[Request] Are Zline Refrigerators BIFL? (ish)

Submitted by SillyCubensis t3_12756g7 in BuyItForLife

Looking for a new fridge and Zline seems to get some decent reviews, but they're not a brand I'm familiar with. Obviously SubZero is a choice, but I really feel like they aren't the quality that they used to be.

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Built in, counter depth, bottom freezer, single door are the requirements.

Other options are welcome. I can go up to about 36", but a 30" or so is preferable.

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Finn1sher t1_jed5jpw wrote

Just a note, the old school top freezer single swing door is the most efficient configuration for a fridge.

There's a technology connections video on this. If you're extra enthusiastic about freezing food and have the space, (it's a great way to keep things from going to waste, and save money by buying things in bulk) you can get a chest freezer, they cost pennies to run.

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SillyCubensis OP t1_jedj86y wrote

> Built in, counter depth, bottom freezer, single door are the requirements.

But thanks.

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Finn1sher t1_jeffs4z wrote

Sorry, I missed the counter depth requirement! Just trying to counter the trend modern refrigerators are going towards which isn't good for your wallet or the environment or BIFL.

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plasmaticD t1_jefozkk wrote

For an under counter even approaching BIFL, you might consider commercial quality brands like True. You'll need to get them probably through restaurant suppliers.

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Muncie4 t1_jee6cgv wrote

You are conclusion shopping when you should be asking for specific help for your situation. You are also discounting SubZero based on feelings which is not logical. And replacing a known brand with an unknown brand is not more logical.

Zline has a 1 year warranty and made in China. SubZero has a 2 year warranty and made in 'Merica.

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2012/08/are-sub-zero-refrigerators-worth-the-price/index.htm has some brand inspiration based on reliability.

The end game is you have a harder row to hoe than a normal user as you have the same perils plus more:

  1. People only go online to complain, so most online reviews you see are negative or silly first world problems.
  2. Higher end appliances have a smaller pool for reviews than say appliances you can get at Home Depot.

I'd put more stock into price/warranty/features than online reviews for this category with a lean towards Consumer Reports reviews as they are the biggest aggregated source of reliability.

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SillyCubensis OP t1_jefip78 wrote

> You are also discounting SubZero based on feelings which is not logical.

No, I'm discounting SubZero because I have one, and it isn't great at keeping food cold without freezing it, and my bro has 2 which are constantly being fixed.

Your link goes straight to a paywall.

But thanks.

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Muncie4 t1_jefkyos wrote

Copy/Paste of link because great human:

If you're planning a high-end kitchen renovation, chances are you're working with a designer, and if you're working with a designer, she's probably mentioned Sub-Zero as a possible refrigerator to consider. Among pricey, built-in models, Sub-Zero is perhaps the most recognized brand. But is it worth the $7,500 or more you'll have to pay?

Speaking strictly in terms of performance, the answer is no. Just within the built-in category, Thermador and Jenn-Air are two competitors that cost slightly less than Sub-Zero and earned higher overall scores in Consumer Reports' latest refrigerator Ratings, largely on the strength of their quieter operation. The Sub-Zero B1-36U, $7,700, is particularly noisy, which could be an issue if you're sound-sensitive.

Looking across all types of refrigerators, the highest overall scores belong to several French-door bottom-freezers that cost between $1,500 and $2,700. That top performance has helped make French-door fridges the fastest-growing configuration. But then, part of the reason people spend $7,500 on anything, including a refrigerator, is so that they can own something that everyone else doesn't have.

That gets to the less quantifiable value of a Sub-Zero, or any built-in refrigerator for that matter. Take style, for example: there's simply no mistaking the imposing 80-inch-high frame of a built-in—a foot or more taller than other configurations. Then there's the fact that integrated panels, often desired in high-end kitchens because they make the appliances disappear into the cabinets, are easier to do with built-in models because they often don't have through-the-door ice and water dispensers.

Last but not least, there's brand recognition. Like we said at the top, Sub-Zero is one of, if not the biggest name in high-end refrigerators. So anyone who visits your kitchen is going to know you spent top dollar on the appliance. That includes would-be buyers down the line. Indeed, real estate professionals have told us time and again that most luxury-home buyers expect to see professional appliances in the kitchen.

So are Sub-Zero refrigerators worth the price? There's no easy answer. But if you're going to spend that much on a refrigerator, make sure you're doing it for the right reasons.

—Daniel DiClerico

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