Get Consumer Reports...they found all the built-ins had very high rates of repair compared to 'normal' fridges. Also much higher energy usage...

We had the same dilemma with the Columns. Loved them, but too mush $$$ in the end. I would have been happy with a CD, but my DH wanted a built in if he couldn't have the Therm. Columns. So, we are getting a Monogram Built-in. Good luck.

Take a look at the Liebherr refrigerators. It is less money than the Sub-zero and the Thermador Columns...better maintenance record as well. The refrigerator does a superior job in keeping my food fresh.

People on this forum might disagree, but I just didn't see the point in spending $$$ to keep the food cold. I went with a LG (looked hard at GE Profile and less hard at KA) for $1800 at Best Buy. I've been very happy with it so far although LG has a very bad reputation on this forum and I might not necessarily have picked it if I'd found this forum 1st.

We're happy with our KA built-in. I wrote about it on a recent thread re: built-ins.

garymunson:
need to avoid overgeneralizing. CR does not have ANY real info on reliability of most of the built-ins in question here.

To quote them: "We did not have enough historical data to include either Samsung side-by-sides or Sub-Zero built-in models in the chart. Nevertheless, we do have sufficient data to conclude that, while Samsung has been a reliable brand, Sub-Zero has been repair prone."

As has been discussed many times on GW, this fails to take into account model by model variability in reliability, as well as time frame (I think it's well accepted that SZ went through a period several years ago when reliability was a problem, but the anecdotal opinion on GW tends to suggest that this has been corrected). It also fails to take into account what has generally been reported as superb warranty and customer service response by SZ when problems did arise.

Furthermore, there are no data from CR to address reliability of many of the BI's: for example, Thermador/Bosch/Gagg, Liebherr, KA.

As for energy costs, they vary--but the CR top rated BI from Therm has an estimated energy cost per year of $61, which is very comparable to the vast majority of side by sides, for example.

I am with you bluekitobsessed: It is a big box that keeps things cold and frozen.(unless the power goes off!!)
I searched for almost a year to pick appliances for our new house. As far as the fridge goes, we recessed our wall and bought a regular depth. DH did not like the counter depth. I spent over $7,000. for our Wolf D/F range and I wasn't going to spend another $6,000 on a fridge. We got the Jenn-air FD with the pro handles.
I love it. Especially the drawer for the cold cuts and cheese. I keep a flat egg tray carton(the kind without the top) which holds over two dozen eggs on one side. And on the other side all my cold cuts and cheeses.
You do have to make sure to close the left side first or the alarm goes off, which I hate the sound of, but when I have guests and they close it wrong I will know when the temp drops. We had this built in to our cabinets and the only thing that shows is the door. And the hinges on the top are 1/4" from the bottom of the cabinet.

sanborn5, can you post photos of your frifge installation? I'd like to make our new CD FD look built in.... I can understand the top but can't figure out whether the doors still need to stand proud or whether there's any way to pull the side panel out fluch to the door front...
Thanks!

Dh didn't want a freezer on the bottom like most sub zeros have, too hard to get the older food out of the bottom. He also wanted ice & water on the door. We got the KA CD. Works fine.

We'll be getting the 700TC Sub-Zero, it's 27" wide and 80" tall and the depth is only 24", it's just the 2 of us. We'll be getting the custom panels made up for the fridge, with the panels on, with the white panels on it will look like a armoire.Does anyone have the 700TC Sub-Zero, the 27" wide one?

Here is a link that might be useful: 700TC Sub-Zero[intergrated custom panels]

Hey Mominthedubc - How do you like your GE Monogram built in fridge. That is what we are considering as well...please let me know.