Are you still in love with your french door bottom freezer refrigerator?

[i.love.lucy]

I still need a new fridge. I'm getting close. I have some $ saved and will keep an eye out for sales.

 

I think everyone has posted how much they adore it, but I thought I would make sure.

 

So the freezer is a drawer on the bottom usually with a slidey at the top, does that not make a big mess you have to rummage through? Also they are bins out of mesh that drop things on the floor? But I guess a stray broccoli on the floor to be picked up is better than collecting in the freezer?

 

What about those with a separate pull out drawer above the freezer portion? Is that necessary? Is that for big platters and cakes or something? I don't entertain like that so I can't see how that would help me.

 

Anything else I should know? I've read reviews that the ones with ice in the door take up too much space and freezes things in the fridge area. But I have lived without ice and water in the door for so long I just HAVE to have that luxury. Have you experienced this?

[Renthead Mommy]

The beauty of renting and moving often is you get to try out lots of things, and you end maybe not knowing what you want, but at least what you don't want.

 

This house come with a french top/bottom freezer GE Profile fridge. I'm glad it did because it was what I wanted and I'm glad I got to try it.

 

Let me say I really dislike THIS fridge, the GE Profile. HOWEVER, I still really want one, of another brand or type when we have to buy one.

 

First let me say I've not been impressed with GE Profile fridges or dishwashers. This one I have a hard time keeping at 37 and 0. It wants to go down to 36 and -1 now matter what I do, and it tends to freeze things along the back of the fridge. It also configured funny.

 

It has one drawer the with of the fridge on the bottom that pulles out and is not too high, but high enough to be useful. Above that are two regular sized drawer, but they are split so you only need to open one fridge door to get to the drawer. All that is fine, and I like the drawer size, but it makes the rest of the fridge just sort of strange. It's sort of like for the number of shelves they give you, it's almost too many shelves, but if you remove one, I don't have enough space. On the left side I've got shelves regularly spaced, but on the right side I've got one raised up high enough to put tall things like milk or juice in them, and the top shelf is okay spaced, but there is an inbetween shelf that really only works for egg cartons. However the doors are nice and roomy.

 

We have water in the door, but you have to actually open the freezer to get the ice out yourself. I don't mind that in the least and it honestly takes up so much less space then a regular ice in the door dispenser.

 

The freezer is the open basket and yes, ice does get dropped through, but because the drawer is pulled out, it's dropped to the open area, where you see and pick it right up because it's basically in your kitchen area. I do like it better than having to clean out the brocolie bits out of the bottom of the freezer. We have one large bin on teh bottom, then a full shelf, then a half shelf (other side is the ice maker).

 

I like it well enough, but enough of my friends have the same style, but different brands and their's just seems to set up better. It's the drawers in the fridge. The are a good size, but they end up taking up too much space and scewing with my shelf space.

 

Will I buy a french door/freezer bottom? Yes. Definately. Will I buy a GE Profile? Never. For any appliance.

 

My advice is look at them all and see how they are set up inside and visualize what you normally buy. Maybe even measure your taller pitchers or containers that you normally use. Make sure those things will fit okay without screwing up the shelfing system.

 

Good Luck!

[Stacie]

Three years later and I still love mine. I have the LG (if you're in the market for one, get the LG model and not the Kenmore version of it). The ice maker in the door doesn't take up too much space, nothing in the fridge has frozen, and the large pull out freezer drawers are easy to clean. However, the drawers will get too cluttered if I don't make an effort to use and rotate items through the freezer.

 

Mine doesn't have a double wide door in the fridge, but I know several people who have that model. They use it to spread out produce when it's not used for trays or pizzas. Good luck on your purchase!

[annabanana1992]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my LG French Door....

 

We only have one drawer for the freezer and haven't missed the other.

 

I like the ice/water dispenser in the door... no problems with it....

[MaMa2005]

I've had mine 3 years and still love it. I have the water and ice in the door and have never had a problem with it freezing any food in the refrigerator. I have a Maytag.

 

I don't know where you live, but if you have an Appli@nceMart near you, it is worth looking at their selection. We got our refrigerator there and it cost us $1000 less than the identical model that was at Se@rs.

[Ellie]

Mine is over 15 years old; french doors hadn't been "invented" yet, lol, but I still love the freezer on the bottom. It's just wire pull-out bin, with one fixed shelf above it; the newer ones with drawers and whatnot would be wonderful. I'm sure french doors would be good, too, but it's the bottom freezer that sold us.

