So I need your help finding a new
and
To cut a tedious story short, we bought a new stand alone fridge and stand alone freezer and sadly have had hassles with both. Defy have agreed to reimburse us fully. We don’t want to replace them with the same make as every person we have spoken to says not to buy Defy for a myriad of different reasons.
Despite all of this, I really like that Defy have a bigger load capacity on both the fridge and freezer and I can still get units in white plus the fridge allows for many different shelf heights which all the other brands don’t seem to offer when comparing the proverbial apples with apples.
Problems is – what to get now! The reason I want to get two separate units and not a side-by-side unit is mainly due to the odd shape of our scullery – I know we might not be in this house forever but we are here now. If the door leading to the garage is open, the one unit is behind the door and all side-by-side units have the fridge on the right-hand side which would mean the fridge would be behind the door and that’s not very practical as I am in and out of the fridge all day and the freezer at the most once a day. Side-by-side units also have a much smaller freezer to fridge ratio which doesn’t suit our needs.
There is a lot more space behind the door so 2 big units can stand side by side
I have started looking at other brands but it is quite a daunting task.
In hindsight, the stand alone units have narrow shelves and I don’t really like the French door style combo as the freezer portion is like a chest freezer so I am starting to think buying 2 fridge freezer combos where the fridge portion is at the top and the freezer portion at the bottom is a better way to go or is it? The freezer sections of these are also quite small. Urgh! This was meant to be fun.
Oh and we don’t need ice and water dispensers – they take up too much valuable packing space or is that just me plus these type of units cost considerably more.
What do you have? How does it pack? Is it user friendly? Would you buy the same again? Hypothetically speaking you are in the market for a new fridge and or freezer, what would you buy?
I really would appreciate your opinions and help. 🙂
The Complete Book 
Mandy,
I like my large silver fridge, but the freezer is too small.
Get a BIG freezer!
Xxx LOVE! You!
This is the problem with a lot of the units Kim, the freezers are all small which is why I really liked the Defy, the fridge and freezer were both the same size. Have a beautiful day darling and love to you. xoxoxo
I don’t think it’s ever fun buying appliances. There are so many options to choose from, such price variables, etc. It’s overwhelming. I am happy with what we ended up with though. We have a French door fridge on the top (with ice/water dispenser) and a freezer drawer on the bottom. It works well for us. Good luck Mandy! 🙂
Thanks so much Kristy! Have a beautiful day. 🙂 xo
Oh no .. poor you, I would not recommend mine it is rubbish too! c
C, “they” really don’t make things like they used to – it is so sad! Hope you are staying warm. 🙂 xo
I’m sorry but I don’t know what to suggest. I would like a new fridge/freezer too but I’m going to get a combo one with the freezer down below and the fridge with double doors above. I really like the double door fridges as you can fit in really bit things like hams, turkeys, baking trays and sculpted cakes. Good luck with your mission! xx
We are leaning more towards getting 2 fridge/freezer combo’s Charlie. I love the idea of the French door fridge but sadly the freezer section on the ones I have seen are to much like a chest freezer. Hopefully soon I will be able to share a nice happy fridge freezer post. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Last year we bought our very first brand new fridge/freezer. Before that we had a second-third-fourth-hand fridge that must have been around 30 years old. It had fake wood and yellow flowers on it!
I think you should see what is on special at your local shop and then check out some reviews on it.
We ended up paying right on our budget and financed it for 1 year. It’s all paid off now so it’s ours. Whatever you do, get a freezer with drawers. Maybe it’s a modern day connivence but our 30 year old model didn’t have drawers. If things don’t stack nicely, the tumble out.
A freezer with drawers is definitely a must. The Defy currently has 8 freezer drawers with is wonderful so finding something similar is proving to be quite a challenge. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
I recently bought exactly the same Defy fridge and freezer for our beach house. I love the space it provides. The “french door” types with water/ice dispensers are ghastly. Shelf space is so small
the fridge cannot even hold a salad platter for entertaining. I have a Whirlpool in this fridge/freezer french style and it has been an absolute disaster. From day one we have had problems and
service is non-existent. My friend also has Whirlpool and is unhappy, so stay away from Whirlpool
Hi Catherine, thanks for stopping by and your advice. I shall steer clear of Whirlpool. Have a super afternoon. 🙂 xo
Totally agree with you on Defy. We HAD to have that make as it was the only one that fitted in the space. It’s poor quality compared with my old Bosch fridge and the freezer ices up so much we have to defrost every 4/6 weeks.
