No. Take a picture and send it to your salespeople immediately so they can replace it.

Thank you!

This looks like it might not be installed properly. How deep was the space for it? Some models require the depth to be more than 24" for installation.

I agree that space might not be pefect but it needs to be checked out . I think SZ is the most overated appliance on the market so perfection is IMO a must for install too.

If this is the section used for the refrigeration equipment, the gap provides necessary cooling air. For my paneled 635, this is the only way for fresh air to get to the heat exchanger (condenser) assembly. It appears correctly aligned in the photo.

No that’s not right, it’s built in and no gap is needed. It will stick out beyond your cabinet since it’s not integrated flush but you should NOT be able to see any space behind it. No way, call them back or some one else who knows how to install.

That's a built in installation but there should be no gap. It wasn't installed properly.

Thank you so much for all the comments. I’ll reach out to the salesperson and see if she can resolve the issue.

The front surface of that upper panel won't be flush with the surface of the door if the panel is adjusted further back to eliminate the gap.

Are there louvers in the front of this panel that allow air in and out?

The hinges on the top panel may be able to be adjusted to pull that in some - but some gap is required in order for the front to open correctly. It is fairly well aligned with the door.

And as noted, this is not a flush install but a built in.

This is from their literature and it looks like there is a gap on the side but it does not look as large as yours, maybe? I would think that this could be adjusted to close it up a bit. I would rather have the grille sit back a little from the face of the door and have a smaller gap than you have if it's a highly visible area.

But I look at a lot of real estate and I do see these grilles get out of alignment. I've also seen the louvers pointing down which means you can see the guts up there which looks terrible and I am not even sure how someone managed to do that (?)

If that gap is not needed for air flow, then I would find some large diameter o-ring material or other filler so that the panel face can remain aligned with the door while the edge view simulates that of the door and its seal.

I should add that looking at the 2022 SZ Design Guide, the OP's unit appears to be a member of the Classic series, for which there are two fitments: Overlay (also called Standard Installation) and Flush Inset. If the doors are outside the cabinet line because the cabinet is only 24 inches deep, it is the former, and the upper panel face is drawn aligned to the door face. With a 26 inch deep cabinet (which is also wider), the entire unit can be pushed back until the panel faces are flush with the edge of the cabinet. Please see relevant pages of:

https://www.subzero-wolf.com/-/media/files/united-states/product-downloads/sub-zero-wolf/design-guides/subzero-design-guide.pdf

@kaseki's link shows on page 4 both styles of install - "overlay" vs "flush inset"

Flush inset requires 26-1/2"-27" deep refrigerator cabinet & some skill & training to install. Not every cabinet designer/sales person has knowledge of the options & how to accommodate.

Thank you for all the advice. The company we bought it from is sending someone to see if they can fix the issue.

Our 42” FD SubZero is paneled. As such, what would be the louvered grille for air circulation, is covered (paneled). The paneled grille stands a bit proud of the back, but not as severe as yours.

At first, I was upset that the entire unit wasn’t flush with the cabinets, as that was what I was expecting. However, I’ve since learned the difference between “flush inset”, and ”built-in.” The grille part really bugged me at first. But, 7 years of life since, with many medical ups and downs, it’s just a blip on the radar. Inconsequential.

At any rate, I do hope your grille can be adjusted. Our original SZ, in our former home, was the over/under model you have, also in stainless. The grille was flush with the unit. There was no space between the louvered grille, and the back of the fridge.

darbuka, totally off topic, but would you mind sharing what cabinet company / wood / stain you selected? I was just admiring your color scheme and am wondering what it is.

Sure, @Danielle Gottwig. The cabs are Tedd Wood custom, Red Birch with the Early Shaker door style, in an Autumn stain.

Tedd Wood is a higher end semi-custom line with lots of custom touches, made in PA. I don’t see them mentioned here often. But, the quality is superb, and the company was a pleasure to work with. A couple of issues that popped up after delivery, were dealt with promptly.

The kitchen is now just about 7 years old (how time flies!), so I’m not sure Tedd Wood carries that wood species and stain anymore. Anyway, here’s the link: Tedd Wood Cabinetry

It should not be that way at all. Here is the side picture of my Subzero fridge.

^^^ that alignment would drive me insane or at least I'd have to fix it. The thinner flange pieces should line up and not be offset (or out of plumb). And then - the gap between the hinged vent top and the flange, and the gap between the door and the flange, should be equal.

My kitchen cabinets as well as LR and hall trim are red birch from Tedd Wood. Color is natural but with some matte in the lacquer to tone down the chatoyancy.* Although there are some western and asian birches called 'red,' red birch lumber is from the heartwood of the yellow or black birch. It has the advantage (if desired) of not darkening like cherry does when exposed to light.

_____

*cat's eye effect

We have a Classic model Subzero and our top piece sticks out like that too. It's for airflow. Before the panels went on, I noticed a sticker on the fridge that said something about how it needs 1.5" up there for the air. Our guy explained that since there's no space on the sides or back, the air must flow somewhere.

