Amana BX21V: The Cold Hard Facts on a Great Fridge!
Written: Jan 27 '01 (Updated Jun 07 '01)
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Pros: Bottom mount style, very energy efficient, lots of storage space in the door
Cons: Freezer is a bit small, no ice maker
The Bottom Line: I highly recommend this refrigerator. The bottom freezer design is very convenient. This refrigerator is also spacious, energy efficient, and easy to clean.
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| craigmoosh's Full Review: Amana BX21V |
Last night, I decided it had been way too long since I'd written my last epinion, and I was all gung ho about writing a new one. But what would I write about?? I went into the refrigerator to get a root beer because I can always think better with a cold, frosty root beer. Nope, I still couldn’t come up with anything. I figured I'd go to the refrigerator to get something to eat. Hmmm… nothing in there looked tempting, so I sat back down to contemplate. Still no luck. I went back to the refrigerator yet again. You know how, even if you just checked the fridge and didn’t find anything, you think the next time something unbelievably delicious will magically appear?? Anyway, I opened the refrigerator door and it hit me like a ton of uncounted ballots. It was sooo obvious what I should write my review on. You guessed it… ketchup! Unfortunately, Epinions has no listing for ketchup reviews, so I’ll just review my refrigerator…
The Amana Easy Reach 20.5 cu. ft. Bottom Freezer Refrigerator BX21V
Why a Bottom Freezer? To me, a bottom freezer is the logical configuration. Yes, I know a lot of you are used to top freezer or side-by-side models and you think they’re better. All I can say to those people is, you are just plain wrong! You use the refrigerator far more than you use the freezer, don’t you? In the bottom freezer models, the refrigerator is at eye level. You also never have to stoop to get anything out of the refrigerator. They don't call this refrigerator "Easy Reach" for nothing. You like side-by-side models? Well, bottom mounts use space a lot more efficiently, and cost a lot less to operate.
Energy Efficiency: This refrigerator is very energy efficient. It is 25% below the standard set by the US Department of Energy, and is among the lowest energy users in its size range. My Energyguide sticker shows that the yearly energy use range for similar models is 524-789 KWH/Year, with this model coming in at 576. The estimated yearly operating cost is just $48 (based on electricity rates of 8.42 cents per KWH). Yes, for the price of a case of Pizza Topping Adhesive Spray® you can run this refrigerator for an entire year!
Inside the Fridge: The four split glass shelves are completely adjustable and removable. All the shelves have built in “Spillsaver” technology. What that means is the shelves are sealed and have a lip so spills stay on the shelf for easy clean-up. There are two crisper drawers, each of which has its own humidity control (high humidity is better for leafy produce, low humidity is better for produce with skin). Besides a deli drawer, this model also features a small “Chiller Fresh” drawer, which keeps fresh food in the drawer up to 5 degrees colder than the rest of the refrigerator.
The Door: One thing I love about this refrigerator is the tremendous amount of storage in the door. You can even put gallons of milk right in the door. In fact, the bottom door shelf can hold FOUR gallon containers of milk, water, wine, gasoline, etc. There are five shelves in the door, with all but the lower one being completely adjustable to any height. They can also be easily removed for cleaning. The shelves in the door are also great for bottles and cans. With the right configuration, you can also hold three 2-liter bottles in the upper shelf of the door. The door also includes what Amana calls a “Dairy Center.” While I know that sounds like a dream come true, all it really is is a small bin for storing butter. Unlike the last refrigerator I had where some of the door shelves broke after a few years, these shelves seem much more durable.
Freezer: The freezer is easily accessible. Both the top shelf and the bottom wire basket slide out for easy access to all items. There are three shelves in the door, but they are pretty small. Because the condenser fan and compressor are behind the freezer, it isn’t as deep as the refrigerator, and some people may find it a bit small. Note that this refrigerator doesn’t come with an ice maker, but one can be purchased separately for around $100. Like the refrigerator compartment, all the shelves in the freezer pull out, making it very easy to clean.
Similar Model: Amana makes a very similar model, the BG21V, which is about $100 cheaper. The main differences between that model and the BX21V are that the BG21V doesn’t have “Spillsaver” shelves or a “Chiller Fresh” drawer.
Important Troubleshooting Tip: In my voluminous research for this epinion, I read the owner’s manual cover to cover (okay, I didn’t read the sections in Spanish and French). I’m sure you can only imagine how interesting a refrigerator manual can be. Anyway, here is an important troubleshooting tip I found that I thought I’d pass along. It may save you hundreds of dollars in repair bills someday:
Problem: Refrigerator does not operate.
Solution: Make sure refrigerator is plugged in.
You can thank me later for that tip!
Overall, I'm very happy with this refrigerator. It doesn't surprise me at all that it is currently the #1 rated refrigerator on Epinions.
Specs:
Warranty: 1 Year Parts and Labor
Total Refrigerator Capacity: 20.5 cu. ft.
-Fresh Food Capacity: 14.4 cu. ft.
-Freezer Capacity: 6.1 cu. ft.
Dimensions:
-Depth, including Handles 33 1/2 in.
-Depth, with Door Open 63 1/8 in.
-Height to Top of Door Hinge 68 3/8 in.
-Width: 32 5/8 in.
-Weight: 311 lbs.
Energy: Kilowatt Hrs. per Year 576
Colors Available:
-White
-Bisque
-Almond
-Ebony
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 749
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Epinions.com ID:
craigmoosh
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Craig
Location: Mequon, Wisconsin
Reviews written: 25
Trusted by: 200 members
About Me:
100,000 readers can't be wrong!! Well, okay, they *could* be...
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