I have an average size side-by-side. Not massively average. On the fridge side I always have plenty of room. I even store my veggies in the open section because when they're in the bins I forget about them.

But I do like the ample space on the freezer side, which, although narrow, has lots of shelves and compartments. As the only person in the house, I have lots of leftovers that I parcel into one-person meals and stick in the freezer. I make more use of my freezer than the fridge part.

HU, I’d love a Harvest Gold one now. :)

Bunny, the freezer aspect is my only concern. Just like you, I keep fruit and veggies on the shelves, there’s so much room, but do use up quite a bit of freezer space. And I’d really miss the ice dispenser in the door.

I want my Mema’s refrigerator. It was a Frigidaire, freezer on bottom. Not sure if circa 50’s or 60’s, but it was so cool.

I have this toaster coming today, it’ll match my future refrigerator. :D

https://ultrean.com/products/ultrean-toaster-2-slice-with-extra-wide-slot-retro-stainless-steel-toaster-with-removable-crumb-tray-small-toaster-with-6-browning-settings-cancel-bagel-deforest-functions-825-w-cream

Jinx, sounds like our shopping and cooking habits might be about the same as yours (two of us, no kids). We have anaverage size fridge -- 18 cu ft counter depth -- and it's just barely the right size. We rarely host big holidays, but it's nice to have some wiggle room in case we need to clear the big shelf (like to marinate a small chicken). The freezer is often full, in part because we have an ice machine (no dispenser). And this is with us staying relatively on top of decluttering. If we had a "European" size, it would be too small. We don't shop at costco or buy bulk meat or anything like that.

Seattle, you reminded me of the undercounter refrigerators when I lived in Europe 82 million years ago — luckily, we always lived within walking distance of all the shops! :D

When we remodeled the kitchen we bought an apartment sized fridge to use in the bedroom where we set up a temporary kitchen, After the remodel we put it in the garden shed.

'

Judi, I’m jealous — I want a garden shed with a refrigerator, that’s a great idea!

So my toaster just came … will it work after how hard I heard it hit the ground outside the front door? I could hear it from two rooms away! We’ll see. 🙄

(It is very cool-looking.)

As a couple, we have a 36" built-in refrigerator (french door over bottom freezer). The refrigerator size is fine, but the freezer size stinks. I keep the ice maker turned off and have removed the ice tray and we still don't have much room. We don't even store frozen meats. We actually had more freezer room in our old side-by-side that was in that space.

Be careful when you shop because so many brands have huge shelves on the door and tiny shallow shelves in the body which I find totally impractical for our needs.

Fun, great point about shelves.

I haven’t looked at refrigerators since 2004!

We downsized from a 48” Subzero fridge / freezer to an Electrolux Icon fridge only, counter depth. We have no freezer in the kitchen, it’s all fridge space, and I LOVE it! We have a separate garage fridge with a very small top freezer compartment where i keep extra ground beef,

marinara sauce, chicken stock, frozen peas, italian sausage, a pack of chicken thighs and one of breasts, four steaks and two pork tenderloins. No prepared frozen foods and no leftovers, no frozen pizza or snacks.

I keep backup stock of bread, carrots, onions, green beans, buns of various types and brandied fruit in the garage fridge always, but it is mainly used when i have friends or family coming over and have large amounts of food i have prepared for the weekend. We’ve gotten used to this new system and I like it very much.

About 16 years ago I bought a house and because we were coming long distance, we arranged to buy the sellers fridge that they didn't need where they were going (these people were so very clean--I am not a used fridge kind of person).

About 12 years ago I remodeled my kitchen but never got around to replacing the fridge.

About 10 years ago I moved and took my fridge.

About 5 years ago I remodeled my new old house's kitchen and...

My fridge is like 25 years old. New fridges are stupid. You can't get that cool leatherette texture anymore! A 33" side-by-side FTW.

Ooo, I like that texture, too. I’m serious. My one before The Hulk was an almond textured one.

I might just buy an old wooden ice box like Alice had on The Honeymooners. Save on electricity.

This one:

SIKE!

I don't have an in-door water/ice dispenser. Don't ever want one. The lack of what I don't want means there's a lot more door storage space on the freezer side. I do think French door fridges are better looking, but side by sides have some awesome storage possibilities.

