View Full Version : Jonesing for a new fridge
I have a small kitchen, when we replaced our fridge a few years back I went for a bigger one (growing boys, I cook a lot at home, all those excuses).
Now?
It just seems like the elephant in the room.
I want a small under counter fridge, like so many in Europe have.
I notice that with a bigger fridge, I just fill it more, and therefore more goes bad because we can't use it up fast enough.
I could gain almost 3' of counter space too!!
I won't replace it yet but I'll keep thinking about it.
Aside from the convenience fridges offer, I've learned to quite hate fridges! Used to have a really old one where I had to manually defrost it... PITA! And with such a large family, keeping the fridge mucked-out and clean, does present it's challenges.
If you can keep your fridge clean... organization, happens automatically (more or less). You always know what you have on hand and where everything is.
I do like a full-sized fridge though. I think the continual bending over to use a European sized one, would drive me mad.
What's really funny, is most people consider my current fridge small....and it doesn't make ice or have water in the door. Can't recall the number of times small children have been in my house, asked for a glass, and then banged it into the front of the fridge.
Hmmm, hadn't thought about all the bending. So maybe drawers below and cabinet above and make the smaller one above counter height? I'd still gain drawer/cabinet space even if I didn't gain counter top. I was watching a movie the other day and it was an english estate home and most of the dialog took place in the kitchen. They had added a dishwasher but it was set atop a small cabinet - so easy for unloading. Less bending.
I do keep the fridge clean and organized....I just overbuy because there is space.
Float On. The last fridge we bought came with all the bells and whistles, and we do like it, however, I do like the sounds of having the European styled fridge, above counter. Would also be nice to beautify the door-front with matching cabinetry so it would blend-in.
Yeah... Re: bending over, traipsing down and up the basement stairs, I'm tired of all that old stuff. I think my kids did me in when they were babies... always bending over to take care of/do something or another, and hitting the basement stairs (daily) to get to the washing machine!
P.S. The European fridge idea is really growing on me! However, don't forget about all the special occasions where you'll need storage space for leftovers, etc.
Gardenarian
2-11-13, 3:36pm
Float on - I'm with you. My last fridge was so fat it stuck way out into the middle of our galley kitchen. After a lot of searching I found an almost new counter depth fridge on Craiglist. It has a bottom freezer and though has less actual space than our old fridge, it feels much larger because you can see everything at one glance.
Uses less power too.
Love my fridge!!
My fridge is in the way of my being able to open up my kitchen to be more integrated with my family room. Right now, I have the old-fashioned living area and kitchen separated. So, we have also considered the under-counter fridge. I don't care THAT much, but DH would LOVE an open plan.
Just last year we got rid of our old second-hand fridge that was so old the rubber seal had hardened allowing mold to infiltrate. I had just come back from renting a house in VT where they had an "ice in the door" fridge. I LOVED it. Shortly after I went to Lowe's and they had a floor model with the ice-in-the-door in the color I needed (black) drastically reduced, so I bought it. I'm happy with it, but I like counter-depth models better. I bought one for my BILs house when I redid his kitchen, but I'm too cheap to buy one myself.
Originally posted by Catherine.
I bought one for my BILs house when I redid his kitchen, but I'm too cheap to buy one myself.Awww... You're the gem of all gems!
My fridge is a 1996 hand me down from my mom. Just yesterday she asked me if I wanted her fridge so she could get a new one - this one has center sealing issues with the French doors. Um, no, I don't want your broken out of warranty fridge, TYVM. I then reminded her that the previous one went to her neighbor and the one before to my dd - so MY fridge was three back. She has fridge fetish!
Blackdog Lin
2-11-13, 7:49pm
While I could never get by with an apartment-sized fridge (I have a horror of "not being stocked up"), I totally understand the jonesing for a fridge thing. If your refrigerator is wrong in your kitchen for whatever reason, it's just wrong, and it's hard not to think about it.
Ours is 19 1/2 years old and still going strong. But the dishwasher and stove are now black and I desperately want a black one to match - the old fridge is now the only white appliance in the kitchen and it sticks out like a sore thumb. I don't even want bells and whistles, we don't even have an icemaker, I just want a simple new one like the one we have only BLACK.
But DH is right, it would be silly to replace it when it still works fine. (I've tried the energy-efficiency argument on him, and his counter-argument that a new fridge would wear out before it paid for itself with energy savings is probably and unfortunately correct.)
But I still dream, like the rest of you.....
Tussiemussies
2-11-13, 7:54pm
While I could never get by with an apartment-sized fridge (I have a horror of "not being stocked up"), I totally understand the jonesing for a fridge thing. If your refrigerator is wrong in your kitchen for whatever reason, it's just wrong, and it's hard not to think about it.
