Kenmore no longer has a great reputation, but we've liked ours for several years so far.
We also prefer a freezer door rather than a drawer.

We're getting a Kitchen Aid because it is SS with a bottom freezer, one fridge door, no water dispenser to screw up, and because our old KA has been great - just replacing it because of a remodel to SS from white. The old one will continue duty in the basement. The new SS KA is a little pricey, but if a a few hundred bucks doesn't throw you off, they come highly recommended.

Thanks for the responses.

Janralix, do you happen to know the KA model?

Thanks!

After extensive research and great experiences with KA fridges, I had planned the KA KBRS22KW (single door, bottom freezer, no water) for my new kitchen. Then, I made a measuring error during construction and didn't have space for a full depth fridge. I ended up with a KA built-in so I can't speak to how the KBRS22KW is IRL, but I had maybe my research can help.

Hi Breezy, thanks! Always happy to benefit from your extensive research :) :) I'll probably go with the KA!

I haven't bought it yet but like the Maytag 2258. KA, Whirlpool, Amana and Maytag should all have a similar one.

Madeline - we put in the Elux French door and it has been great. There were some older posts dissing the Elux but love ours. I would not get the ice through the door.

Usually, I over think everything - but in this case, we were buying a new W/D and went through the fridge section. I went back with my favorite serving dishes and went down the line - No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, Yes things fit with the Elux and then looked at the price and said NO - Appliance guy said - your lucky day, they have a big rebate from Elux and I upgraded to the next model!

We had a minor problem early on with a faulty valve - but all fixed for over 2 years and still smile every time I open the fridge!

We have the LED lighting and the temp control drawer. I have saved mega bucks on less wasted food.

When I left in a hurry when my dad passed away, I forgot to empty the milk and the lettuce. Came back 2 weeks later and both were still good!

My funniest story - I had some Calder dairy cream(in glass bottles) in my fridge and kept forgetting to empty it. I noticed it looked OK and nothing smelled bad. Finally, I decided I better get rid of this problem, expecting foul smelling cream - would you believe, it cultured into a beautiful high octane yogurt!

I was too chicken to actually try it - but I am sure it would have been delicious!

Thermador, and companion Bosch version, have nice bottom freezer, built in models. LED lights, good layout, dual compressors, heavy duty hinges. I ordered a 36" T'dor as part of a package.

Madeline - KA Model # KBRS22KWMS. That's the right-swing door. The left-swing door is KBLS22KWMS. MSRP is $1,999 but they can be found for as little as $1,550 or so.

Thank you all so much! This is really helpful.

A2gemini, I love the yogurt story, lol!

While this fridge was supposed to be for the house we're building with my parents for them to live in, I got the "brilliant" idea a couple of days ago to give them my JennAir bottom freezer single door, and replace it with the freestanding Viking bottom freezer single door that I've always liked. A way to get a "discount" of sorts ;).

I just found out it's discontinued, though, and the local distributor has just 3 left.

Any opinions on Viking fridges, or on buying a discontinued model?

Thanks again for all these responses!

Madeline - bummer!
Have fun anyway

BTW - has anyone else managed to make yogurt form cream in their fridge
I suspect that I have a lot of active cultures running around as I alway have yogurt in fridge and have made a lot over the years but never accidentally in the fridge

we ordered a KA bottom freezer french door KBFS25EWMS I am hoping it will be awesome!! It came highly recommended

Yes. I have one. Single compressor. Noisy. I'd look at Liebherr.

Hi. My experience isn't going to be quite the same as your parent's needs, but I just wrote quite a bit about my Samsung FD here. I love it FWIW. Your parents may need a little less work-horsey type.

Madeline--sorry to say I have never seen positive reviews of Viking fridges here, but I've only been here two years. Members looking for fridges are generally steered away from Viking. :(

Maybe it was Rococo's poor reviews I remember reading....

There's nothing wrong with my refrigerator nor has it ever broken. It did have a door recall and it took a huge amount of effort to find someone to address that. It went on for months. The company finally stepped in and very generously made that repair happen -- years out of waranty and took care of the other issues with my other appliances.

I wish I did like the fridge more than I do. But it's 8 y.o. and has given respectable service. My comment was based on comparison to a Liebherr we had in another house for 2 years. I prefer the Liebherr for the reasons stated above.

Thanks, Breezy & Rococo.

That gives me something to think about. Just learned the appliance store I like dealing with stopped carrying Viking b/c of issues, particularly fridges, but there may be more to the story.

Will post a separate question hoping to get some additional personal experiences.