Get full depth if possible. LED lighting is great.

@mimipadv - Can you explain full depth?

Full or regular depth as opposed to counter depth. Counter depth can look like a much more expensive built-in refrigerator because it is flush with the counter and cabinetry. However, you lose interior space.

If you can built in room for a regular depth fridge, I'd do that, especially if you plan on having kids.

Also, under counter refrigerators are very handy with kids.

I'd reconsider the ice/water on the door, it's the most common thing to break and can be a mess. I had one break with the water in the open position and it ruined a wood floor before we discovered it.

We had a dispenser and planned on getting one with the new fridge, but wound up without it. Don't miss it. You tend to lose interior space with them in addition to the mess and failure potential.

Look at the French door models and see if you really like the way they divide the interior space, especially on the door. You loose space there too and DH said he didn't want to loose that space or to be opening one door and then the other looking for things. We went with a single door

If you can get the capacity you want with a counter depth fridge, they are nice in that it's easy to see everything, things don't get lost in the back.

What do you mean by "in the future" for kids? Refrigerators don't seem to last like they used to, so if the "future" is a quite a ways away, I wouldn't let that affect my decision today.

I also hated my ice/water in the door feature. I once walked into the room to find crushed ice shooting onto the floor and eventually the ice shoot door hinge broke (a non-replaceable part) and I had to shove a tennis ball in there to keep it closed. So that rendered both the ice shoot and the water dispenser inoperable. I now have the KA French door with the water dispenser located inside the fridge and the icemaker in the freezer below.

Opening one or two doors on the French Door is a non-issue for me, though I can see why some might find it annoying. It seems much roomier inside as compared to my previous side-by-side. I have the counterdepth and would rather have less space inside than have the fridge sticking out into the room.

The KitchenAid SS seems to be more of a coating or a very thin veneer. Mine was scratched and the SS coating came completely off as if it were just painted on. It scratched just like a painted surface would scratch. My sister has a side-by side KA that is a few years older and the SS finish on hers is nothing like mine.

@jellytoast - We're 27, fiance wants to start trying after our wedding next September, so it's very near future :)

Everything on my list is non-negotiable, but I appreciate the opinions so far.

Ice/water on the outside is an absolute must - the ones on the inside are usually high-up, and I want future kids to be able to get their own water when needed. Plus, it's just more convenient on the outside with less room for error (like people leaving the door open for the ones that are inside...aka fiance).

Also, I forgot to clarify that by french door, I mean the ones with the freezers in the bottom drawer. The french door fridges where one side is fridge and the other is freezer are way too small - I hate them lol.

People still drink water from the sink tap? Gasp!

One negative for the French Door model ... it is very easy to leave a door ajar, same with the freezer. Unlike a SxS, you can't just give the door a little push and assume it will close all the way. A door on our fridge gets left open at least a couple of times a month. A few times it's been left open overnight, with ice and frost built up on the interior in the AM. There is a door alarm, but it is very soft and can't be heard if you leave the room. I don't have any kids living here. If I did, I'm sure I would be saying, "Did you shut the refrigerator?" every time they went near it.

If you are wanting a big freezer compartment, you may be disappointed with the space in a counterdepth FD model.

I have a french door fridge. Hate it. I either have to open both doors (in order to open the deli drawer for example) or I open the wrong door. The doors do not close easily either. I can't tell you how many times I discovered they weren't closed. I lost so much door storage with the french doors vs the single door but I do like the bottom freezer drawer. I don't find ss difficult to clean - just difficult to keep clean! Give me a single door with bottom mount drawer freezer any day.

I just got a new full depth, LG french door a couple months ago. I was skeptical of FD after many years of side by sides but I love it. I usually only need to open one door except for the full width narrow drawer which is less frequently used. Mine closes easily and does beep at you if you leave it open. I don't like door dispensers so skipped that. I love how big it is and like the LED lighting too and it's quiet. I'm not particularly fond of freezer drawers but it's working out okay. SxS was much easier to see what was in the freezer without pulling things out and you could set something on a shelf and know it wouldn't tip when you shut the door. Overall though I like it much better than I expected.

Lily'smom - Thanks! I have been going to the stores and looking at fridges for years, almost every time I go into an appliance store. Been waiting for the day I got to actually buy them! Lol.

And Induction is where I'm headed for stoves. I grew up with glass top electric and loved it. Been living at my current place with fiance for 3 years with a gas stove and hate every single thing about that pain in the ass stove. Takes me 20+ minutes to clean the grates every day and it's horrible. I will never ever have a gas stove ever again.

Curious if anyone has experience with Kenmore brand? I'm skeptical, but a local woman is getting rid of her two year old model, that still goes for $2.2k, for $800 (and I'm going to haggle for less). It fits what I want, just not sure about Kenmore.

I have a kenmore elite French door full depth fridge, I can't remember who it was made by at the moment, but I have had it for 15? years and I love it. It has needed no repairs, knock on wood. If and when it dies, I will get another French door. I am another one who doesn't do ice and water dispensers on the door.

You do NOT want children getting their own water out of a refrig dispenser! You will end up with water on the floor constantly. They will also play with the danged thing and these dispensers break very quickly. Let them get their drinks of water, using their silver christening mugs (unbreakable!) in the bathroom. Water on a tile floor is no big deal.

I disagree about a full-depth refrigerator. They stick WAY out in the kitchen - they are truly "the elephant in the room". Things get lost in the back, too. Get a counter-depth one - they are tall and hold a ton. If you have more than one child, you'll eventually need a garage/basement refrigerator to keep multiple gallons of milk in - not a big deal and that one can be cheap.

I'm not a fan of french doors but that's about all one can find these days. I much prefer a side-by-side. Easy to see what is in the freezer with drawers to separate small things

I over planned and bought too early. It was an error. Appliances sat around in the garage for months and I lost warranty time because that counts from date of purchase usually. When you buy too early everything is months old by the time it's installed.

Take the list of must-haves to a big appliance store. Shop those features, take pix and make notes on prices.

When you get down to actually designing the kitchen and know space requirements for various pieces that's the time to get more specific with actual picks since you will need exact dimensions for the cabinet order.

Meanwhile, there is plenty of time for the inevitable learning curve. There is one no matter how many suggestions you might get.

Now to answer your question: I have a built in Miele refrigerator. What I love about it is the amazing lighting, the sturdy build quality (no clattering or chattering doors when they close) and the door storage. I have a bottom freezer that's excellent and very cold. My fridge doesn't stick out much from the cabinets -- I don't care for that look. No big grill either. It's super easy to clean -- everything comes apart in just the right way and goes back in a minute. Very quiet and very reliable. But bi fridges are a huge cost commitment.

I extensively researched bi fridge styles and didn't want storage loss with FD. I don't care for the taste of fridge water -- I have an excellent filtered water faucet which gives me terrific quality water that I know is OK. That's used for all drinking and cooking. No way to do that with a fridge door dispenser. Just a thought if there will be kids in the house.

I'm a vote for the full depth, single door, freezer on the bottom, no ice maker/dispenser. So roomy inside compared to a counter depth french door. But you really have to make the decision after/while you are putting together the layout for your kitchen. We were able to build in a deep space for the fridge so it doesn't stick out, and there are no clearance issues when the door is opened.

Also, of course everyone's experience varies, but while our expensive, attractive and very well laid out Liebherr had several performance and reliability issues, our $1k Whirlpool has been a champ. And if/when it does break, it's pretty cheap and easy to replace.