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caroline94535

Please, help me choose a refrigerator!

caroline94535
last year
last modified: last year

Santa has agreed we can get a new refrigerator for Christmas!!!

I am 66 years old. This will be the first new fridge I’ve ever had. I am more than excited.

❄️ I want the freezer on the bottom. Idealy it should be a large pull-out drawer with a sliding drawer on top of it.

❄️ I want one main fridge door that has the handle on the left side side. I do not want the double French doors.

❄️ I do not want ice and water through the front door.

❄️ I do want there to be an ice maker in the freezer, just with no outside the door access.

❄️ I want the fridge to be big. We only go to the grocers‘ about once every 10 days..

I want the fridge to hold lots of fresh fruits and veggies, leftovers, cheeses, and meals I’ve already prepped.

❄️ I want an accurate thermostate to keep my insulin fresh.

❄️ I want an alarm to sound if the door is not closed properly.

❄️ I need it to be very easy to pull out for cleaning under and behind it. Do new fridged have wheels?

❄️ Of course, I want dependable quality.

❄️ And I want color if at all posdible. No stainless steel, no Gruesome Grey, no black. i could tolerate a ”bisque” color, but I’d love a “Spring Green” or a “Lemon Yellow.”

Help, Please! 😊

Comments (36)

  • faftris
    last year

    I don't know about color, but I have a Whirlpool that fits most of your wants, since they were my wants too. Bottom freezer pull out drawer-type, with a pull out shelf inside and a basket on the bottom. Single door with left handle (reversible, I think), ice maker inside (which I had removed since I didn't want to run the water line from the sink across the room because of possibility of leaks under the ceramic tile floor. No alarm. Works wonderfully. Not sure about the wheels, but it does have casters.

    It was difficult to find the bottom freezer and a single door. My SubZero in my house kitchen had this configuration, and that was what I was trying to copy. This condo kitchen did not warrant a SubZero. This is what I have, and I don't know if the size works for you, since I don't know what you are replacing.

    https://www.whirlpool.com/kitchen/refrigeration/refrigerators/bottom-freezer/p.33-inches-wide-bottom-freezer-refrigerator-with-spillguard-glass-shelves-22-cu.-ft.wrb322dmbm.html?

    Hope this helps--good luck.

    caroline94535 thanked faftris
  • Lindsey_CA
    last year

    We have a Bosch 800 Series French Door refrigerator with the freezer on the bottom. I know that they do make single-door refrigerators with bottom freezers, though. One of the things that I like the most about the Bosch is that the bottom of the freezer is FLAT. You can store so much more stuff in there than in a freezer where the bottom is curved at the back. Our KitchenAid was like that and I hated it. The Bosch also comes with a nifty ice scoop! You won't get colors with a Bosch, though.

    caroline94535 thanked Lindsey_CA
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  • Rusty
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    I have a Samsung that I love! It has the pull-out bottom drawer freezer with a sliding drawer in it. But, mine is a 4-door, which means it has the double French doors, and a drawer between the doors and the bottom freezer. It also has two large produce drawers, and I love all the many ways some of the shelves can be adjusted to accommodate different sizes and heights of items needing refrigeration. The temperature of the middle drawer has 4 different settings, and is independent from the temperature of the refrigerator. And an alarm will sound if a door is not closed properly or if someone is holding it open too long.

    I realize you aren't interested in a double door, and I don't know if Samsung makes one with a single door that has all those qualities. But I would suspect they do, I think that's all pretty basic stuff anymore, even though it seems like the height of luxury to me.

    I really like it, I like the quality of it. I have no idea about colors, though, I haven't seen any appliances in color in years! Maybe some companies might offer special colors in special order?

    Rusty

    caroline94535 thanked Rusty
  • socks
    last year

    Like Faftris, I have a Whrolpool too. Freezer on the bottom, white, but double doors. I didn't know there was such a thing as a single door on this kind of refrig. The only problem has been that we were not closing the freezer properly and ice developed. Repair person came out and defrosted the ice and told us what we were doing wrong (closing it in a skewed way.) It does a chime if we don't get it fully closed. It has an air filter, water filter and "keep fresh" device for the produce section. We like the water on the outside of the refrig. Good luck shopping and hope you get something you like.

    caroline94535 thanked socks
  • seagrass_gw Cape Cod
    last year
    last modified: last year

