Are modern refrigerators really worth the upgrade?

I’ve been paying attention to the household refrigerators and freezers market lately, and it seems like almost every brand is pushing something “new”—smart fridges with touchscreens, Wi-Fi connectivity, temperature-control apps, inverter compressors, energy-efficient models, and even fridges that can suggest recipes based on what’s inside.

But here’s what I’m curious about: for the average household, do these upgrades actually make a noticeable difference in day-to-day life? For example, does an inverter compressor really save that much electricity, or is it more of a long-term benefit that most people won’t notice on their bills? Are the smart features more convenient, or do they just end up being gimmicks that most people stop using after a while?

Also, I’m debating whether it’s better to invest in a big, feature-packed fridge with all the bells and whistles, or stick with a smaller, simpler model that’s more reliable and less likely to break down. Some of the bigger fridges look amazing and are packed with compartments, multi-zone cooling, and ice/ water dispensers, but I wonder if all that really just adds complexity—and potential repair headaches.

I’d really love to hear from people here who actually use these modern fridges at home. Have you noticed real improvements in energy savings, convenience, or food preservation? Or do you think sticking with a basic, reliable fridge is just smarter in the long run?

And for those who have gone smart or feature-rich, what’s your honest take on whether these upgrades are worth the price difference? Are they truly life-changing, or more of a luxury that’s nice to have but not essential?

Would also be interesting to hear if you think size matters more than features—like, would you rather have a bigger fridge with basic functionality or a smaller one packed with tech?

The more they have on them, the more things that could go south.

goatfarmer said:

The more they have on them, the more things that could go south.

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Those worthless technology gadgets are fluff and troublesome BS, indeed.
My 1985 GE, a plain old fridge without that BS, is still running fine.
People who are "bought into" the "upgrade" never-ending cycle of life need to wake up and smell the corporate greed behind having to outlay rediculous money to replace something that is perfectly good.

I don't need to have wifi, bluetooth, internet, or a tv screen on my fridge.

I dont want any of that crap on any appliance I have. NO wi-fi or apps. I got a plain 18 cu ft top freezer Frigidaire a few years ago for $499 and its made in the USA not China , that suits me just fine

wayupnorth said:

I dont want any of that crap on any appliance I have. NO wi-fi or apps. I got a plain 18 cu ft top freezer Frigidaire a few years ago for $499 and its made in the USA not China , that suits me just fine

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Good for you, Tim!

I'm a "Dont Follow The Crowd" type, just because others have been conditioned through advertizing to "upgrade" when it's not needed.

I completely agree about having simple, no frills appliances. We bought our GE 16 cu ft Top Freezer refrigerator 9 years ago this month. It was made in the USA, no extras what so ever, it even has wire shelves. It’s the best fridge we’ve ever owned! When we bought it I ordered an extra wire shelve and this gives as much fressh food storage space as the 18 cu ft model it replaced.

I fail to see why anyone needs to have their fridge wi-fi and bluetooth capable, it’s a refrigerator, not a computer! This goes for washers too! As far as ice, I just make ice the old fashioned way with ice cube trays, one less thing to break down.

Eddie

ea56 said:

I completely agree about having simple, no frills appliances. We bought our GE 16 cu ft Top Freezer refrigerator 9 years ago this month. It was made in the USA, no extras what so ever, it even has wire shelves. It’s the best fridge we’ve ever owned! When we bought it I ordered and extra wire shelve and this gives as much fressh food storage space as the 18 cu ft model it replaced.

I fail to see why anyone needs to have their fridge wi-fi and bluetooth capable, it’s a refrigerator, not a computer! This goes for washers too! As far as ice, I just make ice the old fashioned way with ice cube trays, one less thing to break down.

Eddie

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Corporations want to gain control of society, like a bunch of puppets.
They've already done that with smart phones, among other things.
All cloaked in the name of "convenience".
And honestly, look at how society is today.
The brainwashing, the manipulation, and all the other things that go with that give the "masters" more control.
No, it's not some Twilight Zone episode, it's reality.

What upgrade?

You only want something to cool, keep things cold and freeze!

Not tell the whole world that you're out of milk, or use your phone to "stock your fridge" the way you "wash and/or dry your laundry" but you have to actually be there...

Like the way you'd find yourself running an empty dryer with your phone because your laundry is still in the washing machine--and you probably forgot to "call the washer"--oh, imagine doing all this with dial phones and land-lines to boot!

(I'll let you still decide)



-- Dave

daveamkrayoguy said:

What upgrade?

You only want something to cool, keep things cold and freeze!

Not tell the whole world that you're out of milk, or use your phone to "stock your fridge" the way you "wash and/or dry your laundry" but you have to actually be there...

