As I see it, the problem with assessing the quality & reliability of new SZs is that no owner has had a new SZ long enough to know how dependable and maintenance free it really is. I have a 5.5 year old SZ 650 that as run flawlessly since the day I installed it....but it's definitely not a new SZ. I read your other post about sacrificing some refrigerator space for more freezer space.....Only you can make the call whether that trade off is worth it. For me, it would not be as I have greater need for the refrigerator than the freezer...especially given the excellent refrigeration SZ provides for fresh fruit & vegetables. If your old SZ is working well, I'd be inclined to get it tuned up and put new doors on it so it looks new. I would think that would be far less expensive than a new SZ, and would provide many years of quality refrigeration before you need to replace it. But this is truly a personal decision....

Keep the Subzero and find a new repair guy. We had a 20 year old Subzero and unless we were willing to spend $16k+ we could not find anything comparable. Now there is a huge difference in repair people. I had a number that just left me feeling dirty and ripped off. Then I found an honest and responsive repair person. His repairs were much better and much cheaper than anyone I had used in the past. The one time his repair did not work (not on the Subzero) he refunded the charges. It is a long shot but if you are in Atlanta let me know. I will recommend someone who will give you an honest opinion. Or if you are within several hours of Atlanta let me know and I will see if there is a recommendation from my repair guy.

m111675, when choosing our refrigerator we went to a couple places to compare. We saw built-ins, integrated, empty and fully stocked. The SZ lighting is far better than my old fridge, and plenty bright for me, although the Miele was brighter. We don’t have ours yet, so no pic’s of one filled with food and I neglected to take a photo of the SZ filled in the showroom. I did see one some time ago here on GW, filled, and thought ‘wow’ because of the lighting and room : ) We did like the Miele, but it was not the size (in the space allotted) for our needs. We spent quit a bit of time measuring everything… door sizes, depths, widths, and allotted compartment sizes in the doors. No, I don’t think 2, 36” columns is too big if you can use it – but you also asked if it would look massive, and at 6 feet wide, yes. Again, you need to think of your personal needs. We are only 2, and are going with the SZ 48” built-in for the capacity as we keep a lot of food – I looked into columns, but needed something to fit in the 4 foot space, and the columns which fit in our space allotted offered less capacity. I will be sacrificing some freezer capacity (minimal) but I’ve got a separate upright in the garage. Everyone’s needs and preferences are different – I strongly suggest if you haven’t already – comparing the brands in person. The Thermador was more expensive than the SZ (both panel ready) where we live and we preferred the SZ inside and out for our needs. I’ve always been a Kitchenaide fan, but again, the SZ won us in comparison. These are the questions we asked ourselves: What capacity did we need? What space did we have? What options did we prefer? How much did we have to spend? What look did we want? Which of the above are most important to us and in what order? The SZ Built In Panel Ready (some of them) can be flush installed for a fully integrated look, if you have the depth. We are putting in 27” deep base cabinets, so the built-in offered us the best of all worlds: Flush install with fully integrated look, larger capacity. If you are selling your home in 5-6 years, I’d go with integrated for re-sell if your neighborhood and area support and warrant those needs… if you don’t have the depth for a flush install. Here is the SZ 48” side by side built-in in a flush installation in the showroom (again, added depth is needed for this integrated look): As you can see, the hinges are such that it allows for an integrated look, flush with countertops. Not trying to talk you into any brand or style, but do ask yourselves how long you’ll live there and what your most important priorities are. If you've room and $$ for integrated columns, I'd go for it! Good luck!

It took Miele a long time to get back to me when I called customer service about descaling the steam oven but I think they are faster if you have a critical issue like the fridge not working. My Miele applicances are built in and were installed by Miele. The fridge / freezer towers we have were complicated to install and that is a concern as you would probably need Miele for service. It is hard to know but things may be slow because of covid issues right now. We have had no problems with any of our Miele applicances. At times Miele offers a five year warranty and I suggest finding out if or when that will be available.