IMO forst find out who in your area services SZ IMO over priced and over rated but service is the first item to check I live in a small town and when buying appliances I made sure that the service guy knew about my choices. I have had Fridgidaire all freezer all fridge with a built in kit for 14 yrs not one service call and still going strong. Cost less than 4k so owe me nothing .

I'm a huge fan of the Miele fridge!

I've had a built in 36" Miele for 12+ years at least. It is a tank. I was all set to get an SZ when we went looking at fridges way back when, and I was so unimpressed with SZ at that time, from their lighting to their flimsy plastic shelf supports etc... The Miele was sooo much nicer, and felt more solid too.

It keeps all food, veggies, meats, dairy fresh for ages.

We are in the process of builiding a new house and we will be getting a Miele fridge for that house also.

As an aside, we actually went to their showroom in SF today bc we are thinking of going with an induction cooktop for our new house instead of a gas range. Having never used induction, we wanted to try it out and learn more about it, see if we like it before we decide for sure. While we were there, we looked at the current version of the 36" built in fridge-love the new lighting and the push to open door is very nice!

Hands down Sub Zero!!!!!. Better get it ordered today. Could take nine months.

Worth the wait in any scenario

It is NOT "overpriced" unless you are moving out in two years. Sub Zero OWNS the cooling classification - in terms of quality and longevity.

@JAN MOYER Why do you feel SZ is better than True or Perlick?

Well. Let's see. How about when you move someone from a house built in 84, in 2018.And the SZ is still going strong.

Or I remodel a house in 95, fridge there from the original build in 89, and here we are......... same fridge. If you WANT the others go right ahead.!

The only downside to SZ is you will have the same fridge as Nancy Pelosi - buy some LOUSY ice cream to keep in there.

@JAN MOYER Those are interesting anecdotes, although I could make a case for (or against) any brand using anecdotes. I did actually LOL at your Pelosi quip...but another significant downside IMHO is the plastic interior on most models.

How is actual experience any other but anecdotal. If you've made up your mind to challenge actual fact ? Have at it!! : )

Another vote for Sub-Zero at the 36" price point. Sub-Zero's are very competitively priced at that size and a great fridge.

I have Monogram in one home and Sub-Zero in the other. I like the Sub-Zero better, but then again it cost three times more than the Monogram columns which I got on clearance. I wouldn't make a different decision on my Monograms, but I wouldn't buy the same Sub-Zero again (I would get a much cheaper Sub-Zero).

@JAN MOYER Who is challenging actual fact? You seem very defensive regarding a very innocent question.

I am not the least defensive. I defended/supported my opinion; the same opinion you asked me to do in your "why". As I said..............have at that which you like.

Seems to me you are looking for reasons to BUY the one you prefer. Can't give you that.

.

@JAN MOYER No, I'm not looking for reasons to buy any specific product -- I am trying to gather data to support an informed decision. Your anecdotes about longevity are one part of that, but they're just that -- anecdotes.

You must be an engineer. Have fun. No offense to the engineers out there, but ask another designer.................................................................

anecdotes indeed,

You've got a computer, collect all the DATA you may require to make an informed decision. This isn't the data help line, it is the ( usually informed, sometimes not well informed ) opinion help line. You're on the wrong site.

Your best bet may be a fridge repair source in your area........despite that may also be anecdotal information to take or LEAVE

Once again, Jan tells it like it is! Of course all anyone's opinions are on Houzz are anecdotal, even a designer with scores of clients doesn't have a large enough database to be totally scientifically impartial. For that you'd need a controlled experiment. You might want to check out Consumer Reports or the JD Power Report for a larger universe of data. And even then you're getting people's opinions/anecdotes of their unique experiences, which are not substantiated or vetted by an independent source.

@JAN MOYER Wow, we must really be talking past each other. I asked why you think product A is better than B, and you replied with "I've seen product A last a long time", without any discussion of the longevity of product B, or discussion of any other factor that goes into the purchase decision. I would hope that as a "professional" your opinion would be based on more than the single factor that you've seen product A last a long time.

I am linking a thread regarding a Kitchens Forum poster’s decision process for SZ vs Miele fridge. It’s a long thread, and she is quite detailed in her analysis. She ended up choosing the Miele, and there are pics toward the end.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2312992/refrigerator-again-perspective-please

The SZ is a superior product. Period. Only the Sub-Zero has two compressors and an air purification system that removes ethylene produced by fruits and vegetables. This air purification system scrubs the air of ethylene and odor every 20 minutes. Produce literally last weeks, you will throw it out before it spoils. The seals on SZ doors are so secure that there is no thawing of frozen foods or melting of ice after multi-day power outages. I have experienced this first hand! Sub-Zero is made in the United States and is still family owned.

