Side-by-side v. over-under

[KitchenMom]

Nobody has yet mentioned the water/ice dispenser issue yet. For me, one of the advantages of the side-by-side is water and ice easily accessible in the door. In my busy household, with lots of water drinkers, it is not only convenient, but saves energy because people aren't going into the fridge as much. I got a new refrigerator last year and found that it was virtually impossible to get both water and ice in the door of a top or bottom freezer.

I also have no problems with the size/storage in a side by side. Mine is 36" exterior and I can pack plenty into both sides. I love the large door bin storage for gallon containers and my multitude of condiments are easily visible and accessible.

I also like all the freezer shelves to make it easier to find stuff. I'm not organized enough to keep things easily accessible in a single open space like a top or bottom freezer, and I really don't see the appeal of leaning down over an open freezer drawer to get stuff out of there.

[phatj]

Has anyone looked at the side-by-side models that have a "step" built in, such that the fridge is wider at the top, but the freezer is wider at the bottom? Seems like this would be the best of both worlds.

I, unfortunately, do not have enough width for even the narrowest of side-by-sides. Even most top/bottom models are too big. I'm hoping to find a bottom-freezer model to replace my current fridge some time soon, but they're harder to find, especially in smaller sizes, and more expensive.

[Octaveman]

We bought a place in October that didn't have a fridge. I did extensive research and went to several stores (Sears, Lowes, local appliance stores) to get a feel for all my options. I wanted a bottom freezer REAL bad but there was always something with each brand/model that kept me from saying THIS is the one. Wether it be lack of an ice maker, flimsy bottom drawer, no water/ice dispenser, useless low 3" drawer in the fridge section, lack of required cubic feet for either the fridge or freezer sections or the price.

I never did find the ONE fridge that had everything I wanted but I settled on the one that had most of the requirements I sought. THIS side by side by Whirlpool is the one I bought. The fridge section is plenty big at 15.4 cu ft and 10 cu ft for the freezer section (same or better than most all bottom freezers without paying $2,300). The ice dispenser is on the door, making the freezer plenty big enough for anything I've encountered. See through veggie bins to easily see what's in there. Roll out shelves to get to the stuff in back. Adjustable door bins. Two freezer lights. Two Roll out freezer bins. Very nice.

No bottom freezer could give me what this one could for the money I was willing to spend just to keep my food cold. The ratio of freezer/fridge space was inline with that of bottom mount fridges and to date has not been overflowing with so much that I had to use my 7 cu ft. chest freezer in the garage. Also, with the additional shelves/drawers to use in the freezer section, I can easily seperate stuff like beef, chicken, pork, leftovers, etc. The bottom freezer doesn't have the capabilities for that...just one big bin.

Fatguy, I don't think ANY mainstream fridge is wider than 36". That seems to be the standard width available for fridges. The space in my house is 36" and my fridge is 35 1/2". How deep and how high your available space is probably more important as these measurements vary quite a bit in frdiges. Plus, if your kitchen floor space can handle a wide single door or the smaller French doors. The former allows for better access to your food but the latter is more space conscience. My fridge sticks out beyond my counter by a few inches and is further sticking out due to the contoured (bowed) doors. Not a big deal to me though.

[Eden]

freezer on the bottom!

I love that I can take a Large heavy pot (big enough to boil half an astronaut) and walk it straight into the refridgerator without having to bend down, or having to bend to get it out again... maybe this is more important if you have back problems? Also love that I can fit several demi-astronaut pots into the fridge at once, and still have room for more condiments than 20 people really need...

I also love that most of the leftovers & perishables are at eye level which increases their chance of being used before they turn into science experiments.

We keep the spare astronauts in the chest freezer in the basement & use the one with the fridge for smaller regular items like ice-cream (the wonderful husband makes a LOT of ice-cream...)

[MT-Tarragon]

I've got to say, the thing I love about the top-freezer is that, surely, it's the best possible arrangement for the freezer. Everything is at eye level, and the freezer runs the entire width of the cabinet. It has a shelf, a drawer, door shelves -- it's quite versatile. The problem is that the bottom of the refrigerator cabinet is to near the floor... Still, it's kind of a pain digging around the bottom.

