No idea about the quality, but Frigidaire makes some very inexpensive builtin fridge/freezers. I have been using ajmadison.com to get an idea of pricing (even though I am no where near the store). Of course, actual pricing from our GC then varies, but it gives me a rough estimate of the cost.

Karen is right. Think about what you want in a fridge. Freezer above or below? French doors? Water/ice dispenser in the door? Separate refrigerator and freezer? Stainless, white, black, new options?

Even if you don't have an AJMadison near you, you can research them online and get ideas.

In general people don't buy SubZero refrigerators because of the size - they buy them because of how they mechanically function and because of the prestige. In certain areas, a SubZero would be expected.

Subzero refrigerators don't have prices on line but as posted, you can just go to a showroom that carries the brand and the sales people are pretty helpful. I went with my friend and there is really no expectation that someone is going to buy on the spot. It's a completely different buying experience than Best Buy.

If you can afford a SubZero go for a SubZero as they work really well and last for a long time - my friend has one that is about 30 years old and is just getting to the point where repairs no longer make any sense so it's replacement time. I don't think any of the less expensive alternatives are rated as highly so you do get what you pay for.

In the realm of ordinary refrigerators, prices are all on the internet so you can go to any website and start researching. I just finished a remodel and found selecting a refrigerator to be the most confusing appliance to choose. In the end, I went with a KA selected on the basis of a combination of reviews; style - I wanted a counter depth panel ready model and didn't want water through the door) and functionality - mine is 72" instead of the more standard 69" so it looks more built in as well as having maybe a bit more space.

Counter depth isn't integrated so I cheated as much as I could and made my counter a bit deeper but because of the way the doors are constructed in terms of hinges, a counter depth can never look fully integrated. When you check out SubZero in person, you can see the difference between their integrated and standard depth models.

Thank you. One thing I dont understand is that a few people have commented around here that a subzero fridge is more of a status symbol or something. Is that actually the case? I find it hard to believe that it's just expensive for the heck of it. The models I saw at a showroom a few weeks ago were HUGE. Much taller and wider. I assumed that was part of the appeal- the amount of storage space inside (as well as being well-made and "built-in"). Still a little confused.

Subzero refrigerators are constructed in a way that makes them objectively better than standard refrigerators so it's not just prestige.

It's difficult to separate the prestige from the objective quality because the price rules them out for most people and they are an expected appliance in homes at a certain price point.

Size is irrelevant as SubZero makes refrigerators of different sizes. My friend has a Subzero which I think is 42" - not larger than what one can get in a standard refrigerator and the capacity is normal. Subzero makes 36" refrigerators as well and I know someone who installed that size in his condo.

Mechanically Subzero refrigerators are better than other refrigerators just as a Rolls Royce is mechanically superior to a Honda.

If you can afford a Subzero go for it as it's a great refrigerator and should last 30 years. Only you can decide whether it's a good economic decision./

ETA - In terms of size, I guess it's a bit of a chicken and an egg type of thing. If your kitchen is large enough to have 72" or refrigerator space, your home is probably a higher end home because most middle class homes don't have kitchens that big - maybe in Texas :-). If you have a smaller kitchen in a high cost of living area, your home probably can "support" a Subzero so you would put it a smaller model.

I love Subzero refrigerators and have had 2 of them in the past. One lasted 27 years, and was serviced maybe 3 times for under $500. The other one was purchased in 2014 and just as good and good-looking. Prestige plays a part, yes, but the overall looks and function are what puts the brand above the others. The reason they are taller and wider is that they are built-in or integrated with the cabinets, so they are more shallow than regular refrigerators.

The pricing is definitely high, and the company specifies a minimum price, so the retailers cannot go below that price or risk losing the line. But you can get a decent discount if you purchase through a designer or contractor. My 42" wide stainless steel built-in was about $9,000 in 2014.

If your home is in an area where the price and your kitchen budget warrant a Subzero, then get it. It's worth the price.

I remodeled my kitchen last year and went from a 48" KA side-by-side to 2 Sub-zero integrated and paneled column units. I moved things around and was able to fit a 36" all fridge and 24" all freezer. The fridge has a door above and 2 drawers below. Would probably have gone even bigger if I had the space! The house is 5 bedrooms and in a HCOLA,

Very happy with the purchase.

Would suggest checking ABT.Com - for doing price research. Like AJ Madison, they have a good website for narrowing down your requirements and giving you prices and reviews. If it's made, they will have it on their websites. Good luck!

When I began planning my remodel, I was adamant that I would not spend $$$ for a refrigerator, but it needed to be counter depth, fully integrated, and custom paneled (it's visible from the entryway and I didn't want an appliance front and center). I was considering a 36" integrated Fisher Paykel for half the price.

