but this is exactly why Parisians are so thin ...they eat fresh foods...and eat small portions...therefore they don't anticipate having a "giant casserole" of leftovers :)

But yes, I can see how having to shop so frequently can be tiresome and time-consuming... oh, Who am I kidding, STOP COMPLAINING -- YOU'RE IN PARIS!!! :)

For someone who loves to cook, nay. The studio apartment where I just moved out of had one of these fridges. In the beginning, it was ok. Then, I realized I loved to cook more than I knew, that's when I said "oh man...". For the sake of space saving, it's a great solution. Otherwise, I really wouldn't recommend it.

I had a small fridge like that for about six months. It wasn't completely awful, and it definitely saves space... but when I moved into a new apartment with a full fridge I was overcome with joy when I realized I could buy ice cream without having to think about who I'd split it with.. and freeze bulk foods! Wonderful!

Small refrigerators wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the small freezer.

Hi! I live in Paris too with my "big" fridge (not under the counter, but still small by American standards. For my son, THE highlight of trips back to the US is getting cups of ice from Grandma's ice machine). Just an idea : in France, lots of people buy milk in those store-on-the-shelf cartons. Real milk, not powdered, but it doesn't need refrigerating until you've opened it. That way, you can have some back-up without using too much precious refrigerator space (of course, my shelf space is also pretty limited, but that's another story...) I DID think it was weird at first, but the stuff tastes fine. Enjoy your stay in Paris!

We are in the same position- living in the UK for half a year, and getting increasingly tired of our tiny under-counter fridge (which cools inconsistently- probably because it's not super-high quality). I want to be able to buy extra milk, refrigerate/freeze certain leftovers, and store more than one to two day's worth of certain produce that needs to stay cool!

On the plus side, it's impossible to overshop and nothing ever goes bad, because we use everything so quickly. This wasn't a huge problem for us in the states, but it did happen occasionally.

When we move back to the states, I think we'll change our habits to somewhere in the middle.... shop more often, and really stick to buying just what we need for the next few days (instead of doing the big weekly or bi-monthly shop). So, we did learn something from the tiny fridge!

i would love a small fridge. we never keep enough food in the house to warrant having the behemoth we have now. we're only two people!

When I was in grad school I lived in a house with 5 other people, with one fridge (so imagine 1/6th of a normal sized fridge for your alloted space) but a large pantry. I learned how to make meals based off of canned goods and, like Zsuzsi mentioned, vacuum sealed items that don't need refrigerating until after opening. Parmalat, tuna, beans, dried fruit, pastas, grains, sundried tomatoes, nuts, etc. I still make many meals from this era in my life because I always have the ingredients on hand!

Temporarily, I could live with a small fridge. Like when I lived in dorms at college, we had meals prepared at the dining hall so there was rarely enough food that needed to go into the dorm fridge.

I think I would be fine with a fridge that was smaller, but definitely not with one that is as small as the one in the photo. There's too much difference.

With a fridge as small as that, I would have to clear it out just to store anything I made ahead of time.

The Parisians sure can be trim, but they still enjoy feeding their families and friends, don't they? Sometimes things need to be refrigerated! :)

I just downsized to a Barbie-sized fridge. It's an LG, only 24 inches wide, counter-depth, with too much freezer space and precious little refrigerator. But you know what? I love it. Stuff does not go bad anymore from being hidden in the back. The fridge compartment is on the top, which saves time and back pain. So I would say small = good but under the counter = bad.

I had that sized fridge in my college dorm. My husband looooves to cook so there is no way that would work for a functioning family. We go through about a gallon of milk every five days with my one-year-old alone, never mind making and storing food.

I really like to batch cook, and slice fruits/veggies in big batches once a week, so this wouldn't work at all for me. I also have far too many condiments that I wouldn't want to pare down!

I could probably survive with that for now. We have a larger fridge (small by US standards) and we never fill it up.

In France do you have boxed milk? Here in Mexico you can buy milk in a box (not powdered... real milk) that lasts for months and months at room temperature without going bad. It doesn't start to spoil until you open it. We bought a large pack of them at Sam's 2 months ago and still haven't used them up!

