Yup. I've seen both. I'm looking at getting the first one you mentioned. It looks pretty darn cool. They should only be about $100 different in cost.

Electrolux regrigerators are price fixed. The difference between the two versions is $500 in both the standard depth and counter depth models.

Where does Electrolux stand on the quality? At $3,000 those are starting to be expensive and get pretty close to a good sale on a high end fridge (e.g. I saw a true counter depth 36" Liebherr, French door, two freeze drawers for $38000 last weekend).

genie73,

What store did you see the Electrolux models? Just curious.

I too would like to know about Electrolux quality. Their products look like they are well made, but I'm sure there are some horror stories out there.

pbear

We are looking hard at the full size Electrolux FD water & ice through the door models. Searching revealed a number of horror stories and some consistent minor problems.

The real bad problems of not maintaining temperature seem to have tapered off with the latest production runs. The minor problems of spraying some crushed ice on the floor if you don't hold the glass just right, and a not too cold first glass of water seem to be ongoing. Since we don't use crushed ice, that one is a non-issue for us.

According to one salesman I talked to, the water line runs just under the door's skin on the outside of the insulation, instead of under it. That allow the first glass full to approach room temperature, if water hasn't been drawn for a while. We can probably live with that.

My major concern is the temperature control. The displayed temperatures seem to be the set temperatures, not the actual measured temperatures inside the machine. If the machine is capable of measuring the actual interior temperatures, why not display them for the owner? It's should just be a matter of software programming.

Why do I want a glowing 37F staring at me, when it is nothing more than the digital equivalent of a knob?

They are in the higher end appliance stores. I'm in Canada and they are definitely NOT price fixed here. They look really nice and high tech on the inside. I found that other makes seem to look and feel "cheaper". They are only a little more expensive than most of those and a lot cheaper than sub-zero etc. But I have not idea about their quality, really.

I'm quite in love with it. Wave touch controls, water and ice, LED lighting and perfect temp drawer.

Thanks genie73! It seems Canada gets new models quicker than we do in the States. Guess I'll just have to wait.

Interesting about the temperature controls....you'd think they could display the actual temp!

There is no perfect fridge...I feel like I'm playing the odds when buying appliances ! Maybe I'll get lucky, maybe I won't...it's so frustrating.

There is no perfect fridge...I feel like I'm playing the odds when buying appliances ! Maybe I'll get lucky, maybe I won't...it's so frustrating.

That sums it up perfectly.

The display on the outside of the wave touch fridge only lights up when you touch it. Otherwise it is black. I think this is nicer than a glowing screen with numbers, regardless of what temperature it reads.

Good luck. I hope you get to see it soon.

Thought of another question, genie73.

Is the ice container easy to reach in the freezer drawer?
Does it automatically slide out when you open the freezer, or do you have to manually slide it out?

The KitchenAid Architect II CD FD model (link below) has a nice feature which allows you to lock the ice container drawer into position so that it automatically slides out when the freezer door is opened. I liked that, but for some reason the KitchenAid just didn't have the nice "fit and finish" that I expected.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Aid CD FD

The display on the outside of the wave touch fridge only lights up when you touch it. Otherwise it is black. I think this is nicer than a glowing screen with numbers, regardless of what temperature it reads.

We are interested in the IQ Touch, or whatever they call it, not the Wave Touch. The panels are similar, but the numbers on the edge don't fade away. The other differences are no separate control for the crisper drawer, two bins instead of three in the freeezer, and $500 less, which is the part we like best.

The Wave Touch I saw a couple of days ago had the temperature displays on all the time. The other part of the display was the part that faded off. An optional setting perhaps?

PBear, the Wave Touch has ice in the door. The ice maker is in the fridge section, not the freezer. Electrolux has announced FD models without ice in the door, but I don't think they are in the stores yet. They don't have exterior controls at all. The high end appliance store I was in the other day did not have any.

Just remembered, some of the other complaints earlier buyers had were failures of the LEDs in the Wave Touch and IQ Touch controls. I don't know if that is ongoing or not. Hopefully, they have a handle on it.

creek_side,

Yeah, I am interested in the 2 models I mentioned at the beginning of my post; they don't have water/ice in the door:

EI23BC51IS
EI23BC36IS

I've always felt that models with the external water/ice dispensers are more repair-prone.

I haven't seen them either in any stores locally. I suppose they are just beginning to be distributed.

For what it is worth, I happened to go straight from the Electrolux dealer to the KA dealer the other day. I looked at the model you linked above for build quality, since they did not have the ice/water thru the door model on display.

