We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.

I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones in the
$2,000 to $2,200 range.

Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things you
do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator for
just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but we have a
freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.

In article >,
"Steve B" > wrote:

> We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.
>
> I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones in the
> $2,000 to $2,200 range.
>
> Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things you
> do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator for
> just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but we have a
> freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.

Seriously Steve, look at ebay for those used blood bank refrigerators.
I got my 40 cubic ft. Hobart from the lab I work at for nothing. There
are several on ebay at the moment and some of them are quite
reasonable...

Craigs list might have one local to you. Many labs across the country
now sell outdated equipment on the internet as they upgrade.
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Only Irish *coffee provides in a single glass all four *essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar *and fat. --Alex Levine

In news:rec.food.cooking, "Steve B" > posted
on Sun, 11 Apr 2010 23:41:21 -0700 the following:

> We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom
> freezers.
>
> I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones
> in the $2,000 to $2,200 range.
>
> Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things
> you do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator
> for just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but
> we have a freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.

First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
get a glass of ice. Recently, the wife side of that couple fell down and
hurt herself pretty badly, and my friend thinks she's going to need a
walker for the rest of her life. She had trouble getting up and down
before she got that fridge, and I never have been able to figure out why
on Earth she wanted one like that in the first place. I would hate it.

I haven't lain on a creeper yet to see how the ice machine is set up, but
when I saw my friend's brother on his hands and knees digging for ice
(since he can get down on the floor more easily than his parents), it
appeared that the ice maker was attached to the top of the inside, and
container for the ice was on a shelf.

All that said, if you already have a fridge/freezer combo, then maybe it
won't be any big deal to have a freezer on the bottom on your new one.
We've got a small chest deep freezer on the back patio, a big chest deep
freezer and a freezer/fridge (freezer on top) in the utility room, and a
freezer/fridge (side-by-side) in the kitchen. Even with all that, I don't
think I'd want a bottom-style freezer. I'd get rid of two fridges if we
could get a matching set of those stainless steel units that is just a
fridge on one, and just a self-defrosting freezer on the other. Then we'd
still have the two chest freezers.

Damaeus
--
"Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on
white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice."
-William Randolph Hearst

Damaeus wrote:

> First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
> those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
> see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
> get a glass of ice.

huh? I don't have to do anything more strenuous than bend at the waist
to get to my ice. The ice maker is at the top of the bottom freezer
space. And it is still higher up than a fruit/veggie bin at the bottom
of a top-freezer unit.

Steve B wrote:
> We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.
>
> I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones in the
> $2,000 to $2,200 range.
>
> Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things you
> do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator for
> just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but we have a
> freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.
>
>


I have had one since November. The refrigerator seems much
less spacious than my old 20cu ft. top freezer model, probably
because the freezer is larger and much of the fridge storage
is in the door bins. I really love having the freezer on the
bottom, however.

gloria p

In article >,
"Steve B" > wrote:

> We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.
>
> I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones in the
> $2,000 to $2,200 range.
>
> Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things you
> do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator for
> just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but we have a
> freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.


I have an Amana, 22cf. I will love it until the day they put me in it
for storage.

When my old Kenmore did its death dance some years ago, I sashayed over
to Warners-Stellian to select its replacement -- all I wanted was
essentially what I'd had. I got the same total cf, BUT, in the time
between the dying one and the new one, the industry standard changed on
the ratio of chiller space to freezer space. I wasn't paying attention.
When I chose the new one, a Whirlpool, two door, freezer on top, I had
the most fleeting thought through my head that the bottom of the freezer
section door was lower that on the dying one. FLEETING thought I paid
no attention to. When I got the sucker home and started transferring
contents from one to 'tother, I had a hard time getting everything into
the fridge. W T F ??? Total cf was the same. . . . The new model,
while having the same total cf had more freezer space and less chiller
space that its predecessor. In the years between the old and the new,
the amount of freezer space in supermarkets increased DRAMATICALLY ‹
people had a lot more stuff in their freezers besides vegetables and ice
cream.

I bitched about that unit for three years. My friend The Late Widow
Geraldine had bought a bottom-freezer unit and I loved it. I wanted it.
I got one. Gave the old one (all of 3 miserable years old) to a church
organization.

My freezer compartment is a pullout drawer with a sliding basket in part
of it. It is VERY easy to access. I do not have an icemaker; I make
ice cubes.

NO WAY would I go back to a top freezer unit and am reminded of it every
time I reach for something in the vegetable drawers, the lowest part of
that fridge storage ‹ at low hip height. Accessing ANYthing in the
freezer is very easy because I can pull the drawer way out, and it's a
bend-at-the-waist to get at anything. If that were the chiller space in
a conventional arrangement, I'd be on my knees trying to find something
at the back of a shelf, it would be that low. I shudder at the very
idea. Getting down isn't the problem; getting up is. :-/

I'll never go back to a freezer-fridge combo with the freezer unit on
top, and I've never been impressed by the side-by-side freezer/fridge
configuration.

HTH.


--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller
Updated 4-11-2010

In article >,
Damaeus > wrote:
> First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
> those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
> see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
> get a glass of ice.
> Damaeus

???? I'm having a hard time picturing this. My ice cubes (bottom
freezer) are at knee level and I barely have to bend at the waist to get
to them.