*bi-weekly/fortnightly, not bi-monthly. Whoops.

It's not so much the small, but the undercounter that makes me anxious. (OK, well, yes, the small IS an issue, too). I completely understand the inconvenience factor of digging around at floor level, preggo or not.
That said, my biggest issue is the complete and utter lack of ice--or even a truly cold beverage--in that city. Now THAT makes me anxious. But it's Paris, so I forgive it and make a shameful trek to Starbucks when I am desperate.
Anyway, I guess, for me, there are worse things than an undercounter fridge.

I'd be perfectly content w/ a small fridge like this - I had one while I was in the USAF stationed in Japan and while I had to do frequent shopping and only cook what I needed for that meal or the next, it also cut way down on food waste, overbuying and condiment-clutter...

I also used unrefrigerated Milk - although now I use Soy Milk which also doesn't require refrigeration before opening.

We live in San Francisco, and are thinking of adding two under-the-counter refrigerator drawers when we remodel our kitchen, in addition to one freezer drawer. This is to preserve counter space in a small kitchen. My boyfriend is worried that it will negatively affect our resale value if we do not get a gigantic fridge like everyone else. Thoughts? The drawers should solve the accessibility problem, because they pull out so you do not have to stoop down to find anything.

http://projectnest.squarespace.com/

Oh, well, in Brazil it's similar... Either you have a mastodon of a fridge with a tiny freezer on top or a tiny fridge with no freezer. I, for one, would love a twin set of tiny fridge and tiny freezer, but alas, those are not available (at a reasonable price), so I have to make do with a big empty fridge and a packed tiny freezer on top.

Andiforker, I'm interest in refrigerator drawers, too. I'd like to know what others' experience is.

Nay. As an American living in JA we always needs cold drinks and ice at hand!

I could deal with a small fridge but I'd need a massive freezer. It'd cost me more in groceries if I couldn't freeze sale items.

My husband and I live in NYC and we have just done what Andiforker plans to do...however we are renters. So instead of investing in the very expensive drawer refrigerators (which I love, love, love), we settled on two "commercial" built in under counter refrigerators that do not have freezers.

We have a pretty long, yet extremely narrow galley kitchen so we were able to add a dedicated freezer as well. I love the additional counter space it's given us. The small space appears so much larger than it is.

Andiforker, I believe that if you have adequate storage, the drawers will be great. Our two have more cubic sq ft. than our former big box. And by choosing the drawers you are eliminating the "stooping" which is what most people hate about under counter appliances. In the redesign also think about your counter height...can you raise it an inch? It can make a big difference. Good luck!

I say yay for the same reasons as above (buying and cooking fresh each week.) Also having lived abroad, you get used to a different way of life. I've seen so many things go bad in friends' overstuffed "regular" sized refrigerators, so I was actually kind of jazzed to move into an SF flat with an undercounter fridge 5 years ago.

The saving grace in my situation is that the freezer is a side-by-side twin unit exactly the same size as the fridge, so there's plenty of space to freeze things and I always have lots of ice.

hi, I lived in germany for many years, and had also a teeny tiny granny size fridge. Now I have a big one Im in the habit so its mostly empty... and I have to fill it woth water bottles to keep it working properly.
There were many foods that dont need to go in the fridge, that we were used to putting in the fridge.
Now I don't refridgerate any fruit and veggies. Tomatoes are much better fresh, the only thing I find that struggles is lettuce, and thats resolved by storing in the pantry where its darker and cooler. Like they used to in the old days :.)
Eggs too, I keep out, really just leaving the fridge for meat, milk, dairy, cooked leftovers, and any sauces and preserves that have been opened. Even butter I leave in the pantry except for the hotest summer days. If you are short on cupboard space, filing cabinet drawers work well, as they are rodent proof and if kept out of the sun remain cool. I think I prefer most of this produce out of the fridge, it doesnt keep for as long, but Ive usually used it all before its past it. cheers

Does anyone have recommendation for an under the counter fridge/freezer that really freezes? Mine only "cools" the food.
I have heard Summit and Stemptown might be better than some of the other choices.

