For someone who says they don't use freezer food daily you sure seem to have a lot of freezer space/wants! I'm with Patricia on this one - fridge with freezer drawer below.

Thanks both!
I was thinking we could get a 30” fridge and save space for more counter space. My hubby really wants a standalone thermador fridge so I thought I’d ask about the drawers.

I prefer a freezer with shelves rather than a bin/basket where everything is stacked.

Is the Termador your only option? be sure it is counter depth.

How often are you reaching into the freezer? My freezer is in the basement, this hasn't been an issue since we only retrieve frozen stuff every second or third day.

What will you do for ice? In winter we seldom use ice, in summer we use it daily. A countertop ice machine works for us, but that consumes space as would an undercounter ice machine.

We actually have a countertop ice maker for the summer which I plan to keep in pantry. We reach into the freezer maybe every 2-3 days to be honest. That’s why I don’t mind using the basement or laundry freezer but feel like we should have something in the kitchen!

Agree with the fridge with freezer drawers. No need for a separate appliance.

”I prefer a freezer with shelves rather than a bin/basket where everything is stacked.”

I tend to agree. Our old fridge was a sxs and I found the freezer shelves easier. Our new fridge has the freezer drawer on the bottom and does involve some digging. It helps that we also have a fridge/freezer in the garage so the house freezer is less crowded/stacked.

Side note…We have to be very careful since our new puppy likes to run into the freezer drawer when opened. She can easily get in on either side.🥴

Thor is a horrible brand with a limited life span, and no service. SZ is the ONLY real option for something like that.

This sounds like you are planning 30K of refrigeration and freezing and icing. Too much of a good thing. Way too much. When you have too many choices, and too much storage, tons of food gets wasted because you can't remember what you have and where you put it. Freezer drawers are VERY expensive for the tiny amount of space you get. They are mostly used as "nuisance avoiders" for wealthy people who put ice cream bars in them to keep the kids out of the kitchen.

A full sized french door refrigerator/freezer with the ice maker, makes way more sense. Then the long term stroage mystery meat freezer can go wherever. Maybe add a beverage fridge, for water and soda. And that's all you need, even for a pretty big family.

Unless resale is a big factor, I say customize the kitchen to your own needs. I personally don’t need/won’t have a freezer taking up space in the kitchen; I can hoof it to the basement for frozen stock, and having ice cream out of sight is probably a good thing for me .

Keeping somewhat standard-size openings is probably a good idea for flexibility (in case you later decide you want a conventional fridge/freezer, you can fit a 30” one; if you try the drawer freezer and decide it’s not for you, you can put something else there.)

• Thermador T30IR905SP 30 Inch Panel Ready Smart Refrigerator Column ($8600) + custom cabinet + custom door panels + difficult installation + undercabinet freezer + counter space for ice maker
• Bosch B30IR905SP 30 Inch Panel Ready Smart Refrigerator Column ($7600) + custom cabinet + custom door panels + difficult installation + undercabinet freezer + counter space for ice maker
• Bosch B36CT80SNS 36 Inch Counter Depth French Door Refrigerator ($3900) + NO custom cabinetry + NO custom door panels + simple installation + NO undercabinet freezer + NO counter space for ice maker - 6" for refrigerator

The money it would cost for a freezer drawer I would put a fridge with bottom freezer drawer in your laundry room instead of just the fridge.

Thanks all! You have me convinced. We will go with a standard fridge with freezer. Thx!! Appreciate the input and advice!

I strongly recommend a 36" ref/freezer. There are many more options (prices & overall) at that size than at 30". In addition, 36" has become somewhat of a "standard" size.

We don't know your situation, but will 6" make that much of a difference in counterspace?

Where is that counterspace located? Often, lost counterspace is in a location that is not very useful for prepping and cooking, but not always. We often see layouts with a lot of counterspace that's "wasted" b/c it's too far from water (sink) or range or refrigerator to be useful in daily Kitchen work. (Not counting snack centers - unless the snack centers are huge.)

One item that can make counterspace useless is an island -- they're often barriers b/w key kitchen components/work zones. (Sometimes, putting a prep sink in an island fixes those issues.)