Easy Reach puts the ice cream out of sight
Written: Sep 22 '01 (Updated Nov 02 '01)
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Pros: Energy efficient refrigerator may qualify for rebates in your area
Cons: Check out the door before buying
The Bottom Line: The energy star rating makes the ARB2107A a best buy on consumer guidelines, but make sure you can live with the door storage before you write the check.
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| sofarsogood's Full Review: Amana ARB2107A |
Amana’s 20.5 cubic foot model ARB2107A is part of a basic 20.5 cubic foot model line that is compliant with 2001 Energy Standards and exceeds current energy standards by 30% (if you are trying to find a model that qualifies for rebates, this one does). It is available in black, white, or biscuit. Amana offers a good warranty for their products with service centers nearby. Their freezer on the bottom models are marketed under the name Easy Reach. Standard refrigerators generally stand about 6 feet tall. An average person can easy reach all the way to the top, but must stoop to reach things at the bottom. With the freezer on the bottom, the most accessed areas where milk, juice, bread and fruit are kept are in “easy reach”. For weight watchers, frozen sweets are safely out of sight. Descriptions discussing the energy efficiency of having a freezer on the bottom (cold air sinks) don’t have much market appeal. The design of the Easy Reach models have some unique features.
Crisper Drawers: In a standard refrigerator the back of the crisper drawers are sloped to allow space in the back for the fan and other mechanical stuff. In the Easy Reach models, the clear plastic crisper drawers are completely square, providing a significant amount more storage for vegetables and fruits. The humidity control feature allows you to set the desired humidity for each drawer independently. Amana labeled the humidity slide with an apple on one side and a head of lettuce on the other to indicate dry and moist. The crisper drawers are sealed away from the rest of the refrigerator and a fan blows air directly into the drawers. The drawer is on a roller glide system that makes opening and closing very smooth even when full.
Meat Drawer: The clear plastic meat drawer is thermostatically controlled similar to the crisper drawers humidity control. The slide is indicated with a snowflake on one side and multiple snowflakes on the other. Again, this works independently of the rest of the refrigerator and is sealed. You must follow the directions to move this drawer in the refrigerator so that the seal is maintained.
Shelves: The 2107 comes with two slide out shelves and one non-slide out shelf. I haven’t found the slide out to be all that useful, but beware that you must put the slide shelves on the side away from the door hinge. I keep two shelves aligned at the top and one shelf aligned with the meat drawer in my refrigerator.
Door Storage: When it came down to the purchase, this was the deciding factor for me. The 20.5 cubic foot models share a common problem in the gallon storage in the door. You will notice that the divider that holds the door shelving extends to the gallon storage. Make no mistake, that divider will limit your storage on the gallon storage shelf. Even the picture shows the 40% side with juice containers as opposed to milk jugs. The 21.7 cubic foot model, which is sold by Amana Encore dealers under the 22V model number is also sold as a special model by Kenmore. The door in this model is separated in half as opposed to 40/60. The divider does extend into the gallon storage shelf, but as it is in the middle, four gallons of milk fit easily into the space. The other door shelves are basic shoe box style shelves that fit into the divider easily. They are easy to clean as you can remove the entire box and its contents to immerse it in the sink. The 40/60 split shelves make getting it in the sink a bit difficult.
The Freezer: The freezer has its ups and downs. Remember that the crisper drawers are bigger since the motor and fans are not at the bottom of the refrigerator, well that space is lost from the freezer. On the other hand, Amana designed the interior of the freezer with a slide out drawer and a slide out shelf. The slide out drawer is sloped in the back (just like a standard refrigerator’s crisper drawers). The drawer basket slides on strong roller glides that provide smooth operation even when full. The basket is large enough to store quite a bit of meat and vegetables, but organizing flat things (like a pan of lasagna) is a pain with the slope. The upper shelf slides out on sturdy glides as well, allowing easy access to the ice maker (if you have one installed—additional charge for that) and the storage, which does have a stop on the back to prevent things from falling behind. The freezer door storage is pretty basic on this model. The shelves are not removable, but are generous to store juice containers and other items. The freezer has a light too.
Accessories: An icemaker can be installed at the factory before delivery for about $100. This takes up a bit more space on the upper shelf and is not as easily accessed as in a standard refrigerator, but is well worth the cost. A bread holder (attaches to the shelf in an L shape), a 2 liter bottle holder, egg container, and door shelf dividers are also available.
We looked at Kenmore, GE, Kitchen Aid, and Whirlpool models as well. Bottom mount freezers are not offered by every brand, but that narrows the selection to a reasonable number. Bear in mind that the lovely stainless steel models will require you to stop using refrigerator magnets (they don’t stick to that silver exterior). I did a thorough evaluation of the 20.5 cubic foot Amana ARB2107A, ARB2109 and 21V, but chose the 22V (a very similar 21.7 cubic foot model sold under the Encore line and under the Kenmore line) in the final purchase to be able to more fully use the gallon storage in the door. The 2107 ARB is a great model, but check out that door before you write the check. The 22V, the ARB 2109, and the 21V are also good options in the same price range with the same type of features. I would recommend this refrigerator to anyone who likes mine, but wants an energy rebate or who would not use the additional space that I paid for.
Additional Note: The storage in the door of this model is assymetrical. If you plan to store two gallons of milk in the door (I keep 2% and whole in the door), you need to take a close look at the door design and on which side you plan to put the hinge. On the 20.5 cubic foot model, if the hinge is on the wrong side, it may be very difficult to store two gallons of milk close to the open side. This may make no difference to you whatsoever, but it may make all the difference in the world.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1100
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Epinions.com ID:
sofarsogood
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Location: Central California
Reviews written: 41
Trusted by: 5 members
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I cook, I can, I quilt, therefore I am insane !?!
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