I have a little frig that I really like - but I do have an apartment within a house, and I am welcome to use the larger frig and kitchen whenever I like. Surprisingly, my little frig holds A LOT. It also has a decent sized separate freezer, which is soooo much better than the little ones with the flaps that never seem to freeze anything, like I had in college. For a single person, they are fine. In Paris, walking by a million stores, I would love it! That's the better way to buy and eat anyway, fresh, fresh. fresh! And, it's how our grandparents did it!

Big American fridge= big American people. This is a prime reason that obesity is an epidemic in this country especially among children. Fresh fruit can sit out on the counter and is a low cal snack. Fresh vegetables are far more healthy if consumed quickly after purchase. Shop for less more often.....like other industrial nations. No wonder we also are
energy gluttons.

On the refrigerator drawers: check out Consumer Reports' review of them.... NOT RECOMMENDED due to high energy consumption and inconsistent temperature. Also VERY expensive to purchase and not reliable due to high repair rates, most notably Fisher-Pakel.

I can imagine it would be difficult for someone used to American standards (bulk shopping, over-sized portions, over-catering, high levels of waste) to transition to a European (especially French) way of life. (Likewise French people I know have moved to US/Aus and have been totally aghast at the size of people's shopping trolleys and the amount of waste).
But if you embrace something, and just work with it, then you won't even notice. Shopping every day or two is just part of Parisian life. Most people stop by the market/shop on their way home from work. When we first moved to France, it was definitely hard getting used to it at the beginning (especially with young babes) but when we moved back here, we actually kept up that style of living because we enjoyed it so much.
I also second the PP's suggestion of the carton milk, even just as back-up. It tastes fine!
If that is your fridge, you can clearly fit two milk bottles, so buy two at a time?
If you're super unhappy, buy a small freezer the same size (they are easy to find), and keep it somewhere in your aptmt. Use it to freeze leftovers, milk etc.

...really miss a small European fridge! Here I have a big, noisy, ugly fridge that consumes way to much energy...Why isn't there a bigger market for small, affordable fridge? I would say this could be a goldmine since so many would like a smaller one, made in the usa...

Welcome to "the rest of the world".
That's why large fridges are called American-style fridges outside of North America.
Like one of the previous posters I also love my 24" LG and would never get anything larger.

Yay. I lived with one for many years and was never an issue. I bought carton milk every other week and fresh groceries once or twice a week so they never spoiled. Leftovers were stored in small containers, as I cooked enough for two days. Life in Paris is such a pleasure that even going to the market is nice... Enjoy!

We have a small galley kitchen in our condo with precious little counter space. We were thinking of going with two side-by-side under counter refrigerators, but couldn't find exactly what we were looking for in our budget. At one point, we were thinking of doing four under counter refrigerator drawers, but we would miss the storage space. We ended up going with a 24" wide, counter-depth Northland refrigerator. The compressor is on top, so that frees up as much space inside as a larger traditional refrigerator.

I wish I had a tiny fridge! So many of the studio apartments I looked at here in the U.S. when I was last apartment hunting had fridges that were the same size as the shower cubicle - so silly!

I keep half my full-size fridge filled with water, and there's still too much space in there for food storage for one.

Aesthetically - YAY!

Practically - NAY!

our mini fridge is bittersweet. i love that when i'm feeling ambitious and cook i eat healthier because i cannot fit anything. however, for those days that are not so ambitious (6 out of 7 days a week) it's the worst because i can't store anything.

maybe it's my fridge but the freezer does not properly freeze ice cream! the worst!

In my apartment I have a European (Blomberg) fridge that is tall and narrow and counter-depth -- kind of between a full-size American fridge and something as small as under counter one. I find it to be the perfect size for an apartment.

If I could live in Paris, the size of my refrigerator would not matter.

Once studied in Ireland and had a tiny under counter fridge to be split among 6 roommates! Not working; in the winter people just left their groceries out on the back porch because there was never any space.

Box milk is also known as UHT milk. They do sell it here in the US. I keep a quart for when I run out of the fresh stuff and can't make it to the store.