Like the way you'd find yourself running an empty dryer with your phone because your laundry is still in the washing machine--and you probably forgot to "call the washer"--oh, imagine doing all this with dial phones and land-lines to boot!

(I'll let you still decide)



-- Dave

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LOL!..... dial phones!.... I love it!
Modern living - not having to use your arms, legs, and hands to do chores anymore.
Just use one finger, and what's left of your brain cells after having a SmartPhone Lobotomy.
And why even visit an amusment park or a store? - when you can just slip on those wonderful Virtual Reality glasses, and pay by using your eyeballs.

I agree, the more stuff the thing has, the more potential there is for something to go wrong. Lots of manufacturers won't have that computer board available in 8-10 years when it quits. I recently watched a YouTube review of a Speed Queen, and couldn't understand the reviewer's focus on it's lack of an App. My life just isn't so important or complex that I need the damn dryer to text me when it's done! (though we had a storm a couple days ago, which caused the power to go on and off a half-dozen times, addling the family room tv beyond it's ability to cope. there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth -and yelling and cursing... until I finally just unplugged it for 5 minutes so it could collect it's thoughts... worked fine after that. does one really want to have to learn to do that to their fridge??)

Whenever I suspect a bad storm is coming, I'll unplug my most important devices, like this computer, the tv, stereo, etc.
It take a few measily minutes to do, and insures that I don't have to spend a lot of money replacing things later on.
I call it being proactive, and using common sense, something lacking in society these days.

phillymatt53 said:

Whenever I suspect a bad storm is coming, I'll unplug my most important devices, like this computer, the tv, stereo, etc.
It take a few measily minutes to do, and insures that I don't have to spend a lot of money replacing things later on.
I call it being proactive, and using common sense, something lacking in society these days.

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that's right--we are expecting a lot of things to be done for us these days...

truth is, the more technology, the more greater expectations, but also more chances of failure, and it being the devices fault...

when in reality, we are becoming less its master, and more its slave...

that is, there will always be need to use our own brains...



-- Dave

Our refrigerator is a WP built Kenmore SxS. Built in 1998, I rescued it from a trade in pile. It needed a new control. Has ice and water through the door, that's it.

goatfarmer said:

Our refrigerator is a WP built Kenmore SxS. Built in 1998, I rescued it from a trade in pile. It needed a new control. Has ice and water through the door, that's it.

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All mine has, though the flow through the chute stopped...

A Whirlpool Conquest, 2009 (the millennium's General Electric Americana!)

All any side x side lover like myself besides the 25 cft. cap. really needs...

And still runs, cools & freezes great!



-- Dave

Bought a basic Whirlpool top freezer/fridge in 2022 and still keeping the food cold without any problems

goatfarmer said:

The more they have on them, the more things that could go south.

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If you were traveling north during the winter and a storm was approaching you, would you say that things were going north?

I have a separate fridge and freezer, the fridge must be over 20 years old and the freezer is quite a bit older. The only features they have is the light that comes on when you open the door.

Given electricity prices here, it is very likely that I'll replace them in the not too distant future; modern one's sold here have thicker insulation, although that does mean less capacity, and also inverter driven compressors, and are supposed to save a fair bit of juice and maintain a more consistent temperature.

Before I do so, I'll measure the average electricity use and work out how many years a new appliance will take to pay for itself in electricity savings.

I would quite like ones that are wifi enabled, so they could warn me if they are too warm, they've broken down or if someone has left the door open, before all the food spoils. However I have wireless temperature monitors in them, so I can at least hear the alarm if I'm at home and near the kitchen.

If my 1951 GE Combination wasn't so ugly and worn, I'd put it in the kitchen where the Whirlpool 'stainless steel' side-by-side now stands.

kenwashesmonday said:

If my 1951 GE Combination wasn't so ugly and worn, I'd put it in the kitchen where the Whirlpool 'stainless steel' side-by-side now stands.

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Well that certainly you headed off whatever technology was doing everything for us including defrosting!



— Dave

I've never had a fridge with an ice maker or water dispenser and don't want one. Simpler the better. My GE stove and LG washer both have wifi capability and I don't use that other than to have tried out the feature it's forgotten now. We have a newer LG bottom freezer fridge, counter depth, with no extra features but it has an inverter compressor, so far so good, it's dead silent in operation, never hear a sound from it which I really like. No fan noise, no defrosting noise, nothing but pure silence.

It's so sad that today's appliances are made with that idiotic WiFi crap.
The already widespread addiction of clutching a smartphone and living by its APPS is pathetic.
This is not normal for humans to be so attached to a device.