←

I have to agree with this, despite all the bottom-freezers out there... I prefer the top freezer to the bottom for all of the above reasons - better organization/versatility. Because the refrigerator area is larger, I can better arrange my refrigerated items so that things I don't use often are low where I might have to bend to get them.

But, yes, if I found a side-by-side that had enough width in the freezer half, that would be pretty nice. But the narrow ones? Keep away from me Satan! Ideally it would be nice to have enough space for separate freezer and fridge.

I do have a small deep freeze which also helps make me content with my top freezer.

[Soupcon]

I have a 5 year old 32" side by side which I hate and can't wait for it to die so I can replace it. I admit it is my second side by side (the first I liked) even though it is dimensionally bigger than my first, the freezer is smaller both in capacity and width which just boggles my mind. Granted I now have an ice cube maker which is a godsend but frankly I wouldn't die if I didn't have it. I have been planning for my next fridge since I bought this one. I want a commercial fridge of approx same dimensions with glass doors (so the projected grandkids don't stand with the door open and ask "what's to eat" while air conditioning the house in the middle of winter ) and no freezer. I will just replace my present chest freezer with a bigger one and hope by then someone has enough brains to design ice cube makers in chest or upright freezers.

[kiliki]

Hard for me to understand all these folks talking about how the side-by-side has so little space. People, you DO know they come in various sizes, don't you?

From what I've read and been told by appliance salesmen, side by sides offer the least interior space when compared to their overall size. So even if you have a big one, you don't get as much interior space as you would with the same sized top/bottom freezer. And if you can't get a huge one, they are awful. The one side by side I had wouldn't fit a medium pizza box (I don't remember the dimensions but from the outside it certainly LOOKED like a large fridge). They are also the least energy efficient kind of refrigerator (according to consumer reports) and are usually the most expensive. The icemaker/water feature is nice, but friends I know that have them have given up on the water feature, since they had to buy a certain type of filter which was expensive, and icemakers tend to break.

I LOVE my bottom freezer (which opens from the side-it's not a pullout). I only go in there a fraction as much as I do the fridge, so it just makes sense to have the place I rummage through the least on the bottom.

But as with most kitchen stuff, there isn't one "best"-it's more about personal preference.

Edited February 7, 2007 by kiliki (log)

[jgarner53]

I just swapped my top freezer for a new, wider (36" vs. 30") bottom freezer (cabinet depth, too), and I have to say, I love it. I am in the fridge much more often than the freezer, and I love having everything at eye level, not having to get down on the floor to see what's on the bottom shelf. The door holds a ton of stuff, too, including 2 gallons of your favorite fluid, which the old fridge did not.

[Octaveman]

Where is everything? That's a mighty empty fridge ya got there.

[jgarner53]

Where is everything? That's a mighty empty fridge ya got there.

We're in the midst of a kitchen remodel. No cooking going on. Plus, since it's new, it hasn't had time to accumulate the usual detritus of half-used condiments and science experiments!

[JAZ]

All I've known for the past 15 years is top-freezer, which everybody seems to think is the absolute worst arrangement. What am I missing out on?

←

What you're missing out on is bottom-freezer! Side-by-side is a woefully poor design. Not enough room for large or bulky items in the freezer side or on the fridge side.

Bottom freezer makes so much sense. Most of us spend far less time going in and out of the freezer than we do in the fridge. Why be hunching over or bending down so often when you don't need to? I remain bafffled as to why there are so few bottom freezer models on the market.

←

Single door with bottom pull out drawer.

←

freezer on the bottom! 

I love that I can take a Large heavy pot (big enough to boil half an astronaut) and walk it straight into the refridgerator without having to bend down, or having to bend to get it out again...  maybe this is more important if you have back problems?  Also love that I can fit several demi-astronaut  pots into the fridge at once, and still have room for more condiments than 20 people really need...