I'd trade my life in New England for a life in Paris, small fridge and all. Actually, I've found that most of my fridge is taken up with left-overs, and tons of bottles of half-used cooking sauces and condiments. I think I could deal with your situation. Definitely.

I'm European (living in US) and I think it's a pretty sad comment on how normalised the over-consumption of power and the accumulation of food you don't need are in the US that you think this is a tiny fridge.

It's true that you can't freeze stuff in them (most Europeans will have a separate freezer unit, which I guess you may not have in a rental) but this is a perfectly normal size fridge for a single person (family ones will normally be a bit larger, but still undercounter). I found my US fridge too large so I got one this size and it is just fine - and I shop once a week and cook everything from scratch. So I'm really not sure what you're cooking that you think you need to shop every two days.

I really want to get an "apartment size" fridge to replace my too-large one. Since I put in the gigantic vintage Wedgewood stove, it would give me more space to move through that corner of the kitchen, and I don't really need all that fridge space anyway. That said, it is nice to have a good-size freezer. If I had under-counter ones, I'd want one fridge and one freezer the same size.

Yes they sell one liter boxes of milk in France. Most Americans would not buy milk if it was not cold.
I would miss not having an ice maker, but serving ice in drinks is an American thing too.

its a yay, we had one when i was a teenager in my mums house, 2 teenagers, 2 adults and 1 elderly, with 1 shopping trip and week (and every other day a milk run) worked just fine.

but admitantly, this is in the uk, where most ppl dont have huge fridges so mayo doesnt come in half gallon jars or anything like that

I'm all for a small fridge when I'm not sharing it with roommates! Our regular is perfect for four people, especially since my husband and I are probably the only people who eat fresh foods regularly.

I loved it when I lived in my tiny apartment. You needed more trips to the supermarket, but the food is always fresh. And with limited space, it's harder to forget what's in there.

The only downside is if you have people over and are cooking bigger meals - there is less time to shop around and store larger quantities of food.

I can definately see your point, I have two under counter fridges. My boyfriend wanted a "clean look". We also have an open floor plan, so a big fridge was what he didn't want to see.
Oh my aching back! Our freezer is out in the garage and right now it's winter and very cold outside. I literally run and grab from the freezer just so I don't have to be in the cold!!
On the good side our house is real pretty....

Our friend in Ireland has a tiny fridge but it's elevated to a comfortable height by a short cabinet underneath. Another cabinet above creates a nice streamlined look. This tall fridge/cabinet combo is at one end of the kitchen. The counter, stove & sink take up the rest of the wall space. Efficient and pleasing to look at. But I would admittedly be frustrated by the tiny freezer.

I should have added, in my own NYC place I've been living with a ancient kitchenette. After a few years I got tired of the constant bending the tiny fridge required. I bought a slim tall ConServ and LOVE it. Good affordable markets are not close by, so shopping daily for fresh food sadly is not an option. I love having a decent freezer for popsicles! ;)

I understand that in some circumstances, there just isn't room for a full-sized refrigerator. Having to feed a whole family, I personally need the full-sized refrigerator. Besides the tiny under-counter types, there are apartment sized refrigerators. Size wise, they fall in between the standard and tiny refrigerator.

We lived in a studio that had fridge and freezer drawers by Subzero. It was a guesthouse that had a small walk-in closet converted to a tiny kitchen. It had a fun boat feel and the drawers worked great. We cook a lot and had no problem and even could get lettuce and one other pack of produce at Costco (ziplock bags become your friend). It worked well for us, but if you want something in the bottom, back of the drawer you had to play tetris to get everything back in.

Had a small, under counter fridge when we lived in the UK. Small fridges are great for small places, are efficient and, as you say make you shop more so your food is almost always fresh. Lots of European houses have small fridges, regardless of the size of the apartment/house.

UHT milk (cartons on the shelf) tastes horrible and you still have to refrigerate it once it has been opened. Also, if you have a small apartment where do you store the 5 UHT cartons you bought before they have been opened? .... Makes buying them seem silly in the first place. Also a small fridge makes planning a dinner function a bit tricky. Where do you put all the wine and beer?

