You should still consider SZ as their products are as good as Miele's quality wise. I find it hard to believe that you had quality issues with 2 new units on two different occasions.

I guess it's possible that you got two in a short span that had the bad run of copper tubing from a vendor - but they were to have taken care of those under warranty.

I'm not looking for a scrap here - or to browbeat you into something you don't want, but the quality level is there. The 700 series which directly competes with the Miele is getting really tired and due for replacement so I can't really steer you that direction if you want a fully integrated unit. It's issues are cosmetic and arrangement issues, not quality though.

Liebherr is cheaper for a reason.

Your other options are the same fridge from one of Miele's cousins: Thermador or Gaggenau.

GE Monogram has a new platform out that fits the bill looks wise , but they are too new to have any track record and their fridges in general are not the same quality as the Miele or SZ and have been slipping in quality compared to a decade ago.

I have the miele fridge freezer columns. I love them
Great light ,even temps, lots of space

I also have the all fridge and all freezer and love them. The only real direct competition is SZ.

Liebherr's cooling system is what Miele's used years ago. Effective but not nearly as flexible. It seems you also noticed the quality difference in the materials. Miele is second to none. This is why Miele is able to go head to head with SubZero.

Stick with Miele or SZ

Interesting about all the "Knowledge" about what "Miele used years ago and now Liebherr uses it. (How do you know that)?

How bout some info on what Miele and SZ are using now???

OK Here's some but of course I'm not the expert the poster above me is.

Liebherr uses the variable speed compressors.
They are much more "Flexible" than the on/off type compressors that SZ still uses, (According to a post here on GW). The post said SZ had found a way to make the "old style compressors" more efficient, and went from using a variable speed compressor back to the old style.(Old Style being an on/off single speed compressor

It has also been posted here that Miele uses the variable speed compressors.

Why are these better and more "Flexible"? Try replacing the gas pedal on your car with a simple on/off switch---You will get the idea, not really anywhere near as controllable/flexible as the continuously variable gas pedal/ is it?.

While most of the Fridge companies want to keep it a big dark secrete as to what compressors they use (and who makes them), and tend to have their "Mouth pieces" "spout off" some of the stuff we see posted here,but---- with a little digging you can find out. How? get the model number and google that and compressor.

The thing one learns when they do that.
Most of these Fridge companies, including SZ use Embraco Compressors---guess who makes them????---Whirlpool!!!

You are getting the same guts, (IE Compressor, compressor controller board and probably some of the other guts as well, as any Whirlpool made Fridge, (IE Kitchenaid, Jenn-air etc etc).

Ya "Stick with SZ or Miele----Yes they Go head to head, as far as seeing who can charge the most rediculous price,but they certainly are not leading the "Charge" as far as "Guts"
go and how reliable those guts are, (as witnessed by the OP, Consumer Reports, and miscellaneous posts on GW.

It all comes down to You want a Good Fridge, or ya wanna pay a lotta money for a "Name"?

Gary

There's a lot more to the utility of anything than the power plant.

There's a lot more to a fridge than the compressor. True, the part that makes the fridge a fridge is the compressor/ evaporator/etc. assembly. All fridges get cold.

Since the OP wants pretty, the alternative to Miele and SZ is Thermador or Gaggenau (BSH), which have the same exterior look as the Miele, and does cost less. I don't care for the interior of the Thermadors at all, but they're perfectly good fridges. The Gaggenau has a stainless interior, which is great if you have a family member with a major illness and a need to sterilize the fridge, but is rather dreary to look at.

I guess "Pretty" is in the "Eye of the Beholder".We all have a different concept as to what is "Pretty"---nothing wrong with that, be kinda boring if all of us had the same kitchens with the same appliances.

We love the look of our built in Jenn-air, and with 6 years experience, its reliability "Jives" with feedback from Consumer reports readers, that it was, and still is the #1 rated built in and also side by side fridge for reliability.

What I find interesting is that our experts here suggest the
sharp microwave ovens in lieu of the "Fancier/prettier" ones, saying that the fancier ones are "Just rebadged Sharpes and selling for much more, (in some cases double)!
Yet these same experts are Very Quick to suggest that folks fork out huge amounts of cash for a Miele Frige (A rebadged Bosch)((Made in same factory in Turkey) or an SZ (Whirlpool guts)---even the icemaker.

Now if "X" Fridge appeals to you and you want to spend the money (It's your money), go for it.

My point is, you are not getting anything that is made any better, (function and gut wise),so buy it because its what appeals to you.We know many folks here where budget is a real consideration, and I don't want them to be lead down the path that if they pay out all the extra money for the
"Premium brands" that they will get any better Fridge, (Functionally) than they would if they bought a "Not so Fancy brand" and hence the reason for my posts.

Anyway good luck to the op on the upcoming decisions!!

Gary

Oh, Gary, I didn't mean your fridge was ugly! Just that a lot of folks buy built in fridges because they find the uninterrupted cabinetry prettier than looking at any fridge at all.

No worries Pillog, I never though you did.

I prefer the built in look, both for looks and ease of cleaning. I'm just too freaking old to be scrubbing any stainless, (cept on my car) of course.

Gary

Any idea why Consumer Reports' newest issue rates Miele fridge "POOR" for icemaking?
I'm about to make decision re: fully integrated bottom-freezer Miele 36" fridge vs.built-in Sub Zero.
Was about to order the Miele but now I'm hesitaing.
Any tips?

"a Miele Frige (A rebadged Bosch)((Made in same factory in Turkey) or an SZ (Whirlpool guts)---even the icemaker. "

dodge - you are bordering on being disingenuous here.

