<p>I know we have a bunch of threads about fridges…but I need very specific help. We want to replace our fridge. We need a counter depth fridge that is 71 inches tall or less, up to 40 inches wide…and we want white. Don’t care if it’s French door or side by side…we like our side by side!</p>
<p>We currently have a GE Profile side by sidecounter depth that we love. Right now, that seem to be our top choice again. I had wanted the Samsung, but DH is concerned about service, plus consumer reports dings it in the counter depth.</p>
<p>The rub is…we really can’t find any reviews for the GE Profile counter depth.</p>
<p>Our favorite appliance store suggested we consider Kitchenaid and whirlpool counter depth…and we will go and look at the Kenmore Elite series today. </p>
<p>Anyone have any info about the counter depth GE Profile side by side??</p>
<p>We’re getting a dishwasher too…but I guess that is another thread!</p>
<p>Keep in mind that Whirlpool owns: Kitchen-Aid, Amana, Whirlpool, Jenn-Air, and Maytag…and therefore, makes many/most of the Sears Kenmore appliances. </p>
<p>So, you’ll see similarities when you look at these products…little differences…badging, buttons, and maybe some shelving differences. You’ll notice that the Elite series of the Kenmore are similar to Kitchen-Aid Elite…but sometimes the Kenmore Elite will have a little different styling.</p>
<p>I had 2 GE Profile side-by-sides, both leaked from a failing part and my homeowners insurance company replaced my wood floors twice for about $30K each time because the floor changes color so although the damage was only to a 2 foot square area, the entire floor had to be replaced. To my surprise, 6 months after replacement I received a check from the insurance company for my deductible as they took GE to court and either settled or won the case since GE knew they had a failing part for some time and continued to manufacture using it…very nice to replace my out of pocket. </p>
<p>I did buy the Samsung dutch door with bottom freezer (dual ice makers is great for athletes and band kids since you can fill those large jugs). It’s a great refrig freezer but mine is large and sticks out quite a bit from the counter although I do believe the have a more expensive counter depth one as well.</p>
<p>Thumper, I hope you can find what you want! It can be frustrating when there are limitations. I needed a new fridge a few years ago, but was working within the context of custom cabinetry that was built around our existing fridge. I had to pick a side-by- side counter depth fridge that was not what I wanted. I really wanted a fridge with the freezer on the bottom. We ended up with a Kitchen Aid.</p>
<p>Looking on the bright (?) side, appliances today don’t last as long as they used to, so I’ll get another chance to get the fridge I want before too long! Lol.</p>
<p>The inner workings of these fridges don’t vary much with the styling so go with what you think will be a fairly reliable, relatively easily and not-expensively serviced, and relatively affordable. Usually GE and Whirlpool (and Kitchenaid, etc.) are easily and relatively inexpensively serviced since there are zillions of them. I used the term ‘relatively’ several times because service cost is always more than it seems it should be but it can be even more for certain brands. I don’t know about Samsung in this respect but I’ve fixed my Whirlpool (actually Kitchenaid) fridge and Whirlpool and GE washer myself - usually inexpensively because the parts are quite available and inexpensive.</p>
<p>For the dishwasher it’s easy - go with Bosch.</p>
<p>I found it useful to play with an example of each make because the relatively slight differences matter to you as a person and family. We ended up with Kenmore Elite the last time because we liked the fridge door storage and ice maker design.</p>
<p>My only comments about dishwasher are: quieter is worth it and hidden heating elements. Unless you run the thing in a separate space with the door closed, quiet is great. We have a kitchen / family room and you can barely hear the dishwasher, pretty much only the water going down the drain. Hidden heating elements means you don’t worry about scorching and burning if you put in plastic.</p>
<p>We are going to go out and look…again. I hope we can see a kitchenaid fridge someplace. The trouble with what I want is that the stores don’t stick them! A PITA.</p>
<p>I had bad experience with GE, Maytag, and Whirpool.</p>
<p>My GE washer flooded the floor. May 4 year-old Maytag refrigerator had valve leaking in the ice compartment and let ice fill up the entire freezer. My 3 years old Maytag over the range microwave broke and I had to replaced with a new one. My 2 years old Whirlpool cabinet oven did not give heat and I had to call to replace the broken fuse.</p>
<p>I had not have problem with my 1.5 years old LG washer and dryer and my new LG TV so far (I returned the Samsung for this one because of the bad screen right after the box). I will wait to see how long they will go.</p>
