Today, we're diving into something truly exciting – the completely revamped Sub-Zero
built-in refrigerator lineup. It's been a long wait since their last major update,
but Sub-Zero has now upped the ante, facing growing competition head-on with a full refresh.
Whether you're here because your old built-in fridge just died and you're
reeling from the sticker shock of a replacement, or you're in the midst
of a kitchen renovation and weighing your options, you're in the right place.
In this video we're going to explore what sets Sub-Zero's new refrigerators apart,
dissecting features, designs, and of course, what this means for your wallet. If you're
wondering whether Sub-Zero has managed to keep its crown in the built-in refrigerator realm,
or if it's time to consider the alternatives,
stay tuned. We've got all the insights you need to make the best choice for your home.
Hi, I’m John from Designer Appliances, the leading appliance showroom in NJ and NY.
While we do sell appliances, our goal here is to make your purchasing journey easier and more
informed. We bring our hands-on expertise and honest insights to every review, and
you can expect that same level of dedication and transparency when you visit one of our showrooms.
Before we dive into the exciting new changes in the Sub-Zero lineup, let's first address a
fundamental question many of you might be asking: 'What exactly is a built-in refrigerator?'
We see this a lot. People invest in a completely custom kitchen. New cabinets, high end cooking
appliances, interesting ceiling details... but they skimp in one important place...
No custom kitchen is complete without a built-in refrigerator. They make a statement as opposed to
just being a place to store food. They compliment your design as opposed to being a sore thumb.
These appliances are literally built-in to your cabinets... they get anchored
into the top and sides, so there's no gap all the way around. Seamless.
They typically need to be planned for at the beginning stages of a kitchen remodel. The sizes
are wider and taller but the depth is shallower so they don't stick out into your kitchen. And
the configurations are endless allowing you to customize your refrigeration to your lifestyle.
Design wise you can show off your refrigeration by going with stainless steel, or make them totally
disappear by having your kitchen designer create panels made to match your surrounding cabinets.
So if you love to entertain and want to maximize how you store food and wine, or just want your
kitchen design to reflect your good taste and personal style, a built-in refrigerator is a must.
But not all built-ins are created equally and for
years Sub-Zero has worn the crown as the leader in luxury refrigeration
Sub-Zero is an American made company out of Wisconsin and has been around since 1945,
ever since it's founder Westye Bokke, then an employee at Frigidaire,
turned his custom work for famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright into a full time business.
Food preservation was a top priority for the brand,
and the name Sub-Zero comes from the fact in the 1945, Bokke fridge was
able to achieve an maintain a temperature below zero, a difficult feat in those days.
When I talk to people about Sub-Zero, there are three things that set the
brand apart. Food preservation is still a core focus. They also excel at design
flexibility. And their customer service and support is world class.
Let's first start by diving into Sub-Zero's approach to food preservation.
With my family I feel like we throw away just as much if not more produce
than we actually eat. Case in point my kids love strawberries,
but after less than a week they seem to get mushy or worse get moldy.
Your typical refrigerator has a single compressor that cools the air for both the freezer AND the
refrigerator. The air enters the freezer at freezing temps, and the refrigerator compartment
pulls over some of that ice cold air every so often as needed to maintain it's own temperature.
That's the reason you might sometimes notice your
lettuce or other items freezing in certain parts of the fridge.
But food hates temperature swings. And with this design those swings are unavoidable.
Sub-Zero was the first to introduce dual compressors – one dedicated to
the refrigerator and the other to the freezer. This design prevents the mixing of air between
the two compartments and allows you to keep temperature controlled to within 1 degree.
The result? Food the lasts longer, and tastes fresher too. It's a huge plus if you are big
on eating lots of fresh produce but also extends to all types of foods.
But another key factor in food freshness is humidity control. Sub-Zero's dual evaporation
system allows for a dryer environment in the freezer to avoid frost, and a moister
environment in the fridge so your fridge isn't pulling moisture from your fresh foods.
Another way Sub-Zero limits temperature swings is with their active vacuum seal door. If you've ever
tried to open one, it requires a bit more effort, but the payoff is substantial – it prevents
external air from entering. No other brand pays this much attention to control temperature.