The 3 brands we have narrowed it down to are Bosch, LG and Hisense. Seems some of the Samsung fridges are similar to the Defy so I have been put off by that. Have a lovely afternoon Sue. 🙂 xo
Fun project….just kidding! I have a rather small unit, freezer with two drawers on the bottom and fridge on top. We’ve had big one when living in the USA, but the small one works just fine. It keeps me more organized. My big favorite is Gorenje, a Slovenian manufacturer. They make beautiful, colorful, vintage looking appliances. Good luck! 🙂 ela
Thanks so much Ela. My husband would love a Smeg unit but sadly they are extremely expensive here! I googled Gorenje – they seem to be the same as Smeg. I generally keep our fridge and freezer very neat and even thoug it is just the two of us, I never have enough space. I think it is also because we live out of town so I buy more bulk I guess. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
I’d love to have the space you have so that I had this problem!
I must say, for the most part, except the door in the way, it is a great space for a fridge and freezer. Have a super day Mick. 🙂 xo
Is there anyway possible that you change the swing on the garage door to open into the garage instead of the house?
Hi Cindysoo, we had it that way originally but it causes far too much of an obstruction that way around. Maybe we should look at installing a slider. Thank you for making me rethink the idea. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Samsung is one of the best I have hears my parents talking about 🙂
Good luck!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Samsung was one of the brands we were looking at CCU. Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
I have a Bosch fridge with shelves that pull out (a bit like drawers) which I find very useful – in fact that’s the main reason for buying that model. Yes, I’d buy it. Good luck with your search.
Thanks so much Anne! Bosch seems to be climbing to the top of the list all the time! Hopefully I can share a successful story soon! Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
i love love love my french door refrigerator with the bottom freezer drawer and the snack drawer in the middle. so three drawers for my choosing and i love it. SO recommend it. I believe mine is a whirlpool?
I always look at reviews online for this sort of thing and then price compare at a shop that has them all in stock.. watch for sales too. Not sure if your garage space is tight, but I bought a stand-alone freezer (upright, front opening door with shelves). We keep it in the garage and it’s perfect for those extra wide items you need to keep frozen, etc. Do you have a space somewhere for that??
Unfortunately our garage is full of “boys” cupboards and work tops and houses my washing machine and tumble dryer plus a boat so sadly there is not more space. When both Pete and I are home, my car has to sleep outside with his in the garage. I would love a few meters extra on all our rooms in the house – maybe one day. Have a super day Smidge. 🙂 xo
We’ve got separate fridge and freezer that look similar to yours but are made by Hotpoint and we’ve been very pleased for the price ~ now about 9 years old (gulp!). I like them separate so that if one goes wrong at least I’ve still got the other and, if we move, it makes for more flexibility.
Good luck!
Hi Pat. I also like having separate units. I think we are going to have to settle for 2 fridge/freezer units. I hope to make a final decision soon! Have a super day. 🙂 xo
We have Hotpoint here in the UK (a tall fridge/freezer unit but I know they do individual ones too) and I’m really happy with it 🙂 Not sure if you have that make where you are though?
Hmm, don’t think we get Hotpoint here unless it is under another name. Think we are also going to settle for a 2 tall fridge/freezer units, with the freezer section on the bottom. Pity though we can’t get them in white though. I hope we can have this exercise over soon. Have a super day Tanya. 🙂 xo
I was going to get a Bosch fridge but had to go with a KitchenAid since I needed to have a counter depth fridge. Not being as deep, it doesn’t hold as much but I’ve found there’s plenty of room for what we need for just the 2 of us. The freezer is on the bottom & frankly, since I don’t put much in the freezer it’s a lot bigger than what I need. When we were shopping for the appliances, just about every salesman told us to not go with the side by sides. You’re right about the water thing being a wasteful gadget but again, the sales people told us that if anything’s going to break that it will be the water dispenser. Unfortunately, there aren’t many options that don’t have it now but at least I went with one that’s fairly unobtrusive with just a little spout on the inside of the door. Can you believe that some even have a HOT water dispenser? Now why in the world would you still a hot water dispenser in a refrigerator? I’m not sure if you have the same brands available there but I just checked the Consumer Reports (it’s an independent rating org) for French door, bottom freezer best buys (there’s a million different models though): Kenmore which is Sears (I won’t do business w/them myself), LG, Whirlpool, and Samsung are top contenders. Top 5 most prone to repairs were: GE (4 of the 5) and Fisher & Paykel. I’ve been happy with my KitchenAid & they don’t rate Bosch but I know the sales people say they’re a great buy & not prone to repairs overall.
Oh wow, what a wonderful homework exercise you have done for me Diane, thank you SO much! The 3 brands we have on the short list at the moment is Bosch (might have to rethink that), LG and Hisense with Samsung falling off due to the fact that they were the originators of the design we currently have – they then dropped it and obviously when with a much better design so I have mixed feelings. When I think I am ready to finally make a decision something else pops up to make me reconsider. I better hurry up though as Defy won’t hang on forever for me! Have a wonderful day and thanks again for your help. 🙂 xo
No problem…I took another look at their listings & Bosch in the side by side came in #3 in their ratings. I’ve got all Bosch except the fridge because they don’t make a counter depth yet but I’ve been happy with them so far. Consumer reports doesn’t usually rate them for some reason which is why I think they’re not in most of the listings. Samsung & LG seem to be good bets & I don’t have anything on Hisense. Good luck.
