apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

This is my first time posting, but I love this site!! There is a super-small, bottom-freezer STAINLESS STEEL fridge on compact-appliance.com, and last time I checked it was less than $800! I don't know about it's efficiency, but the price may be worth looking into...

I am not on the market for a fridge, since I rent, but on the appliance topic, a couple years ago I did buy a all-in-one washer-dryer (condensing type dryer)- I did a lot of research online, made a bunch of calls and then hit the strip of appliance stores on Canal street and haggled- buying online can be great, but I walked into these stores and was able to negotiate total cost- tax, delivery (up 3 flights of stairs)etc.
It was one day of legwork, that was completely worth while, because there weren't any hidden costs. If you are looking to buy a major appliance and having it delivered in NYC I would highly reccommend a little legwork down on Canal if you are on a tight budget.

Super large fridges? As if I have enough food to fill up the normal-sized one I currently have...

Carolyn -- What do you think of your all-in-one laundry thingy. It looks so nice to have, but a friend of mine recently tossed the one that came with his place because it couldn't dry very well...

I have what I think is the same refrigerator marketed under the name "Amica" (exact same appearance and specs) that I bought at Bloom and Krup two years ago. At the time, I too flinched at the price but had no choice since the design of our new, small kitchen depended on having something that narrow (and attractive.) Now that its become part of our apartment/ life, I can happily say that I would have saved/ coughed up 2x that if I had had to. Its a daily pleasure to look at and use-- the inside is beautifully designed as well. And so inexpensive to run! It is not frost-free (this is part of its efficiency), but defrosting 2x a year or so is also a small price to pay. Oh dear-- I've apparently become one of those people who gush about their appliances on the internet...

My friend just put this in her very ting kitchen, and loves it. It looks just like this one (same appearance and specs), but carries the label LG...

I love my little washer-dryer. My building lacks a laundry room, the nearest laundromat is 5 Ave. blocks, the fluff & fold rates in my 'hood are v. expensive and I have a dog who sleeps in my bed, so keeping the sheets clean w/o my own w/d would be very expensive or time-consuming. The woman who lived in my apartment before me had one & she took it with her. She had the super hook it up under the kitchen counter. It does take a little longer for things to dry- but if lighten the load from wash to dry cycle it helps a lot- I take out my socks, undies, certain tops and just leave heavier items in it helps.
It isn't a high-capacity machine, but it's great for me, and I know a couple who has one and they use it almost exclusively for their baby's clothes.

Amica, and LG are other brands of refrigerator that manufacture a similar concept of fridge on top, freezer on the bottom. They are not the same, however. The conserv is more energy efficient and is manufactured in Denmark while the Amica is mfg in Poland, and the LG is mfg somewhere else that I can't recall at this moment. The LG is the least expensive option while the Amica and Conserv are a few hundred dollars more.

http://www.summitappliance.com/

Two small frigdes next to each other (door swapped) then slap an ikea cutting board on top and you have a fridge and counter space.

there are better options than this. check recent issues of Home Power Magazine for fridge efficiency (somewhere in issues 100-105). the most efficient fridge available is made by "Sun Frost" and they also cost a lot.
www.sunfrost.com/
the magazine also lists others, including one name brand that costs under $300 and is extremely efficient.

also, they did some research on efficent washers-
Home Power, Issue 103
P.82 efficient washers
Linda Pinkham & Joe Schwartz
Two new clothes washers and an old clunker are tested and compared.

Home Power is at-
www.homepower.com

August 2005:
I'm not so sure the ConServ is being replaced by the Summit CP171 . . . the Summit looks the same, but is a dual compressor system that doesn't qualify for EnergyStar and so must not be the model of greendom that the Conserv is supposed to be.

I emailed one distributor (Comfort House.) They said it's on backorder until September, and that the maker says it is not discontinued.

Guess I'll find out in September...I need a slim fridge that's not a cheap piece of crap, and not a million dollar custom Subzero!

Actually, I've been doing a lot of research and it seems like the Summit one is indeed the same fridge. I emailed Summit and they confirmed that it's manufactured by Vestfrost, the same company that makes the Equator branded ConServ.

According to Equator's site and other sites, the ConServ also has dual compressors. The only reason why it's not qualified for residential use is that it doesn't have Auto-Defrost on the freezer (which doesn't make sense because that actually uses more energy to have that feature.)

Here's a site with lots of good info:
http://www.thenaturalhome.com/equator375.htm

I absolutely hate my frig and spend a lot of time roaming large appliance depts. just dreaming of a new one. I hate that I have to bend down to see what's in my frig while the freezer is right at eye level and I have nothing in it but vodka, coffee and ice cubes. I want a sleek frig w/a bottom freezer. One day, after I get all the other things I really need to replace, I'll fulfill my longtime dream with the ConServ

Carolyn, what brand did you get for the combo washer drier? Also, is it ventless, and if so, does that compromise the de-linting?
I have been looking in the market and have heard there are brands to stay clear of for this item (Haier and Equator) and the best brand seems to be LG.
Thanks for your input...