I'm more afraid of data collection rather than a wifi piece breaking down. Also don't like the trend of paying a monthly fee for certain options/functions. Some of the newest appliances require a smart phone for setup before it will even function. From what I've read, Bosch dishwashers are going this route. What stops a hacker from breaking into your appliance and screwing with functions remotely?

Back in 2012 when CIA Director David Petraeus stated "We'll will spy on you through your dishwasher" the public laughed it off. Not so funny anymore.

https://www.wired.com/2012/03/petraeus-tv-remote/

qsd-dan said:

I'm more afraid of data collection rather than a wifi piece breaking down. Also don't like the trend of paying a monthly fee for certain options/functions. Some of the newest appliances require a smart phone for setup before it will even function. From what I've read, Bosch dishwashers are going this route. What stops a hacker from breaking into your appliance and screwing with functions remotely?

Back in 2012 when CIA Director David Petraeus stated "We'll will spy on you through your dishwasher" the public laughed it off. Not so funny anymore.

https://www.wired.com/2012/03/petraeus-tv-remote/

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To me, it sounds like another ploy to keep the greed funded.

phillymatt53 said:

it sounds like another ploy to keep the greed funded.

Click to expand...

It most certainly is.

pstehle said:

I agree, the more stuff the thing has, the more potential there is for something to go wrong. Lots of manufacturers won't have that computer board available in 8-10 years when it quits. I recently watched a YouTube review of a Speed Queen, and couldn't understand the reviewer's focus on it's lack of an App. My life just isn't so important or complex that I need the damn dryer to text me when it's done! (though we had a storm a couple days ago, which caused the power to go on and off a half-dozen times, addling the family room tv beyond it's ability to cope. there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth -and yelling and cursing... until I finally just unplugged it for 5 minutes so it could collect it's thoughts... worked fine after that. does one really want to have to learn to do that to their fridge??)

Click to expand...

deepanshu472 said:

I’ve been paying attention to the household refrigerators and freezers market lately, and it seems like almost every brand is pushing something “new”—smart fridges with touchscreens, Wi-Fi connectivity, temperature-control apps, inverter compressors, energy-efficient models, and even fridges that can suggest recipes based on what’s inside.

But here’s what I’m curious about: for the average household, do these upgrades actually make a noticeable difference in day-to-day life? For example, does an inverter compressor really save that much electricity, or is it more of a long-term benefit that most people won’t notice on their bills? Are the smart features more convenient, or do they just end up being gimmicks that most people stop using after a while?

Also, I’m debating whether it’s better to invest in a big, feature-packed fridge with all the bells and whistles, or stick with a smaller, simpler model that’s more reliable and less likely to break down. Some of the bigger fridges look amazing and are packed with compartments, multi-zone cooling, and ice/ water dispensers, but I wonder if all that really just adds complexity—and potential repair headaches.

I’d really love to hear from people here who actually use these modern fridges at home. Have you noticed real improvements in energy savings, convenience, or food preservation? Or do you think sticking with a basic, reliable fridge is just smarter in the long run?

And for those who have gone smart or feature-rich, what’s your honest take on whether these upgrades are worth the price difference? Are they truly life-changing, or more of a luxury that’s nice to have but not essential?

Would also be interesting to hear if you think size matters more than features—like, would you rather have a bigger fridge with basic functionality or a smaller one packed with tech?

Click to expand...

What no one mention because if government efficiency standards, new refrigerators used less electricity, even few years they are more efficient. My 2016 fridge is more efficient than the 1996 model I brought when I moved in. Icemakers are the least reliable part of any fridge, documented by consumers reports since the 1980s. Most reliable fridge is traditional freezer on top. I had the ill fated Whirlpool with freezer on bottom, defrost drain keeps getting clog from the fridge and freezes over. There is a Lawsuit after I dump it.

The WORST refrigerator that we ever owned was also the most expensive too! It was an Amana bottom freezer model that was delivered the day after 9-11-01. The cabinet was not square and no matter how I adjusted the swing of the door it would not close on its own with a gentle nudge, it needed to forcibly pushed to swing closed. The lettuce was always frozen and the milk got sour in about 4 days. No ice maker to fail, but there was plenty of other things wrong with it.

BWT, the Amana service guy came out and said there was nothing wrong with it, but I’ll bet he’d of whistled another tune if he had that POS in his kitchen.

After that we went back to bare bones BOL top freezer fridges and haven’t been dissapointed.

Eddie

qsd-dan said:

I'm more afraid of data collection rather than a wifi piece breaking down. Also don't like the trend of paying a monthly fee for certain options/functions. Some of the newest appliances require a smart phone for setup before it will even function. From what I've read, Bosch dishwashers are going this route. What stops a hacker from breaking into your appliance and screwing with functions remotely?

