When choosing a refrigerator we had two basic requirements: we were limited to 36” due to layout and it had to be integrated. Oh! and we didn’t want door ice or water dispensers.
// Integrated appliances are “panel ready” and designed to sit in the same plane as the rest of your cabinets. You receive an unfinished refrigerator door and mounting hardware – allowing you to mount a panel that blends in with the rest of your cabinetry. The greatest sacrifice you make is slightly less space inside the appliance – the appliance needs to be smaller than counter-depth models and standard depth alternatives. Going this route was no more than a design choice. For us, there has been plenty of food storage space, but for a household with a larger family (or maybe people who cook more often than us), a counter-depth fridge might be the way to go.
Because we were only looking at built-in models, our options were narrowed down quickly. They tend to be made by higher end brands, with a steeper price range, and fewer features. More than once did I (David) ask – are you SURE we can’t just go counter depth?! – followed by Stephen denying my request in the name of design. In the end, he was correct in his decision for this project… again.
// Fisher & PaykelIt didn’t take us long to arrive to the conclusion that Fisher & Paykel was the brand for us. The Fisher Paykel refrigerators are not only gorgeous, but superior in quality and, in the world of integrated appliances (and our opinion), the best.
When our new refrigerator was delivered, we couldn’t get it out of the box fast enough. In fact, for the first couple of months, it sat operating while still bolted down to its shipping pallet. Even so, we had never felt fancier or more excited to use a new appliance. The experience stood apart – it is beautiful, bright, quiet, and features a high quality interior. We set up our food like we were about to film an episode of MTV Cribs and sent photos to our moms.
We have always preferred the french-door models with the bottom freezer drawer and our new ice maker has more than kept pace with our cold brew and smoothie habits. The pull-out basket is really easy access and we never seem to run out – no matter how much coffee we’re consuming that week!