--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller
Updated 4-11-2010

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
> In article >,
> "Steve B" > wrote:
>
> > We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.
> >
> > I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones in the
> > $2,000 to $2,200 range.
> >
> > Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things you
> > do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator for
> > just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but we have a
> > freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.
>
> I have an Amana, 22cf. I will love it until the day they put me in it
> for storage.
>
> When my old Kenmore did its death dance some years ago, I sashayed over
> to Warners-Stellian to select its replacement -- all I wanted was
> essentially what I'd had. I got the same total cf, BUT, in the time
> between the dying one and the new one, the industry standard changed on
> the ratio of chiller space to freezer space. I wasn't paying attention.
> When I chose the new one, a Whirlpool, two door, freezer on top, I had
> the most fleeting thought through my head that the bottom of the freezer
> section door was lower that on the dying one. FLEETING thought I paid
> no attention to. When I got the sucker home and started transferring
> contents from one to 'tother, I had a hard time getting everything into
> the fridge. W T F ??? Total cf was the same. . . . The new model,
> while having the same total cf had more freezer space and less chiller
> space that its predecessor. In the years between the old and the new,
> the amount of freezer space in supermarkets increased DRAMATICALLY ‹
> people had a lot more stuff in their freezers besides vegetables and ice
> cream.
>
> I bitched about that unit for three years. My friend The Late Widow
> Geraldine had bought a bottom-freezer unit and I loved it. I wanted it.
> I got one. Gave the old one (all of 3 miserable years old) to a church
> organization.
>
> My freezer compartment is a pullout drawer with a sliding basket in part
> of it. It is VERY easy to access. I do not have an icemaker; I make
> ice cubes.
>
> NO WAY would I go back to a top freezer unit and am reminded of it every
> time I reach for something in the vegetable drawers, the lowest part of
> that fridge storage ‹ at low hip height. Accessing ANYthing in the
> freezer is very easy because I can pull the drawer way out, and it's a
> bend-at-the-waist to get at anything. If that were the chiller space in
> a conventional arrangement, I'd be on my knees trying to find something
> at the back of a shelf, it would be that low. I shudder at the very
> idea. Getting down isn't the problem; getting up is. :-/
>
> I'll never go back to a freezer-fridge combo with the freezer unit on
> top, and I've never been impressed by the side-by-side freezer/fridge
> configuration.

I generally prefer a side-by-side configuration if it's the only cold
storage around. With the side-by-side, you can organize both the
refrigerator and freezer sides in a top-down, most frequently used setup
so everything you use frequently is at no-bend height. I also like and
frequently use the in-door ice and water dispenser.

The bottom drawer freezer models are decent enough, though they
typically result in more stacking of items and more time spent shuffling
through those stacks looking for what you want. I also prefer the single
door models over the double door models as it seems that the double door
models just make the door storage less useable and the half door you
open is rarely the one you need to reach what you wanted on the regular
shelves so you have to open the other as well.

The mini pass-through doors that are available on some refrigerators are
of limited value and probably not worth bothering with.

If you have auxiliary cold storage in the garage or similar your
organization can be different and thus the needs for the kitchen cold
storage may vary.

In all cases, the horrid top freezer models that require bending over
nearly every time you access the refrigerator should be banned as
ergonomic disasters.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> Damaeus > wrote:
>> First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
>> those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
>> see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
>> get a glass of ice.
>> Damaeus
>
> ???? I'm having a hard time picturing this. My ice cubes (bottom
> freezer) are at knee level and I barely have to bend at the waist to get
> to them.
>


I agree with Ms. Jammin'

I am quite short and the slide-out drawer containing the icemaker
bin in the lower freezer is just about knee level. No kneeling
required.

gloria p

In article >,
"Steve B" > wrote:

> We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.
>
> I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones in the
> $2,000 to $2,200 range.
>
> Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things you
> do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator for
> just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but we have a
> freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.

I posted about our refrigerator research a couple of months ago. We
wound up buying a Samsung French door 26 cu. foot refrigerator. It's
been in exactly a month and we really, really like it. We decided
against anything with an in-door ice and/or water dispenser b/c it
takes up too much room on the inside door. The bottom freezer has a
sliding tray for smaller items and a "pizza" door for those honkin'
big frozen pizzas. The way the freezer is configured, you'd have to
work at it to "lose" anything in there. The refrigerator has a
refrigerator-width pullout drawer that I've been using for platters
and jelly roll pan-sized items. It has LED lighting, which looks cool
:-) We give it four thumbs up between us.

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

--

"If the soup had been as warm as the wine,
if the wine had been as old as the turkey,
and if the turkey had had a breast like the maid,
it would have been a swell dinner." Duncan Hines


To reply, remove "spambot" and replace it with "cox"

On Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:59:35 -0600, "gloria.p" >
wrote:

>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> In article >,
>> Damaeus > wrote:
>>> First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
>>> those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
>>> see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
>>> get a glass of ice.
>>> Damaeus
>>
>> ???? I'm having a hard time picturing this. My ice cubes (bottom
>> freezer) are at knee level and I barely have to bend at the waist to get
>> to them.
>>
>
>
>I agree with Ms. Jammin'
>
>I am quite short and the slide-out drawer containing the icemaker
>bin in the lower freezer is just about knee level. No kneeling
>required.
>
And I agree with you both. My bottom freezer ice bin is knee high,
too, and I'm 5'8". The only reason I'd have to get down on my hands
and knees to get the ice is if I'd been putting that ice in way too
many scotch and waters...

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

--

"If the soup had been as warm as the wine,
if the wine had been as old as the turkey,
and if the turkey had had a breast like the maid,
it would have been a swell dinner." Duncan Hines


To reply, remove "spambot" and replace it with "cox"

On Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:58:49 -0500, "Pete C." >
wrote:

