Poll: Best Refrigerator Style for Resale

[meierlde]

On critical concern if looking for an older house is the height to the top of the space where the fridge will sit. In my case only a 65.5 inch unit fits, this rules out the larger side by sides and french door models. In side by side you are looking at 21 cubic foot models and there are a number of choices in the top mount line. Now in the case of the remodel, how tall did you make the space for the fridge?

 

[Midpack]

We have a yet another style: French door with TWO bottom freezer drawers which I love. I don't think I would have gone for the single bottom drawer. But I have no idea how it would affect resale.

That's a smart solution to the bottom drawer issue, but models with 2 drawer freezers are far too expensive for a fridge that we'll probably leave with the house in a year or two. The goal is resale at low cost, not what we'd want...

 

[Midpack]

On critical concern if looking for an older house is the height to the top of the space where the fridge will sit. In my case only a 65.5 inch unit fits, this rules out the larger side by sides and french door models. In side by side you are looking at 21 cubic foot models and there are a number of choices in the top mount line. Now in the case of the remodel, how tall did you make the space for the fridge?

The fridge opening will be 36W x 72H. We're probably buying a fridge that's 33W x 70H.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We will start using our new French door stainless fridge in about ten days, replacing a white side by side. I can't speak for your market or likely buyer but after spending hours getting knowledgeable about today's appliances, that's what we chose.

If I were buying an existing house with a one to two year old fridge, I would negotiate the price down as I would replace it unless it were a Subzero or other truly top of the line (and no way could we afford a Subzero kind of house!). So imho just get the fridge you will enjoy using and not the one you think a future buyer might like.

 

[Midpack]

This is looking like the best compromise in terms of resale, price & (lastly) our needs.

Thanks everyone, though opinions were varied, there were a lot of helpful views. We were going to choose a side-by-side because we thought that was the most popular style, we've come to realize that would probably have been the worst choice in this instance. I know we wouldn't have liked it ourselves.

And while I know having a water & ice dispenser on the door is popular, the French door style is costing us another $300-400 already and water & adds (a lot) more cost that we're just not willing to cough up, and we've never missed having same. Besides, I note many of the really expensive brands (SubZero, Viking, etc.) don't have water & ice dispensers on their doors - that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[sunrise]

I just redid my kitchen and bought a single door / bottom freezer. And I really like it. Mine is only 20 cubic feet, smaller then the average size (but perfect for my kitchen and family); A larger one will have lots of room for the typical buyer. French door style would work well. They say the french door allows you to stand straight and look/find all your fridged items w/ ease and only having to bend when you need to use the freezer drawer. Definitely get a few styles above low range to midrange, it will work great and look fancy either way. If you get the single door, make sure its a reversible door / switch hinge side)

I looked at a lot of fridges, and noticed several french door styles were not aligned (at the top), which would really bother me. Probably just an assembly error, but I would make sure doors are level when assembled.

A new thing with appliances is the Tier II energy saver. (ie. Maytag bottom-freezer EcoConserve) You can promote this w/ the sale of your house!

 

[Sesq]

We have french door, counter depth. Its our second, our first one had a habit of the freezer not closing completely and then temps would soar and food chucked. They fixed that in the newer models where they kind of pick up speed at the end. We have small kids, so I replaced versus trained.

When we replaced I tried to talk my wife into fridge only, no freezer. We have a stand-alone freezer in the garage that we use for basically everything. I was voted down. I secretly note that we still barely use the inside fridge (in part because digging things out is an issue).

Oh well.

 

[jollystomper]

We have side-by-side, 26 or so cubit ft, black color, and we are happy with it. Folks who have seen it says it goes well with the kitchen decor, so that is a consideration. With our current family size (3) it works fine. Platters have not been an issue since it is deep and has adjustable shelves. Very quiet, and it qualified for the Energy Saver rebates our power company offered.

When we bought our house it had a Subzero which was around 12 years old, and frankly I wasn't impressed. The maintenance costs were no fun. We've got basic tastes when it comes to a fridge, I think the cleanliness of the appliance will make the bigger impression.

 

[WestLake]

I've been lusting after those French door bottom drawer models, but most of them are around 3 x the cost of the "regular" models. I'm not sure it's really worth that...

