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misschocolatecake

36" bottom freezer Thermador refrigerator - french door or single??

Hi! This is my first question and I am currently agonizing over all of my appliance purchases. It's my first time being able to get really nice appliances and I want to do it right. I absolutely wanted fully integrated so that necessitated going the high end route. Anyway, first of many questions. Should I get a FR or single door fridge? I've had both and have room for either but not sure which has a better layout in Thermador. It almost looks in the pics as if the single door doesn't have a thing for butter at the top of the door? Please help and thank you!

Comments (5)

  • 8 years ago

    We looked at 30", 36" single, and 36" french door models in a showroom that had all of them on the floor. We decided 30" width was a little too small for our suburban location with a 3 bedroom house. Would have worked great in a 1 or 2 bedroom urban condo. We then looked at the 36" fridge over freezer under. The issue there was the door swings out too far into our 42" aisle. So we went with the 36" french door that divides the door in half. Quite happy with it so far (it's been in since January). Remember the Bosch and Thermador models are close cousins. You may find you like the looks or cost of the Bosch better than the Thermador.

  • 8 years ago

    I'm doing the Bosch integrated fridge because with the Bosch oven and Bosch cooktop I'm getting I save 10% on the purchase of all three appliances.

  • 8 years ago

    French door fridges, like the side by sides before them, are designed for kitchens with narrow aisle, or, as in Stan's case, not too narrow aisles which you don't want to crowd. A lot of people dislike the two doors. They look cool in the store, but can get bothersome when you're opening and shutting all the time. It helps if you can organize your most used things to be on the side that opens first.

    Organized well is highly subjective. I want the greatest adjustability and the least amount of specialization. One thing to keep in mind is that the top of the door on the opening edge may not be the warmest spot in your new fridge. It isn't on my Miele. There's cold air coming in at the top, which counters any warmth from opening or heat rising. I don't know if there's a butterbox altogether, but if there isn't, adding a covered butter dish is easier than choosing your fridge for that one thing.

    BTW, if your kitchen isn't usually hot, you might be interested in a butter bell, which is kept on the counter and uses water to seal it. The butter is soft and spreadable always, and if you use a stick of butter in a week, it doesn't go bad. It's been very popular in these forums.

    Beyond that, which interior you like best is really up to you. If you google-images the model numbers you're looking at and "interior" you should get plenty of pictures and be able to tell what it's like if you can't see it in person.

  • 8 years ago

    plllog, thanks for the butter bell tip. I had never heard of one and it seems very convenient, will definitely get one. No, I wouldn't buy an appliance over such a small detail. I am more concerned with door clearance and overall aesthetics. I really prefer the look of one door but since I don't have a ton of space better not to create a problem for myself that will forever annoy me. french door it is...

  • 8 years ago

    You're most welcome. Great decision.

    Just so you'll know, I didn't really think you'd choose for the butter box, but when we have a list of features and are researching and researching, sometimes we get mired in the details. An absurd statement can sometimes jolt us out of the mire. But since it was on your list, I also wanted to help solve the real problem. :)

    I hope you like your new butter bell!