It bothered me a lot when I bought mine for the beach cottage. I was dealing with a really narrow aisle width, so in the end it was a good choice, but I really bought it for the look. Turns out using a French Door fridge is less satisfying than looking at it. In terms of efficiency of movement, you’re always doubling your movements opening two doors, and it’s irritating.

I agree with the above comment. I bought my FD fridge for the looks. When this one dies, it's back to one door, with freezer on the bottom.

I've only experienced a FD fridge when visiting the folks. There's alot to like about having the refrigerated compartment at eye level, but the double doors are not for me.

I have twins. One side is fridge and the other is freezer so it functions like a Frenh door. We've always had an island behind us where I put stuff. I prefer it to the upper freezer.

I had no interest in a double-door fridge. We went with one big door with the freezer drawer on bottom. Like eam's comment above, I did not want to have to open 2 doors most of the time I went to the fridge.

I've used French Door fridges only on vacations, one a lengthy vacation and I did quite a lot of cooking... disliked it intensely. Have always had side by side, ordered a side by side SZ for the reno. I think the French Door style is very attractive - more so than side by side, but I want to open only 1 refrigerator door, and never want my freezer items layered in a bin. Ever.

beachem... I am confused... are you saying you have a fridge column, and a freezer column? Wouldn't that be more like a side by side than a french door then?

I didn't think I'd like the French Door style, but after a week, I'd never have another double door.

In our old house, we bought a French door fridge with a bottom freezer drawer and I'm not sure which I hated more: opening two doors or the bottom freezer drawer. Now we have a side by side which I like much better, and it works well with our narrow aisle width. My fave is probably is single door fridge with top freezer if there is adequate aisle space in front.

I have a french door frig due to space constraints. Since there is a island immediately behind me, I just take things out and set them on the island. No big deal. Without the counter behind me, I think I would dislike the French doors.

In my previous home, I had a Kenmore French door for 10 years when I moved.

Current home, i have a Thermador French door. 2 years.

I like being able to utilize/reach countertops on both sides of the fridge and the French door makes it easier. The doors weigh less by being split, so I don't have to worry about banging against a counter like with one big door.

With the French doors, I feel I can see everything at once, much better than with a one door.

I like the freezer on the bottom, as a drawer, rather than side-by-side or on the top.

I do recall that some of the french door fridges required both doors being opened to get to one side for some reason.

The Kenmore was that way, but the Thermador doors are independent of each other.

We have one at work and I hate it. One of the reasons I bought another side-by-side.

@2manydiversions I guess I didn't know what French door is. I thought it was side by side. I have the column fridge/ freezer.

I wasn't able to find a 36" wide full door fridge last time I looked. Maybe I should look again. My 20+ year-old side-by-side is getting dirty again...

I had to adjust a bit to the french door, but I'm fine with it now. I needed counter-depth, and there aren't really 1-big-door options that are counterdepth without losing significant capacity (like Fori says, they don't do 1-big-door on 36" fridge).

This is an old thread, but I'm adding my 2 cents anyway. I've had a bottom freezer with single large door for the refrigerator for 30 years (Subzero, then GE). My husband uses a cane and has some balance issues, and he bent the freezer frame from leaning on it while getting ice from the bin. The drawer would no longer close properly, and it was 16 years old, so I had to replace it with a unit that has ice and water through the door, even though I did not want that. I couldn't have him leaning on the top of the freezer drawer with his full body weight. I had to get a french door, as the other styles don't offer ice and water through the door.

We have counter only to one side and no island, so it is a major inconvenience to always have to go around a door to reach the counter. I don't see how these can be so popular. Also, when buying a new fridge, pay attention to the door configuration. I bought a Bosch since that had space on the left door for milk, and our counter is to the right. That way I can open the left door and get the milk without having to go around an open door. GE only had the larger door bin on the right side. The problem is arranging the door bins, as there are only a couple of options. My last fridge had brackets about every 4-5 inches vertically on the door, so you could put the bins where you wanted them. This one only has four positions on each door, three of which are used at any given time. The left side only allows 12" in height on the bottom bin, a bit shallow to pull out a half gallon of milk. On the right, the top bin is way too high to be convenient, and it has only bins. There is no "flip up" door for eggs or butter on the door like most units have.

Also, the Bosch shows fingerprints much more easily than my old GE. GE's finish is more brushed. Bosch is smooth as silk - not good for fingerprints. This will be the only french door unit I will ever own.