They are not as wide as regular refrigerator doors, so they usually won t interfere with your cabinetry. If you have a large platter that you want to put in the refrigerator or a tray of appetizers that you want to freeze, they won t fit. Very large turkeys won t fit either. A refrigerator with the freezer on top, even in the smallest models of 21 cubic feet, will have more usable room inside than a side by side freezer that is 23 cubic feet. Top freezer models use their space more efficiently, and that is one of the reasons they are the most popular.
Refrigerators come with many options.
There are other options to think about and look for that are not as standard. All three types of refrigerators will come with adjustable shelves, but make sure that the model you are looking at does. Make sure the shelves are glass, it is worth the extra money as plastic breaks and gets stained. An important feature is separate thermostat controls for freezer and refrigerator. Also, humidity controls on the deli or lunch meat storage and on the crispers.