Embrace Paris and enjoy the European lifestyle. You may never want to move away.

@hackerofarabia... why buy 5 cartons to begin with?? The whole point is you only buy what you need for the short-term. The bulk buying that goes on in the US floors me.

I guess that's why the Sam's Club, is so popular in the US, so consumers can buy multi-packs of everything to put in big fridges and bigger storage cupboards.

I bought the 24" LG to replace a massive old clunker. I love it. When the delivered that fridge, they brought me a larger apartment and more disposable income. I waste less, spend less on energy, and eat more healthfully. No regrets.

America and Americans are diverse in every way. There's no need to bash people who live differently than you do while fetishizing the French. Can we turn down the Snark-o-meter?

That's pretty much the size of the refrigerators I've had since moving to London. I would love to have a bigger refrigerator (or at least a proper freezer compartment) but it's not on the cards.

I grew up in the UK with an under-counter fridge (for a family of 4) and it was fine. My parents did a weekly shop - and the milkman brought fresh milk every day. But we did have a separate chest freezer in the garage...

In a hot place this size fridge can give a feeling of scarcity of food.

My 2 euro-cents from Italy... I was so happy when I bought my house, got a big fridge (tall, one door plus freezer, medium size for you in US I'd say) and no more had to do with the tiny fridge I had in the flat I rented. ;-) When you use such a small fridge you forget what's in the second or third row and stuff gets mouldy easily. You can't buy much food (not everyone has time to buy grocery biweekly) or cool bottles of beers for your guests. Very impractical and not energy-efficient at all.

Having just moved to Switzerland a month ago (from Boston), I too am not used to the teeny tiny fridge that I now have in my apartment. While I do agree that its' a pain in the a$$ having to go shopping every other day, I will admit that I am eating much healthier here in general and not buying as many processed foods, etc.

I say yay :)

We're renting a furnished place in Copenhagen with an under-counter fridge as well as an under-counter freezer... to be honest we're considering unplugging the freezer, because the fridge seems to be enough (we're not really into freezing).

We make it work by:
- shopping every other day - which I love!
- using stackable containers for leftovers (there is more room in those fridges than it seems!)
- keeping our fruit in a nice bowl on the counter
-not overstocking on jars and bottles of condiments

It's been a year and... so far so good :)

Ooh, definitely NAY, NAY, NAY! I lived with a tiny fridge for 5 years before I finally got a bigger one last summer. The difference it makes not to have to crouch down to retrieve food and to be able to store food for even just a 4-people dinner party is near live-changing!

I'd rather have the same size fridge stacked on top of a freezer but the size itself doesn't bother me at all. I don't use much milk though.
You can totally fit a casserole in there, especially as that link showed me how tiny your oven is. You need to reorganise the fridge a bit so there's more useful space.

we have two undercounter summit fridge freezer combo's in our house and love them. We cook a lot and only do a weekly shop and for our family of four it's still enough space. Now, granted, we have two instead of one but still, it's smaller than a normal sized fridge. The freezers do freeze, that was one of our musts and we have considered getting a freezer for the basement for excess garden produce (up till now I've just canned it all) but the difference that the undercounter style makes in the open feeling of our kitchen is worth having to adjust our grocery buying habits. In fact I think it has saved us money over the past two years that we've had them as we only buy what we need and not just a bunch of extra junk that catches our eye. It's not for everyone, but it's great for us.
http://driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com/2010/01/6-month-mark.html

Sorry, but that's a no for me. I did, however, have an "apartment" size fridge in my last place - that was perfect.

Let me speak to the snark for just a minute: my family lived (on base) in Europe for a long, long time, and while we were there, we so enjoyed going to the market a couple times - or at least once - each week. However, when we moved back to the States, out west, then to the south, always in not-big cities, that wasn't an option anymore. The city in which we live presently has a decent farmer's market (you read that right, it's just the one) that is only open from the end of April to the beginning of November. In addition, it's a lengthy drive to get to the grocery store (no mass transit, 35 minutes plus to get there). This is the way much of America lives - spread out. So it more more responsible, both ecologically and financially, to do the poo-pooed twice a month grocery trip, and have the big freezer to store things. It's not great - everyone knows this - but it's a reality that a lot of people have to work with. Just sayin'...and let the invective flow. ;)

I can commiserate with you about the baby bump vs. the teensy fridge. As far as the milk, I have noticed that many French (even those with larger refrigerators) purchase the UHT milks, which don't require refrigeration. I like those milks so much, I crammed a 6 pack in my suitcase on my return to the States last summer.

