42' counter depth vs 36' standard french door fridge

9 years ago

[Cross-posting from Appliances]

What are your thoughts on a 42' counter depth vs a 36' standard french door fridge?

LG has a 36' standard depth FD fridge with 33 cubic feet. Subzero and Jenn-Air have 42' counter depth fridges with 25 cubic feet. It seems silly to pay so much more for less space. We were thinking if we recess the wall behind the fridge in our brand new house, we could have the look of a counter-depth fridge but the advantages of standard depth (fitting a pizza box for example). Am I putting too high a priority on cubic feet? Is there something I'm missing?

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread in Appliances

This post was edited by girlguineapig on Tue, Oct 7, 14 at 16:55

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Comments (14)

sjhockeyfan325
9 years ago
It seems silly to pay so much more for less space

That depends. It was really really important to me to have a built-in paneled fridge that doesn't stand out from the cabinetry, so I got a Thermador (living room, dining room and kitchen are all one very large room). Recessing a full-size fridge is the second best alternative, but only if you don't care about paneling (I don't think there are any that you can panel). Third-best for me would be a "regular" counter-depth fridge (which are not really counter-depth). There is no fourth best for me, because I would never have a full-size fridge protruding into the room.
sjhockeyfan325
9 years ago
I posted a reply in the Appliances forum too, with a picture of the kitchen in my previous house.
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I have what KristianCO has, but without the wine slots in between. At least at the time, that required ordering a panel that goes between them -- an insulation panel, I think? She mentioned the ice -- another reason I liked the Thermador over the SZ. The SZ had the ice down at the bottom, nearly on the floor. That just doesn't work for all the ice we can use here in Texas. Fori, it's not having a second fridge to make up for the failures of the first one. People who spend $3 million on a house as well as the guest who walk into one expect a certain lifestyle to go with it. Even if they don't cook, they probably entertain. If they don't entertain, they want to look like they do -- or at least they could. In my area, people look for a space for a second fridge in homes by the time they hit $250-350K. By $1 mil, they expect a second fridge regardless of how big the one in the main kitchen is. Beverage fridge somewhere in the house or in an outdoor kitchen is probably also desired if not expected. I've seen homes below $1 mil (at the time) that had built-in fridge, second fridge space in the utility, a wine fridge and a small beverage fridge in the master suite. Those homes are probably between $1 mil and $2 mil now, but they give a clue what folks look for when they reach a certain price point. Yes, you can design for change and tear out a pantry, assuming you also left the upper clearance, and maybe it won't make a mess of flooring and cabinets, but in a $3 mil home, I don't think you are going to save a lot of money in the long run. First, you have to plan the layout to include a tall pantry and cabinet above the fridge that would be lost or have a 12" or greater opening and dress that off. That would all be lost when changing the fridge and you could have the cost of cutting down the above fridge cabinet and doors or a new cabinet. All the crown on that wall will probably need to be removed to change the upper cabinet. Your toe kicks will have to be removed and adjusted. Not a big deal, but another detail. And if any of these trim pieces split when being removed, you have to match trim and finish. This won't break the bank for anyone living in a $3 mill plus home, but it is enough that you can see the savings may be negligible or non-existent. Not to mention that after suffering through an entire build out, the last thing you will want to do is any reno any time in the reasonably foreseeable future. Most folks are exhausted well before the build is done. Ok to do it - but be honest with yourself about the cost, especially if you are not a DIYer.
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No, freestanding means not built into the cabinets like a SubZero where it's part of the cabinetry. Stainless sides are about 1K extra if you can find a fridge with them. Not many have that because not many people want the sides exposed. That's why doing cabinet panels on the sides has become more popular. Don't confuse that with being built in. The fridge still rolls in and out of the cabinet cubby like that. Or you can do stainless aftermarket applied panels for the sides, but again, that's another 1K or so. Counter depth isn't built in. It's doors and handles still stick out at least 6" from the adjacent cabinets. If you have very tight clearances, you may need built in to work. That's a whole magnitude of expense greater than counter depth. And counter depth is at least 1K more than standard depth in most brands. Kitchenaid or LG or Samsung would be my recommendations for counter depth.
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lascatx
9 years ago
I also replied in the other forum.
girlguineapig
Original Author
9 years ago
@sjhockeyfan: My fiance dislikes paneled fridges and I am ambivalent so luckily that isn't a factor for us. :)
ck_squared
9 years ago
Yes, to answer your question.

