I don't have one, but I had thought about this when considering one. If you can afford it, and if you have a 36" or larger frig anyway, I don't think the slightly reduced space really would matter. No one in my family except me ever looks behind the first 15 inches of the frig anyway. Does your husband routinely get things out of the back of the frig? I didn't think so. A shallower frig would make the items more accessible, IMO.

I'm getting a std depth fridge, since they are much cheaper and hold more, and can accommodate a 16" cake (wife decorates cakes). On the wall with the fridge, I will have 30" wide counter tops. I don't have to decide for a few months, but Samsung and LG seem to be the main contenders.

Counterdepth fridges have significantly less capacity than standard depth. However, it's much easier to find and retrieve things in a counterdepth fridge (versus digging through to the back in a regular depth fridge).

You didn't say what width you have available for your fridge. Can you go wider than 36" width? Can you do 42" or 48"?

You mentioned GE and LG, but you didn't say whether you are looking at french door, side by side, or bottom door configuration. In the 36" size, the GE Cafe counterdepth french door fridge has about 20 cu. ft., which is really small. The side-by-sides have more, about 24-25 cu. ft., but they are narrow, so you won't be able to store pizzas or platters in them.

You can also buy a regular depth fridge and see if you have room behind the wall to carve out and set it into. Several on this forum have done that. I unfortunately did not have room behind my fridge wall.

You can also buy a counterdepth fridge and supplement the capacity with another (cheap) fridge in the basement or garage, or with fridge drawers, or with a beverage fridge.

People on this forum have said that Samsung fridges have the largest capacities of the 36" wide counterdepth fridges. I haven't seen them, I am just relaying what I've read here.

We have this KitchenAid counter depth fridge. It 22 cu. ft. 72" tall and 36" wide.
We love it. Water and ice inside. Lots of room. It was a bit pricey though. It was a must because we wanted to build the pantry in around the fridge.... (the photo is a kitchenaid stock pic)

WHatever you do, don't get the GE Profile side by side. I've come across many forums with a multitude of problems with side by side fridges in general, and I can personally attest to it.

French doors should be fine, but I'd never get a side by side again.

We had service work done on ours before and after the warranty period. The freezer still doesn't work properly.

We purchased a deep freezer b/c in the summer months our side by side averages a temp of 22 degrees in the freezer, but most families would need the additional freezer space regardless of the fridge they get.

French door style with bottom freezer is a lot roomier. Next time I'd pay top dollar and go with a viking.

But, I'd definitely go with a cabinet depth.

The only reason SxS have higher repair rates than other types of fridges is because they typically come with ice dispensers.

That is the source of the problem. Eliminate the dispensers reduce the rate of repair to other type of fridges that do not have ice dispensers. Eliminate the ice-maker and most of the problems are gone. Same repair rate as bottom-freezers or top-freezers.

French door fridges with ice dispenser is much worse.

You are putting the ice-maker in the refrigerator. From an engineering POV that is a mistake. Buyers demand them so most mainstream appliance companies make them, but luxury appliance makers do not.

And Viking refrigerators are about as bad as they come in the luxury class.

Kimcoco - I was with ya until you said you'd "pay top dollar and go with a Viking". As Deeageaux already said, Viking fridges are as bad as they come, and not only in the luxury class. Any Whirlpool will perform better and be more reliable than a Viking fridge, though of course you won't have the bling-y Viking badge. If you want to spend a little more than a Whirlpool and get better shelves and somewhat better fit and finish, then a Kitchenaid fridge will perform well (I've had my KA for 6 years and it has been flawless). If you are willing to spend big bucks on a fridge, go with Thermador, Subzero, Liebherr or Miele.

I specified luxury class because there are some generic Chinese $300-$500 fridges at Home Depot/Sears that might be worse than Viking:)

As you know if you make a blanket statement on GW that is not 100% true someone will point out that 1% where you are wrong.

I considered a layout for my new kitchen in which a 36" counter depth was my only good option. I cook a lot and store lots of fresh veggies, fruits, leftovers, etc. There wouldn't have been enough storage for my family of 4 if we didn't have an additional fridge in the garage also. I like the concept of stuff not getting lost in the back though.

Fortunately, we re-worked our kitchen to fit a standard depth fridge. Even then, I know the garage fridge will still be used.

thanks! All is very helpful! We measured again last night and I think the counter depth is probably just as deep as our old (think 1980s) Kitchen Aid. So I think we are leaning towards the counter depth. We do have an extra fridge in the basement already, so that is good. Now onto which one to get!!

