What is the best refrigerator out there?

[GigiMommy]

Our refrigerator died yesterday. It was an Amana and we had it for 11 years. Looking for a new one. Amana? Jenn-Air? Kitchen-Aid? Maytag? Side-by-side? Bottom Freezer? Stainless steel, Black or White? We're overwhelmed! I DO know that we what to spend between $1000 to $2300 and has to be freestanding. Which fridge has the most bang for the buck?
:dilemma:
Thanks, Gigi

[NMDemDist2]

1. my vote is a bottom freezer in white

I left my Amana in that style when we sold the house and I miss it

PS precious puppy there too :hi:

[GigiMommy]

14. Thanks for the info...

and for Freckles!

[CC]

2. I got a Kenmore Elite bottom freezer

with french doors last fall and I love it. I was going to get a GE Profile but couldn't get anyone at that store to even talk to me. Went home pissed then started looking at Consumer Reports. The Kenmore had a great rating and was voted best buy. It was also cheaper. So off to Sears I went to get the new fridge, dishwasher, oven and cook top. Got waited on quickly and very well. I also hit a sale making it even better. Then I photocopied my receipt and sent it along with a nice letter to the corporate office of the first store with the exact date and time I was there and cc'd it to GE.



This is the fridge I got http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_04677563000P?vName=Appliances&cName=&sName=
Mine is in stainless steel because that is what the DH wanted. I would say go with whatever finish you like. The stainless can be a pain to keep finger prints off of but that is the DH's job now.

Edited to add- The ice maker that I thought I didn't want I will never be able to live without now. Water dispenser I don't much care for but both were thrown in for the same price as without so I would buy it. Neither took up much room in the fridge so went ahead and got them.

[GigiMommy]

15. Ran to Sears

after starting the post. I saw that one and it looks good. I ESPECIALLY liked it in "Black Pearl Mirror Glass" finish.

[sandnsea]

3. I have a side by side

And I love it. There's a whole thread over in the cooking forum about refrigerators. Maybe you can check that out too. I agree with the others about the white, but can't even comprehend the appeal of a bottom freezer.

[NMDemDist2]

4. bottom freezers rock! I rarely get into the freezer more than twice a day

i'm in the fridge lots of times and not having to bend down to find the veggies I need and having the shelves at eye level is just so much easier IMO

my stepmom has a side by side and with the water/ice dispenser she can barely get two bags of veggies and a quart of ice cream in there (kidding but just barely) and the fridge can't hold large platters when she's having a party and she still is bending over to get the veggies

it's pretty but doesn't seem real functional

[sandnsea]

9. Different styles of usage I guess

I like having everything where I can see it and not having to empty half the freezer to get something in the back, etc. Mine fits a cookie sheet size tray, so I don't have those problems either. To each his own I guess.

[NMDemDist2]

10. my freezer had a big pull out drawer so it was easy getting to the back n/t

[sandnsea]

12. back, bottom, whichever n/t

[phylny]

19. We had a bit GE fridge with a bottom freezer that had a pull out drawer

and I would never get one again. Things got stuck, ice cubes routinely fell out of the ice maker, and we generally hated it.

We're renting right now, while building another house, and the condo we're in has a side-by-side. We much prefer it to the freezer on the bottom.

Different strokes :)

ETA: We had stainless steel, too, and we'd NEVER get that again. We don't even have little kids, and it was impossible to keep nice looking, even with all the special cleaners, etc.

[GigiMommy]

17. Thanks...

I'll check out the Cooking forum.

[eleny]

5. I'm looking for a fridge, too

Looks like we'll be getting a French door fridge with the freezer bin on the bottom. If we had more depth space, I'd probably get one with just one fridge door and freezer on the bottom. But it's nice to have to double door option for narrow spaces. This allows for us to get the larger capacity model.

I'm leaning Maytag since it has a metal fan.

[Warpy]

6. The stainless fad is finally petering out

and black is the new stainless. However, a lot of people who have gotten black appliances say that big ones like refrigerators and stoves with matching overhead microwave/vent units give a Darth Vaderish vibe to the kitchen after a while.

So if you don't want to spring for a vintage style bottom freezer unit (which seems to be the consensus here as the best option) in pink, yellow or turquoise, it seems a bottom freezer white fridge is the best option.

I know I'll be getting one with French doors. I like having the smaller door swing footprint on a side by side but despise the too-small compartments. The French door models seem like the best compromise.

I've been quality comparing fridges lately, and the one thing everybody seems to complain about with every single model is the ice maker. I would suggest that unless you're big time drinkers, you forgo that particular luxury.

[GigiMommy]

16. Lots of good ideas there, thanks...

I think the French Doors/Bottom Freezer style is what we are leaning towards.

[AlCzervik]

7. i'm buying a Bosch, i have 3 major appliances by Bosch and i am sold on them.

i'm also buying a Bosch duel fuel range when my Stove dies which will hopefully happen sooner rather than later.

[Kolesar]

8. Side-by-side refrigerators have the highest electricity consumption by far

And those with ice dispensers in the door are the highest of that lot. Appliance regulations have driven refrigerator electricity consumption down to about a quarter of what it was 35 years ago. However, they left accomodations to allow "side by sides" to consume more electricity just because they could not engineer them to be more efficient.

Coal fired electricity is the biggest source of greenhouse gasses in this country. You, as a consumer, can have a huge impact on your climate impact just through your choice of a refrigerator.

You can find the details at the Energy Star website:

http://energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=refrig.pr_refrigerators

Peace, and climate protection!

[NMDemDist2]

11. article on refer efficiency

http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2006/07/26/fridge/index.html

[Kolesar]

13. Wise and wonderful light-hearted treatment!

:rofl:

[Jersey Devil]

18. Bought a Frigidaire last year, love it

Top freezer at Sears. Heck, our previous refrig was also a Frigidaire and it lasted 35 years so I figured why mess with a good thing