>
>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>
>> In article >,
>> "Steve B" > wrote:
>>
>> > We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.
>> >
>> > I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones in the
>> > $2,000 to $2,200 range.
>> >
>> > Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things you
>> > do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator for
>> > just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but we have a
>> > freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.
>>
>> I have an Amana, 22cf. I will love it until the day they put me in it
>> for storage.
>>
>> When my old Kenmore did its death dance some years ago, I sashayed over
>> to Warners-Stellian to select its replacement -- all I wanted was
>> essentially what I'd had. I got the same total cf, BUT, in the time
>> between the dying one and the new one, the industry standard changed on
>> the ratio of chiller space to freezer space. I wasn't paying attention.
>> When I chose the new one, a Whirlpool, two door, freezer on top, I had
>> the most fleeting thought through my head that the bottom of the freezer
>> section door was lower that on the dying one. FLEETING thought I paid
>> no attention to. When I got the sucker home and started transferring
>> contents from one to 'tother, I had a hard time getting everything into
>> the fridge. W T F ??? Total cf was the same. . . . The new model,
>> while having the same total cf had more freezer space and less chiller
>> space that its predecessor. In the years between the old and the new,
>> the amount of freezer space in supermarkets increased DRAMATICALLY ‹
>> people had a lot more stuff in their freezers besides vegetables and ice
>> cream.
>>
>> I bitched about that unit for three years. My friend The Late Widow
>> Geraldine had bought a bottom-freezer unit and I loved it. I wanted it.
>> I got one. Gave the old one (all of 3 miserable years old) to a church
>> organization.
>>
>> My freezer compartment is a pullout drawer with a sliding basket in part
>> of it. It is VERY easy to access. I do not have an icemaker; I make
>> ice cubes.
>>
>> NO WAY would I go back to a top freezer unit and am reminded of it every
>> time I reach for something in the vegetable drawers, the lowest part of
>> that fridge storage ‹ at low hip height. Accessing ANYthing in the
>> freezer is very easy because I can pull the drawer way out, and it's a
>> bend-at-the-waist to get at anything. If that were the chiller space in
>> a conventional arrangement, I'd be on my knees trying to find something
>> at the back of a shelf, it would be that low. I shudder at the very
>> idea. Getting down isn't the problem; getting up is. :-/
>>
>> I'll never go back to a freezer-fridge combo with the freezer unit on
>> top, and I've never been impressed by the side-by-side freezer/fridge
>> configuration.
>
>I generally prefer a side-by-side configuration if it's the only cold
>storage around. With the side-by-side, you can organize both the
>refrigerator and freezer sides in a top-down, most frequently used setup
>so everything you use frequently is at no-bend height. I also like and
>frequently use the in-door ice and water dispenser.
>
>The bottom drawer freezer models are decent enough, though they
>typically result in more stacking of items and more time spent shuffling
>through those stacks looking for what you want. I also prefer the single
>door models over the double door models as it seems that the double door
>models just make the door storage less useable and the half door you
>open is rarely the one you need to reach what you wanted on the regular
>shelves so you have to open the other as well.
>
>The mini pass-through doors that are available on some refrigerators are
>of limited value and probably not worth bothering with.
>
>If you have auxiliary cold storage in the garage or similar your
>organization can be different and thus the needs for the kitchen cold
>storage may vary.
>
>In all cases, the horrid top freezer models that require bending over
>nearly every time you access the refrigerator should be banned as
>ergonomic disasters.

In my kitchen I have a 22 cf GE Profile top freezer. In my basement
I have a 17 cf no frills whirlpool top freezer. I don't find myself
reaching into the bottom veggie bins all that often, often just once a
day to grab a few deer carrots. I prefer having the two units rather
than one huge fridge... I don't like having all my eggs in one basket
so to speak... in case one goes on the fritz I still have the other...
plus the two smaller units consume less energy that those monster 40
cf units.... for a few months during cold weather I even unplug the
basement fridge. Oh, and the fridge in the basement is up on cement
blocks just in case of a flooded basement (has happened once), so no
bending to access the veggie bins. I much rather have the two
smaller units than one huge unit. My mother who was barely 5' loved
her bottom freezer, the rest of us were 6', we hated it. Bottom
veggie bins are no problem at all, if I'm going to build a salad or a
soup where I'll be needing everything I simply pull out the entire
bins and put them on the counter. I find it much easier to find stuff
in my top freezer than to be dumpster diving a bottom freezer... I'm
into my freezer far more than I'm into the veggie bins. I absolutely
detest side by sides, they are much too narrow... I'd not use one were
it free.

"Goomba" > wrote in message
...
> Damaeus wrote:
>
>> First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
>> those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
>> see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
>> get a glass of ice.
>
> huh? I don't have to do anything more strenuous than bend at the waist to
> get to my ice. The ice maker is at the top of the bottom freezer space.
> And it is still higher up than a fruit/veggie bin at the bottom of a
> top-freezer unit.

Might not be a consideration for everyone, Goomba. I broke my back nearly
two years ago. Crushed one vertebra so I'm officially .5 inches shorter.
Locations may be a big consideration, and I had never thought of that
before.

Steve

"Terry Pulliam Burd" > wrote in message
news
> On Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:59:35 -0600, "gloria.p" >
> wrote:
>
>>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>> In article >,
>>> Damaeus > wrote:
>>>> First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one
>>>> of
>>>> those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful
>>>> to
>>>> see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just
>>>> to
>>>> get a glass of ice.
>>>> Damaeus
>>>
>>> ???? I'm having a hard time picturing this. My ice cubes (bottom
>>> freezer) are at knee level and I barely have to bend at the waist to get
>>> to them.
>>>
>>
>>
>>I agree with Ms. Jammin'
>>
>>I am quite short and the slide-out drawer containing the icemaker
>>bin in the lower freezer is just about knee level. No kneeling
>>required.
>>
> And I agree with you both. My bottom freezer ice bin is knee high,
> too, and I'm 5'8". The only reason I'd have to get down on my hands
> and knees to get the ice is if I'd been putting that ice in way too
> many scotch and waters...
>
> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

Try a single malt. ;-)

In news:rec.food.cooking, Melba's Jammin' >
posted on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:28:40 -0500 the following:

> In article >,
> Damaeus > wrote:
> > First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
> > those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
> > see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
> > get a glass of ice.
> > Damaeus
>
> ???? I'm having a hard time picturing this. My ice cubes (bottom
> freezer) are at knee level and I barely have to bend at the waist to get
> to them.

Just make sure nobody's around sweeping the floor when you're getting ice
out of the freezer. It's bound to collect more dust being that low.

Damaeus
--
"Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on
white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice."
-William Randolph Hearst

On Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:59:35 -0600, "gloria.p" >
wrote:

>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> In article >,
>> Damaeus > wrote:
>>> First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
>>> those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
>>> see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
>>> get a glass of ice.
>>> Damaeus
>>
>> ???? I'm having a hard time picturing this. My ice cubes (bottom
>> freezer) are at knee level and I barely have to bend at the waist to get
>> to them.
>>
>
>
>I agree with Ms. Jammin'
>
>I am quite short and the slide-out drawer containing the icemaker
>bin in the lower freezer is just about knee level. No kneeling
>required.

That's only because of your short stature and only for the items at
the very top of the bottom freezer... but you still need to stoop for
retrieving items from the bottom of the freezer, and need to
constantly remove and replace items, or as most do let the items at
the bottom become forgotten. I lived with a bottom freezer for years,
they are an awful storage design, like storing all your food in a
dumpster... they quickly become as slovenly as a kid's toy chest.
There is good reason why less than 5% opt for bottom freezers and why
most manufacturers no longer offer bottom freezers... and most
appliance stores don't even keep any in stock, they need to be special
ordered.

brooklyn1 wrote:

> That's only because of your short stature and only for the items at
> the very top of the bottom freezer... but you still need to stoop for
> retrieving items from the bottom of the freezer, and need to
> constantly remove and replace items, or as most do let the items at
> the bottom become forgotten. I lived with a bottom freezer for years,
> they are an awful storage design, like storing all your food in a
> dumpster... they quickly become as slovenly as a kid's toy chest.
> There is good reason why less than 5% opt for bottom freezers and why
> most manufacturers no longer offer bottom freezers... and most
> appliance stores don't even keep any in stock, they need to be special
> ordered.

