Hi. My name is Steve. This is Fran.
We're going to rate
the best built in refrigerators.
Built refrigerators are compressor tops.
And there's few of them out there now.
What do you think of these? Yeah. So, you know,
it's funny because that's they've seemed to kinda not go
away, but there's a lot more going towards the integrated,
which we're gonna do in a different episode.
So like you said today,
we're gonna focus on top compressor built in refrigerators.
I like them. So it depends on, brand and model,
and we're gonna get into some of the differences.
I I like I like the top compressors in stainless steel
because they look like a restaurant refrigerate,
which kinda was kinda the look. I like to integrate.
It's better with panels, although you can do both
either. Or, anyway, let's get started,
which is one more point I'll say too.
With the for the height challenge folks too,
sometimes those top compressors kinda push everything down a little bit too,
whereas the integrators definitely get a little taller.
So it's definitely a little different, though.
Eighty four, but twelve, you know, what?
Twelve eighteen inches is is gonna be better. So it's good. Alright.
So let's jump right into it. So we're gonna start.
We're not gonna say necessarily specific models here,
but we're gonna go brand by brand.
So we're gonna start with Jenny as a brand.
So give me your thoughts there.
Well, Janiere and Kitchen ate the same fridge. Essentially,
you know, the the rebellious Janiere added a black interior. It's like,
Yeah. Okay. You're opening a door to see a black interior.
That makes it five hundred dollars more somehow.
I don't love them versus the other things.
It it depends on how they priced.
I think they would the price 10,000, 11,000 12,000 for a
48", which is typically what we're gonna be rating here.
In a one compressor, two evaporator,
you know, no real temperature controls, like,
say a monogram or some of the other ones.
I would say it's b minus Yeah. I agree there.
And I would definitely say, you know, the the black interior,
it's kinda one of those love it or hate it type things.
A lot of people, it's, you know,
it's a re can be a really dark interior.
We'll say the lighting's pretty good on the inside,
but the dark interior is definitely not for everyone.
Also installation just, you know,
when you are doing custom panels on those,
sometimes you need to account for additional air clearances
and things like that.
So definitely wanna you're looking at the aspects there real carefully.
So What do you think? We're gonna go with B. B? Yeah. Okay. Let's go B.
So next, we're gonna
go to the, the cousin sister, brother of, Jen Air here,
and we're gonna talk about the kitchenaid version. Well, it's a low.
It's the same same thing of what we just said only with a
white interior. Right?
Yeah. Exactly. So
depends on the price. Again, if it's if it's cheaper,
you go with the kitchen aid,
unless you wanna show your visitors the inside of a black fridge, perhaps.
But,
I'd say, b, b, minus.
No one's really buying it under the kitchenaid label that I can
get. We carried it. Better price point, you know,
if you are looking for integrated fully flush with the
cabinet kitchen, it doesn't really give you that option,
was a genie like that.
So it definitely would go be there too. Yeah.
Alright. Let's go with monogram.
I actually like this fridge.
The new one's gonna be lighted back to it. I like that the,
that each shelf has got the, the, the temperature,
the compressor, the vents on it. So it distributes air.
I love that,
crisper drawer, you know, where you can,
quickly thaw, quickly freeze something.
I think the price is decent for what it is.
I really like the fridge. Yep.
Dual compressor, the electronic deli drawer. And, again,
we'll note that this is really on their forty two and forty
eight inch side by sides,
whereas their new bottom mounts are kinda gone to the non tap compressor,
but for someone that really likes that side by side style,
I think it's a really good good value there,
and you can pair those together in promotions with a full
kitchen package. Yeah. They give me what?
Forty five hundred dollars to buy the hearth oven?
So it's it's decent. I think it's,
probably an a when you consider the price. Let's go with an a.
Next, we're gonna go
with Viking. What are your thoughts there?
So we we've talked viking a few times here on this show.
It's a great story.
This was originally in a manner.
A man who made this fridge and when it was a man who sold to
Goodman Holdings Corp, they
the the the viking bought the tooling and fridge,
but they never moved anything from Iowa until very recently.
I think this really hurt the company quite honestly.
Single compressor, yeah, single evaporator,
lots of repair way back one,
but we haven't carried Viking in seven or eight years.
And they've got the right guy in charge. And I think
Middleby, we invest in it. And I love the label.
I I would say this would be a
if it was if it was when we carried it, it'd be like,
not even on the board. It'd be like a d But,
I gotta believe it's a BRC. Yeah.
I'd probably go see real basic interior.
Like you said, single compressor, single evaporate.
It's almost like, you know, we say this in ranges sometimes.
It's more like a Pro style refrigerator where it's really
kind of that freestanding features at best.
I would definitely go see there.
Okay. Let's go see.
Let's talk
true. Definitely, a little bit different.
Let's talk about true as a brand.
Yeah. This is, this is really we're gonna get in a sub zero.
This is really the only brand that can challenge them for
what is the best made fridge, but, you know,
they the I love the colors.
If you, after this video, go on True's website.
Just make your own fridge with, you know,
thirteen colors and see hinges and get green with brass and
and and and all that. And it's all solid stainless steel. It
is really a heavy, heavy refrigerant. If you like that
look, this is as good as it gets.
