The GE wall refrigerator-freezer is the vintage kitchen appliance that perhaps draws the most gasps from readers when they see one for the first time. And, it’s one of the appliances that inspires many folks to ask, “Why don’t they make this today?” Why did it disappear? I have a few hypotheses. According to the copy in these marketing materials (part of my personal collection), the GE wall refrigerator-freezer was introduced in 1955 — the same year that GE introduced the Wonder Kitchen and a whole suite of kitchen appliances all meant to encourage the “built-in” look.
Here’s what the ad says about this exciting new invention:
… This magnificent refrigerator-freezer that hangs from the wall provides a completely new and advanced concept of modern living. Truly, it is the most convenient and magnificent refrigerator-freezer ever produced!
The advantages of this new G-E Wall Refrigerator-Freezer are obvious: there’s no need to bend or stoop for foods because everything can be seen at a glance… It can be installed directly above a work counter to provide extra counter surface. And, there’s room in the kitchen for extra base cabinets because this compact new appliance occupies no floor space.
…Six Mix-or-Match colors including white.
Specs: “This de luxe refrigerator-freezer has 10.7 cubic feet of storage room — 8.7 cubic feet for fresh food and 2 cubic feet for frozen foods. It is 5 feet 4 inches long, 3 feet 3½ inches high and 17½ inches deep.
- Long-lasting baked enamel with a wide band of textured aluminum.
- All 3 doors are kept shut by famous alnico magnets. No handles, no catches.
- Separate vegetable and fruit compartments have transparent sliding doors.
- Top shelf provides space for tall bottles. Shelves are adjustable to various levels.
- Separate compartments inside door or butter, egg rack; and door shelves for small jars and cans.
- Zero-degree food freezer has room for up to 83 packages of frozen foods.
- Four new-style Mini-Cube® ice trays.
- Frozen fruit juice storage rack.
- Dependable whisper-quite ealed-in G-E refrigeration unit is built into the refrigerator. No need to install it separately.
Above: Note the special hanger gear on the wall. Readers experienced with this units advise: If you find one to buy for your kitchen, Be Sure to Get The Hanger Thingie!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these “live” working in a reader’s kitchen. But I see no reason that these could not still be used. They may require some refurbishing.
Mix-and-Match style: Above, this image produced to advertise Armstrong Flooring shows just how the different GE cabinets and appliance colors could be mixed and matched Mondrian-style.
Above: Another interior design from Armstrong floors — Note here, how the GE wall refrigerator-freezer unit is built into an appliance wall. Cool to the max. Plus: Love that floor!
Above: Here’s the GE Wonder Kitchen.
Above: Reader Chris scored a GE Wonder Kitchen, refurbished it, and installed it in his apartment, which is in a building designed by Mies van Der Rohe.
Okay, so can I now really blow your mind? Above: A full GE Refrigeration Center — combining the wall refrigerator-freezer with base cabinets refrigeration and even tucking in two Cabinettes. I don’t know the year of this ad, although this marketing image is somewhere in my files.
Above: And this one blows our minds too: The GE Partio Cart, introduced in 1960.
Why did GE wall refrigerator-freezers fade from the marketplace?
I hypothesize: (1) An 8.7 cu.ft. refrigerator was not “enough”, especially as manufacturers continued to offer new, larger refrigerator designs. (2) Kids could not reach the refrigerator. (3) Many women [average height was 5’4″, I remember reading once] themselves had trouble reaching. (4) I’m guessing these were expensive.
Gracie says
My theory is that they were just too hard to work on if the motor went out, etc.
My neighbor up the street from me grew up with one of these fridges and she recalls the funny looks she would get when she had to call home because she left her homework… “Mom, can you bring me my homework?… where is it?… it’s UNDER the refrigerator”!!!! (True Story!)
Kristy Collins says
I just thought I would share that I have this kitchen in real life. My house was built in 1955.
pam kueber says
WOW! That is a GE Wonder Kitchen — combined with other Geneva kitchen cabinets! Kristy, may I have permission to add a few of these photos to these stories about the 1955 GE lineup! AWESOME! THANK YOU!
Gracie says
Pam,
Have you noticed the sink in the Hot In Cleveland kitchen? 🙂
pam kueber says
Yes, I did a story on this — they have a Dishmaster! Story: https://retrorenovation.com/2010/06/21/hot-in-cleveland-the-dishmaster/
Kristy Collins says
Hi Pam – You are more than welcome to share the photos. I also have some great photos of it from back in the day too. Not only do I have the cool kitchen, but I am fortunate to know the history of my home as well. My aunt built it with her husband in 1955.