Sheldon, I'm tall. I have yet to have any problem finding something in
my bottom freezer.

All the shelves pulled out. All the little jars are my spices, which I
keep in the top two shelves
http://i43.tinypic.com/2hq42na.jpg

The middle compartment, still above knee level-
http://i43.tinypic.com/dyu0i1.jpg

The very bottom compartment- easily viewed items for selection and only
requires a mild bend at the waist to grab.
http://i42.tinypic.com/fucs4h.jpg

In article >,
brooklyn1 > wrote:

> On Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:59:35 -0600, "gloria.p" >
> wrote:
>
> >Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> >> In article >,
> >> Damaeus > wrote:
> >>> First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
> >>> those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
> >>> see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
> >>> get a glass of ice.
> >>> Damaeus
> >>
> >> ???? I'm having a hard time picturing this. My ice cubes (bottom
> >> freezer) are at knee level and I barely have to bend at the waist to get
> >> to them.
> >>
> >
> >
> >I agree with Ms. Jammin'
> >
> >I am quite short and the slide-out drawer containing the icemaker
> >bin in the lower freezer is just about knee level. No kneeling
> >required.
>
> That's only because of your short stature and only for the items at
> the very top of the bottom freezer... but you still need to stoop for
> retrieving items from the bottom of the freezer, and need to
> constantly remove and replace items, or as most do let the items at
> the bottom become forgotten. I lived with a bottom freezer for years,
> they are an awful storage design, like storing all your food in a
> dumpster... they quickly become as slovenly as a kid's toy chest.
> There is good reason why less than 5% opt for bottom freezers and why
> most manufacturers no longer offer bottom freezers... and most
> appliance stores don't even keep any in stock, they need to be special
> ordered.

Fail! Sheldon, you are so full of crap on this!! LOL!! How brown
are your eyes? <g> I just got off the phone with a sales guy for the
biggest appliance store (specialists, not a big box store) in the area
(7 stores in MN) and he said that bottom freezers are the fastest
growing segment of refrigeration, that all the big mfgrs make them
(Whirlpool has 7 brands they make), that Subzero, Viking, Bosch, and
Miele offer them, and Frigidaire is about to come out with them, late to
the party. He's got more bottom freezer units on his show floor than
top freezers. And he said WAY more than 5% of their fridge sales are
bottom freezer models. You goof!

--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller
Updated 4-11-2010

In article >,
Damaeus > wrote:

> In news:rec.food.cooking, Melba's Jammin' >
> posted on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:28:40 -0500 the following:
>
> > In article >,
> > Damaeus > wrote:
> > > First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
> > > those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
> > > see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
> > > get a glass of ice.
> > > Damaeus
> >
> > ???? I'm having a hard time picturing this. My ice cubes (bottom
> > freezer) are at knee level and I barely have to bend at the waist to get
> > to them.
>
> Just make sure nobody's around sweeping the floor when you're getting ice
> out of the freezer. It's bound to collect more dust being that low.
>
> Damaeus

No problem with that. I do the sweeping and not when I'm getting ice
from the freezer. "-0) I can do more than one thing at a time, but not
those two things. :-)

--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller
Updated 4-11-2010

Goomba wrote:
>brooklyn1 wrote:
>
>> That's only because of your short stature and only for the items at
>> the very top of the bottom freezer... but you still need to stoop for
>> retrieving items from the bottom of the freezer, and need to
>> constantly remove and replace items, or as most do let the items at
>> the bottom become forgotten. I lived with a bottom freezer for years,
>> they are an awful storage design, like storing all your food in a
>> dumpster... they quickly become as slovenly as a kid's toy chest.
>> There is good reason why less than 5% opt for bottom freezers and why
>> most manufacturers no longer offer bottom freezers... and most
>> appliance stores don't even keep any in stock, they need to be special
>> ordered.
>
>Sheldon, I'm tall. I have yet to have any problem finding something in
>my bottom freezer.

Hmm, I wouldn't have any trouble finding what I want either... I'd
love to see you hanging over your freezer, all that icy air I bet has
a remarkable effect... and the view from the rear might make me think
about bottoms, I meant freezers... you know what I think about

>All the shelves pulled out. All the little jars are my spices, which I
>keep in the top two shelves
>http://i43.tinypic.com/2hq42na.jpg
>
>The middle compartment, still above knee level-
>http://i43.tinypic.com/dyu0i1.jpg
>
>The very bottom compartment- easily viewed items for selection and only
>requires a mild bend at the waist to grab.
>http://i42.tinypic.com/fucs4h.jpg

All those wire drawers sure waste a lot of freezer space... and I
don't really see much food in your freezer.

And it's not a good idea to store spices (or anything) in glass
containers in the freezer... those cylinders waste a terrible amount
of space, especially as they empty and then there is mostly air in the
jars, not good for preservation... use zip-locs. I use the nice heavy
mylar-like zip bags Penzeys sends, they stack flat with no waste of
space, and most all air can be squeezed out. And most importantly,
frozen glass becomes extraordinarilly breakable... the few small spice
bottles I keep in my freezer (for saffron and the like) I make
shatterproof by wrapping in several layers of clear packaging tape.
And the saffron is in a small jewelers sized zip bag inside the tiny
bottle.... swap all those jar for zip-locs... that'll give you plenty
of space for meat.

