opinions on refrigerators?

[gonzolawyer]

jessica_420 and I are getting a new fridge. Does anyone have opinions as to what is better, freezer-on-top, freezer-on-bottom, or a side-by-side?

Anyone who has ever used a refrigerator is qualified to answer this one.

Comments

[phanatic]

I've never liked side-by-sides. If you need a lot of freezer space, bottom-freezers are the way to go; a wide, deep box is better for storing stuff than a tall, narrow box of equal volume.

Just stay away from Sub-Zeros. Very stylish, but you pay a premium for more stylishness and less space.

Best fridge I ever saw was my grandmother's GE, up until the compressor caught fire.

[evelynne]

We got the bottom-freezer fridge because we use the fridge a lot more and like to be able to use it without stooping, to have everything at eye level when you open the door. I also find the two-drawer freezer (the bottom drawer is built into the door, and the other pulls out like the top rack in the dishwasher) makes it easier to find things than digging around in the back of a conventional freezer. The downside would be that you have to stoop to get stuff out of the freezer.

The problem I have with side-by-sides is that I like to put an entire pizza box in the fridge sometimes and I can't do that when the fridge part is so narrow.

[m_fallenangel]

I'm all about side by sides. For ergonomics and my general keeping stuff cold needs it's the most efficient arrangement

[gonzolawyer]

yes but how do you answer Evelynne's claim about the fridge being too narrow to store a pizza box or something of comparable width?

I agree with you as to the ergonomics.

[m_fallenangel]

Pizza boxes fit fine in the fridge section of mine. I do have to angle them slightly if I'm putting them in the freezer, but there's always something I can set them on to minimize space waste.

[evelynne]

You must have a big fridge or little pizzas. :)

[ernunnos]

I have to say, I'm still really happy with our commercial fridge and freezer pair. Lots of space, wheels for rolling them out and cleaning under/behind them, very energy efficient, and look nice. No ice maker, but I've lived all my life with ice trays.

[evelynne]

ROLL OUT!!! *salivates*

I'm going to have to discuss this option with P for when we remodel. I was never expecting to be so enthusiastic about freezing meals, but we make a lot of stuff these days that we can freeze and then defrost in the microwave. We were going to get a freezer and put it in the garage, but this looks like a potentially better option.

roll-out

[gonzolawyer]

it's definitely a great option, but I don't think the roll-around separate fridges would serve the purposes of breeder families :-)

[tabort]

I've had all three within the last 5 years and have to say that the bottom freezer is the best overall for some of the reasons others have touched on. You get into the fridge more often so you won't bend over as much with a bottom freezer. Our bottom freezer didn't have a lot of room compared to the top freezer model because the compressor is behind the freezer on the bottom but we had a separate deepfreeze so that wasn't an issue. We recently bought a new fridge and it is a side by side because it you can't get ice and water in the door of a bottom freezer model and my wife insisted on that feature. The only thing I don't like about side by sides is the pizza box issue. I always like to do the Mama's pizza box test and there isn't a side by side on this planet that will fit a Mama's Pizza! I almost bought the new Maytag Widebyside that is offset that gives you a wider portion in part of the fridge but Stacy vetoed that one almost right away.