And lastly, Sub-Zero fridges feature a NASA-inspired air purification system,
specifically targeting ethylene gas. t's a natural byproduct released by many fruits and vegetables,
like bananas and tomatoes, that accelerates ripening and can cause other produce to spoil
prematurely. Ever try to ripen fruit faster by putting it in a brown paper bag? This
process works by trapping ethylene gas. That comes in handy if you are purposefully trying
to ripen something, but you don’t want it affecting all of the produce in your fridge.
By actively removing this gas, as well as unwanted odors, your greens, fruits,
and all other perishables maintain their freshness and flavor for longer.
Quick tip - From the factory the purification system is turned off and many people don’t realize
this. Make sure to turn it on in the control panel to get the best results out of your Sub-Zero.
Food preservation is important... but not a top priority for everyone. At the
end of the day if you are investing in a Sub-Zero
you want something that either makes a statement or completely disappears.
Sub-Zero has 3 different design series.
The Classic series epitomizes the iconic Sub-Zero look, featuring a prominent
grill at the top. Available in side-by-side, French door, bottom freezer and column models,
these bring a refined, commercial aesthetic that fits beautifully into any kitchen. While
you can hide these models behind cabinetry panels, they don't completely disappear.
For those seeking a more integrated look, the Designer series is the perfect choice. These
column units are available in stainless steel or with custom panels and can seamlessly blend into
your kitchen cabinetry, virtually disappearing into the decor. Achieving a fully flush install
like this isn’t just about the appliance, it’s also about the installation. We’ve heard from
countless installers that Sub-Zero makes it the easiest to make small adjustments to the alignment
of the door panels for a perfect installed look. That just isn’t the case with other brands.
With the designer and classic series the possibilities are
endless. We really like the look of a wall of refrigeration with a fridge,
freezer and wine column all together. Another popular option we love is creating a symmetrical
design with columns flanking the left and the right sides of your cooking appliances.
And for a bold statement, the professional series is unmatched. It showcases see-through glass doors
and robust, professional-inspired designs that are sure to be the centerpiece of any kitchen.
So Sub-Zero's can preserve food and look good, but will they last?
Sub-Zero refrigerators are built to last over 20 years, far exceeding
the typical 7-10 year lifespan of standard refrigerators. This durability is a critical
factor in evaluating their cost-effectiveness. Besides their longevity, Sub-Zero's customer
service is renowned in the industry. They understand that excellence extends beyond
the product to every aspect of the customer experience, especially in handling any issues
that may arise. Their warranty is unmatched, offering a full 2-year warranty on the appliance,
a full 5 years on the sealed system which includes the compressors and evaporates we
talked about earlier, and then youre are covered for up to 12 years on parts for the sealed system.
Another important consideration is the compatibility of custom panels. With a
built-in fridge, if you opt to use custom cabinetry panels, you want the fridge to
last as long as your cabinets. Many other brands change specs every few years or worse discontinue
their models leaving you completely hanging. Sub-Zero sticks with the same specs year over
year and in the event they make changes, they provide retrofit kits to allow your old panels
to work on their new models. This commitment to longevity and adaptability offers peace of mind,
ensuring your kitchen's design remains cohesive over the years.
But over the years we haven't loved everything about Sub-Zero,
making us all the more excited for this year's update.
We started Designer Appliances over 15 years ago. That was actually the last
time Sub-Zero did any sort of overhaul to their lineup. We've essentially
been selling the same exact models from them ever since we've been in business.
And in the last 15 years new competitors have popped up all over the place.
What was once an easy decision, now not so much.
While Sub-Zero was and still is the most desired and recognized luxury appliance brand, if you were
to view it side by side with a competitor, you wouldn’t be wrong to think it looked a bit dated.
New competitors feature fully stainless steel or black interiors, fancy lighting
and updated shelving. To the untrained eye, Sub-Zero appeared to be lacking.
This years updates touched on all of these major points
To the disappointment of some,
Sub-Zero did not move to a fully stainless steel interior like many had requested.