I bet your hubby sold you on that bottom freezer for ulterior
motives... I bet he's all the time wanting spicey! LOL

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ooey-Go...ns/Detail.aspx

On Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:38:46 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>In article >,
> brooklyn1 > wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:59:35 -0600, "gloria.p" >
>> wrote:
>>
>> >Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> >> In article >,
>> >> Damaeus > wrote:
>> >>> First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
>> >>> those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
>> >>> see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
>> >>> get a glass of ice.
>> >>> Damaeus
>> >>
>> >> ???? I'm having a hard time picturing this. My ice cubes (bottom
>> >> freezer) are at knee level and I barely have to bend at the waist to get
>> >> to them.
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >I agree with Ms. Jammin'
>> >
>> >I am quite short and the slide-out drawer containing the icemaker
>> >bin in the lower freezer is just about knee level. No kneeling
>> >required.
>>
>> That's only because of your short stature and only for the items at
>> the very top of the bottom freezer... but you still need to stoop for
>> retrieving items from the bottom of the freezer, and need to
>> constantly remove and replace items, or as most do let the items at
>> the bottom become forgotten. I lived with a bottom freezer for years,
>> they are an awful storage design, like storing all your food in a
>> dumpster... they quickly become as slovenly as a kid's toy chest.
>> There is good reason why less than 5% opt for bottom freezers and why
>> most manufacturers no longer offer bottom freezers... and most
>> appliance stores don't even keep any in stock, they need to be special
>> ordered.
>
>Fail! Sheldon, you are so full of crap on this!! LOL!! How brown
>are your eyes? <g> I just got off the phone with a sales guy for the
>biggest appliance store (specialists, not a big box store) in the area
>(7 stores in MN) and he said that bottom freezers are the fastest
>growing segment of refrigeration, that all the big mfgrs make them
>(Whirlpool has 7 brands they make), that Subzero, Viking, Bosch, and
>Miele offer them, and Frigidaire is about to come out with them, late to
>the party. He's got more bottom freezer units on his show floor than
>top freezers. And he said WAY more than 5% of their fridge sales are
>bottom freezer models. You goof!

You really think I believe all that... you're in MN... why would
anyone in Minnysoda even sell freezers, they'd go broke as selling
ice. 90% of the year it's cold as a witch's tit outdoors... all
yoose need is an unheated porch. And for your short summers all yoose
eat is tater salad, bologna sammiches, and mac n' cheese hot dish. You
tryin' to tell me you freeze jam and pickles! LOL

brooklyn1 wrote:
> Goomba wrote:

>> All the shelves pulled out. All the little jars are my spices, which I
>> keep in the top two shelves
>> http://i43.tinypic.com/2hq42na.jpg
>>
>> The middle compartment, still above knee level-
>> http://i43.tinypic.com/dyu0i1.jpg
>>
>> The very bottom compartment- easily viewed items for selection and only
>> requires a mild bend at the waist to grab.
>> http://i42.tinypic.com/fucs4h.jpg
>
> All those wire drawers sure waste a lot of freezer space... and I
> don't really see much food in your freezer.

No, not much meat is kept in the kitchen freezer. We have another full
sized upright freezer (as well as another refigerator/top freezer) in
the garage. Meat, veggies and other frozen goods go into the upright
freezer. TV dinner type things go into the freezer above the
refrigerator out there which we use for beer, soda, etc which make it
handy for me to grab on my way out the door going to work. My only
regret is that the ice maker on the garage fridge isn't operating also.
Two ice makers would be very nice for those busy times.
>
> And it's not a good idea to store spices (or anything) in glass
> containers in the freezer... those cylinders waste a terrible amount
> of space, especially as they empty and then there is mostly air in the
> jars, not good for preservation... use zip-locs. I use the nice heavy
> mylar-like zip bags Penzeys sends, they stack flat with no waste of
> space, and most all air can be squeezed out. And most importantly,
> frozen glass becomes extraordinarilly breakable... the few small spice
> bottles I keep in my freezer (for saffron and the like) I make
> shatterproof by wrapping in several layers of clear packaging tape.
> And the saffron is in a small jewelers sized zip bag inside the tiny
> bottle.... swap all those jar for zip-locs... that'll give you plenty
> of space for meat.

You must not have noticed that I do keep spices in those bags along with
the plastic and glass jars Penzeys supplies?


>
> I bet your hubby sold you on that bottom freezer for ulterior
> motives... I bet he's all the time wanting spicey! LOL

down! down boy! lol

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> brooklyn1 > wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:59:35 -0600, "gloria.p" >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>>> In article >,
>>>> Damaeus > wrote:
>>>>> First, how old are you? My friend's parents (aged 77 and 79) have one of
>>>>> those fridges with the freezer on the bottom, and to me, it's painful to
>>>>> see either one of them have to get down on their hands and knees just to
>>>>> get a glass of ice.
>>>>> Damaeus
>>>> ???? I'm having a hard time picturing this. My ice cubes (bottom
>>>> freezer) are at knee level and I barely have to bend at the waist to get
>>>> to them.
>>>>
>>>
>>> I agree with Ms. Jammin'
>>>
>>> I am quite short and the slide-out drawer containing the icemaker
>>> bin in the lower freezer is just about knee level. No kneeling
>>> required.
>> That's only because of your short stature and only for the items at
>> the very top of the bottom freezer... but you still need to stoop for
>> retrieving items from the bottom of the freezer, and need to
>> constantly remove and replace items, or as most do let the items at
>> the bottom become forgotten. I lived with a bottom freezer for years,
>> they are an awful storage design, like storing all your food in a
>> dumpster... they quickly become as slovenly as a kid's toy chest.
>> There is good reason why less than 5% opt for bottom freezers and why
>> most manufacturers no longer offer bottom freezers... and most
>> appliance stores don't even keep any in stock, they need to be special
>> ordered.
>
> Fail! Sheldon, you are so full of crap on this!! LOL!! How brown
> are your eyes? <g> I just got off the phone with a sales guy for the
> biggest appliance store (specialists, not a big box store) in the area
> (7 stores in MN) and he said that bottom freezers are the fastest
> growing segment of refrigeration, that all the big mfgrs make them
> (Whirlpool has 7 brands they make), that Subzero, Viking, Bosch, and
> Miele offer them, and Frigidaire is about to come out with them, late to
> the party. He's got more bottom freezer units on his show floor than
> top freezers. And he said WAY more than 5% of their fridge sales are
> bottom freezer models. You goof!
>

Well, going against the trend here... I have been visiting a lot
of appliance showrooms and eying refrigerators. (I STILL haven't
picked one; it is relatively low-priority because it isn't going
to be built it.) Most of the models have bottom freezers, and
many have French doors. I want neither, so my hunt is complicated
and harder than it should be. (Frequently, one cannot see what
the interiors look like when searching online, and even if one can
see an interior photo, it really doesn't convey the USABLE depth
of the shelves, etc.)