Ours is 19 1/2 years old and still going strong. But the dishwasher and stove are now black and I desperately want a black one to match - the old fridge is now the only white appliance in the kitchen and it sticks out like a sore thumb. I don't even want bells and whistles, we don't even have an icemaker, I just want a simple new one like the one we have only BLACK.
But DH is right, it would be silly to replace it when it still works fine. (I've tried the energy-efficiency argument on him, and his counter-argument that a new fridge would wear out before it paid for itself with energy savings is probably and unfortunately correct.)
But I still dream, like the rest of you.....
Blackdog, we once had a fridge that didn't match the kitchen. DH is an excellent handyman and painted it to match. After years the paint came off in tiny bit in little areas, not that noticeable, but I was really happy about it. I will find out what type of paint he used and if you want, how he did it... : )
Blackdog Lin
2-11-13, 8:46pm
Tussie - oh yes please. This fridge will wear out before any paint could possibly flake off. Well, maybe. Since I want a new one, I've decided that this fridge will be the one appliance you buy that WILL. NEVER. WEAR. OUT. (unlike the furnace unit - when you spend $3000./$6000. for a new furnace unit, shouldn't it last longer than 5-8 years? We woke up COLD this morning, damn furnace was fritzing out (again!); luckily we were able to get some guidance/advice on possible repair before we had to call for a $150. service call repair job. DH was able to do the repair, but still.....
I think I could talk DH into a refurbishment, and would appreciate your help.
ToomuchStuff
2-12-13, 2:39am
Watching for info on those fridges. My old one, lasted better then 40 years. I haven't replaced it, due to planning a kitchen remodel. Work has been bugging me for a while to buy one, (they are buying it), and I would love a upper fridge, single door, counter depth model, OR something more like they use in Europe. But I haven't seen any that can be countered (ventilation issues), like theirs are. As a single person, too big of a fridge, is just a waste, IMHE.
I have an under counter fridge which I installed with my kitchen redo last summer. I love it for all the reason's you listed Float On--more visual openness to the smallish room, there is no chance of food getting forgotten and going to waste, energy savings. I put the fridge in the hole that the dishwasher came out of.
Even cooking from scratch for a family of four, I find it is big enough. I had noted when we had a full sized fridge that we did not use but about 1/3 of it. We do not drink soda or beer, so do not need to keep those things refrigerated. We use a minimum of condiments and I much prefer cooking with fresh ingredients. I generally make a meal plan for the week and grocery shop once a week, though sometimes I make an extra visit for milk or eggs (our consumption of those is not consistent, so hard to plan.) Leftovers get eaten within a day or two.
We always buy low end refrigerators but not the smallest or the cheapest, those are pretty small. We've got no water or ice. Americans and their obsessions with ice--it is silly.
I have to confess that we have a 2nd refrigerator in the basement as well as a large freezer. DH drinks 2 gallons of milk a week. HE stores fall harvest crops in the basement refrigerator, there is never any room in it. I'm just happy that I've got room in the basement freezer for things I want to store there. By the time he put sin all of the meats we get from his family farm and his frozen fruits harvest, there isnt' much room left.
I have an under counter fridge which I installed with my kitchen redo last summer. I love it for all the reason's you listed Float On--more visual openness to the smallish room, there is no chance of food getting forgotten and going to waste, energy savings. I put the fridge in the hole that the dishwasher came out of.
Even cooking from scratch for a family of four, I find it is big enough. I had noted when we had a full sized fridge that we did not use but about 1/3 of it. We do not drink soda or beer, so do not need to keep those things refrigerated. We use a minimum of condiments and I much prefer cooking with fresh ingredients. I generally make a meal plan for the week and grocery shop once a week, though sometimes I make an extra visit for milk or eggs (our consumption of those is not consistent, so hard to plan.) Leftovers get eaten within a day or two.
Very cool Fawn! I knew I wasn't alone! Care to share a photo?
I can't imagine not needing a big fridge. I would love to not need one, but I need the bigger one..........several milks, O.J., carrot juice, sprouting seeds, vitamins, tons of veggies, flour, condiments, etc. Then at the end of summer, when I'm saving stuff to be frozen, I could almost use another fridge. Same goes for holidays, when I cook big and need several kinds of things, since DD is a VEGAN.
My next one will definitely be a bottom freezer, since I'm so tired of trying to find and reach things on the bottom fridge shelf. An under-the-counter one would be even worse.
But.......if you're sure a really small on would be adequate for you, go for it!
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