Regardless of brand do NOT get a side by side. Then decide on features you want like ice or water thru the door. Top or bottom freezer? Any good salesperson can help you but YOU must learn to listen. Go to a place where sales people are NOT paid on commission. A little homework, like reading Consumer Reports article should help.
Lou
Why do you say not a side by side? I have a really badly laid out kitchen and was thinking that that might be an easy way to make it less obtrusive (fridge is in a niche that's right next to a doorway, so if someone is looking for something in the fridge, it's impossible to enter the kitchen.) SWMBO actually specifically stated that she thought she'd prefer a side by side or else a french door bottom freezer type.
nate
They are all good. Look for low energy consumption and the conveniences you prefer; icemaker-wide door shelves for gallons-top or bottom freezer, etc. and how it fits in your space.
I've liked Whirlpool over the years. GE is too complicated. They went to some circuit board that's two hundred bucks. Heck with that. I'm still back in thermostat and defrost timer days.
I'm not favoring GE, or LG, too complicated.
Did you know what the rabbit in the refrigerator said?
Servel sent me a post card, couple years back. There was a recall, monoxide getting into the homes. Please contact the company. Have the model and serial copied down, they will likely ask.
Sides are a royal pain to service. Also the freezer compartment is about as wide as a paper back book standing up. Can't fit much in there. Holday turkey? Forget it.
You need one that will keep a cold temperature.
Already had one of those replaced. It would go nuts and the temperatures would jump up and down all over the place.
Jerry
French door bottom freezer makes all the sense. Freezers in Side by sides suck.
Lou
That's not good. Fridges are supposed to be more stable. I got visions of city people jumping up and down to rap music, when I read that.
It's all just a matter of personal preference, and what features you value. I had a side by side and just replaced it with a new one and am very happy. Some of the comments here make no sense, like that side by sides are a pain to service. First, I don't see why that would be true. The main components of my side by side are readily accessible. And even if they are more difficult to service, who cares? If you get it fixed once in 10 years, big deal. Why should I put my convenience secondary to a service mans? If it costs an extra hour in labor, no big deal. In 30+ years, I have yet to have to have a fridge serviced.
If you want ice/water available at the outside of the door, that strongly pushes you to a side by side. Some of the other types have them too, but then they have a seperate ice maker up top in the fridge section that takes up space in a way that I think is more intrusive than in a good side by side.
I'm one of those service guys. Replacing defrost heater elements is a PIA in side by sides.
The most reliable fridges are the ones with the top freezer and no ice maker or water dispenser. Less stuff to break. But I know what you mean about having a small kitchen: the narrower doors of the side by sides do use less space for opening/closing. If you go that route, avoid the ice maker and water dispenser for better reliability. The drawback is the narrowness of the freezer side as someone else said: can't get the on-sale holiday bird in there.
Avoid the automobile as they are not as reliable as the bicycle too. If the icemaker craps out (and eventually it will), the refrigerator functions as always, just no ice. At some points in life, you have to decide if the convenience of automatic ice outweighs the eventual failure of the mechanism and a $100 or so repair. I'm willing to pay. Make the choice as you see fit for your needs.
As for the small freezer in a SbyS, it can take a smallish turkey, but not a huge one. In my case, we have a big freezer too so it is not a problem having a smaller one in the kitchen.
I've had good luck with Whirlpool and terrible with Maytag. Also good luck with Kenmore, which usually is made by Whirlpool.
I just measured my side by side. You have 13.5" wide by 15" deep to work with, vertically 2X or more to work with. So, while you might not be able to get the biggest turkey you can find in there, you can get a reasonable size one in. I would say realistically, with ANY fridge, you won't be able to fit a big bird because every fridge I've seen is always full of other stuff to begin with.
Around here, NJ, the holiday turkeys are free if you buy $300 worth of food in the previous 6 weeks. I just pick mine up a few days before cooking. It's usually cold enough here, that I just put it in the trunk of a car I have in the garage and let it thaw out. If necessary, when it's partially thawed I can always put it in the fridge section. Where, BTW, you could put a frozen turkey for a week to thaw after bringing it home.
I only see putting it in the freezer as a means to keep it long term. And IMO that'a not a very good use of fridge space, no matter what the design. If you want to keep frozen turkey long term, better to go with a frozen breast.
Forget turkeys what about frozen pizzas in a side by side?
Lou All things in moderation EXCEPT hugs and humor.
They WILL freeze on edge standing up.
Steve
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