--
Jean B.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> "Steve B" > wrote:
>
>> We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.
>>
>> I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones in the
>> $2,000 to $2,200 range.
>>
>> Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things you
>> do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator for
>> just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but we have a
>> freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.
>
>
> I have an Amana, 22cf. I will love it until the day they put me in it
> for storage.
>
> When my old Kenmore did its death dance some years ago, I sashayed over
> to Warners-Stellian to select its replacement -- all I wanted was
> essentially what I'd had. I got the same total cf, BUT, in the time
> between the dying one and the new one, the industry standard changed on
> the ratio of chiller space to freezer space. I wasn't paying attention.
> When I chose the new one, a Whirlpool, two door, freezer on top, I had
> the most fleeting thought through my head that the bottom of the freezer
> section door was lower that on the dying one. FLEETING thought I paid
> no attention to. When I got the sucker home and started transferring
> contents from one to 'tother, I had a hard time getting everything into
> the fridge. W T F ??? Total cf was the same. . . . The new model,
> while having the same total cf had more freezer space and less chiller
> space that its predecessor. In the years between the old and the new,
> the amount of freezer space in supermarkets increased DRAMATICALLY ‹
> people had a lot more stuff in their freezers besides vegetables and ice
> cream.
>
> I bitched about that unit for three years. My friend The Late Widow
> Geraldine had bought a bottom-freezer unit and I loved it. I wanted it.
> I got one. Gave the old one (all of 3 miserable years old) to a church
> organization.
>
> My freezer compartment is a pullout drawer with a sliding basket in part
> of it. It is VERY easy to access. I do not have an icemaker; I make
> ice cubes.
>
> NO WAY would I go back to a top freezer unit and am reminded of it every
> time I reach for something in the vegetable drawers, the lowest part of
> that fridge storage ‹ at low hip height. Accessing ANYthing in the
> freezer is very easy because I can pull the drawer way out, and it's a
> bend-at-the-waist to get at anything. If that were the chiller space in
> a conventional arrangement, I'd be on my knees trying to find something
> at the back of a shelf, it would be that low. I shudder at the very
> idea. Getting down isn't the problem; getting up is. :-/
>
> I'll never go back to a freezer-fridge combo with the freezer unit on
> top, and I've never been impressed by the side-by-side freezer/fridge
> configuration.
>
> HTH.
>
>

The ONLY bottom-freezer units that have seemed plausible to me are
ones with multiple drawers, so one doesn't end up with a jumbled
mess to dredge through. Unfortunately, they seem to be available
on only a few very pricy models.

Thanks for that tip re fridge space. I do need to be careful
about that--unless I usurp part of my daughter's fridge. (I am
not thinking that from a power standpoint, I probably should not
run THREE fridges plus a freezer!)

--
Jean B.

"Jean B." wrote:
>
>I have been visiting a lot of appliance showrooms and eyeing refrigerators.

Better than eyeing is to use a tape measure... in your new abode mode
you should be carrying a tape measure with you at all times... I have
a 6' mini tape measure with me whenever I leave home, can't really
shop without it... if you're too cheap to spend the two bucks most any
fabric/sewing store will give you a folding paper yardstick for free,
they're used in lieu of business cards. Actually eyeballing for
dimensions is pretty useless... carry a list of your large kitchenware
dimensions... and measure all appliances... I have a small dimensioned
diagram of my entire house that I carry in my wallet. The human brain
is extremely poor at approximating and retaining visual dimensions...
write everything down... I even write down how much paint for each
room... I won't hire a house painter, they do a lousy job, use cheap
paint, and then water it down. Also when in serious shopping mode
bring a digicam... you'll never remember all the appliances you
perused let alone their features. When I bought this property I had a
survey done (I always have a new survey made for any property I
purchase), Surveys indicate all structures, major planted areas,
water features, fences, etc. I have a number of copies so on one I
pencil in any additions, especially new plantings.

>Frequently, one cannot see what the interiors look like when searching online,
>and even if one can see an interior photo, it really doesn't convey the
>USABLE depth of the shelves, etc.)

All the major appliance manufacturers show the specs on their web
sites, with detailed diagrams and pictures from every angle
imaginable... typically you can download the owner's manual for every
model as well... the retailer's web sites won't show much info but the
manufacturers do.

So have you closed and moved in yet... or is it all still in the
fantasy/dream stage... I'm still waiting for *before* pictures...
after pictures are pretty meaningless without the before pics. At the
rate you're going most present rfc'ers won't be alive when you finally
move. lol

On Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:10:02 -0400, "Jean B." > wrote:

>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> In article >,
>> "Steve B" > wrote:
>>
>>> We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.
>>>
>>> I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones in the
>>> $2,000 to $2,200 range.
>>>
>>> Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things you
>>> do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator for
>>> just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but we have a
>>> freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.
>>
>>
>> I have an Amana, 22cf. I will love it until the day they put me in it
>> for storage.
>>
>> When my old Kenmore did its death dance some years ago, I sashayed over
>> to Warners-Stellian to select its replacement -- all I wanted was
>> essentially what I'd had. I got the same total cf, BUT, in the time
>> between the dying one and the new one, the industry standard changed on
>> the ratio of chiller space to freezer space. I wasn't paying attention.
>> When I chose the new one, a Whirlpool, two door, freezer on top, I had
>> the most fleeting thought through my head that the bottom of the freezer
>> section door was lower that on the dying one. FLEETING thought I paid
>> no attention to. When I got the sucker home and started transferring
>> contents from one to 'tother, I had a hard time getting everything into
>> the fridge. W T F ??? Total cf was the same. . . . The new model,
>> while having the same total cf had more freezer space and less chiller
>> space that its predecessor. In the years between the old and the new,
>> the amount of freezer space in supermarkets increased DRAMATICALLY ‹
>> people had a lot more stuff in their freezers besides vegetables and ice
>> cream.
>>
>> I bitched about that unit for three years. My friend The Late Widow
>> Geraldine had bought a bottom-freezer unit and I loved it. I wanted it.
>> I got one. Gave the old one (all of 3 miserable years old) to a church
>> organization.
>>
>> My freezer compartment is a pullout drawer with a sliding basket in part
>> of it. It is VERY easy to access. I do not have an icemaker; I make
>> ice cubes.
>>
>> NO WAY would I go back to a top freezer unit and am reminded of it every
>> time I reach for something in the vegetable drawers, the lowest part of
>> that fridge storage ‹ at low hip height. Accessing ANYthing in the
>> freezer is very easy because I can pull the drawer way out, and it's a
>> bend-at-the-waist to get at anything. If that were the chiller space in
>> a conventional arrangement, I'd be on my knees trying to find something
>> at the back of a shelf, it would be that low. I shudder at the very
>> idea. Getting down isn't the problem; getting up is. :-/
>>
>> I'll never go back to a freezer-fridge combo with the freezer unit on
>> top, and I've never been impressed by the side-by-side freezer/fridge
>> configuration.
>>
>> HTH.
>>
>>
>
>The ONLY bottom-freezer units that have seemed plausible to me are
>ones with multiple drawers, so one doesn't end up with a jumbled
>mess to dredge through. Unfortunately, they seem to be available
>on only a few very pricy models.
>
>Thanks for that tip re fridge space. I do need to be careful
>about that--unless I usurp part of my daughter's fridge. (I am
>not thinking that from a power standpoint, I probably should not
>run THREE fridges plus a freezer!)