Does anyone know of a compact fridge that offer a lot of freezer space? Like a lot of us my freezer is packed and my fridge stands empty.

Ok, I'm down to 2 fridges - Liebherr's CBN3856 or the Summit CP171W - does anyone know how these brands stack up reliability-wise?

My 3-year old Amica slim line refrigerator no longer cools the refrigerator part. The freezer works fine after I replaced one of the dual compressors. Does anyone know where I can get parts and/or service for an Amica?

I too have done research on whether the summit and equator are the same, since the summit is available now at under $1000 and the equator is not (and according to equator, whom I spoke with, they are awaiting a shipment from Denmark which will arrive late May at the earliest). I actually emailed the head of North American sales at Vestfrost in Denmark and he confirmed they are the identical units.

I bought this fridge three years ago. I have a tiny kitchen with only one spot that the fridge can go in, and a doorway on one wall that limited the depth of the fridge. All standard fridges were too deep. This was the only one I found that fit.

I worried a lot about whether or not it would be big enought, so took a bunch of tupperware, milk carton, and a casserole dish down to the store to see how it would all fit.

There is ample space, though I suspect not if you have a family (more than 2 people) and you actually cook. This is where small freezer drawers would come in handy if you needed extra space and had the room to spare.

Everything in the fridge is adjustable, but I do wish the space was a little better designed. There are produce drawers, but no small "deli" drawers, just the bins that fit in the door shelf. this can be awkward if what you want is at the bottom of the bin. If you leave the frezer ajar you will have to manually defrost, but I've done this fairly quickly in about 25 minutes and learned how to do it without getting water everywhere. There is a removable wine rack insert for the fridge that is a great space saver.

Hi Everybody -

We sell the ConServs at low prices. As a small family company, we can afford to keep prices minimal. As of 6/25/06 we price the refrigerators as follows:

$950 - White ConServ
$1150 - Stainless Steel ConServ

Please contact us sometime if we can help! (http://www.goodcommonsense.net/) We love delivering great service,

Sincerely,

Chris Searles, Owner
Good Common Sense.net
web: www,goodcommonsense.net
email: chris@goodcommonsense.net/
ph: 347-623-8131

Amica - did anyone have any ideas to Diana Fontaine's post about servicing the Amica fridge? We bought a loft where this fridge was already installed and, while compact, we're having trouble with the seal on the bottom freezer door, which is causing the entire top part of the freezer to freeze shut. We can't find anywhere for parts or service - any ideas?

We're also having the same problem with the freezer lining, which through some sort of suction problem makes it hard to open the refrigerator. And some water build-up in the refrigerator. Ours is an AMICA, but only 68-1/2 inches tall not 72.9 inches.

Anyone know where we can get the refrigerator manual?

I was lucky enough to buy this fridge used from a couple who were buying an apartment and replacing the appliances. I love it! The former owner doesn't seem to have ever cooked and the fridge was in like-new condition. (I gave the only contents, a six-pack of beer, to the moving crew.)

I agree with the comments above -- it's only big enough for one or two, but just the right size for a New York kitchen. Both fridge and freezer do a great job. It's beautiful to look at, and having the fridge part at eye level is a big plus.

Like Carolyn, I rent ... but it was still worth it to me to replace the useless, 1980's-vintage standard-issue fridge my apartment came with. And I've probably made back the purchase price in electricity in the three years I've owned it.

Dear Bill: COuld you please tell us exactly what brand of fridge you are talking about. The thread above refers to several, and while your insights were interesting about the moving men drinking beer, the actual name of the product must have slipped your mind.

Sign me off, as,
Breathless

We bought the pictured Equator model for our kitchen here in Baltimore. The wall on which the appliances had to go had to leave room for egress to the basement and this was the perfect solution. As for defrosting I'm about to do it for the first (needed) time in over a year (and Baltimore is notoriously humid in summer so build up could have been worse). As for cost Equator had an outlet via ebay for scratch and dents and we got it for under 600.00 (small scratch on side, hidden from view). Buy it.

I have had the conserv refrigerator for 3 years and whilst it has not broken down - it makes the most annoying knocking sound - much the same as a noisy ice maker - except it doesn't have one. the maintenance person that supposedly came to 'fix' it said that it has less insulation to cut down on space and it was unavoidable.personally for something that costs this much - i would expect more.