<p>I thought several companies manufactured Kenmore, the major one is Whirlpool but I think LG manufactures some of their appliances as well. I don’t think Kenmore manufactures anything themselves, they are name only, I think.</p>
Many/most Kenmore major appliances for years have been made by Whirlpool as have many of Costco’s Kirkland. However, since Kenmore isn’t actually a manufacturer but rather, just a nameplate, the specific item could be made by a different manufacturer. If you’re interested in the actual manufacturer on a specific Kenmore item, you’d need to check on that specific item. It’s usually easily done by looking up the model number on the internet. You could also ask the salesperson although many of them know little to nothing about appliances.</p>
<p>Our house that we bought 18 months ago has two refrigerators we really like, both of which we’d never owned before. In the kitchen is a Jenn Aire. I like that both top drawers swing open and I can fit really big trays and pans onto the shelves. The bottom freezer drawer is okay for frozen stuff I need often – like frozen herbs and ice cream .</p>
<p>In the pantry is a subzero refrigerator and two separate drawers that can be set to either freezer or refrlgerator mode. I didn’t understand this at first but now love it. One drawer I set to frozen and put in meats and stuff I won’t be using for awhile. The other I make just above freezing for meats and fish I will cook in a few days. Then the refrigerator is lovely for beverages – milk, oj, booze, eggs, yogurt. It’s just sort of evolved to a user friendly catch-all for chilled beverages and dairy. Out in the garage we keep a larger freezer for Costco stuff.</p>
<p>This house is wildly inappropriate for empty nesters like us but we do enjoy a lot of its features – including the refrigerators.</p>
<p>A reason not to buy Bosch - or Miele - is the cost of repair. Fewer people repair them and the cost can be prohibitive. This is why I learned dishwasher repair: tracked down the plans and methods on the net and soldered the heater resistor myself (and later replaced the entire board for $100). They can be great but everything breaks and that’s important. With our Bosch oven, they eventually gave up - not kidding - and gave us a substantial discount on a new oven, meaning they traded-in our oven because their own people couldn’t fix it. Why? Because Bosch has a limited parts inventory and fewer sources carry parts so needed pieces may not be available.</p>
<p>I finished a kitchen remodel in the spring and the appliance guy at Lowe’s told me that the stainless from GE does not mix and match with that of Whirlpool, Samsung, etc. After he told me that, I started noticing that was the case. If this is important to you, take note as you shop.</p>
<p>During the shopping process I went to a Ferguson store and they had a few Kitchen Aid refrigerators in stock. You might try them if there is one near you, thumper1.</p>
<p>I bought a side by side Samsung and love it so far. It’s perfect for me as an empty nester.</p>
<p>Just got back from sears…saw a counter depth Kenmore Elite we like…but the online reviews are either outstanding or horrible. The price is excellent…$700 less than the other models. We are at home contemplating the Kenmore for $1899 or the GE Profile for $2300.</p>
<p>^^ Don’t forget that probably fewer than 1 in 1,000 people will go online to give a review. Those that do have to have some motivation - the greatest motivation is by those who had an issue and then there are the smattering of people who post reviews regardless of the experience. However, if you see repeated specific things called out objectively then it can be of some value.</p>
<p>My Kitchenaid fridge (made by Whirlpool -possibly the same ones who make the Kenmore you saw) broke once after a few years but I repaired it myself with a $20 or so relay and I haven’t had an issue in the years since then.</p>
<p>On the Bosch DW, I haven’t had the opportunity to see what it’s like to repair it because it’s never had an issue and works as good as new now maybe 5-7 years later. However, they’re manufactured in the USA which seems that it might make a positive difference on parts availability and service. I don’t know if their other appliances are made in the USA or not and from Bosch I only have a DW.</p>
<p>We decided to go with the Kitchenaid Dishwasher, and the GE Profile Counter Depth. The reviews on the Kenmore all had issues with the ice maker, even the good reviews (too loud, froze up, leaked, etc). Generally, the GE got better reviews. It is the updated version of what we have now…a GE Profile counter depth. I’ll go to our local appliance store this week to place the order…same place we bought our appliances when we built this house 18 years ago. We like to support our local businesses also…and if we DO have a repair issue, they have a repairman.</p>
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