Answer - because Manufaturers are tight fisted. The majority of the World's population is right-handed. Its a discrimination of sorts, but if they made right and left models, the price would be higher because of extra costs, etc., and you might find then that "left-handed" machines would be more expensive, and so on. You are right, tho' it can be done - our fridge came with a small kit so I could choose which way the door opened, and the lights, switches etc were along the top...