rhome...we're looking at "standard" sized appliances (gasp...I know). Can you give me a link or an idea of how to search for them? When I type in "panel ready" refrigerators it's only returning the Thermadors and super pricey items. Thanks for the quick response!

They are more $$ but I haven't figured out why. We got lucky where we got a smaller size (small kitchen) online at Sears Outlet about 2 years ago (didn't fully realize it was panel style but needed one asap to move in) for $950 with icemaker/water in door and I absolutely love it. I probably would have paid more given our space, but we had this one and it worked perfectly (pure luck as we had no clue what we were doing/ordering at the time).

Try going to websites of reasonably-priced fridge brands you might consider, like GE, Frigidaire, Kitchenaid, etc. They list MSRPs.

And yeah paneled appliances do seem to usually cost more than their finished counterparts, but they don't have to knock you into the fancypants brands!

One of the places I looked for prices when I was doing my research was US-Appliance.com. I didn't buy anything there, but it was a good place to get an idea of prices.

Here is our dishwasher: http://www.us-appliance.com/boindicupa.html Yep, it's actually $50 more than its stainless counterpart.

and here are JennAir French door fridges:
http://www.us-appliance.com/je3dore.html You'll see that the panel ready are $2300 and the same model in stainless is $2600, so that makes a little more sense.

I did a search at Universal Appliance and two that came up are a Frigidaire side by side for about $1700 and a Kitchen Aid side by side for about $2200. There are sure to be others, and maybe other model types. Panel ready usually costs less for the unit since you're providing the pretty outside part separately, but the least expensive units probably don't come panel ready because if you're going that cheap you won't want to spend on the panels.

I think the panel-ready fridges are more expensive because they are typically available only for built-in refrigerators, and those tend to be much more expensive, I gues because of the way the have to be designed, with the compressors on top.

If they'd make a non-built-in that accepts panels, then what would they do about the sides? Put panels there too?

It gets complicated.

With dishwashers, on the other hand, a few years ago many, if not most of them accepted panels because that's always a built in item. A GE I bought came with panels in all the standard (at that time) colors - white, copper, bisque, etc.

On AJ Madison's website, they have a search criteria for refrigerators which accept custom panels. Also, there are ways of paneling other refrigerators which are not specifically designed to accept custom panels such www.frigodesigns.com. They make frames and wood or stainless door panels for many types of refrigerators including ones not originally designed for custom panels. I've never used them but I think I've read some good reviews from others who have.

Here is a link that might be useful: Custom panel refrigerators search

When I bought my standard size, standard depth KitchenAid refrigerator about 10 years ago, I was able to purchase a "trim kit" for a couple of hundred dollars that provided a way to install panels that match the surrounding cabinets. I don't see any such option at the KitchenAid website now. Do no refrigerator manufacturers offer this option anymore?

This may be obvious but don't forget to factor in the cost of the cabinet panels. The price can vary greatly depending on your cabinet manufacturer and it's wise to get a quote before you get too attached to the concept. The dw should be reasonable but the fridge can get pretty pricey.

Mine were done over 3 years ago by a local manufacturer whose custom sizes were the same price as standard and prices were comparable to Brookhaven. I forget if it was $800 or $1200 for the panels for a 2 drawer dw and small 1 door, 2 drawer fridge - all natural cherry standard door/drawer fronts from Conestoga.

Skip the panels--I like the look of stainless steel anyway!

I found a sight a while ago-frigodesign.com, click on Appliance Frame & Panels- that will send a kit of some kind to attach your own panels to appliances. If I remember correctly, it was not cheap, but less expensive than new appliances. I just started my 'minor' (low budget), reno so I have a lot of work to do before I start looking at this site again. It may be an option for you!

p111og,

You wrote..."the least expensive units probably don't come panel ready because if you're going that cheap you won't want to spend on the panels"

I can't tell you how many times I've chuckled over that since I read it last night. Sometimes when I post on these forums I feel like I need a disclaimer attached to my name or posts---maybe I'll put it on the (my page) feature that GW offers--but it needs to say something like this:

Hi, my name is fairytalebaby...and we're building a new house (yayyy)! We are NOT, however, going into debt building this new home...we're not spending our childrens' college fund...we're not even trying to build the fanciest home on the block. We're just choosing things that we think will look nice and be of GOOD quality. Not professional quality (I don't need that just to make spaghetti and the occasional roast)...and while I love the look of the $1400 farmhouse sink...it will not be mine this go around. I'm 29, and DH and I are FAR from wealthy...so I guess that puts us into the "cheap" kitchen category.