 

[DayDreaming]

For best resale value, I'd say just find a unit that looks really nice in your new kitchen, and don't go overboard on what you pay for it because it probably won't make much difference in the total sale price of the house.

 

[Midpack]

Interesting that the poll results are inversely correlated with prices...Madison Ave would be proud?

Thanks again for all your help, we order appliances this morning.

 

[Meadbh]

Interesting that the poll results are inversely correlated with prices...Madison Ave would be proud?

Thanks again for all your help, we order appliances this morning.

Yes, but we are spending OPM (other people's money)!

I think the poll probably reflects what we would want to see as buyers.

 

[Midpack]

Yes, but we are spending OPM (other people's money)!

I think the poll probably reflects what we would want to see as buyers.

And that's what I asked for, thanks again...

 

[W2R]

And that's what I asked for, thanks again...

Good! I voted for the French door model for resale, but for my own refrigerator I prefer my trusty freezer-on-top conventional model. It is just right for me.

 

[devans0]

We have the french door style, and will buy the same next time. With the drawers, the freezer is easier to organize, and is advertised as more efficient by Consumers mag.

Everyone always wants a stainless steel look. What a PITA to keep pristine! Good for selling, not for living, solely my opinion.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I've been lusting after those French door bottom drawer models, but most of them are around 3 x the cost of the "regular" models. I'm not sure it's really worth that...

We were able to save $1000+ by having the new refrigerator tucked into a deeper niche--not counter depth. So it was about the same price as a "regular" model. Ridiculous that the counter depth model is 20 percent smaller and 40 percent more expensive.

 

[calmloki]

We have two rental apartment units with horrible kitchen design - the oven door opens across the refrigerator door. This requires us to search out countertop depth refrigerators for those cheapy apartments - they are available for the thrifty landlord, but what a joke for the poor tenant who tries to put a frozen pizza in the freezer!

Igloo - 10.0 Cu. Ft. Top-Freezer Refrigerator - White - FR1082

Somehow, I suspect our apartment frig is a bit different than the counter depth ones mentioned in the rest of this thread...

 

[JakeBrake]

We have the french door style, and will buy the same next time. With the drawers, the freezer is easier to organize, and is advertised as more efficient by Consumers mag.

Everyone always wants a stainless steel look. What a PITA to keep pristine! Good for selling, not for living, solely my opinion.

+1

We also have a French door style (Maytag, black). The refrig is at a convenient height. We have an ice/water dispenser in the door that we use many times every day. We use the filtered water for drinking and cooking. Some days we don't open the freezer drawer, but when we do there is an internal drawer that is as convenient as the French doors with two freezer drawers at a much lower cost.

 

[haha]

We have two rental apartment units with horrible kitchen design - the oven door opens across the refrigerator door. This requires us to search out countertop depth refrigerators for those cheapy apartments - they are available for the thrifty landlord, but what a joke for the poor tenant who tries to put a frozen pizza in the freezer!

I think depending on neighborhood, not many urban apartment and small condo dwellers cook much. I am amazed at how little garbage comes away from my building. Many people have some sort of quickie breakfast and eat lunch and dinner out.

My 15 cu.ft. fridge is plenty big enough for me, and I do cook a lot. But I let Trader Joe and QFC and The Public Market store my inventory.

I kind of enjoy food shopping. This morning I went with a son to get supplies for a party he is giving. We went to Metropolitan Market in Lauralhurst, and I would really like to have one in my neighborhood. It is probably too upscale for the median incomes right here, but it is really a treat. There is one on Lower Queen Ann too. We stopped for a lunch of duck liver pate and Serrano ham with some espresso.

Ha

 

[Amethyst]

I too have been told I'm an "unusual" buyer, since I look at the "bones" of the house, and tend to ignore cosmetics, except that I do think a cheaply remodeled home indicates cheapskate owners, who never put a dime in the place until it came time to sell and they had to "do something."

I HATE trendy cosmetic stuff, since it ages off so quickly.

Would have no clue what to look for in the attic or the breaker box!

Amethyst

A
And you are not most buyers if you're able to look past cosmetics.
.....The realtor was really surprised and said I was unusual to think the way I did.