    We loive our Amana refrigertor - i think we've had it for over 20 years. It's quite large -bottom freezer drawer with an icemaker. No external dispensers. Holding my brearh it keeps on chugging - we've had to replace 3 major appliances since Covid hit -

    caroline94535 thanked seagrass_gw Cape Cod
  • chloebud
    last year

    Caroline, the best advice is to shop for one with features that meet your needs. Maybe look at the brands mentioned here, but don’t get too set on specific brands since there’s negative feedback about them all. Color is such a personal preference so see what’s available. Probably not much out there in the green or yellow you’d like. I wonder if the bisque you mentioned is anything like the almond appliances we had years ago. I really liked them until the color started looking kind of dingy to me.

    caroline94535 thanked chloebud
  • Kathsgrdn
    last year

    If you get a Samsung they have pretty glass doors. Can't say anything about their fridges, sorry but the glass doors were super pretty when I saw them in Lowes last week: Samsung Bespoke 3-Door French Door Refrigerator Top Panel in Pink Glass in the Refrigerator Parts department at Lowes.com

    caroline94535 thanked Kathsgrdn
  • whistle_b
    last year

    Go to AJ Madison and search your features. You can even compare up to 4 products. If you choose a Samsung, make sure you have service. No one in my area will touch a Samsung products. They say it's so hard to get parts!!

    caroline94535 thanked whistle_b
  • HU-16168550092
    last year
    last modified: last year

    There are 4 sub brands in the kind of fridge you are searching for that are all made by Whirlpool. (Maytag, Whirlpool, Kitchenaid, and Amana) . NOTE that these all come in both 30 or 33 in widths. The 33 in wide has the larger capacity you mentioned wanting. Of those, the Amana and Whirlpool both come in white which would be good candidates to have painted in whatever color you wish by any local body shop. Oh snd FYI, the Amana version is highly rated by Consumer Reports. This is a tried and true design having been produced in Amana Iowa for many decades! I especially like that the shelves in these are supported by steel support strips and not just plastic rins like ither brands at this pricepoint.

    caroline94535 thanked HU-16168550092
  • wdccruise
    last year

    The CR-recommended LG LRDCS2603S meets all your requirements except for the color. You aren't going to find a refrigerator in those colors unless it's a retro model (example: Unique UGP510LLGAC) or extremely expensive.

    caroline94535 thanked wdccruise
  • wildchild2x2
    last year

    We ended up with a GE French Door with ice make in freezer and water inside. DD has the same model in a 36 width but we opted for the 33 inch width since it fits our kitchen better. Parts are readily available and I have space to spare. DD has a family of four and does a lot of Costco shopping. She's happy with her fridge also.

    caroline94535 thanked wildchild2x2
  • maifleur03
    last year

    You mentioned a drawer in the freezer but the Samsung if it is like the one I have also has a sliding drawer between the french doors and the freezer. It has four temperature ranges. While it does have an alarm it is a very quiet alarm and from the next room in my house cannot be heard.


    Samsung does have a problem with ice makers. They sometimes need to be replaced. Mine will freeze and I have to turn the whole thing off to allow it to thaw. It will then start working until the next time. I have reverted to ice cube trays.

    caroline94535 thanked maifleur03
  • salonva
    last year

    The best advice is as offered above, to do a search checking off the features you want to see what brands actually offer it.

    I have a GE Profile counter depth french door that pretty much has all the features you want ( except of course that the fridge has 2 doors). We love having the inside water dispenser.

    I remember years ago seeing many as you describe with the one door on top but I don't know that I've seen it lately.

    caroline94535 thanked salonva
  • nicole___
    last year

    I own rental houses. I just replaced ALL the French door frigs. ONE was 4 years old, one was 7 years old. One was a GE, one was a Samsung. The bottom freezer design holds less than a side x side. I'm told they don't last as long as other designs too. Click to read consumer reports

    caroline94535 thanked nicole___
  • blfenton
    last year

    How wide and how deep do you want it. Do you want full depth or counter depth. If your fridge is between two cabinets measurements will guide your decision or even it it's at the end of a cabinet run with a doorway beside it.

    We've owned GE's for 35 years and this year we switched to Fisher Paykel. It isn't what you're looking for though. But it is one of the most researched decisions I have made when it comes to appliances. You do need to go to the stores and pull the drawers out and in, if you buy frozen pizzas take a pizza box with you.

