I could certainly be wrong but from the sound of your post you sound like someone who has "aspired" to have a SubZero fridge not necessarily for a functional reason but to have the brand. It sounds as if you're going all out - two Miele dishwashers, etc. - so why not just go for the SZ? If you think about all the people who have been keeping their food chilled without investing in SZ, there has to be something people "value" about SZ other than it's functional ability to keep food chilled or frozen that would make them pay the premimum price. Could be appearance, appeal of saying you have the brand, etc. In any case if you want one and want to spend the $ go for it. It seems you can count on repairs with any brand these days - kind of like luxury auto brands. Just because you spend alot doesn't mean it will be trouble free.

I've had Sub-Zeros in various homes for nearly 30 years. I'd never consider another brand. I also think the refrigerators the company is producing today are the best they've ever made. The Sub-Zero warranty is second to none, and on the couple of occasions when I required a service call, Sub-Zero's service was fast and efficient. In both instances, the required repair was covered under warranty. I doubt you'd be happy with another refrigerator. Sub-Zero's dual compressor system really does make a difference, especially in the refrigerator compartment where the higher humidity level in a Sub-Zero keeps food, and especially produce, fresher much longer than in an ordiary fridge. You'll also find that the model 650 has a much larger freezer section than in your previous model, with much better accessibility. The pull-out drawer is a huge improvement. The idea of a counter-depth slide-in fridge sounds awful to me, especially the idea of leaving the old Sub-Zero grill above. It would look sloppy, unfinished and like you were skimping -- particularly if the edges of the cabinetry around the refrigerator opening aren't finished. Do yourself a favour and go for another Sub-Zero -- you'll be much happier. But if you're still tempted to look at another brand of built-in -- be sure to compare the warranties. Just my two cents. James

I have the 48" side-by-side built-in, and we are having many problems with it. We had it delivered in August, 2007. Here is a pic: The most serious problem we are having is that the temperature, which we are tracking with commercial refrigeration thermometers on the top shelf and in the deli drawer, hovers around 46 degrees while the temperature indicator in the refrigerator states that the interior is 34 degrees. As I said, there are/were many other problems. We have been working with Whirlpool customer service on this. They have been responsive and are pleasant to work with, but they have now sent two different independently-owned local service companies to my house, neither of which has been able to either fix or definitively identify the problem. This experience has been the source of major inconveniences and disappointments, considering that we spent over $5,000 on the refrigerator and chose it over SZ, based, in part, on the salesman's representation that KA is the most reliable brand of built-ins. This morning, I gave Whirlpool a laundry list of issues that arose from the third repair call to my home. I also asked for an RA number to return the refrigerator, which, in my opinion, is not fit for its intended purpose. I was told that my request for an RA would be evaluated by others at Whirlpool. All I will say at this point is that I cannot recommend the KA. Good luck.

We had the opposite experience. Looked at the Miele in the store, and couldn't figure out how the interior organization would work for us. But really liked the SubZero. So, that's what we got (BI-36R/O-RH). Couldn't be happier. It is so easy to keep it well-organized. And it's amazing how well it keeps things fresh. I don't know what the secret sauce is. But food items in our SubZero definitely stay fresh for much longer than in other brands. I was recently travelling for four weeks, and when I came back, items that I had forgotten to remove from the fridge before the trip were still perfectly good. That was quite unexpected. Having said that, both Miele and SubZero are generally considered excellent brands. If you prefer some of the details on the Miele, you are unlikely to make a mistake if you buy that brand instead.