I can't imagine living on your own that you'd need more than one
fridge... I mainly have my basement fridge because of my veggie
gardening. Living in the NE you will likely have a basement... you
don't need any fancy schmancy basement fridge, or even very large. My
basement fridge (was the kitchen fridge when I moved in) is only 17
cf, has no frills, and often doesn't get opened for weeks, costs very
little to operate... for months at a time during winter I don't use it
so I unplug it. Between my two top freezers (equals ~10 cf) I don't
need any stand alone freezer. Everytime I go down to the basement I
bring up some items from that freezer and use those first, before
long it's empty, once the freezer and fridge are empty of perishable I
unplug it... I also use the fridge portion to store certain canned
goods, those help save energy during use, running a fridge/freezer
empty or with low mass items wastes energy and makes the units work
much harder. But for my main fridge I really like my 22 cf GE Profile
top freezer, the interior is well appointed with roll out glass
shelves and many pull out washable door compartments that can all be
rearranged to suit, in the over 12 years it's never had any need for
servicing... I vacuum it well and often, of course I have to with
cats, but everyone should regardless. Keep in mind that the
mechanicals of a top of the line model is exactly the same as a bottom
of the line model, all that changes are the appointments... the fancy
schmancy appointments can double the price but utility-wise it's still
the same fridge... all the versions roll off the same assembly line.
To me the most important feature of a fridge is that it has a
porcelainized interior, I wouldn't have a plastic liner in a fridge or
freezer, they literally schtink... dishwashers too, they must have a
stainless steel interior. For clothes washers however I much prefer
porcelainized wash tubs, stainless steel interferes with laundry
detergent efficiency, especially with whites, most especially if you
have hard water... any of your clothing still has metal
zippers/buttons launder with dark colors (and be sure to close all
zippers or they can tear your clothing, and opened zippers can become
damaged... opened zippers, especially metal, can also seriously damage
your machine's agitator).

Jean B. wrote:

> The ONLY bottom-freezer units that have seemed plausible to me are ones
> with multiple drawers, so one doesn't end up with a jumbled mess to
> dredge through. Unfortunately, they seem to be available on only a few
> very pricy models.
>
> Thanks for that tip re fridge space. I do need to be careful about
> that--unless I usurp part of my daughter's fridge. (I am not thinking
> that from a power standpoint, I probably should not run THREE fridges
> plus a freezer!)
>
Did you see my photos that I posted here yesterday of my bottom freezer
space? Nothing was jumbled. My one large drawer is subdivided by two
pull out deep shelves. I love my bottom freezer! I'm glad I didn't get a
"French" door model though. One door to open to the fridge.

"Steve B" > wrote in message
...
> We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.

Shoot - still unlawful...

;-)

Dimitri

brooklyn1 wrote:
> "Jean B." wrote:
>> I have been visiting a lot of appliance showrooms and eyeing refrigerators.
>
> Better than eyeing is to use a tape measure... in your new abode mode
> you should be carrying a tape measure with you at all times... I have
> a 6' mini tape measure with me whenever I leave home, can't really
> shop without it... if you're too cheap to spend the two bucks most any
> fabric/sewing store will give you a folding paper yardstick for free,
> they're used in lieu of business cards. Actually eyeballing for
> dimensions is pretty useless... carry a list of your large kitchenware
> dimensions... and measure all appliances... I have a small dimensioned
> diagram of my entire house that I carry in my wallet. The human brain
> is extremely poor at approximating and retaining visual dimensions...
> write everything down... I even write down how much paint for each
> room... I won't hire a house painter, they do a lousy job, use cheap
> paint, and then water it down. Also when in serious shopping mode
> bring a digicam... you'll never remember all the appliances you
> perused let alone their features. When I bought this property I had a
> survey done (I always have a new survey made for any property I
> purchase), Surveys indicate all structures, major planted areas,
> water features, fences, etc. I have a number of copies so on one I
> pencil in any additions, especially new plantings.
>
>> Frequently, one cannot see what the interiors look like when searching online,
>> and even if one can see an interior photo, it really doesn't convey the
>> USABLE depth of the shelves, etc.)
>
> All the major appliance manufacturers show the specs on their web
> sites, with detailed diagrams and pictures from every angle
> imaginable... typically you can download the owner's manual for every
> model as well... the retailer's web sites won't show much info but the
> manufacturers do.
>
> So have you closed and moved in yet... or is it all still in the
> fantasy/dream stage... I'm still waiting for *before* pictures...
> after pictures are pretty meaningless without the before pics. At the
> rate you're going most present rfc'ers won't be alive when you finally
> move. lol
>
>
Oh, of course. Eying doesn't take the place of measuring. But
you can eliminate some from contention with a quick glance. Hmmm,
where IS my little tape measure? I do have a larger one in the
car. I need to have a tiny one in my pocket--along with the
magnet (aka pot--or should I say pan?--tester).

