Are you talking about a standard frozen pizza box (DiGiorno or similar) or an even oarger super ize or take out box? The standard frozen pizza box will fit in certain spots in our Thermador column freezer, and we measured the older style side by side for it -- wouldn't fit. However, the Kitchenaid freezer was larger and would fit a frozen pizza. I would suspect the French Door model might be a good possibility also.

I've never tried a take out box. If we should have a slie or two left over, they keep and fit better in a sip bag.

I have the built-in KA Architect series 42" (NOT french door). It fits frozen DiGiornos fine in the freezer and it fits large leftover takeout boxes fine in thr fridge too.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. We have teenagers and a natural byproduct is the sudden onset of leftover pizza from our local pizzeria. We typically order large pizzas which are 18 inches in size, hence the concern about counter depth refrigerators. We own a Jenn Air counter depth bottom-freezer refrigerator at our lake house and it will definitely NOT allow us to place a large pizza box in the refrigerator section.

Perhaps one of the larger side-by-side 25 cf counter depth from LG or Kitchenaid would fare better?

bradesp

I've got boys too -- teach them to put away the leftovers in something beter suited to the job. Even teenage boys are trainable. They will get pizza that tastes better and you will get the fridge you like best for everything else. If you are storing leftover pizza, I would put it in large zip bags. Not only will you not have to worry about the size of the box, but the pizza will not dry out and will keep much better -- even if eaten for breakfast the next morning. A pizza box is meant for transporting, but it is not a good storage container. And they cost a lot less than the fridge.

I've often wondered about the need to fit large pizza boxes in the fridge. We have always wrapped up any leftover pizza in foil (whether by necessity or by choice, it's just how we do it). IMO, it makes it much easier for re-heating (open the foil and pop the whole thing in the oven or toaster oven, heat up as many or as few leftover slices as you want. I'm curious (and NOT asking to be a wise a**)--do most people really store pizza in the fridge in a pizza box?

Obviously, we don't -- it takes up too much room even if it does fit, and unless you clear a whole shelf for it, it winds up teetering on top of other things and waiting for something to fall. The foil is good if you put it in the oven. Me either micro in a hurry or use a pizza stone, so foil doesn't hold an advantage for us.

If you really want to store it in the box ( We store ours in foil for easy reheat as well), then I think the SZ pro48 will work since its shelves are deeper than all the other 24" built-ins since the door doesn't have any attached storage.

Good point -- in case you need a good excuse to get a $12-15,000 fridge. LOL Actually, any of the glass door types would probably have the same size advantage -- and the disadvantage of seeing the pizza box. But they (SZ) do offer stainless door options. I think even Frigidaire offers a commercial look fridge with a glass door -- not sure if it coems in a solid version.

You throw the cardboard delivery box with all the crumbs and the uncovered and unsealed pizza slices right on into the fridge?
I think the pizza crumbs might be harder to clean out of a deeper fridge.

While I agree with all the comments and suggestions regarding left over pizza storage here's the specific scenario... Teenagers bring home 4-5 large pizza's (and friends). They consume all but 1-2 boxes (by midnight). They get up at 11am / noon the next morning and instantly pull out the boxes and finish off ALL the leftovers ( and usually complain there's not more). So, the payoff / benefits of placing the left overs in zip lock bags isn't worth the hassle to the teenagers or to mom/dad who don't see the point when the kids will finish off the meal as soon as they get up in the morning... I've NEVER heard a teenager complain about dry pizza the next morning :-)

Maybe you need fridge drawers right next to a warming drawer or near the oven so they can move right from hot to cold and back -- and the pizza boxes will sit flat on top of the layer opf soda cans below. Only partially kidding. ;)

We all have different needs and different priorites. I have fridge drawers for other reasons (and love them BTW), but, seriously, they would work too -- and be cheaper than a SZ Pro 48, even with another built-in fridge/freezer. If the pizza boxes are that big a deal for you, you've got some options to look at -- but do take your tape measure with you when you look and make sure you take into account any ledges, brackets, etc. Take a box with you if you really want to be sure. I would rather make a $5-15,000 decision based on other needs and know that I could use bags or wrap to store leftovers. If the kids are driving themselves and friends home with the pizza, they probably aren't going to be at home as long as you are going to be using that fridge. Make sure you get what you need as well.

