You could buy a under counter model and mount it at counter height. Or, if a little bending isn't too hard on you, a french door model has the freezer drawer that comes out to you and doesn't require the squatting down and body cavity search that a swing open bottom door freezer requires.

Other than those choices, or just choosing to not use the bottom half of a regular freezer, there really isn't a product out there that doesn't require some type of bending.

thanks for the advice. I think I need to do more research on appliances and disabilities.

I think I'd go for a side-by-side--not THAT much stuff goes in the bottom.

I have the Thermador columns in my kitchen and they sit above the compressor so that it raises everything. The bottom has drawers, so that everything pulls out with full extension and is easier to reach than having to bend and reach in. It doesn't eliminate bending, but it does lessen it and you can plan your use to put the most used things where they are easiest for you to reach. They do come with a built-in price tag though.

My utility room fridge is an LG bottom freezer with the pullout freezer drawer. It isn't raised -- although your question makes me wonder whether it might be installed on top of a raised platform. I wonder if you could mount it in such a way that you could roll the platform and all out for service if it is needed -- and you'd need to have the cabinet above, if any, high enough to accommodate both. The top shelf probably wouldn't be higher than something like the Thermador and it would be a LOT cheaper.

live_wire_oak - I'm considering freezer drawers. But, I have limited space, due to a small kitchen and the fact I need room for dish drawers.
Fori - I'm going shopping next week with the KD - I'll look at a side- by- side.
Lascatx - I'll look at both of your recommendations and ask the KD about raising the frig. I just don't know how we would go about doing that safely. I live in earthquake country.

Thanks again for the help!

What size refrigerator do you need? As was mentioned an undercounter fridge may be able to be mounted higher. But these are fairly small units typically designed for beverage storage. Also in terms of the freezer, how often and what do you use it for? There are several threads on not having a freezer in the kitchen. This approach is very user dependent but the one thread I recall the poster wanted to put a freezer or freezer drawer in a pantry next to the kitchen. I'm not sure if that would work in your case but keep your mind open on how to design around your needs not just the conventional arrangements

Learningguru,

I am disabled from a back injury so I can relate. Beware of French door refrigerators. That bottom freezer drawer may look easy to open in the store, but once it's loaded with food, it's very heavy and NOT ergonomic at all for someone with back issues. It would be difficult to find something more back-breaking in an appliance. Otherwise, the top works great for fridge access. I ended up buying a small upright freezer and putting it in the laundry room so I can keep only a small amount of stuff in my freezer drawer.

I would look for a side-by-side where the vegetable drawer can be placed mid-way up the fridge so you're not bending everytime you want a little lettuce.

Good luck. I think the refrigerator is the least ergonomically-designed appliance in the home.

warmfridge, I saw a LG 4-Door French Door Refrigerator with Auto-Opening Freezer Doors,LMX28987ST. It was $1908 at the S.O.s. I'd look at side by sides with roll out shelves and fully adjustable shelves and bins.

Earthquake safety would be something you'd have to look into. A built-in probably helps there too because they are bolted in and I can't think of how you would bolt a fridge to a platform. Maybe there is a way to strap it or brace it, and the platform itself could probably be bolted into the ground.

If you do look into the built-ins, Thermador has a 36" French door that was the first one of the Freedom series to show up here. I think it has the same advantages. I have some back issues too. Mine are more in the neck and upper back, but I pulled something recently and don't find the LG freezer portion a problem to open -- and with 2 teen boys we keep it pretty full. It would be a good idea to try whatever you are looking at with a load in them if you can. A store should be able to put some water bottles or something in them so you can get an idea of the pull factor needed in actual use.

I'm not familiar with the LG with auto-opening drawers, but that sounds like something to look into also. That does give me some pause though and I would want to know how you can make sure they stay closed or be opened if that feature fails.

Lots of food for thought - thanks! I'm going shopping w/ the KD next week. I'll report back.

Thanks, nhardy. I'll remember that the next time I'm shopping for a new fridge. One of my other gripes about the bottom freezer drawer is the additional bending every time I want some ice. The French door fridges I've seen with ice in the door lose a lot of fridge space to the icemaker.

These days it seems that all appliance manufacturers make you bend over :-)

I'm having the same problem so I think I'm going to find a big cinder block or something to set the refrigerator on top of