A big fridge=does not equal a big person! people are so silly sometimes. Sometimes on a sunday I make a pot roast or a lasagna that should feed 6 people, but i do not eat it all. I eat a single serving and then have leftovers for lunch the following week. Being healthy is about portion control, excercise, and moderation. It has nothing to do with the size of my fridge or the giant casserole, I make.

@ Rapunzel, thank you!

Americans are not awful people because we have big fridges or buy in bulk.

Comment dis tu "get over yourselves, it's a refrigerator" en francais?

There's no freezer! I couldn't go without a freezer. Living single, the main part of my fridge is nearly empty (few 2 liters, condiments, Milk, cheese) but up above its loaded with frozen meats, meals, and vegetables! I take and cook what I will eat, and don't have to worry about throwing away bad food at the end if the week... If I do have leftovers, they become lunch, or a meal the next day.

Thanks, rapunzel. It's stupid for people to lump every one in a category...what's that line about the French being snobs? :)

Having a small fridge doesn't mean you're MORE efficient or healthier. Not at all. It just means you go to the market more, and that's just not practical for a lot of people (regardless of what country they live in), and it's not practical if you have a family or even if there's two of you.

I would prefer to have the smaller fridge and Paris type access to good fresh food. I have a large bottom freezer unit (bottom freezer the only way to go!) that makes things disappear. I waste so much food because things get lost. Granted if still wasted 3.5 to 4 hours daily on my commute I don't think I could be happy having to shop often. I am however very willing to give up both the big fridge and the commute!

Give it time. Since that's how the Parisians were raised, it is a way of life for them. Like in Los Angeles, filtered or bottled water. Like anything, I think after time it will become a way of life for you, try and adopt their philosophies on food and dining (a very different way of life for Americans) and you will enjoy the shopping for, cooking and eating very fresh foods every day/couple of days as they do. Try reading Entre Nous by Debra Oliver, a great book written by an American in Paris that talks about food and other philosophies of the French way of life. Good luck with the birth of your child!

Bigger is not always better. You have food and shelter quit complaining.

"Bigger is not always better. You have food and shelter quit complaining."

Likewise, smaller is not always better.

I didn't realize SO many people live with an under counter fridge. I would have a hard time but if it was convenient to shop for dinner every day it might be okay. As for milk, I would rather pick some up every day then go for boxed milk.

Yay if it's full of booze!

http://www.joannehudson.com/kitchen-bath/#http://assets.joannehudson.com/portfolio/images/p26.jpg

i was just looking at my gigantic fridge with so much open space inside and thinking, "i could really just have an under-counter fridge". i cook from scratch for three, but no meat and not a lot of dairy, so my fridge just has some produce, cheese, butter and (at the moment) juice which we could really live without.

also, hugely pregnant lady, squatting is your friend. not just for reaching into the fridge, it's just so good for your body!

Thanks Pi for saying what I wanted to say. For what it is worth, I am much more likely to cook at home if I have the ingredients for what I need on hand rather than having to stop on the way home from work. Also, where I come from people usually have a regular american size fridge as well as another freezer, since they buy their meat an animal at a time (not that they shove a whole steer or pig into the freezer, but that they raise or buy the animal and have it processed into usable cuts at a local meat market.)

I live with two other adults (my boyfriend and a roommate) and the roommate doesn't clean out our "American-sized" fridge nearly often enough. For that reason, we'd die with a tiny under-the-counter fridge, but for my own individual needs, a fridge this size would easily accommodate my fridge storage needs. I'd just want to have one located higher off the ground so as not to bend down low every time I needed something.