We went from a standard depth 36" fridge to a 42" counter depth fridge with less cubic footage. I was worried about the size but the fridge is one of our favorite things in the kitchen! It's so much easier to keep organized because things are not stacked so deep. Everything is easily reachable.

I'd do the 42" CD for sure.
Chris Payne
9 years ago
Eek... well, a lot of times it's not an option. With true counter depth fridges starting at $6k and sky's the limit from there, it's not even a choice for me. I'd love a counter-flush fridge, but with "regular" fridges coming in at $1k... well.. beggars can't be choosers.
momfromthenorth
9 years ago
We also went to a CD frig (not built in) and absolutely love it. It is so much easier to keep it organized and to see where everything is. Less wasted food IMHO. I am totally a fan of CD now.
Chris Payne
9 years ago
Btw, if anyone knows of a true counter depth fridge for
annkh_nd
9 years ago
I feel compelled to throw this out there - we went from an old (but large) top freezer model to a FD fridge of about the same size last summer. We were always losing stuff in the back of the old fridge - because we had to stand on our heads to see into the back on the lower shelves.

With everything at eye level, we don't lose anything in the back of the new fridge, even though it's full depth.
ck_squared
9 years ago
What's your definition of "true" CD, unkinected?

eta: I can't get my link to work. Go to ajmadison.com and do a search. There are a bunch there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's a whole bunch of CD FD fridges

This post was edited by ck_squared on Wed, Oct 8, 14 at 12:58
Chris Payne
9 years ago
Interesting. ck_squared - most fridges I've seen advertised as "counter depth" have cabinets that are around 27" deep. That's obviously not "true" counter depth, which is typically 24".

Looking on AJ Madison I searched for a cabinet depth of 0-25", and everything was either a micro-fridge or $9k+. 0-26" produces some in the $6k range.

However if I don't use the cabinet depth search tool, I see a few that are in the $3k range whose specs show a true counter depth. Hmm.

Maybe I've been confused...
rebecca51
9 years ago
We just had a 42" GE Monogram panel ready built in installed this week, and even without using it yet, I know I'm going to love it. No more lost leftovers pushed to the back of the fridge and not seen until they start growing things and smelling! We also wanted panels made to match our cabinets, but our next choice would have been a counter depth fridge. We have another fridge in our basement for pizza boxes & other hard to fit items. And for extra soda and beer.
sjhockeyfan325
9 years ago
Unless its a built-in or "integrated" fridge, what's advertised as counter-depth isn't really. It's more counter-depth than a full-depth fridge is, but not nearly as counter-depth as a builtin.
detroit_burb
9 years ago
From priciest to least expensive:

1. there are built in fridges like sub-z and that ilk where the doors are flush to the surrounding cabinets. you can get panels for these, generally.

2. there are counter depth fridges where the doors stand proud of the counters by a few inches but the body of the fridge is flush to the counter. you can get panels for some of these.

3. there are standard fridges where the body of the fridge stands forward of the counters. I don't think these come with a panel option.

I found about 1-2K difference in price between #2 & #3 so bought #3 for a new build and made a 6" alcove for the back to recess into. I had no problems with "lost" items, it seemed very similar to a #2 type fridge I had of the same manufacturer in a prior home. A fridge will last 10-20 years, your kitchen may last longer than that. I really liked the alcove option, it seems you will always win when you can buy a less expensive appliance with more space.

42' counter depth vs 36' standard french door fridge

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42' counter depth vs 36' standard french door fridge

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