Does anyone have under counter refrigerated drawers?

[Dover]

I've been wondering if it might be easier and more energy efficient to install a few drawers instead of
purchasing a refrigerator. And I suppose I'd include one of those small glass front deli coolers
for beverages.

How would you use these drawers?

[TygrBright]

1. They look fine for storing some things, not so much for others.

I'd hate to have to paw through them checking each dish to see which leftovers were stacked how... Or how much juice is left in the bottle... And I'd not be thrilled to have to haul out the box of cooking wine and put it on the counter every time I wanted to tap a cup out of the spout near the bottom.

And they don't look any easier to wipe spills out of than my icebox shelves, although maybe you can lift the inner drawers out and sponge them clean over the sink?

I find it relatively easy to move things around to clear a big space on the shelves for a large bowl of something that needs to chill, not so sure that would be as easy in a drawer.

Great for produce, nuts, packaged stuff, etc., though.

responsively,
Bright

[Dover]

3. Some very good points. I guess if I could design my dream frig

it would run horizontally rather than vertically at chest height with separate doors like cabinets, some with glass fronts. I seem to always
lose things in my freezer whether its a side-by-side or a big bottom drawer. And I'm thinking that I might prefer shallow shelves rather than
deep shelves in the frig area for similar reasons. But I'd have to live with this 'dream' frig for awhile to know if it would work as well
as I think.

At any rate, thanks for your thoughts on this. If you could design something from scratch would you still prefer a regular frig?

[Kolesar]

2. Buy that refrigerator by Whirlpool/Maytag that is called "Resource Saver"

21.9 cubic feet
Electrical consumption that is way below the Energy Star criteria
thanks for asking

[Dover]

4. Thanks...

Cool, they say it takes the same amount of energy as a 60W bulb.
I will look into that if I decide to go the regular refrig. route and skip the drawers.
Just trying to figure out what arrangement to choose to get the most energy efficiency
AND a configuration that suits my needs.

BTW if anyone wants to look at a quick video of the "Resource Saver" check it out here (there are different models and sizes available)

http://webapps.easy2.com/cm2/flash/generic_index.asp?page_id=35893410

[Kolesar]

6. Off-the-grid "energy conserving enthusiasts" with photovoltaic power use a chest refrigerator

It is quite intuitive that a chest freezer is better because the cold air does not come spilling out when you open the door like it does with a normal front door freezer. I met one man who replumbed the refrigeration apparatus to operate at refrigerator temperatures ~35 degrees Fahrenheit instead of the 0 degree Fahrenheit deep freeze.

This homeowner uses a freezer as a refrigerator. He plugged the freezer into a thermostatic-controller and placed the temperature probe inside the freezer. Now it operates at "refrigerator temperatures" ~35 degrees Fahrenheit.

He claims 100 Watt*hours/day, or $5/year

http://mtbest.net/chest_fridge.html

[Hassin Bin Sober]

5. I must be getting old and/or lazy...

Because I feel the less under the counter the better.

I cringe when I see the under counter microwaves. Who doesn't want to watch their food heat up at eye level.... well maybe not people with pacemakers LOL.

My boyfriend's mom tried a bottom freezer and absolutely hated it (enough to sell it at a loss within a month). A good thing for us, because the boyfriend wanted to go the bottom freezer route and his mom's experience dissuaded him.

On another note, one neighbor went with the drawer idea for her dishwasher and loves it. Another neighbor considered it but, luckily, was talked out of it by the smart thinking salesperson who asked if she had any large dishes - she did.... Her whole set of formal dishes. And they would never have fit the drawers.

[Dover]

7. Haha! Me too! I currently have to get down on the floor on my knees

to pull out pots and pans from the lower cabinets. I'd like a kitchen where everything (including the frig) was above knee level.
I really hate crawling around on the floor. I feel the same way about things being placed too high as well.
At the very least I'd like for the cabinets to be shallow and/or have pullout shelves.
You lose a lot of space by eliminating those areas, but I'm determined to figure something out.

I have thought about those drawer dishwashers. It would seem ideal (and efficient) to have both a single drawer washer for most
everyday dishes and a bigger one for washing big stuff. My old big one is currently broken and I haven't replaced it yet because
I want to figure out my redesign first. So I've been doing dishes the old fashioned way. And while it's not too bad, I have come
to a new appreciation of dishwashers. I like having dirty dishes off the counter and out of sight until I'm ready to wash them.

[CC]

8. I have 4 big drawers

that hold all my pots & pans, including a big canning pot. I love having them in drawers and if I ever replace this kitchen it will be all drawers under the counter. (Have plates, bowls etc. in drawers next to the dishwasher & sink too.)


Like the drawer fridge idea for fruits,veggies, cheese & lunch meats but not sure about for juice, milk etc. I also have a bottom drawer freezer on my fridge and love it for ease and room so can see how it would work well for those type of things.

[Dover]

9. Right...that's another option, rather than pull out shelves.

I'm going to look into that. I've seen them but haven't really thought that option through. Thanks for mentioning your experience with them.

[CottonBear]

10. My mom had a big, wide drawer under the cook top for pots and pans. It was just great!

The oven and microwave were stacked one on top of the other in a built-in cabinet (with a storage cabinet above) to the left of the cook top.

It is oh so easy to pick up and put away big heavy pots, pans and griddles when you don't have to lift them up high or get way down on the floor to retrieve them from a cabinet.