--
Jean B.

brooklyn1 wrote:
> On Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:10:02 -0400, "Jean B." > wrote:
>
>> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>> In article >,
>>> "Steve B" > wrote:
>>>
>>>> We are looking at the double wide refrigerators with the bottom freezers.
>>>>
>>>> I am leaning towards the 28 cu. ft. size. Seen a couple of nice ones in the
>>>> $2,000 to $2,200 range.
>>>>
>>>> Anyone have one of these, and if so, would appreciate caveats and things you
>>>> do and don't like about them. Mainly, we need a larger refrigerator for
>>>> just the refrigerated items. The freezer would get used, too, but we have a
>>>> freezer only in the garage, and a combo freezer/fridge.
>>>
>>> I have an Amana, 22cf. I will love it until the day they put me in it
>>> for storage.
>>>
>>> When my old Kenmore did its death dance some years ago, I sashayed over
>>> to Warners-Stellian to select its replacement -- all I wanted was
>>> essentially what I'd had. I got the same total cf, BUT, in the time
>>> between the dying one and the new one, the industry standard changed on
>>> the ratio of chiller space to freezer space. I wasn't paying attention.
>>> When I chose the new one, a Whirlpool, two door, freezer on top, I had
>>> the most fleeting thought through my head that the bottom of the freezer
>>> section door was lower that on the dying one. FLEETING thought I paid
>>> no attention to. When I got the sucker home and started transferring
>>> contents from one to 'tother, I had a hard time getting everything into
>>> the fridge. W T F ??? Total cf was the same. . . . The new model,
>>> while having the same total cf had more freezer space and less chiller
>>> space that its predecessor. In the years between the old and the new,
>>> the amount of freezer space in supermarkets increased DRAMATICALLY ‹
>>> people had a lot more stuff in their freezers besides vegetables and ice
>>> cream.
>>>
>>> I bitched about that unit for three years. My friend The Late Widow
>>> Geraldine had bought a bottom-freezer unit and I loved it. I wanted it.
>>> I got one. Gave the old one (all of 3 miserable years old) to a church
>>> organization.
>>>
>>> My freezer compartment is a pullout drawer with a sliding basket in part
>>> of it. It is VERY easy to access. I do not have an icemaker; I make
>>> ice cubes.
>>>
>>> NO WAY would I go back to a top freezer unit and am reminded of it every
>>> time I reach for something in the vegetable drawers, the lowest part of
>>> that fridge storage ‹ at low hip height. Accessing ANYthing in the
>>> freezer is very easy because I can pull the drawer way out, and it's a
>>> bend-at-the-waist to get at anything. If that were the chiller space in
>>> a conventional arrangement, I'd be on my knees trying to find something
>>> at the back of a shelf, it would be that low. I shudder at the very
>>> idea. Getting down isn't the problem; getting up is. :-/
>>>
>>> I'll never go back to a freezer-fridge combo with the freezer unit on
>>> top, and I've never been impressed by the side-by-side freezer/fridge
>>> configuration.
>>>
>>> HTH.
>>>
>>>
>> The ONLY bottom-freezer units that have seemed plausible to me are
>> ones with multiple drawers, so one doesn't end up with a jumbled
>> mess to dredge through. Unfortunately, they seem to be available
>> on only a few very pricy models.
>>
>> Thanks for that tip re fridge space. I do need to be careful
>> about that--unless I usurp part of my daughter's fridge. (I am
>> not thinking that from a power standpoint, I probably should not
>> run THREE fridges plus a freezer!)
>
> I can't imagine living on your own that you'd need more than one
> fridge... I mainly have my basement fridge because of my veggie
> gardening. Living in the NE you will likely have a basement... you
> don't need any fancy schmancy basement fridge, or even very large. My
> basement fridge (was the kitchen fridge when I moved in) is only 17
> cf, has no frills, and often doesn't get opened for weeks, costs very
> little to operate... for months at a time during winter I don't use it
> so I unplug it. Between my two top freezers (equals ~10 cf) I don't
> need any stand alone freezer. Everytime I go down to the basement I
> bring up some items from that freezer and use those first, before
> long it's empty, once the freezer and fridge are empty of perishable I
> unplug it... I also use the fridge portion to store certain canned
> goods, those help save energy during use, running a fridge/freezer
> empty or with low mass items wastes energy and makes the units work
> much harder. But for my main fridge I really like my 22 cf GE Profile
> top freezer, the interior is well appointed with roll out glass
> shelves and many pull out washable door compartments that can all be
> rearranged to suit, in the over 12 years it's never had any need for
> servicing... I vacuum it well and often, of course I have to with
> cats, but everyone should regardless. Keep in mind that the
> mechanicals of a top of the line model is exactly the same as a bottom
> of the line model, all that changes are the appointments... the fancy
> schmancy appointments can double the price but utility-wise it's still
> the same fridge... all the versions roll off the same assembly line.
> To me the most important feature of a fridge is that it has a
> porcelainized interior, I wouldn't have a plastic liner in a fridge or
> freezer, they literally schtink... dishwashers too, they must have a
> stainless steel interior. For clothes washers however I much prefer
> porcelainized wash tubs, stainless steel interferes with laundry
> detergent efficiency, especially with whites, most especially if you
> have hard water... any of your clothing still has metal
> zippers/buttons launder with dark colors (and be sure to close all
> zippers or they can tear your clothing, and opened zippers can become
> damaged... opened zippers, especially metal, can also seriously damage
> your machine's agitator).
>
>
My daughter will be there too--for how long, who knows. My main
problem is that I like cooking esoteric things, and some of the
ingredients last pretty much forever in the fridge. Therefore, I
have much space full of these things.

--
Jean B.

Goomba wrote:
> Jean B. wrote:
>
>> The ONLY bottom-freezer units that have seemed plausible to me are
>> ones with multiple drawers, so one doesn't end up with a jumbled mess
>> to dredge through. Unfortunately, they seem to be available on only a
>> few very pricy models.
>>
>> Thanks for that tip re fridge space. I do need to be careful about
>> that--unless I usurp part of my daughter's fridge. (I am not thinking
>> that from a power standpoint, I probably should not run THREE fridges
>> plus a freezer!)
>>
> Did you see my photos that I posted here yesterday of my bottom freezer
> space? Nothing was jumbled. My one large drawer is subdivided by two
> pull out deep shelves. I love my bottom freezer! I'm glad I didn't get a
> "French" door model though. One door to open to the fridge.

I probably still have your post and link here. Sure, I believe
one can manage not to have a mess in a bottom freezer, but I have
to think of how I use the refrigerator and freezer. The only real
pressure to get any fridge at this point is that if I don't, the
"after" pics will be crummy--and it will be very unappealing to
see a dissonant fridge. Other than that, I tend to think that
appliances made in days of yore lasted longer (depending on how
far one looks back.)

--
Jean B.