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The Krogen we recently purchased has what I think might be the original (early 80's) AC side-by-side fridge and freezer. We are looking at a similar upgrade, probably to a DC unit.
I was at the Seattle Boat Show last weekend and spoke with several vendors that I know personally so I somewhat trust their input. For an air-cooled DC unit, it sounds like brand is not really that important. The compressors and insulation are all comparable among the major names, so it is more aesthetics and physical size. We have a DC chest freezer on the back deck so I think we are going to replace the fridge in the galley and convert the freezer space in the galley to a cabinet with shelves for storage. Our chest freezer is an Isotherm model with a smart controller and it works very well, so we may go with Isotherm even though they are more expensive. I also asked several vendors about the stainless lobster add-on, and was told that without the smart controller it could be a worthwhile purchase for a boat that spends a lot of time away from the dock.
The one thing everyone was in agreement about is that there is no reason to go with an AC/DC model for several hundred dollars more. Any reasonable battery charger will make that option unnecessary.
There are enough size options so we shouldn't have to do any cabinetry work, and I can easily do the wiring myself. I looked at smaller AC household units and am tempted by the pricing, but I am trying to remove as much of the AC equipment on the boat as I can, so will most likely go DC.
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