Check to see if the online companies will ship to your state-they don't to mine, at least the 2-3 I checked.

I'd also recommend that you go to another appliance store. I can't believe what they told you!

I think you're getting bamboozled into buying high end appliances.

Check out online reviews (sure you're doing that already) and Consumer Reports.

We paid under 3K for our cabinet depth French door KA.

Good luck!

Thanks Mimi... I think at a certain level of luxury goods, the retailer deals with a high end clientele that will drop whatever cash is necessary to have the same brand as the rest of their neighborhood.

I'm a little tighter with my hard earned cash and need to see true VALUE.

Mini, I think that's exactly what you're dealing with.

I'm very happy with my mid-range appliances-KA, Bosch and a little splurge on a Wolf cooktop.

But, I knew when I went into our kitchen redo, that I wasn't going to even consider luxury appliances. We focused on changing the flow, light and feel of the kitchen.

Also, my neighborhood isn't stocked with Sub Zero fridges and 48" Viking ranges!

I hope you are not allergic to "Horse Feathers" cause he sure "dished out a lotta them", alto he may be right about avoiding the Frigidaire.

Most every fridge uses a compressor that is made by a company owned by Whirlpool, (Embraco), even the expensive "Pro", "High end" "Expensive" or whatever you like to call them.

The more expensive fridges just use more fancier digital controls and readouts, Some may have two compressors instead of one, or they may have 1 compressor but two evaporators. Some folks think that this (either dual compressors or dual evaporators) keeps food longer, but most any fridge now days will keep food looking good, but according to USDA, such overly kept foods have lost most of their nutritional value and vitamins.

I've always had single compressor/single evaporator fridges and I've yet to encounter an "off taste ice cube", another "Marketing Hype" they use to sell folks the expensive fridges.

If one checks the reviews by readers of Consumer Reports, (Note I said readers)~~~respondents to Consumer Reports Surveys of buyers, one will find the expensive fridges are no more reliable than your "everyday garden variety fridges", and indeed the expensive ones cost a lot more for parts and some parts can take a while to get, whilst your more common fridges have parts available from numerous sources and more often than not, those parts are in stock.

What's more important than the price of the fridge is the manufacturer.

While I have had trouble free service out of my Electrolux oven, speed oven, Induction cook top and wine fridge, Electrolux and Frigidaire (owned by Electrolux), have had a lot of fridge problems in the past, and at least according to the latest Consumer Reports info, Still Do!!

The best thing to do is get the make and model number of a fridge you are interested in, Then google the make and model # + reviews. That will give you a quick idea of other folks' experiences with "said fridge" has been.

Sorry about the bad news on the Frigidaire, but there are many other "Not outrageously expensive" fridges you can choose from, alto you may need to give up counter depth panel ready

I'll check around a bit, to see what $5k will buy now as far as fridges go, and will get back to you. Hopefully I can find a panel ready, counter depth in that price range.

"To me" it's kind of sad for folks nowadays, that the 48" built in and paneled Jenn-air fridge that I bought in 2006, for $4588 is now over $8,000, and the new models lack many of the features my 2006 model has.

I did post, (even back then 2006), that the other fridge manufacturers would copy SZ as far as prices and price fixing, and Alas it has come to be! Back in 2006 Jenn-air Fridges were not price fixed, but now they are.

Gary

Just try googling panel ready refrigerators, lots of choices for under $5k.

A couple ways to save.

1 check Sears outlet stores for deals.

2 Do you have to have an S X S, or will a bottom freezer or "French Door" do? Bottom freezer and/or French door fridges are cheaper yet they take panels. The problem with a 42" SxS is the freezer is pretty narrow and if you go for less than a 42" width the fridge gets pretty narrow too.

Gary

Thanks for all the great feedback! In my googling tonight, I ran across this. Surprisingly relevant and a fun read!

http://jasongood.net/365/2013/09/no-it-has-to-be-panel-ready/

Nice read, looks like something I would write, and I have been "taken to task" for some of my "Creating Writing" here, well at least my "Creative Punctuation" (LOL).

Good luck with your hunt, I'm very happy to find that there are indeed fridges that accept panels for not just the "Well Healed" !