Then I saw a 30" integrated SubZero in a showroom, just the right size for my smallish kitchen. It was gorgeous and I wanted it. My final decision was based on SZ's commitment to longevity--not that they never break, but they don't discontinue parts so it can be repaired. Theoretically, I could be faced with replacing a wall of cabinetry if I bought a less expensive refrigerator that dies and is discontinued. In the end, it seemed more practical to spend the money up front.

We also wanted a huge fridge and freezer for our kitchen reno. If space is not an issue, I would recommend the separate columns for refrigerator and freezer.

The Frigidaire setup or the Electrolux set are probably the most affordable of the bunch. From there it seems to step up in price pretty quickly to Bosch, Fisher Paykel, GE Monogram, Jenn Air, Thermador and Sub Zero.

I second the recommendation for Abt - great service, super helpful and knowledgeable, not pushy.

Last thing I'd say is that if you're doing a full kitchen remodel, it's worth it to shop around for appliance packages. We took advantage of the Thermador one-two-free promo last year and got a DW and range hood "free." I also looked at the Blue Star Bundle & Save package at the time.

Others have said something similar to what I'm about to say. The reason the Sub Zero looks huge is because they are not very deep. In order to get up to a practical interior volume, they have to be wider and taller. Volume is what you should be looking for in a fridge and freezer.

Many people will get the refrigerator and freezer as different units place side by side in the kitchen. I've seen dual dual Sub Zero installations for a family of 14.

I've never had a Sub Zero, but I have had freezer top, freezer bottom/French doors, and side-by-side single units. My strong preference is for the side-by-side design. The French doors are cool for the fridge part, but in the freezer you always end up burying items and eventually throwing them away. Bending over to sort through the frozen food is not a fun thing to do, in my opinion.

As you're looking at columns, just make sure the freezer you select is wide enough to store things appropriately - like pizza boxes.

In our prior house we went from the french door fridge freezer setup to a Samsung top fridge/bottom freezer drawer. I loved the change but as @dchall_san_antonio pointed out, things get lost in there over time and clean out is a pain. For our kitchen reno, we're going with a 30" refrigerator column and 24" freezer column which *should* be plenty of space for our crew.

1) I agree about getting 2 columns, essentially a stand alone refrigerator and a freezer right next to each other.

2) you should consider your family's needs. Many people love the 2-door side-by-side. I hated mine. Unless it's very large (like the 2 columns discussed) I couldn't manage to fit a birthday sheet cake in the refrigerator, and a big turkey had to be stored on its side. No room for large boxed frozen pizza. I have a built-in french door fridge/bottom freezer drawer now and I love it.

3) Finally, to manage price, some places, if you buy all your appliances at once, will give you a package deal. So, since they're limited by Sub-Zero as to how much they may discount, if your other appliances don't have discount restrictions, the store may give you a package deal, where, on paper, your other appliances are cheaper than they would sell for individually, and the high end stuff (SubZero, Viking, Wolf, etc.) are sold at the permitted price.

Subzero pricing is on the subzero/wolf website. That's msrp but dealers don't discount very much, they are price set.

@dadoes - I just recently got rid of a Whirlpool top freezer refrigerator which I bought in 1983 because I suddenly needed a refrigerator for an apartment I was renting which had no refrigerator. I just got the cheapest model since I had very little disposable income and so the basic Whirlpool model came home with me that day.

It kept frozen foods frozen and cold things cold - towards the end of its life span, the light no longer went on but since I knew I was planning a gut remodel I just kept it in my kitchen ghetto because I didn't want to get a refrigerator that would fit in the small space that existed.

However, it appears that appliances no longer seem to last that long just as furniture (even middle class level stuff like Restoration Hardware and the ilk) are rated for seven years versus the lifetime that my mother expected when she bought her furniture.

I have read so many horror stories about modern refrigerators that I shudder to think of what lies ahead for my $3000 KA new model LOL.

I do think that the old refrigerator must have been the LEAST energy efficient appliance in my home though.

My whole kitchen remodel 3 years ago was because my bottom freezer Amana, that lasted >22 years started to freeze everything. Because of its size, I could not replace it easily. So, the whole damn kitchen got remodeled!! Because one thing led to another!!

So, yes, some brands do have longevity as dadoes remarked and SubZero had a period where they weren't performing well, but all in all, SubZero usually outperforms lesser appliances. Especially in today's appliances.

Well, dadoes, from my experience in my vacation/rental home, built in 1993, we've had terrible luck with the standard refrigerators. We've had THREE (2 Whirlpools and a GE) in 19 years, average of slightly over 6 years of life per unit, compared to one in 27 years with the Subzero. All of them broke down, beyond repair, of course during the hottest summer days. AND these refrigerators aren't used daily, mostly during the 3 months of summer.