I rented a house with big, deep drawers under the counter (except under the sink, of course.) There were normal size cutlery drawers right under the counters and then two levels of deep drawers under those. It was a great way to store pots, pans, dishes, plastic storage ware, canned goods, dry groceries and all sorts of other items. Above the counter were some cabinets along with lots of open shelving which was great for storing those big things like decorative serving bowls, large pitchers and platters, etc.

My mom also had a door that looked like an under counter cabinet door but it pulled out (instead of opening on hinges) on little rails/tracks to reveal a platform where she put a kitchen trash container. I also recommend putting a double shelf lazy susan in the corner cabinet with one of those corner door that opens up and folds back to fully reveal the corner cabinet area.

edit: Consider the concept of lifespan planning. This is a way that one designs a home so that you can stay there as you age or if you become disabled in some way. Design and plan so that you could use your home if you become disabled and also as you age. Wider door ways and accessible bathrooms and kitchens along with a ground floor bedroom are some of the basic concepts. Many accessible kitchen designs include the under counter drawers.

[Dover]

11. All very good suggestions!

I'd forgotten about those pull out garbage drawers too. Much easier, but haven't really looked at them to see if there
is some kind of lid or seal for the top so the garbage isn't left exposed when it's rolled back into the cabinet. I'm
concerned about insects getting into it.

Loving the sound of the big drawer solution for pots and pans. I refuse to get down on the floor anymore! And come to
think of it, I guess that I am thinking of 'lifespan planning' in making that decision. I'd think it would be a good
investment to design with that in mind even if I don't end up living here in old age, as far as resale goes.

Thanks for sharing those ideas. It helps!

[CottonBear]

12. You are so very welcome!

I'm an unemployed/99er design professional who has a lot of experience in landscape architecture, site planning. architectural design and ADA regulations. I'm happy to be able to use my skills in a useful way while looking for work in this dismal economic climate.

BTW, my dad was an orthopedic surgeon back in the 1970s. Many of his patients ended up spending weeks, months or years living in their dining or living rooms because they had no downstairs bedrooms. (This was long before ADA was a federal law.)

The garbage can should not be a problem. Get a small (tall kitchen bag will fit it size) under counter or free standing can with a lid that opens up when you press a button on the top edge. I have one that I got at Bed Bath and Beyond for about $15.00 It can be freestanding or mounted on the inside of a cabinet door (say, for instance, under the sink which is where I have mine, so that you just swing the door open and the garbage can is accessible.) Or, just get a small plastic (or metal) garbage can with a lid.

The resale value of a Lifespan Design home is definitely a plus. You can easily research this concept online. As far as your interior/exterior home interface is concerned, you should definitely consider wheelchair/handicap access ramping from the parking area to the front (or back) door. Also, consider the accessibility of grilling/patio areas for the disabled.

I was temporarily disabled for about 6 months and it was an eye opening experience to say the least!

Happy Holidays and good luck with your remodeling!

:) CB

edit: I just love your profile comment!

[Dover]

13. What a wonderful assortment of skills/talent to have!

Thanks for so generously sharing them with me. This forum is lucky to have you!
I'll bet your own home and yard are beautiful. If you ever want to share pics of your
projects I know I, for one, would love to see them. Who knows, maybe someone in the
forum is looking for a designer/landscape/architect and could offer a job.

Did you go to school for all that? Seems like it would take years and years of study...lol!
Have you studied the new field of therapeutic landscaping?

I wish you well with finding a job that feeds you (pun intended). The world needs more beauty.
:hi:

[CottonBear]

14. I did go to university for my BLA degree and I have a professional license in my state.

I have specialized in civil-site design, urban tree management, zoning and land planning on the large scale (commercial, institutional and multi-family sites) for almost 25 years. The real estate crash and the economic recession have been a death blow to my career. I am familiar with the specialty of therapeutic gardens and landscapes. I am trying to find some work doing landscape design rather than land planning. I need to switch gears to a different aspect of landscape architecture.

I have a very tiny in-town property. My once beautiful (but very small and formerly lush) garden is now the domain of an almost 3 year old little boy! The ground cover plants have been trampled, the azaleas broken and bent and the whole patio is covered with sand, trikes, wagons, sidewalk chalk and Tonka toys! I love it!

Thanks for your kind words. The world does need more beauty. We can all tend our own little corner of the world and try to make it a bit more beautiful! Tending for a garden is good for the environment as well as our souls

[Dover]

15. Thank heaven for little boys.

Children are also a healing tonic for the soul. And their arrival always seems to bring a lot of big change and crazy chaos to our tidy, well ordered 'lush' lives...lol. So much joyful newbie energy! I wonder how things would feel if we could approach all life's big changes like we do the arrival of a new child, and all that it brings?

In my experience there is beauty and significance to be found in even difficult changes...once I get past my fears. Great for shifting gears, direction, reassessing, clearing out, etc. Funny how change arrives right on time...although this bit of wisdom seems to come only in hindsight.

Thanks again for sharing and have a wonderful holiday!

[CottonBear]

16. This is my last DU2 post! Thank you for the kind and wise words of advice.

Change did arrive right on time for me. In hindsight, losing my job when I had a four month old child was not in my plans at all. However, my life was in need of a new direction and I am now on a new path with my new family! (Did I mention that the baby was a complete late in life (mid 40s) surprise!

Have a wonderful Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year! CB