I also love that most of the leftovers & perishables are at eye level which increases their chance of being used before they turn into science experiments.

←

I'll admit that my experience with bottom freezers is limited to the woefully inadequate Sub Zero that was in the kitchen where I used to teach classes, but I would never in a million years get one like that -- one big drawer with a small wire mesh pull out drawer on top. I'll second what Pam said:

I regret getting a bottom freezer.  Stuff goes in and is never seen again.  I was much happier with a top freezer that I could see into.

←

Plus, when you wanted to put a half-sheet pan of puff pastry or cookies or anything in to freeze, it wouldn't go in flat -- you had to tip it at an angle to get it in and ended up tipping half the contents off. Same with ice cream base in a bowl without a top, or anything you wanted to cool off quickly.

There might well be better models on the market, but I'd be wary of them until you're sure everything you might want to put in the freezer (even if it's just for 20 minutes or an hour to chill) will go in and come out easily.

[Pam R]

Plus, when you wanted to put a half-sheet pan of puff pastry or cookies or anything in to freeze, it wouldn't go in flat -- you had to tip it at an angle to get it in and ended up tipping half the contents off.

Oh oh! I hate that too. Good point. During the winter I can use the deck to freeze baking sheets full of stuff. But otherwise I'm out of luck.

Also, with no ice maker, I end up pouring 1/2 the water out of the ice tray more often than not - it's hard to find the ice tray shelf, and things are too tight in there.

[snowangel]

I had a couple of reasons for choosing a side-by-side with the water in the door. First, the ability to securely latch it because of Heidi. Now, the reasons for keeping Heidi out of the fridge are many, and will be life long, and a side-by-side with "open" handles allows one to use "bunny ears."

For a regular fridge, you can get those latch things that have adhesive, but they stretch out in time and need to be replaced often. I can get at least two years about of one bunny ears, but only a couple of months out of the stick on ones for regular fridges.

And, with water in the door by kids drink a lot more water!

(Oh, and my folks hate their bottom freezer for the reasons Janet and Pam cited.)

[I_call_the_duck]

I had a side-by-side fridge in a former apartment. Pretty much hated it. Its only redeeming quality was that it was easier to organize the freezer since there were more shelves. But as mentioned upthread, it was impossible to lay a half-sheet pan flat in the fridge. A big pot of soup could barely fit. I did always want a model with water and ice dispenser in the door, though. Unfortunately, I don't think the only come in side-by-side models.

Our current fridge came with the house, and is similar if not identical to jgarner53's. I have a love/hate affair with the thing. Finding anything I've dumped in the freezer is like performing an archeological dig. And the ice machine sometimes gets jammed, so it's really hard to get in there to unjam the blocked ice with the drawer in the way. However, I do love the fact that I don't have to stoop down to get stuff in the bottom part of the fridge. But since I'm only 5' tall, not everything is eye-level. Were it not for the clear shelves, I'd never know what I threw up on those top shelves.

[kiliki]

Plus, when you wanted to put a half-sheet pan of puff pastry or cookies or anything in to freeze, it wouldn't go in flat -- you had to tip it at an angle to get it in and ended up tipping half the contents off. Same with ice cream base in a bowl without a top, or anything you wanted to cool off quickly.

I don't understand this comment. My bottom freezer has a shelf that you can slide stuff right on to without tipping. Why was tipping necessary? It sounds like that was a design flaw of whatever particular model of freezer you had, not something you'd find in all (most?) bottom freezers.

[helenjp]

For small places, I definitely prefer a bottom freezer - but it needs to have at least 2 drawers, internal or external, and one drawer a little deeper than the other.

A third "optional" drawer which can alternate between freezer/ partial freeze or heavy chill/fridge is extremely useful in small kitchens too - it can be switched to fridge setting for parties, Christmas etc., and used as a freezer or partially chilled meat/fish cabinet the rest of the time. My last fridge had one, my current one doesn't, and I miss it!