The Miele IS NOT a re-badged Bosch. Yes, it is made in the same factory as the Bosch and Thermador and the Gaggenau, and they all have the same compressor motor BUT......................................Miele supplies all of internal bins, lights, shelves, computer, biuttons, do dad from their own supply chain and has them shipped to Turkey for assembly.

Furthermore the compressor is simply a commodity item that has very few suppliers and hence little choice when a fridge manuf. goes to select one for their fridge. Kinda like jet engines, you pretty much get RollsRoyce or GE and anyone who's flown commercial lately can tell you that the experience is far from luxurious despite the RR logo on the side of the engine pod.

"You are getting the same guts, (IE Compressor, compressor controller board and probably some of the other guts as well, as any Whirlpool made Fridge, (IE Kitchenaid, Jenn-air etc etc).

This is simply INCORRECT with respect to SZ, Monogram, and the BSH offerings. It is accurate if you are talking about a unit that comes from inside Whirlpool's own manufacturing division like the JA, KA, and some Thermadors.

I mean you don't think a Boeing and an Airbus are the same thing because they both use RR engines. Do you ?

You also have drawn a false conclusion (or are simply mis-representing for effect) Whirlpool's involvement in SZ's manufacturing line. Whirlpool in fact has very little to do with Embraco (the compressor manuf.) They are in fact the corporate parent by default of a Brazilian merger that Embraco underwent in the 90's. The suits in Michigan pretty much stay out of the business though, even in the USA. Embraco's maintains a separate headquarters far from Michigan.

Contrast this to say your JennAir fridge - which if I was following you logic would just be a re-badged Whirlpool with Whirlpool guts and all that baaaaaaaaaaad karma that goes with it by your thinking. We could also gleen a bit of insight about the JennAir relationship from their headquarters' location and their annual report. Oooops, they don't have one because big brother (Whirlpool) orchestrates their every move from the mothership.

For clarity and anyone new here today - you should also point out your skewed perspective because you have a JennAir that you bought for Below Cost before big brother sunk his teeth into JennAir.

Nothing wrong with supporting the home team ; AND JennAir makes some fine units specially of the vintage you have! But, no one shopping here is going to be able to buy a JA fridge at the pricing you got yours for and since they are priced very similar to the other built in brands it has to be compared against THOSE today and not your exceptional deal. Therefore brands like SZ, Miele, Gaggenau, Monogram, and Whirlpools's other re-badged (for real) lines like KitchenAid and Thermador's non Freedom offerings.

"My point is, you are not getting anything that is made any better, (function and gut wise),"

Your point is wrong here. That doesn't make the JennAir a bad choice. Because the "guts" are not EXACTLY the same. The compressor might be but after that everyone designs and supplies their own stuff. Also, parts can be better - closer tolerances, longer duty cycle, stronger, ect...which makes your conclusion incorrect.

Now, that said - none of this makes a fridge (or anything else) a BETTER VALUE. This is what I think you are driving at but the fact remains that all built ins are in a fairly narrow price band. So, I think the determiner is to compare them on their merits such as build quality , aesthetics, long term reputation, and who is backing them up - short term reputation / big corp. or family run business.

If this is the case - saying that they are all pretty much the same because they use a compressor from the same manufacturer is just silly.

Whatever, Antss. If you take the time to search for the compressors for the various fridges, as I have, you will also find, that at least on the VSP (variable speed compressors),that the board that drives the compressor is also an Embraco part, (at least it was for the SZ models that I looked up that still use or used the VSP).

One suspects if a company were to design their own compressor board and the compressor died, more than likely a warranty arguement would ensue with Embraco, so I think they are unlikely to design and use their own board,---ya thinks?

Now it is entirely possible that Embraco makes differrent compressors for the different Fridge manufacturers, but I have no proof of that, do you?

So what do we have left as far as Fridge guts go?, the evaporators and condensors, and I have not researched (yet) to see if they are made by SZ or Miele, well SZ must,as we
both recall the "Copper Problems".

So what do we have left, as far as Fridge guts?--and remember I mentioned several times , in my posts, "Guts", not talking about interiors, control/control panels etc etc.

I'm sure if you are willing to pay the BIG money for a fancy German Car, or even a fancy US one, you expect to see a BMW engine in a Bimmer, A Benz engine in a Mercedes and a Cadillac engine in a Caddy and you pay for it!!!

So you buy these expensive Fridges, Do you get the same
premium "Guts" that the cars do? I can find no proof of that, Please Enlighten us, and prove me wrong!!

As You know, I respect your opinions a lot, Antss, but as I mentioned, my interest are mainly in preventing someone from stretching their budget and maybe sacraficing something in the process to buy one of these "Premium Fridges", thinking it is "Better in every way", or as we see Posted soooo Much, "The BEST".

If I spend that kind of money, I do expect it to be the Best in every way, including Guts---but that's me, just an ole retired Electronics Engineer.

This is not to say anything is wrong with Embraco or Whilpool, Yes my fridge was bought before Whirlpool bought Jenn-air, but I have since bought a Maytag Washer and dryer and very happy with them, and we see many positive posts about Whirlpool made Fridges, particularly KA, so in no way am I running down that brand or any brand as far as that goes, SZ or Miele (I have a Miele DW and Love it), what I'm trying to do is "Separate Chaff from Wheat" and trying to explain to folks here what they are/are not getting when they buy the premium brands!!!

Gary

RE the icemaking: I don't know what CR used as variables for rating the icemakers, but my miele icemaker in the column is visually small - shallow. However, it makes ice faster and clearer looking, since I turned the temp down as suggested by the miele customer service. The amount of ice is adequate for a family of four. It doesn't crush the ice - cubes only.