I am German and my fridge is "under the table". I never bend, I sit on my haunches - much better for the back ;-).

Nevertheless, I am going to buy a big fridge/freezer combination soon (hoping for a SMEG) because I need the under table space for a washing machine. No laundry room and no space in the bath room either...

Nevertheless, I am still hesitant, as I might not need all that space in a big fridge. It is interesting, how culture and tradition can manifest itself even in the size and position of a fridge...

Our fridge is about that size and we're three students sharing it. I definitely cook and reheat leftovers- no problem. It might be a little bit small for a family of four or five people though.

I lived in the UK for a year and a half with the same size of fridge. On my own, it would have been completely fine. With housemates? Ridiculous.

Plus we then had a large "deep freeze" type freezer sitting in the kitchen, which never made sense to me. I'm not against a small fridge, but to me it would have made more sense to just combine the two with a larger fridge with a freezer.

I have lived with both. right now we have the standard monster in the u.s., and i would love to get rid of it. i think the ideal would be side by side under the counter fridge and freezer. giving me much needed counter space, but still letting me freeze chicken stock and soups

RE The milk problem. Try almond milk. It has an incredible shelf life. I live in high rise with a 'big' refrigerator, (tiny by American standards) and the milk was always going bad before I could get back to the grocery. I live downtown in the South, and I have to drive 30 to 45 minutes into the suburbs to find a grocery store. Almond milk saved me. It is sold by the quart, and I always have milk now.

I want to see the oven/dishwasher.

I saw a big ol' YAY!!! Nothing will ever go bad, you always eat fresh food, you don't have to worry about preservatives, the list goes on and on!! I love this idea. Plus, t frees up the space in the kitchen for a nice little bistro or some shelves or something similar.

When I lived in Germany I shared a fridge (with tiny freezer that held 2 frozen pizzas and a small container of ice cream) this size with my German roommate and her almost live-in boyfriend. We kept it crammed with all sorts of things, but it worked. And best of all, it was set at waist height, sandwiched in between cupboards on all sides, so no bending/squatting was required.

Reminds me of my road warrior days and all those hotel rooms that was "home" everywhere.

@sandsdesign - I like your idea, thanks! Current (rented) flat has one with the fridge compartment as large as an undercounter and a top-mount freezer about half again as large. Not complaining, but a side-by-side would have been ideal. I think I'll steal the concept when I get my permanent home.

I'm thinking about doing two undercounter fridges and a freezer when I re-do my kitchen this summer. I'd be interested to hear what brands people selected.

the oven/dishwasher is pictured in the link by the writer, but without any information about it, i.e. who makes it, what are its dimensions (also in inches, s.v.p.), does anyone import it? because does seem "brilliant" for nyc units. as for the refrigerator/freezer combo, it s/b small enough to have to shop 1-3x week for fresh ingredients, using a cloth bag, of course, but big enough that when a family recipe is made or a pint of icecream bought, one can exercise portion control. between the euro & us sizes might be ideal, but does not seem to exist.

p.s. is the referenced milk-in-a-box irradiated?

I'm an American in the UK and I have this same style fridge. My solution was to do just like everyone else does here and hire the local milk-man to bring me a bottle of milk every morning. It's genius and I really do feel happy not to be chucking plastic milk cartons away anymore.

Eventually, we got a separate freezer, because I cook frequently and garden a lot, and so sometimes we have leftovers or produce that we're keeping for later in the season. That helped a lot. But really, the biggest help was learning to live and eat like the people around me. Good luck!

yay, yay, yay yay yay - for sake of space =)

I share a room with a roommate (as I am in my last quarter of college) and my dad bought me my own mini fridge after seeing how gross and cramped the communal fridge is. While it does have it's downside at times (the freezer doesn't actually freeze to the level I'd like it to), it does help me in the sense that I can see everything that's in the fridge and not forget about something lingering in the back. It's way easier to clean a smaller fridge and I can hide it comfortably in my closet. Since I am a bit of an eco-nut, I also appreciate that if i'm going to go out of town for a week or so, and have cleared out my fridge, I can simply unplug it and not worry about it.
I vote yes for the mini-fridge