In my opinion, the Electrolux build quality and fit and finish was quite a bit better than the KA. I was considering the KA because of the issues others have had with the Electrolux, and the KA displays both the set and measured temperatures, at least on the ice/water through the door model.

Right now, we are still leaning toward the Electrolux. We have about a month before we have to decide.

Sorry I can't be of more help. I really like the way it looks...I know it's a little shallow but it also feels better. Probably has way more features that I would ever need or use.

I like the convenience of the water and ice machine. Perhaps we are looking at different models.

The IQ touch has some things stay on all the time, regular lights on the inside instead of LED's and only a manual lever for control of the drawer. My dealer will give me a great deal on it and it's only $100 more for the wave touch. I'm also considering getting the matching wall oven.

Good luck. It is a nice looking fridge. Loving the French door style too.

I have been hoping the Electrolux would come out in time for our purchase. My backup plan is the KA. I also don't want water in the door. (For that matter, I don't want the ice maker in the freezer either, but there are very few choices wihout.)

Based on looking at the Electrolux models that have been out they seem sturdier and a better use of space. The drawers especially seem roomier.

Is anyone considering the GE profile counter-depth french door? I'm trying to trade between that and the KA. Haven't seen the Electrolux.

karen,

I would also consider a GE. Is the model you're talking about the one I linked below? I would want one without an ice dispenser in the door.

I tend to agree with dcwesley in that the Electrolux models I have seen seem to have a better fit and finish. But I can't speak for their reliability.

Here is a link that might be useful: GE CD FD Refrigerator without Ice in Door

A comparison of cubic feet - all CD FD no water in door:

Electrolux EI23BC51IS - 22.6 cu ft (15.7 fridge / 6.9 freezer) Shelf area 25.7 sq ft
KitchenAid KFCS22EVMS - 21.8 cu ft (16.3 / 5.5 )
GE PFCS1NFYSS - 20.8 cu ft (14.57 / 6.26 ) Shelf area 23.1 sq ft

Has the temperature reliability in these electrolux refrigerators been fixed? There was a thread here from 2007-8 that was pretty scary and I saw a recent 2009 review on another website with the same story. Of course none of those were FD's..

After reading about reliability problems with the GEs, bad customer service from Samsung and funky warped stainless from KA, I've just about given up on a FD CD fridge for our new kitchen.

I'm going to think hard about a top freezer model from Whirlpool or Kenmore, in stainless, and same depth, cubic footage as the more fancy styles. Better reliability I'm thinking, and cheaper.

Can't say that I blame you karen! I'm tempted to keep my old antique models as well.

Creekside and DCWesley,

We are looking at this frig and the model below this one for all the reasons you have mentioned. Was wondering if either (or both of you!) had bought your frigs yet?

Hoping you will share soon!

Thanks!!

We ordered it and it has arrived - at the appliamce store. We are probably about 3 weeks out from appliance installation - assuming no additional slippage in the schedule.

Hi DCWesley!

Ah I know that feeling of so close and in sight! Our DW has been installed for almost three weeks now, but not functional, as we wait for our countertops.

Thanks for your response!

Anyone else have experience with this new FD Electrolux?

No experience but we noticed that Electrolux has a 10% offer for a few days on selected appliances including the FD CD frig mentioned above.

Thanks for the tip!

I would stay away from ANY Electrolux regrigerator!
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. Many of my problems started right away.
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 mudgeproof 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. By year two some sticky bron 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.

Our FD Electrolux fridge was delivered and installed in mid-August. Its now mid-Nov. and I can say that for a glitch or two its GREAT. I have a full depth 36" with door water and ice dispenser, LED lights. It stores a ton of food, things are easily accessible, good temp control in the fridge. The freezer is a dream. Lots of storage, several pull out bins make frozen food easy to see and find.
The one thing that bugs me occasionally is that the part on the door that holds in the cold when both are closed jams once in awhile and I bang one door against the seal of the other. I'm not sure if this is me not being careful or a defect or ?

Otherwise, I love this fridge.

We bought this model about a year ago and it basically runs constantly. On a very rare occasion, I might hear it quiet.
there is obviously something wrong with the termostat - or it is not configured properly.
Trying to get answers on normal "run times" has been futile and always beings with "it depends".

I'm starting to think all the "fancy new" fridges act this way, as we experienced the same thing with Bosch, and exchanged it for an Electrolux - thinking the problem would be resolved.

I give this fridge another year or two before I have to replace it after the compressor burns out.