Here's one more vote for counter depth. We're replacing a counter depth 48" wide subzero which was very, very old and I'm using temporarily a standard depth fridge and I hate it every time I open the door. Stuff gets lost in the back and it's driving me crazy. I'm replacing it with two smaller (24") subzeros. There's actually more cubic feet of space in the two smaller ones than in the larger one. And with the way we live and the layout of the new kitchen two really makes sense. I'll post pics once the kitchen is done.

I had the same early 80's KA fridge too. New ones make ours look tiny, don't they?

Having an overflow fridge like you do will help when your new CD fridge occasionally gets full.

After studying fridges for a while last year for various possible kitchen layouts, I chose a KA single door with bottom freezer drawer. If we went with the layout that called for the CD, I would have bought the KA that TC44 posted.

Do you want French door or single door with freezer bottom? Ice internally or on the door where it can cause lots of problems? 36"?

Here's one more vote for counter depth. We're replacing a counter depth 48" wide subzero which was very, very old and I'm using temporarily a standard depth fridge and I hate it every time I open the door. Stuff gets lost in the back and it's driving me crazy. I'm replacing it with two smaller (24") subzeros. There's actually more cubic feet of space in the two smaller ones than in the larger one. And with the way we live and the layout of the new kitchen two really makes sense. I'll post pics once the kitchen is done.

BTW - For what its worth, as far as I know Viking fridges (at least the free-standing ones) are all re-skinned KitchenAid. Just a lot more expensive.

If you are considering a side-by-side, I love my Bosch counter-depth side-by-side. It's dual evaporator, has a really nice large veggie crisper, and it can flash freeze at 20 below zero. I have the B22CS80SNS with the LED light panel on the rear fridge wall. The B22CS50SNS is also a nice choice. The B22CS30SNS is less expensive but you loose important door bins on the fridge door.

TorontoTim - to be clear, the Kitchenaid fridge is made by Whirlpool as a higher end fridge for Whirlpool. The Viking counterdepth fridges are made by Whirlpool also, but at their Amana factory. They are not re-skinned Kitchenaids. You can compare the repair and reliability rates of the Viking counterdepth fridges, and the repair and reliability rates of the Kitchenaid counterdepth fridges. The Viking rates are abysmal, the Kitchenaids' are quite good if you do not have a water/ice dispenser on the door.

To the OP - it is frustrating that on this thread and your other thread about your GE decision, that you have not replied to the requests to specify the size of the fridge, or whether you are talking about sidebyside or french door. It would be helpful to know these essential facts in order to advise you.

sorry! I am looking at the French Door fridges! After I spoke with my designer, turns out I only have room for a counter depth fridge.
I really appreciate all the feedback!

I just bought and installed the KitchenAid counter depth french door fridge. Not the supersized one. I chose it for a couple of reasons bur primarily because it was one of the few I could get without a water dispenser in the front door (though there is a discreet one inside the fridge). I hated the fact that the counter depth added about a $1000 to the price tag and worried that I would not feel the aesthetic advantage justified that price difference once I got it since I was trying to be very frugal in my purchases. I was so wrong. I am crazy about this fridge. The bottom freezer holds everything my old full depth freezer did except I can see it all so easy in the lighted space with 3 slide out layers. I can see everything I have when I open the french doors. Nothing hard to get at. Nothing out of sight. The door shelves hold tons of stuff too. I like that the sides are gray....not black...so if some of the side had to show it would blend fairly well with the stainless. Mine will not show as there will be a full panel of cabinet wood covering both sides (cabinets arrive in 2 wks). I'm having an open shelf/cubby above it to hold cookbooks. Buy this unit with confidence.

Colorlady - did you get the 21.8 cu ft size kitchenaid? I was looking at that at Sears today ($3100) and wondered if it would be enough space in the freezer.

Sorry... forgot to paste a link to the KA I saw at sears.

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchenaid at sears

I am interested in purchasing that same Kitchenaid fridge pictured above, but I have not been able to see it in person. Can someone tell me how it does as far as repelling fingerprints? Dents? How hard is the exterior to maintain? I have had my current KA fridge for 20 years and still love it. We are remodeling and upgrading to stainless and I'm a little nervous about the upkeep.
Thanks for your help!