    If you stack storage containers in the fridge take them with you or take the measurements. Milk jugs? take an empty one with you.


    caroline94535 thanked blfenton
  • WittyNickNameHere ;)
    last year

    TBH with you: if I could replace my fridge today I would go with a Kenmore from Sears in a heartbeat. I've owned several Kenmore appliances since moving out of my parents home in 1977 mainly because they owned a lot of Kenmore appliances. My washer and dryer survived a flood! Just needed a good cleaning. I currently own a Kenmore fridge and stove and dread the day they break down. I've had both for 23 years so I know it's coming. But Sears Canada no longer exists and I'm so sad that I'll be here asking the same question one day.

    caroline94535 thanked WittyNickNameHere ;)
  • Maureen
    last year

    ....but doesn’t come cheap


    https://bigchill.com/retropolitan-fridge.aspx

    caroline94535 thanked Maureen
  • chloebud
    last year

    “Kenmore never existed either. It was always a rebadged appliance from another maker.”

    Very true! I was always pleased with our Kenmore appliances. They all had pretty long lives. However, that was years ago when you could get much better quality. About 10 years ago we replaced a 20+ year-old Kenmore washer with a Whirlpool that died after 4 years.

    caroline94535 thanked chloebud
  • always1stepbehind
    last year

    what you are describing is the Wirlpool linked in the 1st reply. I had the older version of that model and really liked it. I didn't want want or need water so it worked for me. I like that the shelves were adjustable. Never had any issues with it.

    caroline94535 thanked always1stepbehind
  • marylmi
    last year

    I like my new Frigidaire that i got in the summer. It tells you when a door is left open . Mine has a pull out drawer at the top of the freezer which i like. It has another drawer between the freezer and the fridge area that can be used for more freezer space if needed. i use mine as refrigerator space. Mine has two doors with an ice maker in the door but i didnt hook it up. it also has two ”snack zone” drawers . i also bought a new Frigidaire electric range .

    caroline94535 thanked marylmi
  • OutsidePlaying
    last year

    We had to buy a new ine about 3 years ago (just before Covid) when our old one died. Went with KA because we’ve had good luck with most other appliances of theirs. The old one was a Jenn Air and I hated it. Except for ours being stainless and the upper doors being french doors, it pretty much meets your requirements. My friend had a similar one with a single upper door in her Virginia house before she moved here. I like the clean lines without the ice/water dispenser on the outside.

    I really don’t know if you will be able to find anything in a color that isn't a special order or a different specialty brand. Most ratings I have read say stick with LG, the KA family and maybe GE. I think it’s Samsung that is hard to get repaired.

    caroline94535 thanked OutsidePlaying
  • wdccruise
    last year

    The $4300 Big Chill Retropolitan refrigerator (pictured above) is a repackaged $1700 Whirlpool WRB329DMBW.

    caroline94535 thanked wdccruise
  • jane__ny
    last year

    I don't understand why people like bottom drawer freezers. I would appreciate explaining the benefits of a bottom freezer. I just can't imagine bending over looking for things in a bottom freezer. I am 74 and have some back issues.

    I will be doing a kitchen remodel in the next few months, and prefer a top freezer or side-by-side.

    Caroline, I assume your choice is based on some experience with a bottom freezer and would really like to understand.

    I just can't see the benefits except for looks, which I agree are much nicer looking than standard refrigerators.


    Jane

    caroline94535 thanked jane__ny
  • lisa_fla
    last year

    Never ever get a Samsung They have had ice maker and compressor issues for years. Just google and you will see. That being said, ours is a Samsung 4 door we are replacing. Our ice maker has had numerous issues. . It’s the first freezer on the bottom unit we’ve had. I like that, nothing falls out. It stays pretty organized with a divider and also a pull out drawer. I never wanted an ice maker directly in the freezer. We’d be opening the freezer for ice all the time! I like the versatility of French doors. It’s easy to place an oversized pizza box or platter inside. I like your idea of a festive color! I think you’ll have to work on that after purchase.

    caroline94535 thanked lisa_fla
  • faftris
    last year

    I prefer a bottom freezer because I use the refrigerator section so much more over the course of a day. I got tired of hitting my head on the top freezer door when I was digging into the back of the refrigerator bottom. That being said, I would only have a bottom freezer with a pull-out drawer, for the exact same reason. To each his own!

    caroline94535 thanked faftris
  • RNmomof2 zone 5
    last year

    We replaced our frig this fall. I always said I would never own one but we bought a French door model. I have had side by sides for decades and loved them. We are tall, we could get what we needed without stooping , efficient freezer/ice maker layout, etc.

    I love the new frig!! You have so much uninterrupted space in the frig. We got an LG model that has the water inside the frig and the ice inside the freezer drawer. This leaves the frig area wide open. My DD's has the water and ice on the door and that really takes up space inside the frig section.