I have had the Summit cp171 for 2.5 years. I noticed for the past year that it gets extremely iced over in the freezer and I need to defrost it frequently. I JUST noticed tonight when I opened the refrigerator door and looked down, that the freezer seal isn't suctioned all the way shut, there's a 1/4 inch gap in the middle of the door! No wonder it was icing up so quickly. I cleaned the seal and maneuvered it a bit, but until I lean up against the door, I can't get the seal shut. HELP! Can I get a seal replaced for the door? What would have caused this? Anyone else have this problem? I'm in NYC by the way.

Having just spent the past two months scouring the city for apartment-size appliances, I've finally settled on a titanium-colored 10 cu. ft. LG with a bottom freezer. It's 23.5 inches wide and 67 5/8" in height -- just a wisp of a fridge but perfect for my wisp of a kitchen. Total cost: $779. The advantage is the brand. If it breaks, someone will have a clue about how to fix it.

The thing that stinks about apartment-size appliances is (a) the skimpy selection and (b) the extra cost, because apparently Americans don't like small things and manufacturers charge more for special cuts. And forget about buying the European stuff. Smeg doesn't sell in the U.S. and the other brands are impossible (or ridiculously expensive) to service should they breakdown.

Anyone care to disagree? I haven't purchased anything just yet and I'm open to suggestions.

I have a Summit CP-171 unit and every hour or less it makes a loud knocking noise. I have been told that this is "normal" for the unit and it is just refrigerant (whatever that means). The noise is not from the compressors, they are surprisingly quiet.
I just want to confirm with other owners of this refrigerator that they are/aren't having this problem. Summit Appliance has been a nightmare to deal with.

I've had the conserv refrigerator for about seven years and have never had a mechanical problem. The only issue has been that the plastic bins crack very easily and it's been hard to get the right replacement. Phone agents just don't understand what I need. Other than that, terrific. Am thinking about getting another one.

The parts list and service manual for the ConServ are available online at http://www.appliancedesk.com/appliancedesk/html/service.asp
I own the Summit CP171 but just by looking at the photos, I can tell it is identical to the ConServ. Ours is brandless, on the machine and on the service manual, but the vendor sold it as a Summit.

As to use, we are a family of 3, had this a year, cook a lot, and we've done fine. The fridge does not hold a 2 liter bottle upright, we find, but we figure that's a good reason to kick any soda habits. I'm worried about service and repair, but I'm not convinced the same model under any other name will suddenly have better access to parts. If it is the same model, I can then order parts through LG, ConServ, or anyone else who vends them. In the end, I think it's all the same machine, same manufacturer, with many retailers.

I need to choose between the Summit (and its alteregos) and the LG, which as far as I can tell are the only refrigerators out there that are about 24 x 24 and over 10 cubic feet. Are there any others I should look into? Has anyone had any particular problems with the LG? I would choose the Summit because of the extra space, but it seems like it might end up being more trouble than its worth with the maintenance problems. Suggestions appreciated!

And on a side note, how have you handled the issue of stainless steel appliances that don't quite match, are made by different companies? Is this a major design faux pas?

I too have the Summit model that looks identical to the Conserv. Although I love it, the manual defrost is a bit of a pain. I've only had to do it once in the last three years, but it is icing up again. It too makes noises on a fairly regular basis.

I bought the LG bottom-mount when I moved into my apartment almost 2 years ago. It is not energy-efficient but it was hundreds of dollars less expensive than other counter-depth options. I still feel guilty but I love it and have had not trouble with it at all. I had been yearning for a bottom-mount for ages -- this has 3 slide-out drawers, and it's very attractive and well-designed. All its inside bits snap out and are easy to clean. It is a good size for one person -- I'm not sure how well it would work for 2 or more people. It's much smaller inside than most American fridges. It forces me to review the contents of the fridge regularly, which is a good thing! However, if you regularly have dinners for 10 or cocktails for 50 this is probably not the fridge for you.

Wow. People are really into their fridges. However, I cannot believe you can run one of these on $2.50 a month. Make me a believer. Also, it isn't frost free? Yikes.

I know these are old-ish posts, but I am in week 2 with my vestfrost and love it. Its quiet, and lovely and keeps wonderful temps, and I ordered it online with Home Depot and they did a fine job in arranging the delivery. I do notice that Equator in Houston, who was the distributor, is blacked out on the manual and they list another company for repairs (if needed) so it does seem Equator may have lost the distribution. It does indeed have 2 compressors but they seem to run so infrequently that I'll be interested to see what the electric usage is. I just ordered a watt meter, so I will report back.

I too have considered this fridge--but in the 24" wide category I think I am going with the LG--it is titanium instead of stainless though. But for $800 the price is better and I don't think I can deal with manual defrost. I love the drawers in the freezer and the little tray for ice.
The LG has a great vacation option for saving electricity also.
I have found aj-madison.com online a great source-- I like that you can search by appliances sizes--very important in NYC.

I've had my ConServ about a year now and LOVE it. It's only now time to defrost - not bad to go a whole year without that. I bought mine for about $800 from Salestore dot com, but it was a scratch and dent model - it's dinged on the side where a cabinet hides it anyway.