I think the front louvres should provide airflow, but I’m wondering whether it is a subzero defect because the bottom portion does align with the top. I hope they can fix it because it is unattractive, and for how much they cost, it should be a cleaner look.

candice uy Your picture is super helpful. I'll show it to the crew that comes this week to repair the issue. It is a little odd that the bottom and top portions don't line up, but I'm guessing that isn't really visible from the front of the subzero.

ABC In my opinion, for the price you pay, a subzero shouldn't need to be a flush inset to not see the hinges. If this isn't a bad install and really is a gap in sub zero's design, they could have easily fixed it with some sort of filler. Again, for the cost, we shouldn't be able to see the hinges. I'm hoping it can be fixed.

ABC I appreciate your help, but I'm confused by your post. This was never going to be a flush inset design. Our frig looks like it is made to be a built-in design, like it was intended, because it has a lip to sit on the cabinet. Am I wrong about that? Since we paid over $12k for this refrigerator, the hinges shouldn't be visible. If it is a design flaw, I wish we had known it when we bought it, and I hope this post helps other people from making the same mistake. From your post, it sounds like it is a design flaw, which is really disappointing. We waited over a year for this one, and there is no way we would do that again.

ABC Thank you for the explanation. It is so disappointing to know. It seems like a small filler could easily fill the gap; so, I consider this a design flaw because it could be so easily fixed by Subzero. I guess I will need to figure out how to fill the gap with some sort of rubber filler. Thank you so much for letting me know. I hope others learn from this post.

Yes, the heritage of "Pro" appliances needs to be kept in mind. The look was commercial/industrial from the beginning. Look closely at commercial reach-in refrigerators and note the visible door hinges.

kaseki I'm going to do your suggestion of an o-ring to maintain the alignment between the top and bottom and hide the hinges. Thank you for the suggestion! So sad, we spent $12k+ on a refrigerator and have to do this. I'm disappointed in Subzero.

The whole Subzero issue was one of many where our kitchen designer's knowledge saved us. Based on her suggestion, we changed our Subzero order to the flush mount model and my husband had to make room to recess our fridge. You can't replace the expertise of a kitchen designer with a trip to the showroom.

Your kitchen is beautiful, Laurie! I hope Subzero will step up with a solution appropriate to their price point.

Could that bit of hinge be painted black? Would that help?

Of course you notice this, I notice this and people in this forum notice this.

But I don't think the majority of people who look at your fridge are going to notice it, and most of them who do will not care. The majority of people do not notice details like this.

Thank you Shasta! Yes...I wish our kitchen designer, GC, or the salesperson had told us, but none of them mentioned it. Oh well...I think I can hide it.

I agree kaseki. Thank you for your help!

Your pic looks exactly like our Sub Zero. I never gave it a second thought. I think it looks fine.

Just have an emblem constructed with the refrigerator's price on it and attach it to the door face. No guests will ever notice the hinge. 8-)

I definitely think you can hide it but it’s always good to chase things down when you don’t think they are right. Gives you peace of mind. Enjoy your beautiful new kitchen!

FYI: I called Subzero and they said there should be no gap, but I don’t see how that is truly possible. We did have the installers come back out, and they did tighten the gap. So, it isn’t as visible, and we happy with it. Hope this info helps other.

SZ run warm refrigerant around the body side of the door seals to keep these areas above the dew point to minimize mold. Keep an eye (finger touch) on these areas. If they seem too warm it is because insufficient air is getting to the mechanical compartment, the condenser needs cleaning, or the condenser fan is not operating correctly.

On a louvered panel the gap shown above should not cause any impediment to cooling. On a wood paneled unit this gap raises an investigative eyebrow. Some mechanical cavity heat is dissipated via the cavity shell to air surrounding the unit, but how well this works depends on space at the sides, top, and back of the unit for circulation. Conformance with installation directions should be sufficient, but margin for condenser air flow degradation is unknown to me.

Thank you, kaseki ! I'll keep an eye on the heat. So far, it is cool to the touch.

@Laurie H I just purchased what appears to be the same SZ unit and I’m at month 1 of my 12-month wait for delivery. A few questions:

1) Was your installation done by a SZ factory-certified installer? If so, it adds an extra year to your warranty.

2) Is yours a stainless steel or panel-ready model? Sorry, I can’t tell from the two images as viewed on my display.

3) What’s the model # you bought?

4) What is your cabinetry depth above and to the side of your SZ?

I’m glad you’re satisfied now. I’m concerned.

~With Gratitude

purpleplume Sorry for the delay in my response. Below are the answers to your questions. I hope this helps.

1. Yes, it was done by a SZ factory-certified Installer. Thank you for the tip!

2. Our frig is the stainless-steel option

3. Our model is BI-48SD

4. Our cabinet depth is 26"

Below are a couple of other irritation points that I didn't not mention before that might help you:

1. The outer ice maker isn't the best. We really can't use it. Ice goes everywhere unless you have huge cups.

2. It also makes more noise that I would have expected. When it is in the process of making ice, it sounds like a train. It is way louder than any other frig we have had in the past. I wouldn't buy this model again.

If you have the option of buying something different, you might want to consider it.

It isn't awful - there are just unexpected irritations, and overall, it is a somewhat disappointing.