 

We don't have an ice maker or water on the door. Don't miss 'em. Glad to have the room inside.

[JudoMom]

I love mine.

 

Ours is a Kenmore, and has only water in the door, so there is hardly any space lost. The ice really does take up a lot of space. We decided for the amount of space we'd gain, we could open the freezer door :).

[ChandlerMom]

First, have to say that when we moved into our new home the french door fridge was dh's thing, not mine. I was happy with a side-by-side (but I was the one who needed a really cool washer, haha!).

 

Now, 6mo later I have to say I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our Samsung french door fridge!!!

 

We got the one with the water/ice in the door (Samsung claims their ice maker is half the size of most and I really like how the dispenser closes -- our 2yo Kenmore side-by-side ice flap didn't close all the way so had a cold breeze all the time and had to plug the dispenser, terrible design). I liked the Samsung because it has 2 condenser coils, so the fridge and freezer have separate cooling coils (one compressor) -- most fridges "leak" cold air from the freezer into the fridge which makes parts colder/warmer, but the Samsung operates the freezer and fridge separately, which also means no stinky freezer smells in your fridge since no air flows between them. I also like the "quick cool/freeze" buttons that keep the compressor running for 3hrs -- great when you get home from your Costco run with a ton of food!

 

I was worried you'd have to open both doors a lot, but you can open either door independently (the bar that seals the two doors together is cleverly designed to flip out when the left door closes even if the right is already closed.

 

As to the extra "party drawer" on the front of some -- I think it is unnecessary and adds more door seal surfaces to fail.

 

So, the item I rolled my eyes at dh wanted ended up being something I can't imagine not having! Just don't tell HIM that!! :lol:

[sleepymommy]

My MIL had one and absolutely hated it. I've never liked them because I know my kids would be constantly opening the bottom.

 

The freezer portion on my MIL stopped working eventually and they needed to replace it but she did not want the same kind anymore and wanted just a regular french door/side by side door fridge. They didn't have any available so she had to wait almost 2 months for the replacement with just a mini fridge since they had taken away the original fridge.

 

 

My sister has one and she doesn't hate it but doesn't love it either.

[AppleGreen]

Yep! We also have a Samsung, but no water/ice in the door. Love my french door style. It is so easy to open either side. Love the alarm that dings when the door has been left ajar (except when I am putting away groceries!) My kids really don't mess with the freezer. We do have to watch little one to make sure he doesn't hang on the handle which is so conveniently placed right at "hang on me level", but he is really pretty good about it. Yes, we really love ours and I love how much room there is!

[AuntieM]

I have an Amana circa 2005 and I still love it dearly. I think it holds a lot more than my old top-freezer fridge with the same cubic ft capacity.

[Pippen]

I have a GE Profile and for the most part like it.

 

I like the big drawer in mine--I keep cheese and meat in there.

 

My biggest complaint is ice falling through the basket onto the floor and to the bottom of the freezer (and it's a pain to get it out from back there).

 

If my children were younger I suspect my biggest complaint is they couldn't reach anything.

[LaissezFaire]

I just got mine but I do love it. I knew I would because my parents and my in laws also have one.

 

Ours has a water maker that isn't in the door which I like. It's a little button on the inner wall. It also has a dispenser that fits a 12 pack of soda, a meat/cheese drawer that is huge, 2 crisper drawers plus one extra drawer that we designated the "leftovers drawer" so they never get lost in the fridge. It has an ice maker in the freezer drawer.

 

I also love that now my 2 year old cannot reach anything in the fridge. In the old fridge she would sneak pieces of cheese ALL the time.

 

I really do love it a lot, I can't even think of anything bad to say about it!

Here is mine (ours is black)

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_04602139000P?mv=rr&i_cntr=1292818678267

Edited December 20, 2010 by LaissezFaire

[Scarlett]

I still need a new fridge. I'm getting close. I have some $ saved and will keep an eye out for sales.

 

I think everyone has posted how much they adore it, but I thought I would make sure.

 

So the freezer is a drawer on the bottom usually with a slidey at the top, does that not make a big mess you have to rummage through? Also they are bins out of mesh that drop things on the floor? But I guess a stray broccoli on the floor to be picked up is better than collecting in the freezer?

 

What about those with a separate pull out drawer above the freezer portion? Is that necessary? Is that for big platters and cakes or something? I don't entertain like that so I can't see how that would help me.