Whoops that should be Salestores dot com. That extra "s" makes a difference!

does anybody know if there are stores that stock these (in the dc area, preferrably)? i would love a super-skinny fridge like this, but am a little wary of making such a large purchase online. i'm weirdly old-fashioned, and i like to see things in person!

I've got the Liebherr CBN3856. Love it. We plugged it in two years ago and haven't had to deal with a single issue. Works like I just plugged it in. It is frost free and has an ice-cube maker. It's counter depth, which is nice too. And it looks damn nice too. The only downside is that it's more expensive, but IMO worth it.

I haven't read thru all 40 posts but this is my dream frig. But I just looked at how high 79.5" is and I can't reach that high. Are there shelves up that high? I wouldn't be able to reach them. But I LOVE this refrigerator - THE FREEZER IS ON THE BOTTOM!! LOVE THAT!

OK look- I decided to go with a small fridge in my new place and y'all come out with this. Of course at that price, I won't feel bad for passing on it. Not that I could get it easily up here in the middle of nowhere.

Anne- On top there is a removeable bottle rack, so I keep wine, seltzer, etc. up there. Stuff that I don't necessarily use every day but easy to grab by the neck.

My only dislike is the bottom drawer of the freezer. It's small and doesn't pull out enough to really reach into. So I end up removing the whole drawer when I want somethng out of it. As a result I only put less-used items in there (hot dogs) or items I need a small deterrent from eating (ice cream!)

this fridge is on costco.com for $1100 sold under the vestfrost
name.

Carolyn-

Can you let us know what brand washer/dryer you have &
if it's ventless. Thanks.

My husband and I purchased this refrigerator when re renovated our kitchen and love it. At 7 feet tall, we call it the tower of chill. We gain so much counter space and I love the freezer drawers.

Gretchenalexis-I got my conserve about 4 years ago at Candy Hardware at Dupont Circle. I took over some tupperware containers, bowls, dishes to get a visual sense of what fit. Give them a call.

I have the LG (in white) that I bought from AJ Madison and I love it. The freezer drawers make it very easy to keep things organized, and I also find that I review the contents regularly. My one complaint is that you do have to conciously close the doors - they don't gravitate closed on their own. The fridge door has an alarm, but it's easy to not hear it if you have music on.

Thank you for this post. I just bought my first apartment (brand new construction) and the fridge is HUGE for the space. My first comment was "Do we all live in the suburbs! geezus"! It takes up half of a very small kitchen. My first order of business is to replace the refridgerator and this would be a great option.

If you want an efficient but larger fridge, and don't mind paying a fair bit more, this one looks interesting. If a bit much. They also have gas and kerosene powered fridges on the site.

Gretchenalexis -- this is where I bought my LG

http://mm.homeappliances.com/hadealer/DealerDisplay.do?url=mm.homeappliances.com/

If you can't open the link for some reason:

M&M Appliance Sales & Service
6201 Blair Rd NW
Washington, DC 20011
Phone: (202) 882-7100 Fax: (202) 882-7104

The Liebherr CS1650 is pretty much the ideal small space fridge. It is free-standing as well. It is quite expensive but it should last forever.

Can anyone comment on the availability and service-ability of this refrigerator in Canada? Or any other good options for a tall, skinny fridge?

hannah b & deborah - thank you! this is why i love apartmenttherapy :)

Today's Post (July 26th) announced that Candy's is closing. Alas.

I don't live in a NYC apt but I do live in a house that's only about 400 square feet so space is just as precious. I love my Conserv and feel like an infomercial when I rave about it to folks. Although all my neighbors in their McMansions don't seem to get the idea of small & efficient. Their loss.

I bought mine from an appliance guy on craig's list who ended up with two when the guy who ordered them backed out. At $575 I got a steal. He still has one for sale. Unfortunately it's in Vermont - but I thought I'd mention it in case anyone was thinking about a vacation up this way.

One other thing - I still have the "meat keeper" for my fridge. I won't ever use it and can't come up with an alternate use for it. If anyone here wants it email me your mailing address and I'll post it to you. There's only one and, like freecycle, it's first come first served. But I hate to see it go to waste if someone out there wants it.

Message for Vlad on Conserv fridge comment from 7/29: Do you have the contact info for the guy from VT with the extra Conserv fridge?

FYI, Summit now has a frost-free version of the 13.8 cubic foot model.

I realize I'm jumping in pretty late in the discussion, but I just found the Summit frost-free version searching online @ AJ Madison. This one is also Energy Star rated. Anyone out there have this model? It got positive reviews on the Aj Madison page. I'm in DC & pretty sure I won't be able to look at this in person, but I might take a chance & order it anyway. It's a little larger than the LG & I can't afford a Leibherr.