depth fridge......sometimes I wish that we hadn't changed the location, then I wouldn't be trying to sort this out!

Have you considered recessing a standard depth refrigerator?

Here is a link that might be useful: From the kitchen forum

Tarnator, I know what you mean. I ordered the Electrolux E123BC36IS today. I hope to be able to report on it in a few weeks but we need to do a few other things first like redo that cabinet and install the cork flooring!

I need to talk to my contractor about the possibility of recessing the fridge, but my gut feeling is that is won't be possible since it is on an outside wall.

That would solve the whole problem!

While they look very good and truely are smudge proof, I would stay away from ANY Electrolux regfrigerator!
I was told that Electrolux products were good quality. How far from the truth! My refrigerator (3yrs. old, model:E23C75DSS4) has been a major disappointment. To address your question: It is supposed to a counter depth. That is absolutely not true. When the doors are opened all the way they will hit the edge of your counter top. Plus, 5. The doors are supposed to have a mechanism that prevents them from flying open past a 40 degree angle, unless you want them too. That "stop" does not work anymore. Now we have to hold the door in a position that will keep it from hitting the counter top.

If you care to know, here are some other problems with this refrigerator:
1. The seal on the freezer must not be tight, because shortly after I bought it a had a pound of dead ants on the bottom shelf of the freezer.
2. It is very loud and runs almost constantly. My 30 year old GE was less noisy.
3. The coating, that is supposed to make the stainless steel smudgeproof works very well, but shortly after we bought it it started to bubble up.
4. The doors are not aligned. One is higher than the other and sticks further out.
6. By year two some sticky brown fluid had leaked out of the bottom right door hinge, causing it too creak very loudly when being opened.
I get sick to my stomach when I think that I paid $2000 for this. It is not worth more than $500.
Unfortunately due to the reputation of Electrolux in Europe we did not think that we needed to buy the extended warranty.

I was surprised to see my thread on the first page here again!
Well, my update is that I ended up buying a Kitchenaid one. We get delivery in May, so I can't comment on performance just yet.

I managed to buy it during a mail in rebate period, so it will be right on budget of the $3K!

D-Biggie,

Thanks for your update regarding your E-luxe frig.

Our story unfortunately has some similarities. It finally arrived almost a month ago with the left door being up higher too. Asked the delivery guys about it and they said oh they come like that. DH gets home, looks at it and says yeah right and we spend 10 minutes tweaking the door to get them to fit.

While we are doing that, we are listening to what turns out to be the evaporator fan constantly going and buzzing even louder. We finally turned it off a little while later because it was giving both of us a headache. I have been dealing with service calls, repairpeople and my retail outlet to arrange for a new frig. After much discussion, my retail outlet has agreed to get us a new one despite E-luxe's lack of enthusiasm in replacing a damaged product of theirs. We hope to have the new one, that crossed fingers, works properly in a few weeks.

In the meantime, we have this pretty box in the frig spot because while it did keep everything cold inside, the buzzing was louder than our 13 year old Amana BF SD model....

Tarnator, Good Luck with your frig choice!

I've had the (RF201ADUX) Fisher Paykel 36" french door refrigerator for about a year and a half. I'm very happy with it. It's pretty quiet and it does have water in the door, but it's just water so it does not take up any space on the interior of the door.

The fit and finish is very good, and the special treatment/coating on the stainless steel really does keep it from getting a lot of fingerprints.

And it keeps food cold.

I would recommend it to anyone.