We are in the same boat and considering the same thing.

I can't comment as an owner of the setup, as we haven't 100% decided on the appliances yet and also haven't started construction quite yet.

I can however share my opinions and research with you:

First, I really like the idea of it. For a small family that has access to mostly fresh produce I think it makes a lot of sense to maximize fridge space and minimize freezer space.

We mainly use our freezer for ice, maybe some cold treats, a couple cuts of meat and frozen fruit. These could easily be stored in the drawers, especially with a fullsize freezer in the basement (in our case) or the garage for larger or more items.

I think it's also really cool and unusual.

It's also the most expensive option I am considering. The cost per cubic ft of cooling in an undercounter freezer is very high compared with a conventional fridge/freezer or a column freezer. If we had more space I would be serious considering a column freezer as well.

The only residential option with an All freezer drawer setup is from subzero and costs about $7200 CAD before any discounts. That is a lot of money for not so much freezer. If you get an ice maker that also takes up about 70% of the space of one drawer.

The other options are not drawers, but similar to mini-fridges in appearance. They start at around $2,000 but are not reviewed well. The ones that are start to creep back up into the $5,000 range.

All in all, I think they look great and make a lot of sense but are very expensive. If you can swallow the cost the go for it!

In Consumer Reports testing, top-freezer refrigerators offered the most storage for their size and cost the least. The Samsung RT21M6213SR 21.1 cu. ft. Top Freezer Refrigerator with FlexZone Freezer ($900) was the top-rated model. It's 33" wide which appears to be the widest that top-freezer are made. The freezer in this refrigerator is about 1/4 of the capacity of the total appliance and can even be converted from freezer to refrigerator. There's no space-using ice maker but one can be added. Wouldn't this make more sense than spending thousands of dollars for two appliances including a tiny freezer?

What do you plan on putting in the freezer & how do you plan on using it; will help determine if it's a good idea.

I personally would not like have to bend down everyday to see what's in a little freezer. I think undercounter bar fridges are ok for drinks, because it's similar items & can grab similar items fast.

If you do not have room for 2 stand up appliances, I would rather have a combo fridge with freezer. I prefer less compartments for wider access.

To organize get clear containers that can be seen through to grab items without pulling whole thing out to see what's in it. I do like the option to pulled out a clear container. I have 1 container for items I use for salads, like cucumber, carrots, olives, peppers, etc. That way when it's time to make a salad, I can pull it out & quickly make a salad & put back for the next day. A time saver. I have another container, for the salad itself. When I buy salad I take it out of the store plastic container & put it in a towel & wrap up the salad & out it in my container. The salad last days longer doing this by letting it breathe & keeps water from rotting it.

thanks everyone! we live in Hawaii and use a lot of refrigerator space for dry goods because of the humidity and keeping things fresher longer. Having a bigger fridge would be great. I really only access our freezer daily for things like smoothies and a few other items. we will be investing in an ice maker for the bar area so that's not an issue either. A small freezer would be fine. Meats and other things could be out in a bigger freezer in the garage. I love the look of a column fridge/freezer but don't want to take up the space if I don't have to and honestly doubt need that much freezer. we are a family of 3. Considering even a freezer that resembles a mini fridge in the pantry that will be right next to the refrigerator behind panel doors. WAY CHEAPER! I started researching undercounter freezers and can't believe the cost!

artistsharonva I love your salad suggestion! I use those containers too to organize but love your towel idea for lettuce. thanks!

Thanks yolandehot. Here's another tip buy salads as a whole with root stems when possible they last even longer with the towel trick. Salad leaves still work in towel, but not as long as the whole ones. I also buy fresh herbs like cilantro, dill , or basil. I try to buy the ones with longer stems, so I can put them in a glass of 1/4" water. I then put a ziplock bag over the glass. Herbs last a lot longer,too.

If possible, maybe you can get the smaller freezer on top of a counter to see in it better.

I have seen diswashers raised up before, maybe a freezer can be done kind of like this. It would be a lot easier to see in it & use daily at that height. just an idea. The photo is of a dishwasher, but imagine it as a freezer.

yes I like that!

Another option would be a bottom-freezer model that would push the infrequently-used freezer to the bottom (LG Electronics LDCLG Electronics LDCS24223SS24223S 24 cu. ft. Bottom Freezer Refrigerator - $1150) and whose ice maker could be simply not connected and turned off.

For the freezer destined for the garage, is it designed for a garage? The temperature fluctuations in a garage are not friendly to a freezer.

Do you want a self-defrosting freezer, or a manual defrost?

We honestly don't use our freezer all that much, but it does get some use. So, we didn't want to sacrifice prime real-estate in the kitchen. Also, our kitchen is two floors above the garage; so placing the freezer into the garage would have been awkward in day-to-day use.

As others have found out, going for a non-standard configuration is expensive. But apart from the cost, I would always do it again. The result works so much better for us.

We have a 36" counter-depth all-refrigerator. It's the main appliance for food storage, and we couldn't be happier with it. This type of fridge is simply a much better configuration and makes it so much easier to keep things organized neatly. We also have undercounter freezer drawers at the perimeter of the kitchen, where they are accessible when needed, but where they don't get into the way. Works great for us. Splitting the two appliances made our kitchen and the slightly challenging floorplan much more functional.

In the garage, we have a commercial all-refrigerator that is used when unloading groceries from the car. Very happy with that decision. And buying a commercial model made things more affordable while still getting excellent built quality.

The only downside with this overall configuration is that we don't have an ice-maker in the freezer drawers. But we have another small fridge/freezer in the in-law kitchen. Every couple of weeks, we use it to make ice cubes and then transfer them to a storage container in the freezer drawers. Our family doesn't use that much ice, so this works fine for us. But others might need a different solution (there are drawers with ice makers, but the ice maker takes up a lot of space).

We have had under counter Sub-zero freezer drawers for about 14 years now, which includes ice maker. It's a decision I definitely do not regret, I find them very convenient and useful. We do use the ice maker though I don't find it as convenient as dispensing from an refrigerator.

I keep spices and various other “pantry” ingredients like flours in my freezer. Living in Hawaii, you might consider that as well. It makes the side by side full fridge and freezer make a lot more sense when you think of it as a large “cold pantry”.