Integrated v standalone fridges & freezers - advice please

We are installing a brand new kitchen and my partner wants an integrated fridge and freezer - I am concerned and am pushing for standalone.
My concerns are cost, capacity, reliability, choice, functionality and door hanging.
Her main reason for wanting integrated is appearance.

In Australia I have only been able to find 3 manufacturers of integrated units - Liebeheir (sic), way too expensive, Miele, too expensive and Electrolux. There was a suggestion from someone that Ariston do them but I can't find anyone who sells them. The cheapest units are Electrolux and cost $2500 each, with a capacity of only 300L for fridge and even less for freezer. Obviously no ice/water filter/dispenser because cupboard door precludes access. Also units are narrow and shallow (to fit in a cupboard). Our kitchen fitter has advised against them because he says the doors regularly drop out of alignment and need re-hanging. He also reckons reliability is an issue.

Can anyone give any advice on reliability or any other reason to have or not have integrated units, or point me where I can find other choices than the 3 mentioned above.

mmm, interesting. I would like to also know what people think. In the uk everyone has them hidden if doing a new kitchen it seems, whereas down here, we like to show 'how big ours is'
and to have ice and water on hand.
i wonder if anyone on this forum has one hidden?

You can get Ariston from most Harvey Norman stores and some smaller independent retailers and I think they cost less than $2000, here's the link:
http://www.aristonbrand.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=70&category_id=3&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=3

Apart from those 3 brands you mentioned, Gaggenau and Siemens also make integrated fridges but they're over 10k for each unit, they also make integrated freezers with water and ice on the outside (so does the Miele MasterCool range). Also LG makes some but not sure if they're any good, personally I would stick to Liebherr and Miele as they have more experience with integrated fridges.
http://www.lg.com/au/kitchen-appliances/built-in-appliances/integrated-refrigerators.jsp

Another way is to integrate some "normal" Westinghouse and Fisher and Paykel fridges using their integration kits (sliding system) but they're not as good as Miele or Liebherr which uses the door on door system.
http://www.westinghouse.com.au/Product?model=IK007

The sliding system usually has more moving parts and may have more issues with door alignment than the door on door system and I know some people needed to replace those sliding brackets after a few years. I believe the Ariston also uses the sliding system. Westinghouse and Fisher & Paykel are also deeper than standard 600mm cabinet depth so it may not line up with the rest of your kitchen, their doors are also thicker and bulkier as they're not really designed to be integrated in the first place. Also with Fisher and Paykel once the fridge is installed you won't be able to adjust the shelves inside.

I guess the good things about integrated fridges are less cleaning around the fridge ( no gap around it) and it makes the kitchen look bigger and more streamlined. But if you want to create a commercial look then a big stainless steel fridge might be the way to go or if you want to make the fridge as a feature in the kitchen you can look at something like the Smeg retro fridge in colour. Also you can take your stand alone fridge away with you when you move.

OK a problem.

DW had agreed to all the house designs and specs including kitchen specs however has now informed me that she wants one of those water dispenser things on the fridge. This is annoying because:

1. Plans and specs have gone off for quoting already
2 I wanted a minimalist look to the kitchen including an integrated fridge with a door made of cabinet material and colours. A big silver fridge with a water dispenser was not part of the plan.

Given DW does all the cooking and most of the looking after of kids including dispensing cold drinks, I am not in a strong position to argue about kitchen design.

Then I had a brainwave - an integrated fridge with a water dispenser killing two birds with one stone. Then I hit a snag - the only supplier appears to be Miele and at $29,000 for two side by side models or $19,000 for the single body model are waaaaay too expensive.

So, does anyone know a cheap alternative supplier of integrated fridges with water dispensers?

Have you considered getting a zipp tap for cold water?

My sister has one in her kitchen and loves it as it dispenses both hot and cold water from the same unit.

This way, you can get your integrated fridge and still have a cold water dispenser.

Just a thought

VMR

That's left field thinking and a very good idea. I will have to look into that. Only problem I can see is the lack of an ice maker which DW also wants but some freezers have built in automatic ones or we can just make it manually.

We never considered integrated but my cabinet maker said the same, that whenever he installed them, without fail there were eventually issues with alignment and door hanging.

If you think about the number of times you open the fridge and the weight of a fridge door....that is not a mechanism you want a precision fit on.

hi
i want to install Miele integrated fridge and dishwasher in my new home. I have got quote from KHQ but found to be expensive. Does anyone has got any idea where else I can find these appliances

I am from Belgium, living in Australia. In Belgium most kitchens have an integrated fridge. My parents have had a Miele fridge and freezer for 35 years before they renovated their kitchen and never had any issues at all. Miele is also expensive in Belgium, but not like in Australia, clients get ripped off here...

I suspect that Australian cabinet makers lack the experience to properly integrate fridges and / or freezers without any issues as most of the Aus. kitchens have a standalone one. And we all know that Australian tradies charge more as soon as the going gets a little tougher, even though they might learn something along the way

Agreed that an integrated fridge looks much better than a "in-your-face" standalone version.

I think in most cases it is cost prohibitive in Aus. to have an integrated fridge, so just take peace with standalone or be prepared to fork out...