 

Anything else I should know? I've read reviews that the ones with ice in the door take up too much space and freezes things in the fridge area. But I have lived without ice and water in the door for so long I just HAVE to have that luxury. Have you experienced this?

 

I have one but without ice and water in the door. I love it. I did not want to give up my frig space for the ice container, plus the one I saw didn't hold much ice and was pretty impractical anyway.I have a great ice maker in the bottom freezer...and a water filter system on my sink.

 

Can't see that I would use the small pull out drawer above freezer. I haven't seen that. It did take me about 2 months to find the small pull out drawer below the regular big crispers in the frig area...very hand for cheese, ham, those type things. I heart mine over all.

 

And I certainly do not miss my ice/water in the door. At all. But I made a conscious decision to not get it.

[ChristusG]

Yes, I still love mine. I've probably had it for about 1.5 years now. It's great!

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I still need a new fridge. I'm getting close. I have some $ saved and will keep an eye out for sales.

 

I think everyone has posted how much they adore it, but I thought I would make sure.

 

So the freezer is a drawer on the bottom usually with a slidey at the top, does that not make a big mess you have to rummage through? Also they are bins out of mesh that drop things on the floor? But I guess a stray broccoli on the floor to be picked up is better than collecting in the freezer?

 

What about those with a separate pull out drawer above the freezer portion? Is that necessary? Is that for big platters and cakes or something? I don't entertain like that so I can't see how that would help me.

 

Anything else I should know? I've read reviews that the ones with ice in the door take up too much space and freezes things in the fridge area. But I have lived without ice and water in the door for so long I just HAVE to have that luxury. Have you experienced this?

 

 

I love mine. We're on our third bottom freezer (three different houses), but our first french door.

 

Our freezer has a solid bottom drawer, not a basket. This is important, not only because it holds the food in better, but because it holds the COLD in better. Cold air sinks, and you don't want it to sink right out of the freezer every time you open the drawer. Get one with a solid drawer.

 

The two compartment freezer actually makes it easier to find things. I put pizza and bread in the upper drawer, and other things that fit. I put bags in the large bottom compartment, and bagged fruit under the tray in the smaller bottom compartment. I use the tray for partially used bags, and other small items I don't want to lose. I put juice and blue ice in the door compartment. I always know where everything is.

 

The wide drawer in the refrigerator is a deli drawer. I love having all my cheeses, bacon, sliced turkey all laid out flat so I can find things easily. I love that my 5yo can reach it and get her own snacks.

 

I love the upper drawers for produce. It's so nice not to have to bend over and dig around for the carrots, or whatever.

 

 

ETA: Mine is a GE Profile. We've never had a single problem with it.

Edited December 20, 2010 by Suzanne in ABQ

[Liz CA]

Here's a pic from when we remodeled a few years ago. We weren't quite done but I took pics along the way. I put a before picture also just for fun.

 

 

 

Wow Nellie! That was some remodel, floor and all!

[i.love.lucy]

Wowza!!! What a pretty kitchen! Your old fridge is what I have now.

 

Thanks everyone for all the comments. I hope to get it soon and put the burning hatred of 1000 suns that I feel toward the current one behind me FOREVER. :D

[MangoMama]

We've had ours for about 5 years and I still love it! :D

[NancyNellen]

I still love mine after 6 years. I have the Maytag.

 

I have never found the freezer to make a mess. I usually keep meats on the bottom and veggies, breads on the top rack. Occasionally I'll have an ice cube or two fall through the mesh, but my dog quickly cleans it up :-)

 

I also love the large drawer at the bottom of the fridge. It's great for leftover pizza boxes, but I usually use it for veggies/cheese. You can put anything in it...

 

Our model has the water inside the fridge and I love it. It takes up no additional space at all. The ice maker is in the freezer.

 

HTH,

[scrappyhappymama]

We had one for a year in the house we were renting. I detested it and said I would never buy one of my own! But, it was a GE, and others having mentioned disliking that one, so I suppose the others must be better. The one we used had a large icemaker in the refrigerator section, so there was definitely NOT enough room in the fridge for us. I didn't mind the freezer drawer, but we also have a stand alone freezer, so I resented how much space the freezer took up in the fridge. We could have used much more refrigerator space. Also, the big pull out drawer in the fridge seemed like a neat design, but it ended up cracking and sticking open easily and was generally just a pain.

 

So we went back to a full side by side instead, and I'm much happier.