Gary

@Mini Soda: great read! However, I blame you for the 5 hours I already spent reading that guy's very entertaining blog and the certain many more I'm going to :-)

The issue is YOUR specs, not the salesman's assessment. Don't go car shopping with specs that are only filled by a Ferrari and get miffed that that is what you get shown. Manufacturers separate folks into buddget/feature categories, and you don't fit in the category that you wannabe in because of budget. Quit trying. Move on.

The problem is the 42'' and the panels. That's rarefied air. Give those up and you can find plenty of choices. Or, pay the costs to be the boss. A or B.

Sophie - not sure if you actually read my post. Plan currently has 42" spec'd but easy to change now. Certainly not tied to that number. Also ok giving up the panels if it makes sense. I'm ok with the look of stainless, but really want a clean/integrated look and something that keeps food cold.

Also, the project will be just under $1M by the time we're done. I'm not afraid to spend $, but need to see true VALUE when I do.

The issue that was annoying is not my specs. It's the fact that all the sales rep could use to upsell me was the fact that the Frgidaire would die in five years, which is probably not true.

Mini Soda I can understand why you'd be miffed. I really want to get a paneled fridge, French Door style and I'll I've been able to find to date for my appliance budget is the Kitchen-Aid Architect II which comes in around $3000 and gets very good reviews. Just thought I'd share. If companies are making appliances so poorly they expect them to only last 5 yrs., it's pretty appalling. Might be true, but it does seem the salesperson was really trying to up-sell you.

something you should consider is the warranty and is there service in your area. and WHO the service people are.

It's not trying to "upsale" to get you to either move to a fully integrated model or to skip a panel all together. Paneled fridges that aren't fully integrated are just a bad makeup job that fools no one.

I have a built in and paneled fridge, and I'm not trying to "fool anyone". Neither do the "Fully Integrated" fool anyone, I've never seen a kitchen with a "fully integrated fridge", that I could not walk straight to the fridge!

Now granted, the examples that you gave are bad examples of installed panel fridges.

Here's mine:

It does not sit "proud of the cabinets" as your example did, nor does it show "gills" as some of your "fancy fully integrated fridges" do. I certainly don't mind the look of a small amount of SS showing around the door, "To me", it sure beats the look of the all SS GE fridge we had before, and the wood is so much easier to keep looking nice , than was the SS on the GE.

If you like a certain style, fine, but don't "run down" other choices, that people who don't care to "Play the game, hide the fridge" and pay accordingly!

We like the look of the wood and the ease of keeping it looking nice, if you "Don't get it", I could "Care Less"!!!!

Gary

Sophie's make-up picture is pretty funny. I guess it depends what you are going for. I am looking for paneled as the fridge will be centered in the middle of a kitchen wall directly opposite of my fireplace in a (soon to be) open concept kitchen/living room. I feel if I had a SS fridge it would really be a focal point. I could be wrong. I've had SS fridges, never bothered me in my previous open concept home. It's just that this house is much smaller and due to the placement of the fridge I worried it will stand out too much. I don't need it hidden, it's more that I want it to blend color-wise so that wall doesn't look broken up/choppy.

A fridge centered in the middle of a wall isn't optimally placed. Fridges belong on the periphry in a properly zoned kitchen. I suggest that you post your layout for help in making it be the best it can be.

Sophie thanks. I will post the layout. I did previously but didn't get a lot of response, maybe the thread got buried too fast. I look forward to feedback!

The best way to get the most bang for your buck with a refrigerator - and no one every tells you this - is to vacuum the condenser coils every six months, regardless of the brand.

No refrigerator has exposed condensor coils anymore. Except the sub $500 cheapies.

Sophie I posted in kitchens, lay it on me.

As noted, you can find slide in fridges that accept panels, but they'll look like @Sophie W's pictures, not @Gary J's. Starting at the 5K price, you can begin to get 36" models from Liebherr and Thermador that are fully integrated.

Another way to stretch the budget is to take advantage of the bundling offers from the various vendors, or as noted above, look for floor models and closeouts.

We went through a similar dilemma the last time -- and decided to do a CD fridge with trim kit. Since sadly the repair rates of fridges have skyrocketed, we also resigned ourselves to plan for replacement. We heavily looked at the Thermador bundles and the Liebherr paneled look.