GW has taught me so much, and the latest is that even though we're creating a kitchen with custom cabinets, SS appliances, granite countertops, and brazilian teak floors....there are lots of people here who would look at our "standard" kitchen as cheap! LOL...I will never get used to that.

Fairytalebaby,

I'm very glad you got a good chuckle. I would like to clarify that I really meant least expensive units :) Like the 22 c.f. Amana top mount for $615. I bet it holds lots and keeps the food cold just fine. Those are the ones that are usually put into non-luxury rentals and the like, where people aren't going to spend on matching panels.

You didn't mention a price range for your fridge, or a style, so I thought half the price you didn't like was a good first look considering that the two models I mentioned are about average price for freestanding fridges, panels or not.

There's a big difference between on a tight budget and cheap! And there's a big difference between a large budget and none at all. And I would never think of a kitchen with your finishes as cheap. I'm sure it, and the rest of your new house, will be lovely.

On the other hand, cheap doesn't have to be bad. There's a young man in the area here who bought a fixer upper bungalow and did a beautiful bijou kitchen in the original space, using only homestore standard cabinets, appliances, etc. Not the fancy stuff you can order from HD, but the stuff you can buy off the floor. None of it was expensive--most was really cheap!-- but it was all done with good space planning and a good eye. It was a much nicer kitchen than some I've seen that cost six times as much.

Fairytalebaby- I know where you're coming from :) We are in the planning stages of our new home and I was thinking about a paneled fridge too.

I talked to several people who had counter-depth french door fridges and they were very disappointed with the actual amount of useable space the units have. Our fridge will sit between two doorways so I can go with a standard depth and have no problem-- the bigger the better.

I also started worrying about the possiblity of something going wrong with the fridge in a few years - I've been lurking in the appliance forum- and all that money for the fridge and custom panels is down the drain if a new unit is needed (unless you can find the exact same model and the panels fit- yeah, right- not usually my luck).
I've decided to put the fridge into a cupboard surround with pull-outs on either side and cupboard doors up above. The sides will be finished nicely and so I get my built in look- or sort of- without the worry. The area between the doorways is large enough that a fridge sitting there alone would look just plain stupid, so it was a given that the fridge would have to be surrounded by something.

Is it a compromise? Sure. Am I saving money? Not likely, but I am saving heart muscle and stomach lining not having to worry about those fridge panels, LOL! ;) There are so many other equally deserving details to obsess over!

Good luck on your project!

Hi fairytalebaby--

I did my first "designer" kitchen at 29. We saved lots of $$$ by doing most of the work ourselves. That was 15 years ago when you could buy a trim kit and then add the panels. It did add a lot to the cost, but the effect was worth it in our 9 x 10 kitchen.

Now that the college funds are complete and we have a new-to-us house, we are putting in the dream kitchen. We aren't cheap either, but those experiences made us very budget conscious. We found a panel-ready counter depth fridge for $1000 off the retail price at the local appliance store (we spent under $2K). It took calling around and checking out the model number for complaints and such, but it was worth it. Between that store's floor models and another store that is renovating, we have been able to upgrade our appliances for what we might have spent on Kenmore.

Stick to your guns on price, but the product you want is out there. Just keep looking.

I came across these panels that are meant to be put on a regular refrigerator to give them a built-in look. The seem quite reasonable.

Here is a link that might be useful: refrigerator panels

I used the Frigodesign frames with great results! The price of "panel ready" has gone up drastically with the popularity. The frames from frigo come in all color/finishes. I got the bisque because I was putting country cream cabinet panels on the frige. You can't even see the frame - it looks great. You can email me for a pic. The frame cost about $300. I ordered European Rail Pulls for the handles. You can pick up "appliance pulls" these days and most Plumbing Hardware stores.

We are building a home now and my SS fridge is TOO close to our wainscotting foyer. Can you send me a pix of panel ready fridge? Thx- Mari