Getting a SubZ for the new build, builder tells me fridges they ordered this summer from the manufacturer not coming until March! They have been buying them around the country at retailers. So yeah, there is a shortage! I have to say I love my current Jenn Air fridge for the interior beauty of it. The freezer kind of sucks but man the obsidian interior is a beauty. That’s the only fault I can find with the SubZ, is the interior aesthetic.

How many folks have to tell you they prefer Sub Zero? I can't comment on your other specific two. I have not used nor recommended, although I have used other so called LUXURY and watched them fail.

Sub Zero owns the cooling class of appliances IMO.. Monogram does not, despite good looks and similar prices. I have a client who would pay YOU to come and get his Viking Range, and bring him a Monogram RANGE - which has been referred to by my clients as veritable machine! They've written thank you notes to the appliance store. Everyone is good at something.

Why don't you just research , do your own due diligence and let us find out how many new and luxury builds the others have been used within? You're beating a dead horse. Research it.

OP: check to be sure you can get service for either frig you buy. most important

OTOH: we bought a Liebherr FD 36" built-in in 2012 and it has been flawless (Finger's crossed) very happy with it and a lot less $$ than either SZ or Miele... maybe one you can consider.

I have a 1956 General Electric that has 40 years on its current compressor and a mid 70's Pepsi coin operated bottle chest that has the original compressor which still keeps drinks ice cold. The complication comes from trying to use older performance to predict future performance and I question whether the longevity of previously mechanical systems will translate into longevity for today's electronic systems.

The industry average for all refrigerators is 14 years, so if you are looking at value, then go get a $1,250 Maytag 36" fridge and replace it in 10 to 18 years with another one. However, it is going to look like a $1,250 Maytag...

----

In Sub-Zero's defense they largely invented the market they are in and everyone else is simply trying to market products in that market and I will argue not doing it so well. If you are comparing True Residential to Sub-Zero, there is simply no reason to take the risk on True. It really isn't a question of whether or not there is evidence to which is best, it is that the onus is on True Residential to prove they have some benefit and they haven't. The price points are similar enough that it doesn't make sense to move from the industry standard to something that costs just as much and hasn't demonstrated any price or performance benefit.

Having said that, if you can make True Commercial work in your home, then, IMO, it pretty handily beats Sub-Zero for value. With True Commercial you can almost get 81" of refrigerator and freezer for less money than a 36" Sub-Zero. However, not many people can make the commercial look work, with wire shelves, wheels, and 30" depth.

We were looking at True pass-thru or roll-thru glass door front refrigerators for our home when we were going to build. It wouldn't work for most homes and wouldn't work for our current home as they are more than 36" deep.

We do a lot of cooking and entertaining and are on our third SZ. They are solid, reliable, quiet, well organized and most important, food stays fresher. Each time we've debated, researched and I've yet to find a frig that we thought was better.

@bry911 Certainly no price benefit for the True, but they do offer features and sizes that you can't get from SZ.

@TXGuy - The OP is interested in a 36" fridge. That is a size available from Sub-Zero, so it seems immaterial that more sizes are available.

@bry911 Noted. It was unclear if your commentary was directed only to the OP, or was in response to the discussion at large.

A 36" SZ is currently being torndown and evaluated on YT by Munro & Associates.

More coming.

@bry911 Still chuckling over your slam on my Maytag fridge…although mine is 30” . it looks fine.

I'm chuckling at the entire THREAD.

Since Patricia isn’t an owner, I’ll step up. I’ve got a fridge and freezer, ≈20 year old 601s. Limping along, I’ll skip the little issues (e.g. I’ve currently got a freezer full of freezer burned food, hopefully another defrost terminator will do the trick without calling service) but will say that service wants to rebuild both with new sealed units for $1800 a piece. Now if you consider replacement cost (if there actually were a replacement for the space) that actually sounds reasonable. But it makes me wonder if THIS is why they ”last forever.” I’ve heard the newer ones do all sorts of wonderful stuff, but mine are just cold boxes. When they work.

I have a Miele 36” fridge. It’s a sleek looking vault. It is high tech and keeps my veggies very fresh. The only negative is that it doesn’t seem as spacious in the interior.

What DID you buy? Or you're still researching? Or still awaiting the Sub Zero? Since they have been taking a full ten months given the lovely supply chain.