The only one problem with it is your keyboard panel on it,
which is what fifty to sixty percent of what people do, even
though I still think the style calls for stainless.
You get it with a window inside.
This thing is really built well. I I really like this
Yeah. Really kinda, yeah, true commercial professional style.
Love the kind of the proud hinges that you get there. Tons of custom,
customizable, very customizable.
And just the with the difference in colors in the
interior and the size of the interior as well.
I think it's really a really nice refrigerator.
Enjoy three year parts and labor warranty as well.
They definitely stand behind it.
American company. Yeah. I think it's a a great refrigerator,
and they just started to come up.
They had this kind of in those larger side by sides.
Now you're starting to see them in that thirty six inch bottom freezer as well.
So I think they're really kinda doing a good job entering the
most popular segments of that market too.
I'm going I'm gonna go at least an a I'm gonna go a.
Yeah. I'm gonna go a too. K. It could be an s. Yeah.
If you like that close. Like that commercial look, there.
The fridge is about as good as it gets from a construction
standpoint. Yeah. There's no question. Alright.
Next,
we're gonna talk about sub zero, you know,
really kind of probably one of the most popular names in this
category. This is the names. Yeah. This category.
I think they saw most of it.
They've been around selling this type of stuff for forever.
And they have the most I mean,
there isn't a fridge possibility you can't get
French store side by side, bottom mount, you get it all in
any any particular size you want.
That's the air cleaner, You can get a pro.
It'll look like it true. You can panelize it,
get it in stainless, get a window.
The only thing is is is it's not really it's the least
available product we sell.
And that's probably because they they they have a lot of
proprietary stuff in there.
And when one of their suppliers that proprietary thing went out
probably during COVID, it it put them back a little bit.
And they're extraordinarily popular.
I think you take all these names that we just mentioned.
You you multiply by ten.
You still don't wanna have the sales with sub zero.
So it's still probably the best product.
I like the story. It's made in Wisconsin and Arizona,
family owned family owned company going up against much
bigger titian. So it's either an a n s for me. Yeah.
Absolutely. So, you know,
dual compressor really kind of one of the more reliable
products on the market,
the air scrubber that really does a nice job keeping the
food fresher for longer. There are tons of different styles.
Like you said, you know, one of their newer ones I really,
really like is that forty eight inch French door.
And really we're talking about their classic series there.
Definitely at least an a for me.
I think just with the new models as well, revamped
lighting, really, really phenomenal LED lighting in
there, re revamp shelving.
They've kinda gone away from going where everyone,
a lot of others are ten to go with the stainless steel interior,
they find kind of that classic look with the white with the
stainless accents and better lighting that's better. And,
you know, it's hard to argue.
Certainly, a really popular. It's probably DNA. Yeah.
And they get the new split climate. So the more air goes into the
the humidity draws.
It's either an s a or an s for me.
The only problem with it is availability. Yeah.
Still nine months to over a year to get one We'll go with
the night since, availability.
How's that? Okay. Fine. Alright. Let's
go blue star.
It's interesting. You know,
they make a they make a pretty good fridge.
You get a thousand different colors, ten different trims,
so you can make this thing really, really unique.
I I really like the company,
another family owned American Pennsylvania based company,
smaller.
They they their story is, we'll fit a sheet pan.
And that's always been a story in every one of their appliances.
I I I like them. I'm Yeah.
I I don't think you get the air scrubbing,
but you get a stainless interior,
so probably don't need it as much. But,
I I like the product. I like the company,
and I like their management team.
You know, they're they're very responsive. Good company. Yeah.
Definitely like a true where you can kinda fully customize
it any color from custom to really any color on the market
that you see or you kind of give them a color sample and
they'll match it to there too.
Different than maybe some of the other brands as far as
sizing those where they kinda only have it in a thirty and a
thirty six where some of the others are really in the larger
size. Forty eight. But really, phenomenal fridge,
true kind of that commercial style proud hinges kinda like
the true there where we're talking.
I would I'd probably go probably be just because it's a
little bit more limited in size and availability,
but I really like it for it.
Yeah. Absolutely.
Okay.
And final one in the list here,
we're gonna talk about LG Studio.
I don't like the fit and finish of this very much. However,
I do like the company. I think LG
They're the most reliable refrigerator we sell.
This one has a dispenser.
It's less expensive at nine thousand dollars.
Stainless inside of this, or Stainless accents,
mostly some stainless stand in the in the drawers,
but mostly white interior.
Houston inexpensive alternative compressor will work.
The ice dispenser will work.
It's it's just stainless though. Yeah. Exactly.
It's only available in the forty two inch. It's, you know,
it's a nice for someone that wants to get into that kind of
built in professional refrigerator.
It's a really,
attractive price point to kinda enter into that market. Mhmm.
A lot less than maybe some of the other competitors,
but certainly comparatively,
there's certainly better options out there. But again, for sure.
You're paying more for those too.
So I think it's a really good option in that price point.
It's helpful price you give it a b. Let's give it a b.
Everything's either b or a, no s's. No s's again. Wait.
I don't know. What's the last time you gave an s in general?
We're gonna we're gonna have to give an s at some point. Yes.
Alright. Well, that's it for, built in refrigerators.
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