So the fourth is a Kitchen Aid, counter depth S/S, that we purchased in 2012 when we totally renovated the kitchen. I'm hoping we have better luck with this one, so far so good. The only reason we didn't get a SZ is that we couldn't justify the cost in a home we use only part of the year.

You didn’t mention your overall appliance budget, but if it were my kitchen, I wouldn’t put the bulk of my budget on refrigeration. I would put it on cooking appliances, which is where I think some products are far superior and some inferior. A refrigerator keeps things cold. Some claim to keep your veggies fresh for weeks — Personally, I tend to eat what I buy pretty quickly and replenish frequently. So in my particular situation, it wouldn’t make economic sense to spend 5-10k more to keep a few dollars of weekly veggies fresh for a few days longer. Those fridges look spectacular though, and if budget was unlimited I would get one.

One of the reasons that SZ doesn't need weekly repairs as so many other brands do, is that they do not have in door water and ice dispensers. They smartly focus their research and engineering efforts to provide an excellent product that does what a refrigerator/freezer is meant to do: keep food at the appropriate temperature. Whoever thought that it was a good idea to place an ice dispenser in a refrigerator door must have owned an appliance repair shop.

The KA we took out during the remodel (48" side by side) was 18 years old and had several service calls in the 8 years since we bought the house. It would stop cooling, but by the time service came a few days later, it would be working normally again. Service tech could never find a problem.

It had also been placed very close to a corner and the fridge door would only open a bit past 90 degrees before it hit the counter on other side of the corner.

I have a very open kitchen, so being able to fully integrate the sub-zero units to look like cabinets was also a big factor in choosing the brand.

dadoes has a good point. My standard GE with an icemaker is working perfectly after 18 years. It's not counter depth, it's white, the freezer is on top, no water dispenser. But also, no off-taste ice cubes, no temperature problems, no broken parts, no repairs.

And I could have bought a new one like it every 2 years for the last 18 years and still not have spent as much as a Sub Zero and their like. What did I give up for the last 18 years for the thousands and thousands I didn't spend? It's your call, but I don't think that those high-end units have anything to brag about when it comes to value.

well you do your research, and then make up your own mind. There's no right or wrong here.

You shouldn’t have any problem finding prices. Just go to a showroom of ABT and AJ Madison online. I had Subzero in the last house when we custom built. It was one of the larger model, cost an arm and leg and barely store anything cause it was so shallow.

For this remodel, i went with Electrolux twins. 33” column and I couldn’t be happier. It unbelievable what I was able to store in the freezer. The shelves are deep and everything works incredibly well. Our freezer is so strong that it takes two to three days in the fridge to defrost.

i bought them from ABT and had them shipped out. It only cost me $1300 for both. That was less than what I would have to pay for a local 36” fridge.

Hi, my dear friend

I want to help you make a good choice, and you can use something that's optimal to read this because I read it and I had a good selection and I found some good information about a refrigerator.

Consumer Reports’ extensive lab tests will help you find the refrigerator with the best combination of storage capacity, temperature control, efficiency, and ease of use. But you also want your next refrigerator to last for years to come—and you want to be happy with your purchase, long term.

A thing that can damage the refrigerator:

Speed Chilling

Adding hot items to the refrigerator (say, a warm pot of chili or chicken stock) can send its internal temperature soaring. Even room-temperature items from the supermarket can cause fluctuations, which is bad for foods already in the refrigerator.

important featuring

Are you thinking of a buying a new fridge? Before investing on a refrigerator, consider important refrigerator features since buying a good fridge is an investment where you do not want to go wrong. Selecting the right and best refrigerator is not a child’s play as one needs to ponder over the following:

• Space – Consider the amount of space you have in your kitchen and also the size of your doorway.
• Size – If you are living alone or you are newly married, a small size refrigerator would do. However, if you are big family, then consider a bigger size refrigerator
• Food Habits – If you are into non-vegetarian, you might need a bigger freezer space for your cold cuts or a bigger ice tray. Getting the best fridge freezer is probably one of the trickiest one! for example شامپو روزانه that so good for a refrigrator

I have fridgedaire all fridge / all freezer with built in kit 12 yrs not one issue and now less than 4K for the pair so if this one dies I will get another the same I can spend the extra money on something else.

To the OP, what did you end up getting? And are you happy with the fridge?

Probably not going to get an answer. But my Subzero is just as good as the day it was installed, almost 9 years later.

Repair guy just came today. Ten-year-old Frigidaire has to be replaced. The search begins!