I am hoping to make the final decision this weekend! xo
We have a Samsung side-by-side right now and I’m ambivalent. It’s been very reliable and sturdy and doesn’t require any fuss at all, but I’ve grown very frustrated indeed with the cramped interior space for both portions, most especially the freezer. That’s simply a typical problem with the side-by-sides and is not specific to Samsung by any means, of course. I’m pretty sure I’d opt for a different configuration next time as a result.
Since we don’t expect to be in this house for terribly long, I just wait as patiently as I can. In the long term I would love to have separate units as well, and if we end up retiring to the place we have out on the west coast (we’re currently renting it out), the idea is to reno the whole place, and that home, despite a fairly snug house floor plan, has an enormous two car garage just a couple of steps from the front door. We only own one car, so I hope to put a nice big upright freezer in the garage along with the existing workshop space (though not as great as Pete’s workshop, perhaps!) and the water heater. Then I can have a Nice Big Fridge in the kitchen in all its glory!
I’m not at all sure how brands differ from the States to SA, either. My guess is that different countries’ supplies even from the same manufacturer might well be assembled in different places, and the current on which they run might affect function, so they might not even be comparable if named as the same model. Bosch *does* seem to have a consistently good reputation in all of the countries where I’ve spent time, though, so perhaps they have better quality controls or more comparable materials and assemblies worldwide.
Definitely a puzzler, this investment in major appliances, no matter where you are, isn’t it! Good luck to you! 😀
xoxo
Kath
Kath, how I would love for you to pop over and walk the isles with me comparing all the different brands and units and and and. Such a lot to consider when it comes to the interior of the fridges and that was the main reason I opted for the Defy as both units offer a much bigger packing capacity. Oh well, the homework exercise continues…
Have a beautiful day and your home out on the west coast sounds fabulous! Have a super day. 🙂 xo
As I said, I love my LG and would get the same make again. Have you looked at the unit where there is a double door fridge on top and a slide out freezer drawer on the bottom? I also don’t see a need for a water and ice dispenser 🙂
LG is definitely a contender Tandy – we have looked at the French door design. I love the double door fridge section but don’t like the chest freezer section at the bottom. I much prefer drawers so I can separate things and also not have to scratch for what I am looking for. Have a super afternoon. 🙂 xo
Love our Samsung side by side but it would be too small for you 😦
Can’t believe I made do with the small fridge we had on the island. Love to you all my friend. 🙂 xo
Mandy, I hope you get it figured out! We run two freezers and two fridges, but I do like to buy in bulk! 🙂
That is exactly what we are thinking of doing now too Celia. I have just written down the three I want to compare. Have a beautiful weekend. 🙂 xo
I wish I could be of assistance but since we moved house there is no where for my “normal sized” fridge freezer and I have been making do with a tiny fridge 😦 I need to redesign my kitchen
How I wish I could also re-design our kitchen – would make life a lot easier although I would still be stuck with having to chose the right fridge freezer. Have a super weekend ahead. 🙂 xo
I don’t envy your position…it is hard finding an ideal refrigerator. I have a Subzero with one door on top and two freezer drawers below. It is the only one that would fit in our historic kitchen because of the very low ceiling. With a full basement, we have a separate freezer and refrigerator down there. Good luck with your shopping. 🙂
I wish we could afford to keep these as spares but sadly it can’t be. Have a super day Karen. 🙂 xo
I hope your search is going well and you’ve able to source some good options. My mother-in-law worked for many years selling high-end appliances and mentioned LG, Bosch, and Subzero as the brands that saw the least amount of client complaints. Best of luck on your search!
I must confess to keep pushing this to the back of my to-do list! I think we are going to replace these with Bosch so your mom-in-law clearly has good advice. 😉 Thanks again. Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
We bought one of those fridges with the freezer on the bottom. It made the fridge a lot easier to access but you’re right, the freezer is not nearly large enough. We use it for essentials and ended up getting a stand-along freezer that we keep in another room. Good luck with your search.
Hi Chris, thanks for stopping by. I think I am going to have to revert back to finding a spot to plug in my chest freezer in the garage. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Hi there….I see this is a very old post and I am busy doing research. My heart was set on a Defy matching stand alone fridge and freezer, because of its size inside. What went wrong with yours? And what did you buy in the end?
Hi Zona, it turns out after lots of backwards and forwards and Defy coming to our home 3 or 4 times, we still have the original units! Thankfully once all was sorted, we haven’t had any hassles since then. Defy is considerably cheaper to the other brands too so hope you will be satisfied on the units you get. Have a super day. 🙂 xo