<p>A good side-by-side is, IMO, better than the on-top ones - you can just fit more stuff in, esp. in the freezer. More room for pints of ice cream! </p>
<p>My 'rents have a special side-by-side that is assymetrical, so you can fit a pizza box in the fridge part. The bottom fridge part is narrower than the top. It works well.</p>
<p>We have a KitchenAid Superba side- by-side refrigerator and I like it fine. We’ve had it for approximately 13 years. Last year, on one occasion, the water dispenser suddenly decided to start dispensing water … even though no one had requested it. Luckily, I was loading the dishwasher when it happened so I heard the water come on and saw it pour onto the floor. It just happened once, but I do worry that it could happen sometime when we’re not home and ruin our wooden floor.</p>
<p>Im waiting for my traditional top freezer to break down so I can buy the new side by side fridge top, bottom freezer models that are out now…hope I’m describing this properly! Top is two doors,but all fridge.Bottom is traditional freezer type.Kenmore makes one with ice,water in door.I’m pretty short and looking for those “lost” things in the back of the top freezer model I have now is a challenge.</p>
<p>The only thing I like about my side-by-side Amana is that it’s quiet.<br>
We bought the side-by-side when we moved into our current home 18 years ago. We had a brand new wood floor installed, and the $%@! fancy, new Amana we had just purchased leaked slowly for several weeks until we noticed that the planks in the new floor were buckling. It was a factory defect in the water line to the icemaker, and we had it repaired. Our homeowners’ insurance went after Amana for the cost of replacing the wood floor, and eventually, Amana paid for the damage. </p>
<p>The in-door water dispenser eventually stopped working, altogether, and the icemaker no longer makes ice (we use trays). On the fridge side, the big veggie bin drawer has fallen permanently out of its track because pieces of the plastic tracks underneath the bin cover have chipped off with normal use.</p>
<p>I think the biggest problem with side-by-sides is that the shelves are deep and narrow. Things get pushed to the back of the shelves, and it’s a pain to retrieve them. With refrigerators, out-of-sight, out-of-mind is the kiss of death to leftovers and anything else that is small enough to get pushed to the back. </p>
<p>Otoh, my mom just bought a GE Profile, Energy-Star, stainless refrigerator with a top-freezer and an outside drink/ice dispenser. It’s a thing of beauty, and a joy to use when we all drop in on her at the same time. She loves that! 
The only drawback is that the stainless shows pawprints, but she uses a stainless spray cleaner that cleans it beautifully. :)</p>