I'm sorry, did I misread the original poster's complaint? Does someone really have left over pizza with teenage boys in the house? Wow!

Are these teenagers putting the boxes into the refrigerator or just leaving them out on the counter for someone else to put away?

Maybe there's a different kind of storage cooler that would work for you. My husband has it in his mind that he wants a glass door beverage merchandiser. He plans to stock it with lots of sodas and things. Some of these have temperatures safe for food storage and might be wide enough to give one shelf to the pizza box. We're not ready to buy one yet but will probably get a used one from ebay. That might actually meet some other needs for you as well as be considered cool by teenage boys.)

jayne

I am trying not to be flip, but to be frank, hiding a pizza box over-night should not dictate your selection of a non-counter depth fridge which could impact your kitchen design.

Guys/Gals, you're cracking me up! First off, I'm on year 27 of my first marriage, if the wife requests something less than pragmatic, you do it, no questions asked, got it? :-)

Secondly, if I had posed the question as a storage constraint due to my wife's home baking business that required her to store 20" x 20" square baking trays I have no doubt everyone would have jumped in to be helpful with specific and constructive suggestions, instead, I mention teenagers and pizza and I get a few constructive comments, but mostly a number of less than helpful suggestions on why my request doesn't make sense. OK, I get it, it doesn't make sense, but many things in life don't make sense.

So, I'd like to suggest we come back to the original question, are there any built-in or counter depth refrigerators more able t accommodate large pizza boxes?

BTW, the most interesting and creative ideas I've heard so far were related to the suggestions about using an under counter beverage refrigerator, now that's not something I had considered!

Thanks!

bradesp

Ha. The answer is probably "no." You might want to take a pizza box with you when you go shopping for a counter-depth fridge. I took my big stockpot with me when I went searching for a cooktop. I'm sure stranger things have happened. Good luck.

That's not a beverage refrigerator. The fridge drawers can be used for beverages, sure -- but they can also be used for produce or any food storage. We use ours in a breakfast room hutch with milk and juice above and drinks, yogurt and such below. And just for the record, my warming drawer (for pizza and more) is at the end of the island nearby.

It's not just about teens vs a baking business. Let's be honest with each other and ourselves. If you have special commercial level needs, you might have to look at commercial equipment to handle them, but anyone really could wrap up leftovers or get a container to transfer them to and toss in the DW later. One would be necessity beyond the norm while the other is not necessity -- just a habit not willing to be revised.

Me too -- I shove pizza boxes in happily and I have no teenagers to blame -- well I used to shove them in happily in my old top freezer in my old house pre remodel -- hate hate hate counter depth side by side for that reason (and that I can't fit in a sheet cake or any really big bulky item) and yes I know I could move some of those things into other storage -- but that's not really the point. You would like to find appliances that work well for the way you live -- not change the way you live to fit the requirements of over-priced appliances.

I like the idea of a small under counter fridge for pizza boxes and teenager drinks etc -- if they are big enough that sounds like a good plan

LOL - I have 3 teens, and when we added a full size fridge (no freezer) in the laundry room to supplement our side by side - the biggest advantage we noticed was the ability to store whole pizza boxes.

We wrap up a couple pieces, but when we have to order 3 or 4 types of pizzas for 5 or 6 people, we generally have at least a whole pizza worth of leftovers. Just seems practicle (and expedient) to condense the leftovers into a pizza box or two and toss them into the fridge.

Perhaps that isn't the best thing to do from a culinary standpoint, but if that were the ultimate criteria, we wouldn't be ordering take out pizza in the first place. (at least not down here in Charlotte - if I were back in Philly or up in Manhattan, I'd place take out pizza very high on the culinary scale ;) )

Yes, LOL is true! This is BEST thread I've read on this forum yet! :-)

bradesp: "I'm on year 27 of my first marriage, if the wife requests something less than pragmatic, you do it, no questions asked, got it? :-)"

I'm roughly in the same position in life as bradesp, and I could not agree more. You know what they say, "Happy wife, Happy life.", and I'm more than happy to do my best to satisfy what may seem like the "silly" things in life to make her happy!

bradesp: "OK, I get it, it doesn't make sense, but many things in life don't make sense. "

You are right, many times things don't make logical sense, but what does that matter? My wife commented a few years ago that she loved the look of the Wolf ranges, especially the red nobs. Since one of her great passions of life is cooking and treating other people, why not bless her with the pro kitchen she wants, even though the red nobs aren't a real logical reason to do it? I have an opportunity to do it, so we are doing it, even though some of the decisions we are making don't make logical or practical sense.

