hey 3waller, i was having a tough time deciding on refrigeration myself and recently made a decision which I think will work for me. Originally I was considering the 27" all fridge and 27" all freezer by subzero. These two units would have the cabinet panels on them and be divided in the center by a 27" pantry. I was concerned that the 27" fridge was too small for my family of 5 so I began searching other options. My wife and I came across the Miele 30" all refrigerator in a showroom and fell in love with it. It is a stunning piece inside and out. I have had Sub zero in the past and the miele just seems better built, better to look at a better usable space inside, of course all my opinion. However, after looking further into it, the Miele only offers a 18" freezer (too small), and the next size is a 30" freezer (too large for us) So I was disappointed. After researching a bit more I decide to get the 30" fridge by Miele and a 24" freezer by Thermadore. These units will both be covered on front so you would not be able to see a difference and because of my layout with the pantry in the center this option is possible. After calling the salesman he informed me that people do this combination quite often because Miele lacks the 24" all freezer. So in the end I wind up with the sizes I want and actually save a decent amount of money on the freezer end. From what I understand Thermadore is a solid product but may have lacked in the past with their service, I was informed that they have been correcting this issue and it is something I was willing to risk by purchasing their product. Hope this gives you a potential option. Good luck.

I have had the Liebherr HCS 2062 for about 18 months and am very satisfied with it (initial problem with automatic door closing, but now fixed and working properly). It is laid out very well and has great intetior LED lighting in all compartments. The "cocktail" type ice cubes are a real plus (no more ice cubes sliding around the inside of the glass). It seems to make about half as much noise when running as the 36' Sub-Zero it replaced.

After MUCH research , I bought a Kenmore French Door w/ice & water in the door. I previously had 3 different side by sides. My last SBS was two years old and ruined by Hurricane Ike. I also had a separate freezer in the garage that wasn't replaced. I discovered that I didn't need a separate freezer due to the extra freezer space gained with the French Door model. The French Door style accommodates larger items that will not fit in the narrow side by side freezer. I love the french door style. The ice and water feature on the outside causes the loss of some fridge space, but I was willing to make that sacrifice. My first SBS was one of the very first made by Sears, a Coldspot. It lasted 26 years or so. I hope this Kenmore will last as long. (I know I won't last that long)

I replaced my fridge last year. The same two fridges were my finalists. It was a very tough decision to make -- there is nothing major in terms of differences. It's all small preferences and budget. Here is the very long thread on the refrigerator replacement. I was doing a retrofit so it was complicated. But if you were to scroll down to the end you can see the assessment: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2312992/refrigerator-again-perspective-please?n=76 Here's the short version: The Miele interior is more deluxe than the SZ and slightly less organized for you. SZ has an extra small, low shelf on the door. Miele fridge interior is higher than SZ due to vent placement. Short people may find the SZ easier to use. Exterior appearance is different. SZ has a prominent grill on top. Miele is just doors. I personally didn't care for the vent so I preferred the outer appearance of the Miele but again, this is minor. Biggest difference is that Miele is very resistant to power outages and built to withstand them up to 4 days. We'd had 2-3 in the last year. SZ told me repeated outages would eventually void their warranty. This was extremely important where I live -- might not be for most. That was the decider for me. Both keep food very well. I've had strawberries stay usable for 2 weeks vs 3 days in the old fridge. The build quality is outstanding. The fridge has some low noises occasionally, mostly whirring but it's very quiet -- my work space is in the former dining room so it's very close to me all day and hasn't been an issue at all. Miele fridge has a water filter that needs replacement. I did it yesterday and it's very simple and quick. But it's an ongoing maintenance expense. The filter is about $70 (you can install a bypass filter if the house has very good filtered water -- then 0 yearly). As I recall the Miele was about $1K less. But I just bought the 5 year warranty at the end of the first year so that does add to the price if you go that way. Long term feedback on both there is very positive. You get a great fridge either way. Some friends visited recently and couldn't get over the look of it. Dubbed it "the vault."