You know I love my Big Chill in Beach Blue. Seriously, I smile every day. It is built off a Whirpool. This is the traditional fridge with upper freezer. I am not sure what they use for the other types.

Ahh, would love one of those, g! :)

Bunny, you’re making me rethink having an ice dispenser. I would gain more room!

honestly, I hate ice / water dispensers too. so many of the ones I've experienced throw ice on the floor, and I hate how the drip trays are always wet.

it's no problem to scoop ice out of the bin (I use a lot of ice so I did want some kind of machine). I attached a filter to our sink so I don't need anything separate for drinking water.

Funny, I was complaining to DH about it recently, Seattle. :D

Thanks, all, I knew I’d get helpful input. :)

My freezer has an ice maker deep inside that doesn't take up much room. Honestly, I could live without it. The only thing I use ice for is whiskey on the rocks or an ice bath for hard-boiled eggs.

I’m excited, I really am. This opens up more possibilities. :)

It was well used when there were more people in the house, during holidays, frequent overnight guests, teens, etc. But now, I really don’t think it’s a must-have at all!

My DD's yoga instructor, an empty nester, lives in a small colonial home. In her kitchen, she has fridge drawers and a freezer drawer; that's it, both with wood fronts. It looks so nice!

I saw this post earlier, but for some reason thought someone else posted it?! SMH

We had to replace our fridge a few years ago and finding one to fit the same spot (goes between the end of a counter and outer wall of pantry) was awful!! Ours, I believe is called the "french door" - two doors on top - all fridge space, and freezer in the bottom. I really like having the freezer in the bottom and I like having the small shelves on two doors. Ice-maker in top tray of freezer. I don't like ice/water on outside of fridge. I would call ours regular size though. We've never had an over-sized fridge as it's just the two of us.

Mtn, I’d so love a set-up like that! If we build someday, I’ll definitely be looking into it. We don’t keep a lot of food stored up, so can get by with a much smaller unit. I’d love to be using less electricity, too. Our utility bills are so high here.

I haven’t researched electric usage to compare, will do that before any decisions.

Tina, that sounds good! Similar here with size … one door can’t be opened all the way due to a wall. Drives me crazy!

I just went smaller. Not totally by choice, mind you. We moved and the house we moved to has a tiny fridge.

The old house had an LG 30" French Door fridge with Total Capacity: 21.8 cu.ft/Refrigerator Capacity: 14.5 cu.ft.

The new house has Whirlpool with Total Capacity 17.6 cu.ft/Refrigerator Capacity 13.9.

So even though it is much smaller the majority of the difference is in the freezer space, not the fridge space. We will eventually replace it. I will get a small chest freezer for the cellar, because I do stock up on frozen berries and I also freeze some things from the garden in the summer and need more freezer space.

I want this 18CuFt Smeg, but I want it in the cobolt which they dont make yet. Today the cobalt is only in the 8.9 CuFt and I am not ready to go that small. So I have to wait.

How small can you go?

If you like cream, I think this frigidaire is nice but its only 7.5 CuFt

Oh, I like that Frigidaire, local, thank you!

I’m not sure yet on exactly what size. I have to factor in how it will look in the space, too (fitted kitchen).

@localeater that's how we are. I don't think I could go smaller. Our fridge is not crammed full and I am one who doesn't like certain things frozen long term, etc. BUT, I think during and since the pandemic, and maybe it is because I cooked even more during that time, I keep much more in my freezer. For one thing I have many frozen fruits for smoothies. We usually have at least a very small garden and I like to make pasta sauce and freeze, for example. Plus I find myself keeping more staples on hand, not only in the pantry but the freezer and even fridge (never without half/half anymore LOL).

@Jilly are you wanting the smaller fridge for now or in the future (you mentioned building is why I ask).

Tina, I’m torn on that. The Hulk still works fine, but is just so big in the spot.

One reason my fridge replacement shopping has repeatedly failed over the years is that spouse wants in-door water and I'd rather not. It takes up valuable magnet space. I even bought a Britta thing so I could say hey look: cold water! It didn't take.

We actually could use the extra 3" of fridge our kitchen's fridge hole is built for...