Back on topic.... Planning for boxes of pizza makes PERFECT SENSE TO ME!!!! My house seems to be a constant gathering place for kids, teenagers, young adults, and families. We buy pizza by the box load (thank God for Little Ceasars specials!), and always seem to have a box or two lying around in the fridge. They definately won't fit in a side-by-side. If the boxes won't fit in the new built-in fridge (not installed yet), then they'll have to go in the old fridge in the garage.

:-)

bradesp, we have a 20 cu. ft. counter depth, french door, freezer on the bottom, Jenn-Air fridge and the bottom "deli" drawer holds a large pizza box with leftover room for my hot dogs/deli meats. It's a shallow drawer but obviously very wide. Don't know if you were looking at french door styles or not but ours definitely holds a large pizza box. Hope this helps!

I thought someone on this forum said that American manufacturers design the friges to hold pizza boxes?

I agree with Rayna--take a box with you and try. I'm sure the local pizzeria would be happy to give you a nice new clean one considering the amount of business you give them.

Of course, they'd have to go in where the door bin isn't.

That said, I've been measuring Sub Zeroes a lot. The shelves are 13-14" deep including the lip edge and the door bins are about 4-5" deep (I can't remember the exact measurement). And, of course, they are adjustable height and come off. Plus there has to be an air gap. So it might just fit. If you're interested in the fully integrated models with drawers it might fit better in one of the drawers.

The Bosch/Thermador ones have 10" shelves but much deeper door compartments. I don't think they're deep enough however, though they just might be.

I realize that the teach 'em to package the pizza answers are frustrating because that wasn't the question you were asking, but the fridge will still be around when the teenagers (hopefully) have gone to college and beyond, so I think we're trying to give you short term solutions so that you can concentrate on other features for long term.

In that spirit, only wanting to be helpful, and having done my best to actually answer your question to the best of my recollection, there is a mid ground. On the assumption that the multiple pizzas have different toppings and need to be consolidated anyway, you could get a big food storage box and have the guys pick up the pizza, including the liner if there is one, and dump it in layers in the box. If they're not that picky about the storage to begin with, and that ravenous, I don't think they'll be bothered with a few toppings adhering to the bottoms of the pieces on top. This wouldn't be any harder than consolidating the left over pieces into one or two pizza boxes, and if the storage box lives in the fridge, and you and your DW don't mind standard teenage ideas of couth, it wouldn't even have to be washed every time. Or figure that you'll do other things for the planet and use disposable catering boxes.

I have a large pizza box in my counter-depth Kitchen Aid side-by-side right now. It fits fine. In fact, I set it in there so that it is balanced on the little bottle holder thingie that we have yet to use, so the box is suspended right beneath the shelf above it and not taking up any actual shelf space! :)

Perhaps my pizzeria's "large" isn't as big as others here, but it seems huge to me.

I'm assuming you want a standard 36 inch fridge.

Frigidaire Model #PHSC39#HSS has one extended size shelf that works for a large deli tray. There are also 2 others, one being a LG french door style that will work because of the door shelf placement (although not perfect) and a side by side Electrolux Icon Model #E23CS78GSS. I'll be finalizing my choices tomorrow and will check this for you and post again if I find I am mistaken.

I was considering the frigidaire, but decided I don't like the stainless finish on it. Its dark and dull. It reminds me more of nickel or pewter. That would be a personal thing and I'm sure others would love it.

I am getting the counter depth even if I have to give up the idea of fitting a pizza box or deli tray inside it. I'll wrap my pizza in foil, and put any deli trays I might have (once yearly) in the basement frige. I hate seeing the frige hang out, HATE IT.

holli, could you give me the model # of your KA? Thanks

I want to check KA and Jenn Aire.

Hi Brad,

You have to realize that when going counter-depth, you are going to sacrifice a bunch of cubic feet. So, if you are used to having standard full-depth refrigerator (35' Depth), you're now going to 27" deep......Major difference!

This is an issue I deal with, every day, with my customers.

Chris