Back in 2012 when CIA Director David Petraeus stated "We'll will spy on you through your dishwasher" the public laughed it off. Not so funny anymore.

https://www.wired.com/2012/03/petraeus-tv-remote/

Click to expand...

Indeed, I like and demand my privacy too.
We're entitled to it.

I don't need my washing machine to order me some new boxer briefs just because their beyond their "expiration dates".

phillymatt53 said:

Indeed, I like and demand my privacy too.
We're entitled to it.

I don't need my washing machine to order me some new boxer briefs just because their beyond their "expiration dates".

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Hyperbole.

petek said:

I've never had a fridge with an ice maker or water dispenser and don't want one. Simpler the better. My GE stove and LG washer both have wifi capability and I don't use that other than to have tried out the feature it's forgotten now. We have a newer LG bottom freezer fridge, counter depth, with no extra features but it has an inverter compressor, so far so good, it's dead silent in operation, never hear a sound from it which I really like. No fan noise, no defrosting noise, nothing but pure silence.

Click to expand...

I would disagree, I LOVE my icemaker and water dispenser. I had an Amana 3 door fridge, that I still miss - if I could have gotten the compressor I would have much rather had the fridge fixed than a new one. My GE side by side replaced it, and it has been good at ten years old - no problems with icemaker or water. On the Amana fridge, if you didn't use the icemaker for a long time, it may freeze up, which would mean taking the bin out of the fridge, dumping it into the sink, and letting it refill again. On the GE, I have had no problems, period. Now what I have done is put a floodstop unit under my fridge, which shuts off the flow of water to the fridge if it any water reaches the floodstop sensors, which you can daisy-chain together to add several, and place them where it works for you. Floodstop makes units for water heaters, dishwashers, etc - there is another company that makes devices that detect if a water pipe breaks and causes a severe loss of water pressure - preventing huge damage, when you may not even be home when this can happen. My sister and hubby pulled up the house they had just bought years ago - and water pouring out the front door. The previous owner had patched a toilet tank, which let loose while the house was vacant. Then the insurance argument - "whose house is it" - their insurance company said "you did NOT move in yet" - the previous owners said "you HAVE already moved out. Now on my fridge water lines, I have a Sears undercounter water filtration system, good enough to filter out lead pretty well (a good filter quality indicator, and NFS approval, or whatever the agency is) - so I have my fridges water plumbed into the FILTERED water, and as the GE has a water filter inside the fridge, I replace that once in a while with another genuine GE filter (as that one also filters lead, whereas the generic doesn't) - I feel this helps prevent a lot of water filter problems, preventing the crud from building up on water valves and stuff - I also have a countertop electric water heater to supplement our quirky central hot water in my condo, which feeds my kitchen sink, dishwasher, and front load washer. So on that I installed a scale water filter, as well as the Clearwave electronic water conditioner, to try to prevent scale and crud buildup in the electric water heater, dishwasher, etc - which seems to be helping a great deal - otherwise, the electric water heater needs descaling about every six months, this seems to help reduce this - normally before the scale water filter I would pull the electric water heater apart to clean it and replace the anode rod, and the anode rod would be just about gone at 6 months (I am in a hard water area) - I think it will go over a year now before replacing - I hear in other areas of the country anode rods may last a few years. And, as a tip - you are also supposed to inspect anode rods in your big water heaters - they are easier to do, you can normally unscrew them without doing much to the water heater, not like my small countertop water heater. If you keep these anode rods replaced when they need to be, and drain your water heater when you are supposed to according to the instructions - yours will work much better, cost less to operate, and last a whole lot longer.

me said:

Given electricity prices here, it is very likely that I'll replace them in the not too distant future;

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I suspect that you will find this to be a mistake. The notion that modern refrigerators use less electricity is / was a flat out lie to get more people to replace their well made, reliable, long lasting refrigerators with POS that aren’t well made (cheap to make- expensive to buy equals LOTS of profit), aren’t reliable (expensive parts to buy equals MORE PROFIT), and most certainly are NOT long lasting (Congratulations. You are now a hamster on THEIR wheel. Please return to step one. Or buy an OLD fridge to step off of the wheel of profit). Hard to believe, but people actually do lie when it benefits them if they can get away with it. Even groups of people.

Check out some anecdotal evidence wherein people who DON’T have anything to gain test their old fridges for energy consumption. Replacing them is very much a losing proposition (for the buyer who got suckered), and in no way is an “upgrade”. You can buy a LOT of food to make up for the occasional family idiot that leaves the door open, unnoticed for the several hours it would actually take for the food to warm up and go bad. I would suggest that no one has lost enough food due to family idiots leaving the door open for hours to justify the expense of a fridge that fricken calls you when it’s door is open (not even counting the HIDDEN expenses listed above!)

Keith