I personally think this was a smart move. In my opinion, even with a good lighting system,
stainless interior refrigerators look a little too sterile and dark. Brands that moved to a
stainless interior claim the sheer presence of stainless helps maintain temperatures and keep
a sterile environment. But we already talked about everything Sub-Zero does
to insure food preservation and they were and still are the best in the game at that.
Sub-Zero did improve the overall interior design however. Each shelf now has a stainless
steel trim to give a more elevated look. Each shelf itself also has a special nano
coating to congeal spills before they have a chance to drip on food below.
The lighting system was a big upgrade. In addition
to a led light panel at the top of the fridge for generalized lighting,
now each shelf individually has a light strip making this the best lit refrigerator
Little details like these add up to making this feel
like a luxury appliance every time it's opened.
Another welcome addition is redesigned shelving to hold even more end to end than last year’s
models and the dairy bin now folds up to accommodate larger items underneath.
In models with a freeer drawer, the drawer bins now slides to accommodate larger items.
These smart interior updates help to refresh the interior look and feel of the fridge,
but Sub-Zero has also managed to improve their already best in class food preservation story
I already covered food preservation in detail.
But this year Sub-Zero managed to improve it even further.
Now, instead of just circulating the same air throughout the entire fridge compartment,
Sub-Zero’s latest models feature what they call a 'split climate system'. Inside,
there are two separate fans to circulate air,
One dedicated to the main shelving area and another specifically for the crisper drawers.
By using separate fans, this system can more effectively maintain uniform
temperature throughout the refrigerator reducing
the risk of hot or cold spots that can adversely affect food quality.
And as we discussed earlier, different foods require different humidity levels
for optimal preservation. With this system, it's possible to
maintain a higher humidity in the crisper drawers, ideal for fruits and vegetables,
while keeping the main area at a lower humidity, which is better for items like meats and dairy
So with all of these updates, does Sub-Zero deserve a spot at the top of your list,
or should you consider alternatives?
In my opinion Sub-Zero is still the brand to beat.
We talked about food preservation as a main differentiating factor and Sub-Zero
has managed to get even better. No one beats them in that department.
And the interior got much better… stainless accents, better lighting and enhanced storage.
But to me the build quality, longevity and customer support is the most important factor
when buying an appliance like this. No one is even close to them in that
department. If something does break years down the line the parts will be available
and their will be trained repair people to help with the fix. The same thing cannot be
said for brands that have only been doing built in refrigeration for a few years.
Not to mention installers are more comfortable installing Sub-Zero
than any other brand so there's a much better chance you get a perfect installed
look compared to someone who installing a different fridge brand for the first time.
As the best in the market, you might be wondering how much is this going to cost, especially if you
are in the position of needing to replace a broken built-in that came with your house.
Equipping your home with Sub-Zero is an investment. For a smaller model you
are looking at around $10,000 but our more popular sizes are typically in the $14,000
price range and above. If you decide to go the column route and completely
customize your kitchen's refrigeration the price can easily soar to $20,000 and more.
If you are doing a built-in, you can probably save about 20% or so by finding
a less expensive alternative. But I recommend against it for all the reasons we discussed.
Also, Sub-Zero has the largest impact on resale
value in terms of appliances and when it comes time to sell your house.
With Sub-Zero, it's all about food preservation, design,
and longevity. If you're interested in Sub-Zero for your home, what's next?
The specifications for these high-end fridges can be intricate,
and finding the right fit for your space may feel challenging. That’s
why we’re here! If you are in the NJ/NY area, visit one of our showrooms and our
team will be happy to help guide you to the perfect refrigerator for you and your home.
** If you're located outside of our area, don’t worry! As part of our
mission to make appliance shopping easy, we’ve created a cheat sheet for buying
a built-in refrigerator. This covers all aspects of buying a built-in refrigerator
so you don’t make any mistakes and can ask your sales rep the right questions so you
don’t have remorse. See the link in the description below to get our cheat sheet.
Thanks for watching! If you have any questions or thoughts about Sub-Zero's refrigeration,
we'd love to hear from you. What aspect of a Sub-Zero are you most attracted by?
Preservation? Design? Or Longevity? Let us know in the comments below.