On the top, bottom, or side? - freezers that is

[Admiral]

When mine died three years ago, even pre-pandemic pricing was high; my wife is vegetarian and stocks up on veggies and other things and the capacity issue is paramount; we ended up with a side by side, use the kitchen freezer as a convenience freezer, and bought a small chest freezer that lives in the basement and holds a ton of stuff, and the combined cost was much less than the fancy bottom freezer models. I guess now the prices have gotten even higher.... So, food for thought if you're a heavy freezer user.

[jteneyck]

We have a 48" wide SubZero, built into the wall so it's flush on the front, that's now almost 30 years old. Not cheap then and outrageous now if bought new, but very part except the cabinet can be replaced so you never need to buy new again. I like the side by side since it has both shelves and drawers. I wouldn't have a bottom drawer freezer any more than I'd have a chest freezer. Whatever you want I always pn the bottom. Stuff too wide for the sided by side goes in the basement freezer.
John

[DogwoodTales]

Thanks for all of those responses guys!
Lots to think about but I think we’ll go with the freezer on the bottom configuration.
I just found out that my wife works at a client’s house who has the bottom freezer configuration and so she’s fallen in love with the configuration.
I’m already in the process of remodeling for a deeper fridge size so it will be flush with the countertop - I suppose the thickness of the door will still have to be considered though.
We have two other refrigerators and a deep freezer that’s older than me but we like to stock up on casseroles, lasagnas, meat, etc.
I’m already well aware of avoiding LG and Samsung- ok for TVs, not so good for appliances. A friend of mine got a lemon of a Samsung stove with problems with its split oven configuration.

[Snipe Hunter]

Thanks for all of those responses guys!
Lots to think about but I think we’ll go with the freezer on the bottom configuration.
I just found out that my wife works at a client’s house who has the bottom freezer configuration and so she’s fallen in love with the configuration.
I’m already in the process of remodeling for a deeper fridge size so it will be flush with the countertop - I suppose the thickness of the door will still have to be considered though.
We have two other refrigerators and a deep freezer that’s  older than me but we like to stock up on casseroles, lasagnas, meat, etc.
I’m already well aware of avoiding LG and Samsung- ok for TVs, not so good for appliances. A friend of mine got a lemon of a Samsung stove with problems with its split oven configuration.

You want the doors to protrude out from the countertop, not flush with the countertop. Or the doors won't open

[DogwoodTales]

Yes that’s what I’m planning for but thanks for confirming!

[Cabinet Monkey]

I just found out that my wife works at a client’s house who has the bottom freezer configuration and so she’s fallen in love with the configuration.

That makes your decision easy then

I’m already in the process of remodeling for a deeper fridge size so it will be flush with the countertop - I suppose the thickness of the door will still have to be considered though.

   

Yes , and so will how they are hinged.   Meaning...... some doors open on themselves and can have an adjacent surface that is in the same plane right next to them.  Others (most) open outboard and an adjacent cabinet would have to be a couple of inches away from the fridge's cabinet if you want the fridge doors to be flush with the cabinet's doors next to it.

 

I’m already well aware of avoiding LG and Samsung- ok for TVs, not so good for appliances. A friend of mine got a lemon of a Samsung stove with problems with its split oven configuration.

I think you're throwing the baby out with the bathwater here.  1st - all brands have lemons regardless of reputation, price, and historical performance.  Users (operator error) sometimes have a detrimental effect on an appliance's function or brand's reputation.   & Lots of split oven ranges have issues.

2nd- Whomever lead you to believe LG and Samsung don't make good appliances is ignorant or has an axe to grind.   LG has had some of the best brand satisfaction scores (and lowest dis-satisfied )of any major appliance brand recently.   This is across multiple sources: big appliance dealers, J.D. Power surveys , Consumer Reports..........Which means your odds of getting a good appliance are quite high.  However, they make bad units (and lemons) too.  And when there is a problem they don't appear to have good service network in place.  Which means frustration and agony for you if you do get a unit that has or develops issues.  Repair odds increase if you bought the appliance from a dealer that's large enough to have it's own service department but not so big that they're a national chain. 

3rd - LG and Samsung make some crappy TV's too, even though their satisfaction ratings are always in the top 5.  Personally I've had 1/2 of all my Samsung tv's fail within 4 years or less.  But I wouldn't think of making a broad statement like "Smasung makes bad tv's"

[DogwoodTales]

Well what I said abouts LG and Samsung is based on others’ experience so maybe it’s a bit disingenuous.
However, the problem with the Samsung stove was that it’s one of those split doors so there’s a smaller top door to open or open the whole door. The design failed and there were problems with the top door not closing properly and so the oven would shut off. This is not a lemon but a catastrophic design flaw effecting probably every single unit sold. Samsung basically told everyone tough cookies and didn’t even offer a fix.
I think there’s a class action lawsuit in the works.

[Cabinet Monkey]

Well what I said abouts LG and Samsung is based on others’ experience so maybe it’s a bit disingenuous.

I wouldn't call it that.  Shortsighted, perhaps ?   It all depends on who "others' " are. And how many of them you're basing your comment on.  But if you're the one with the axe


If you were to ask only me, one would never buy a Samsung TV because of the high failure rate.  That's not rational.   Or, mean they shouldn't consider a Samsung phone or tablet even if they bought in to my experience being the sole criteria.

[EightFingers]

I’ve had five Samsung appliances. Three failed during that time.

[meackerman]

I'll base my no Samsung or LG fridges based on the repair guy I use, a number of appliance sales people that say yeah we get a lot of complaints about Samsung and LG fridges breaking with a year or two, and a few friends who have had theirs crap out.

As for other LG or Samsung appliances, I dunno.  

though our LG clothes washer died just outside of the regular warranty....luckily I thought it was dying by the sounds it was making and purchased the extended warranty at the last minute before the regular warranty expired.  Waited a few weeks and then gave them a call.  The parts the repair guy replaced cost more than the washer did.  But that's only one data point, but it doesn't make me likely to buy another LG washer when this one finally dies.


I will say that LG and Samsung make some really nice looking and featured fridges.