    The freezers on french door models are not very big, I would feel that another freezer would be a necessity for most families. I do think that we are eating less frozen food because it doesn't fit in the freezer and we are often too lazy to go downstairs to the other freezer.


    caroline94535 thanked RNmomof2 zone 5
  • sjerin
    last year

    Jane, I have a bad back as well but really like my bottom slide-out freezer. I can see things easily and there are a few drawers that glide out easily.

    I didn't have much hope that this KA would last too long, but after getting the filter hose unstuck in the beginning, all has been well. Fingers crossed! I too like the large expanse, though it is only a counter-depth fridge.

    caroline94535 thanked sjerin
  • cpartist
    last year

    I don't understand why people like bottom drawer freezers. I would appreciate explaining the benefits of a bottom freezer. I just can't imagine bending over looking for things in a bottom freezer. I am 74 and have some back issues.

    I will be doing a kitchen remodel in the next few months, and prefer a top freezer

    The reason is that most foods come out of the refrigerator not the freezer. So with the freezer on top, you're constantly having to bend down to get foods in the fridge part that are lower down.

    Plus freezers on top tend to be smaller.

    As for side by sides? If you have large platters, neither side is large enough to put the platter in.

    caroline94535 thanked cpartist
  • salonva
    last year

    To add to the benefits of bottom freezer, I remember reading even back in the day when the choices were pretty much freezer on top or sice by side, that more efficient design was always bottom freezer. The bit about heat rising etc so it just worked with the science. I have no idea if it's still valid but it always made sense for me.

    caroline94535 thanked salonva
  • chisue
    last year
    last modified: last year

    Measure your space before you start looking! Do you want counter depth or not? Many models can have the handle on either side, but not all. Do you want left handle to avoid dodging around the open door or because you're space is up against a side wall? (Double doors mitigate the 'dodge' problem -- as do side by sides.)

    I've always had side by sides, with the freezer side wide enough for a frozen pizza box. We've had no problems with ice/water in the door ever since the option was available -- maybe 1975? That is, until our last Monogram developed a slow leak in the water line. An alarm can be fitted to discover that before you have wet floors.

    caroline94535 thanked chisue
  • raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
    last year
    last modified: last year

    My Kenmore bought in 2013 (a rebadged LG) has all of your wants except color and wheels (I have tried to pull it out and can't, but I remember being able to do so with the Whirlpool it replaced) - and maybe size (it is a 30" which is plenty for my house). I would gladly remove the icemaker - I was actually just thinking about doing that because I rarely want ice - to get that bit more storage space.

    If I could get it out, and get help to lift it, I think that I have room in its niche to allow me to place shallow casters for it to sit on. I remember making the crew put the stove on felt sliders, but really don't remember about this fridge.


    ETA: the Whirlpool/Big Chill above looks just like the one I replaced after some 20 years. The bins and shelves are the same.

    caroline94535 thanked raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
  • nickel_kg
    last year
    last modified: last year

    I didn't do much research when we bought our appliances. My bottom freezer is a basket you have to strain to pull out, not a drawer that slides out nice and easy. More fool me!

    I can remember what veggies I have a lot easier than I can remember what's in the back of the freezer. So having the freezer at eye level and the veggie drawers down low, is better for me than a top frig/bottom freezer.

    caroline94535 thanked nickel_kg
  • OutsidePlaying
    last year

    I’m 5’9” and i don’t mind bending over to get stuff out of the bottom freezer every now and then or even cleaning it out. It sure beats frozen stuff sliding out and falling on my foot from a top freezer.

    We have a second, cheaper fridge in our garage store room with a top freezer. While i love that thing for the overflow and beverages, it has happened that something slides out of the freezer once in a while. Of course I don't have the convenience of kitchen countertops to move anything to out there, so I am using the top of the fridge or a handy spot nearby.

    caroline94535 thanked OutsidePlaying
  • nickel_kg
    last year
    last modified: last year

    mariagrazia, your link didn't work for me but I searched "fridge skins" and WOW! I love them! While white has its place I've never been a fan of "all white" designs. I didn't even like the Beatles "white" album cover!

    caroline94535 thanked nickel_kg
  • raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
    last year

    I had forgotten to mention that when my sister bought her house, it still had well-functioning appliances in the kitchen that were that brownish, copperish shade from the ?70s. She had them painted, they turned out great and were still in good shape when they sold some 15 years later. Amazing the appliances all still worked, too.

    caroline94535 thanked raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio