First of all, Sub Zero fridges aren’t counter depth, they’re either built-in, or fully integrated…which totally blends/disappears into the surrounding cabinetry. Counter depth fridges are stand alone units…like Samsung, LG, Kitchen Aid, Whirlpool, etc., that stand proud of the cabinets in order for the doors to fully open. People build cabinet matching surrounds for them, but they are not built-in/ flush. Sub Zeros have special hinges, which enable the flush doors to fully open.

We have the 42” SZ FD frdge, which has adjustable shelves. Not sure if the 48” does (the 48” didn’t exist when we renovated our kitchen, 7+ years ago), but I know for sure, the all fridge does not. I don’t know if that’s important to you, but i feel being able to move the split shelving to where you need them, is a better use of space.

On a day to day basis, we do not have a large family. However, when our relatives come from out of town for three weeks, including two teenagers, the 42” is enough space. The 48” should work for you, unless if, perhaps, you have 10 kids.

Have you been to a showroom, and compared the interior setups of the two units? If not, I suggest you do. That’s the best way to visualize your needs.

Thank you. I suppose I should have said the fridge will be stand alone with no cabinetry surrounding it. This is our style choice for the space. Aiming to be as close to 24”-27” depth as possible due to passage area. I will correct my post to reflect this.

Here’s another pic of the idea.. a large stand alone fridge.

It sounds like the 48” will do just fine, but I will certainly visit a showroom.

Ah, okay. I see. No problem. If free standing suits your needs, then, hey..😊

Any rate, that SZ would still not be called counter depth. Counter depth fridges are as I stated in my previous post, and are deeper than the SZ pictured. They also cost a heck of a lot less, and are far less esthetically pleasing.

There is just no comparison between the superior refrigeration technology of a SZ, and an ordinary fridge. Our first SZ was still going strong at 26yo, when we sold our former home, in 2015. That fridge saw us through Hurricane Sandy. The interior was still cold, after a week without electricity. Even the ice was still frozen. All because SZ fridges are the best insulated fridges, and have the strongest seals.

So, yeah…take a ride to a Wolf/SubZero showroom, if there is one near you…or to any appliance store where they’re offered, and take a look for yourselves.

No point in choosing a 20K free standing fridge, ever. They get chosen because they can be built in to cabinets seamlessly. Pick a Liebher if you want a pretty fridge.

Also consider whether you want to have all lower freezer drawers. I have had a 42" side by side Subzero and a 36" French door Kitchenaid refrigerator, and much prefer the side by side. I do not like bending over to use freezer drawers, and I also do not like the way French doors open/close. If the left door isn't closed first, it tends to stay ajar. Perhaps the Subzero french door is better designed, but that might be one feature to double check when you visit the showroom.

IMO SZ is overpriced and honestly the service is some areas non existant too. Why not just get 2 fridges counter depth and make sure what ever you get has stainless sides save ahuge amount of money too. I agree with Lomo Europen style fridges are usually finished on the sides since often are standalone

While the term counter-depth has been hi-jacked to market a particular type of fridge, what the OP is looking at is actually counter-depth. Integrated or built-in means that the unit is not finished on the sides and must be integrated into cabinetry. If it has finished sides then it is not really integrated or built-in, even if it can be integrated or built-in.

I have a Sub-Zero 48" (not French-door) on the farm and a 30" Monogram column at the "city house." Here are my thoughts.

Sub-Zero Pro series - I don't think Sub-Zero makes a 48" french-door free standing unit, although I am far from a Sub-Zero expert. We have a 48" Sub-Zero Pro on the farm, but that unit is divided. I don't think the other units are finished on the sides so you will not get stainless all the way around. There are other brands that make a French door free standing refrigerator that are also decent.

Capacity - A 48" French-door will have significantly more useable storage than two 24" columns and possibly more than 30" + 24" columns, but will not have near as much as two 30" columns. This is because sides take up space and also reduce useable space because you are not laying your fridge on its back and filling it with marbles. You are putting plates and dishes of various sizes in it and there will be some wasted space around those dishes especially where the sides are, fewer sides means less wasted space. However, you are still going to get more out of two 30" units unless you are regularly putting pans in them that are bigger than a standard oven.

Reliability - I am not sure that today's Sub-Zero models quite live up to their reputation of reliability. I have a 1950's refrigerator and a 1970's coin operated bottle chest that are still going strong (I am pretty sure the coin-op is still on the original compressor). Manufacturers started making refrigerators cheaper as they were really expensive. Sub-Zero didn't change, they kept making expensive high-quality refrigerators. However, when the market shifted back to more expensive features and electronics, so did Sub-Zero. I doubt many people are going to see thirty years out of Sub-Zeros made today. They are still high quality and competitively priced against their competitors.

Sub-Zero vs. Monogram - My personal opinion... Sub-Zero is the best $15,000 refrigerator that I ever spent $20,000 on. While Monogram is the best $12,000 refrigerator that I ever spent $10,000 on. I got my Monograms on sale and would buy again if I could find them on close-out. If I am paying full price, might as well go Sub-Zero because it is competitively priced.

I would love to see the kitchen plan within the remodel : )

I realize you aren't asking about opinion on that.

What if you did a 30" all fridge and a 30" fridge with freezer drawers.

I feel like it is kind of inconvenient to have the freezer off by itself if it's the only freezer. You could still have a freezer somewhere else if necessary, but I think you would want some freezer capacity right there.

The OP is prioritizing fridge space over freezer space. They eat far more fresh food, than frozen. Therefor, what you call ”bending” over freezer drawers, will be minimized in their home. On the other hand, they will be bending a lot more with an all fridge, in order to retrieve items from the bottom two shelves.

Friends of ours have the all fridge and all freezer units, side by side. She admits things tend to get lost or forgotten on the very bottom shelves.

There is a very short learning curve on how to manipulate the french doors.

She admits things tend to get lost or forgotten on the very bottom shelves.

Please don't speak too ill of the area where I hide the good stuff!

I am not sure I would get a side by side unless I could go 48". Having lived with a series of narrower side by sides, personally I hate them. The freezers are too narrow to store things horizontally.

I find comparing fridges etc easy done on AJ Madison site . Look at commercial fridges they are often freestanding and not pretty inside but meant to last and are often all stainless exterior

@bry911, 😄😄

Contiguous shelf space is a more important measurement than is raw cubic footage. If you are doing this as an art object first, and as cold storage second, I get the appeal. There are less expensive options to accomplish a decorative cold storage block. Have you thought about wrapping a standard refrigerator in something interesting? And have 12K left over? https://www.rvinyl.com/Refrigerator-Wraps

https://www.etsy.com/market/han_solo_fridge_wrap

So I'm thinking about the fresh produce volume of stuff stored, and wondering how large the family, because fresh loses nutrients ( 15% - 55% of vitamin c depending the produce and storage time)

Gotta be gobbling that stuff up, that's for certain!

I had a SZ in the early 2000s when they had a bad batch of copper or something like that. I lost temperature the morning of Dec 31, and the part was replaced and the unit fixed at 4:30 that afternoon, New Year's Eve.

I feel like there is some skew on luxury items needing servicing, because most people don't service regular appliances anymore, at least not the people I know, they dump them and get a new one. I remember one of my friends saying how ridiculous that I paid almost $6000 (at that time) for a refrigerator. I think she is on her fourth one since then. It looks at her crosseyed and she just goes to Home Depot and buys a new one.

Not a frig expert but I cook mostly “ real” food. I use a lot of fresh veggies & greens but also value some frozen vegetables for the ability to add more vegetable variety to a meal with little prep or sometimes part of a recipe like a curry or stir- fry. And it’s a big help to grab when you’ve just run out of fresh or something unexpectedly “ went off”.
For example, we integrate some frozen vegetables like peas, corn, green beans, and various heartier legumes like lima beans, blackeyed peas. So some handy freezer space helps but we don’t need shelves for big frozen casseroles.

Point, we finally got a French door frig/ freezer after I had some trepidation about have to keep track of both “ sides”, and I love it. All the fresh frig items are up top. No hunting bottom produce drawers. I also have too much produce just for drawers so use other shelves for lettuces in containers etc. I’d be a little more worried about having 2 separate refrigerators, having stuff out of sight/ mind, though I think you could develop a system of what’s in what.

I agree with the “ contiguous shelf” space concept. It is easy to add big items & move things around. Including a big bag of kale or something that soon will be, nothing. Or for just us, I’m able to put a whole cooking pot or even the crockpot in the frig.

You’ve probably already analyzed your grocery & cooking patterns, but, be sure to review. For example, do you serve a large family at meals, you then need a lot of one vegetable or another. But with fresh produce having a limited lifespan, you still may have trouble stocking 7 -10 days of large amounts. One thing I had to train myself to do is not have “ everything everywhere all at once”. Meaning, it’s best if I focus on a few menu veggies and be sure I use those, then the longer- like items like whole carrots can fill in.

My final ditto that is look at interior configurations, for what you typically keep in stock.

Examine your design to determine where you landing space will be. A large volume of storage is great, but without landing space, you'll be at the grocery store with no basket and having to carry it all in your arms.

I've got the new 48" French door SZ on order. It's a new design for SZ. So, they are available. I much prefer the FD over a SxS.

If I count the number of times I approach the unit to open a door, any door, I open the refrigerator portion. It just gets used more. Years ago we had bottom freezer refrigerator/freezer designs. They were the most energy efficient units available. With the advent of the FD design, those have gone away. I'm willing to bend over to load and search for items in the freezer. It doesn't ruin my day.

I really don't like SxS. My experience has been that they are too narrow for storage. They have a nasty habit of freezing whatever I've got against the wall in the refrigerator.

Whatever the OP decides, be careful about the finish of the sides in your design choice. Most will not be stainless to match the front. You may find yourself forced to build a cabinet to accept the unit. The cabinet can be free standing.