Family members constantly after water and ice: I'd love a dispenser like Snowangel's but often wonder if they are hard to clean?

Split doors on the fridge section would be good. I have an open-both-ways door, which is very useful in a small kitchen BUT the hinge design means that it's prone to not closing perfectly, and the heavy (because of items stored in the door shelves) door never stays open - and the bottom of the door is right at head height for small children...

[torakris]

When I first moved to Japan 12 years ago I insisted on a freezer on the top refrigerator, there were only about 2 in the store and I picked the biggest one. It died a couple months ago and we were forced to buy a new one rather quickly. I never understood why refrigerators in Japan had so many doors but now that I own one I love it and will never go back to any other kind.

This is my post from the Japanese kitchen thread:

First a blurry shot of the outside

The main refrigerator (top), notice the very short shelves though most of them are removable/adjustable

the ice part and chill box(this can be a refrigerator or freezer as well with just a switch of the button)

the vegetable drawer (I love this part) it is in a very easy to use part of the refrigerator and is huge with a top tray that runs the length and width of the drawer.

This refrigerator had the largest freezer of all the refrigerators in the store, it is quite deep with a tray that like the vegetable drawer runs the length and width of the drawer.

[I_call_the_duck]

That does it. I want the fridge that torakris has.

[Fat Guy]

It really seems that the Asians are way ahead of the Westerners when it comes to refrigerator design. I've notices some really interesting refrigerator configurations in the big Korean shopping center near us in New Jersey, with integrated storage tubs kept at temperatures calculated precisely for vegetables et al.

Kris, may I ask, what would be the equivalent dollar cost of a refrigerator like that, and what are its dimensions?

[torakris]

It really seems that the Asians are way ahead of the Westerners when it comes to refrigerator design. I've notices some really interesting refrigerator configurations in the big Korean shopping center near us in New Jersey, with integrated storage tubs kept at temperatures calculated precisely for vegetables et al.

Kris, may I ask, what would be the equivalent dollar cost of a refrigerator like that, and what are its dimensions?

←

We paid about 110,000 yen ($902 at today's exchange rate) but it was on sale because the new model was coming out a month later and we also received a discount for paying cash. I think the $40 fee for the removal of our old refrigerator was also included.

This is the information about it from National's website

size:

685mm×643mm×1798mm

sorry, you will have to covert that yourself

[prasantrin]

I want Kristin's fridge, too! I *do* live in Japan, and that makes my wanting worse, knowing it's within my reach yet not. My employers (who rent and furnish my apartment) won't let me get a new fridge till my current one breaks down--and it's not even 5 years old!

Anyone know how I can discretely (can't leave any marks on it, or anything like that) make a fridge age prematurely?

[Fat Guy]

That price sounds incredibly reasonable for all that hardware.

So that's 26.9" x 25.3" x 70.7" -- not sure which is the depth and which is the width, but I'm pretty sure the last number is the height.

A small-ish American refrigerator -- like the Whirlpool unit you'll see in a zillion New York City apartments -- is 32.5" (W) x 31.4" (D) x 66.3" (H).

[Toliver]

Sub Zero makes a refrigerator similar to what Kris has:

Sub Zero Pro48

It's larger and probably costs quite a bit more.

I originally posted about this in another discussion because of the feature of sliding "hotel pans" that can be stored inside and can go directly into the oven.

[Joe Blowe]

I've notices some really interesting refrigerator configurations in the big Korean shopping center near us in New Jersey, with integrated storage tubs kept at temperatures calculated precisely for vegetables et al.

I was just going to weigh in on those -- those "panchan fridges" are amazing! I've played around with a few of them at our local Korean megamall, and they're definitely on my list when our bottom freezer goes belly up...

[Octaveman]

Sub Zero makes a refrigerator similar to what Kris has:

Sub Zero Pro48

It's larger and probably costs quite a bit more.

Um yeah, $12,000 mfg suggested retail. Couldn't find actuall selling price anywhere and didn't want to call anyone but still a big chunk of change. Beautiful fridge though...and BIG.