Jay says
I think these are candidates for the “woddity” file. I wonder how many were actually produced. Once you read the specs and see how small they actually were, well it’s no wonder they were around a short period of time. Probably high end too! Where do you store all the leftovers? Now the refrigeration center looks like fun, especially the drawers. I think the novel ideas in appliances were probably too much out of the mainstream for average folks.
MHooper says
Decades ago my sister owned this refrigerator in turquoise. Her kitchen wasn’t too large, either. She kept the heat loving amaryllis on the chest freezer across the room and her pot in the fridge. I’d take one in a heartbeat today, but I’m too old the stash anything in it but real food! LOL
philq says
I have one of these – in aqua – installed in my original 1957 kitchen. I had it serviced once for a new thermostat. I love it and I can overlook the lack of self-defrosting. This is great for all the daily needs such as butter, milk, condiments (I do have an auxiliary refrigerator in the Laundry room).
The original owner of this house had a maid/cook who probably went to the store on a daily basis, thus no need for a large-capacity refrigerator. Probably another reason for their demise – lifestyles have changed.
Barb S. says
philq, did you just call anyone in the book for service? I could use some work on mine, and I am afraid some young whippersnapper will break it. For some reason I think I need to bring someone out of retirement to look at it, haha! Thanks~
philq says
Barb S.
If I recall, we called GE authorized service. The thermostat was replaced with a new unit, not an original part. He also replaced some of the push button controls on the stainless cook top with new push buttons.
The lower rod in my oven also burned out and I was able to find a replacement part from a local appliance supplier – which I easily replaced myself.
52PostNBeam says
I went to see one of these “live” and even though I could have had it for $200 and it was perfect, ultimately I decided I didn’t want 300 lbs hanging on my wall… also, the dimensions of 64″ wide x 39″ tall make it really dominate a space. The coils are exposed inside at the top, making the usable space is even smaller (they’re also UPPER cabinet depth … only 17″ deep).
The person selling the fridge I looked at received a call from a woman who said her father used to travel all over the country servicing these – he must have worked for GE. The compressor, fans, and motor are in the top part and the panel pops off the front. Fun fact: all of these were made at the GE plant in Louisville KY!
pam kueber says
I think that when I buy my “retirement” condo, I need to buy all these woddities and try to install them. Including the precious Electro-Sink Center I have tucked away!
lady brett says
i have to say, i think the narrow depth is one of the major points of interest to me! no more “losing” stuff in the back of the fridge. what a spectacular use of space – i would love one of these. though, as pointed out, i imagine servicing them would be something else.
Anne Walker says
These dimensions are most useful. Going to the kitchen in a few with tape measure in hand. Thanks.
Marie says
Thanks for sharing all this info. I love your site! I think the time has come again for these wall refrigerators and wall freezers. They install at a very convenient height and are compact enough to be placed in the various “morning kitchen,” “work center” and “hospitality” spaces that we so often design into our custom home plans. We are specifying tons of refrigerator and freezer drawers and THOSE units have less than 6 cu ft capacity! Multiple food preservation locations are common in today’s kitchen plans. More and more of our open plan kitchen designs show a “wall of tall” elements with a functional island out front. I think these GE units work perfectly in that design paradigm.
Robin says
What a neat appliance. I have a 1965 Frigidaire Flair stove/oven. I would love to see a feature on The Flairs 🙂
BlueJay says
I think the size issue was probably what sealed their fate. I also imagine servicing these was *fun*. The idea is actually quite cool (no pun intended), but it required great organization skills (how do you get 83 packages of frozen goods into that freezer?!) and I imagine was fairlty co$tly when it came out.
Robin, NV says
Hah! Yeah, “fun” is probably correct. I wonder if it had to be defrosted like other fridges of that vintage? I still love it and can see the great benefits of having a wall hung fridge.
BlueJay says
The frost free models didn’t start appearing at least until ’59 (Frigidaire’s ’59 lineup proudly proclaims that it’s new for ’59) so I imagine these were manual defrost. I love the concept though! Sadly, if I had one of these, it would not fit in our tiny little kitchen. :/
Lynne says
The house across the street from us was the “model” home for our neighborhood. So, it had the fancier, higher end finishes, and it had the wall mounted fridge and freezer. This was the late 1960’s and that unit was still going strong in the 80’s. The model kitchen had a combination of pale yellow and aqua cabinets, it was incredible to me even then. All the houses had GE metal cabinets, our were the more basic model, in pink.
Erica says
Columbus Craigslist has a nonworking wall refrigerator listed for sale, thought I would pass on.