Avanti RMS551SS 5.5 Cf Refrigerator Freezer

FINALLY an under-counter mini fridge with a fridge AND freezer! And it works and looks great! The shipping was delayed by a couple days, but everything about this mini fridge-freezer is so great thus far that I’m giving it five stars regardless. I’ve only had it for a day so can’t speak to the longevity yet, but it came fully assembled with all the shelves neatly taped in place inside, well packaged, and arrived in a couple days. After waiting for two hours (as indicated in the manual) I plugged it in and it got cold really quickly. It’s quiet, looks fabulous and I think it’s a great value!!

For all the complaints I've read about this model, I just don't get it. The package was delivered in perfect condition. Its size and appearance are perfect for what I needed. Plus, over the past 30 years we've had experience with Avanti refrigerators of varying sizes. The only other option for the kitchen I'm building for our 'oasis' apartment area (ie where we'll 'hide' when company comes, or we get sick) was the Summit under-counter refrigerators for 4x the cost. It's quiet, cold, looks nice, and fits exactly how I envisioned it would. With the electronics warranty package through Amazon, I feel quite confident.

Liked:1) Side by side refrigerator and freezer layout in a compact size is terrific for kitchenettes, small apartments, dorm rooms, garages, etc.2) Nice amount of interior space with adjustable shelves and door shelves for the fridge only (freezer has 3 shelves, non-movable).3) Simple exterior design.4) Interior fridge light that auto turns on/off when door is opened/closed (freezer has no light).5) Front legs can be adjusted up/down to help with leveling.6) Easy to unbox and remove from shipping container (open top, then one side, and rest of box just folds open).7) Startup is as easy as plug it in and set the temperature via a dial near the fridge interior light (about 5 is recommended for home/office).Dislikes:1) The clear protective film on the doors was near impossible to remove. The film was probably applied during manufacturing as it went under parts, thus making it impossible to remove without leaving stray bits still attached! See pictures. Very frustrating. Ideally, you could just leave it on, but various marks and stickers make it look ugly so you’re forced to remove it from the doors at least.2) Rear legs (left, center and right) are pure metal and will scratch the hell out of your wood floors as you try to slide the unit into place! Highly recommend adhering felt pads or something to protect your floors. Would be very easy for the company to design this better.3) Freezer does not have auto-defrost. You have to manually defrost every so often as excessive frost will build up.4) Interior of the fridge and freezer were really dirty! I expected it to be super clean, but had to wipe it all down. This was just another point of dissatisfaction and frustration after having to deal with the exterior protective film.Tips:- Manufacturer does recommend letting the unit stand for a few hours before you plug it in. A settling period is needed after transport.- Unit may be considered noisy for some (when it’s actively cooling), so be mindful if you plan to place the unit in a bedroom, dorm room, or anywhere you need silence.- The lowest priced unit looks great; not sure why you would spend an extra $400 to get the stainless steel version?

Best choice ever made

This seemed to be a great solution to a small space in a cottage kitchen. The unit was expensive, particularly when shipping was added, however, it seemed just right for our situation. It worked well for three months and then died on August 1. We called Avanti/Legacy Group and it took a week for a technician to come look at it (August 8), only to tell us the compressor died and was not replaceable. We would need a new unit. He let the company, Avanti/Legacy know, and we were told to email a photo of the cord to the unit being cut, to verify we were telling the truth, which we did... this after the technician they hired, said it was dead! Who don't they believe, both of us?Because it is warrantied, they said they will send a new unit in 12-14 days, and a tracking number at that time. I have only an email address, have asked twice for updates, but have heard nothing back. It is now August 24, and we have no word of the unit being shipping. The summer season is short in Massachusetts. This has been extremely disappointing. I do not recommend this product.

I do a bunch of meal prep but I typically live alone so I don't need a huge fridge but lots of freezer space was important to me. There don't seem to be a lot of options for freezer fridge side by side and I am really glad I tried this one. Has been going really strong for two years now. The top served as my kitchen counter too for a while when I was living in a smaller space. I have a big chest freezer now too and I don't think I'll ever buy a larger fridge.

FAST SHIPPING AND DRIVER WAS VERY NICE AND PUT THE ITEMIN MY GARAGE.UNIT WAS PACKED CAREFULLY AND VERY EASY TO INSTALLOVERALL, VERY HAPPY WITH THE PURCHASE.GEORG LAS VEGAS NV

Fit perfectly and so far has been working great in our boat!