Fori, it’s funny with us — the water dispenser part hasn’t worked in over a decade (ice dispenser does). We decided not to fix it because our water is so hard, the filter had to be changed constantly … plus I have to drink high alkaline water for my LPR issues. So we both agree it won’t be a factor next time.

Lucky!

And yet...I've been drinking more and more water lately and I'd probably actually miss it now. I just don't like how it looks. I mean, it's not bad on our old black fridge but there aren't many new black fridges out there now and the dispenser looks bad. And yet my kitchen is always a working disaster so why do I care how it looks?

It's not like a cute orange Smeg is going to work with 2 teenagers anyway...also that sounds dirty.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks the word Smeg sounds dirty. 😂

LOL, Jinx! You surely know that's the first place my mind goes when I see that brand, but the products are so darned adorable that it's very easy to overlook and fall in love with them!

Of course I knew you’d be in the naughty boat! 😁

This darn new toaster I got is making me want a refrigerator that matches! :D

I don't blame you one bit! Your new toaster is totes adorbs! 🥰

Thank you! I told DH we’d have to get a cheapie for everyday use, this is for looks. I don’t want it to get dirty. 🤣

(I was kidding. Sort of.)

I have a cream colored Smeg, chosen for aesthetic reasons, and it is fulfilling its starring role in my ADU kitchen. It functions just fine, but the freezer drawers feel kinda cheap and wonky, and I do wish it had been available in counter depth.
All that said, I would purchase it again in a heartbeat for the look, and if it were counter depth I’d have gotten a second one for my main kitchen renovation. I certainly agree that the brand name “Smeg” is…unusual…but I didn’t want to see the words “Big Chill” written on my fridge either.

CHINACAT …. I LOVE IT!! And your kitchen! Thank you for sharing!

My new retro cream toaster says hi. :D

I like this Blue Star-less than 27 inches deep and huge range of colors. The link is to the specs page. Oh, and love the toaster, especially in the Italian townhouse!

Blue Star fridge

Ooo, Cyn, love that black one! Very sharp looking fridge!

Jinx, your toaster and my fridge are a match made in heaven!

😊

@cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)....That's a really nice frig!

@Jilly...Very pretty toaster! Glad your liking it!

We have had a hard time adapting to a smaller fridge at our desert place. The refrigerator is under 2 years old so we are going to keep it. We wish it was the same size as our primary refigerator, which is just average size. That said, we do have friends or family with us a good portion of time, so it is not just two if us. We are thinking of buying a drink refrigerator it should help out a bit.

Jinx, if you don’t decide to get a Smeg, FisherPaykel makes really good looking (and well functioning) 25 and 30 inch counter depth refrigerators that I think are a great choice. In my recent kitchen renovation I went from a 30 to a 25 stainless steel bottom freezer. I owned the 30 inch for 11 years without a single issue. I love the look.

Thanks, everyone — you’ve helped me a lot. :)

Just make sure a frozen pizza fits in it. ;)

Someone may have had this comment above, but our water dispenser stuck and flooded the kitchen. DH the only one home - the turn off was in the basement. Will not own another :::

We haven't had water or ice dispensers in maybe 12 years and I don't miss them. We've even been without our ice maker since before the start of the pandemic. We traced down the water source, shut off the line and set to make an appointment after the scholarship auditions I was in charge of -- finished that just before a committee meeting the same day the COVID shut downs started. Still haven't repaired it and don't miss it that much, but

We are unlike most of you. We have a combined 42" built-in (24 and 18" columns) in the kitchen and a spare bottom freezer fridge. I need a second fridge as long as I am baking - one that isn't built-in or counter depth so I have a place where I can chill or proof on baking sheets. I also store special flours and nuts, things for baking in that fridge. It sometimes takes overflow with leftovers or produce from the main fridge (we get a farm share and it can be a lot at once).

Our son had a Samsung fridge in his new home and it died a terrible death. He was without a fridge for nearly 3 months last summer -- after which he splurged (aided by the trade-in from the extended service plan). He got a counter depth 4 -door FD with the craft ice in the freezer and a regular cube dispenser. The top drawer can be set for fridge temps or freezer. He knows it is so extra, but he also loves it so much, especially the flex drawer and the craft ice. It suits him. I just hope this one has a longer life.