New refrigerator needed-help and advice appreciated

[stchuck]

Hello all, maybe you can help me out. My current built in refrigerator, after only 5 years and 7 service calls in the last 6 months alone, is going to the garbage heap. I cant take it anymore, I give up. It never holds the right temperature.

I am having my cabinetry modified to accept a counter depth freestanding refrigerator. There is no way I am putting 7-8K into another built in.

Heres the problem: I prefer side by side models but it seems technology and design are going into the French door models and not the side by side.

Its hard to find any counter depth side by side that does not have dismal reviews. The counter depths seem to be better rated and to my surprise in both categories GE seems to be getting the most favorable reviews.

I am hesitant on Samsung and LG, they supposedly have these great warranties but I don't know if I trust them.

Can anyone offer me any advice or user reviews based on what they have? I had a kitchenaid side by side in my previous house but now they seem to only get two or three star ratings.

All comments are appreciated.

 

[volvoguy87]

I work in the appliance parts business.

Most of the technicians I meet REALLY hate LG and Samsung. Comparing them to the big 3 (Whirlpool, GE, and Frigidaire / Electrolux) they have far less parts compatibility. In english, this means that LG and Samsung have slight variations in their parts from one model to another so a part which looks and functions like another, may not be interchangeable. This means that a parts house, like mine, is less likely to have the parts for your model in stock. Getting LG and Samsung parts can also be difficult. My company doesn't stock all that many of them because we'd need a half dozen types of part X as opposed to one type from another manufacturer.

As I see from work, Frigidaire / Electrolux are at the bottom of the big 3. Their performance is on par with their competition, but their boxes tend to be more flimsy and they tend to break more shelves and crisper bins. Whirlpool is okay as is GE. GE might be a tad better, but watch out for their electronics!

The french door variety tend to be a bit more complicated and are often built by Samsung or LG, regardless of the brand on the door. Personally, I'd stay away from them and stick with a side by side. You will pay a premium for counter depth, and any proprietary parts. I'd look into Sub Zero. They cost a lot, but tend to hold up and perform well too.

Clear as mud?
Dave

 

[stchuck]

My gut was telling me to stay away from Samsung and LG, I appreciate your input.

 

[danemodsandy]

Scott:

Since St. Charles is a pretty affluent area, I wonder if you might look on Craigslist for a Sub-Zero that someone is recycling prematurely due to a bad case of Decoratitis? As most of us on AW know, the symptoms of Decoratitis are unmistakeable; the patient rips out and disposes of late-model, perfectly good appliances just to keep up with the Joneses - at least, the Joneses on HGTV.

Seriously, a late-model Sub-Zero can be a great deal, and you have access to the whole Chicago metro area; surely a good one will turn up in fairly short order.

Here's a link to the Craigslist listings in your area. Hope they help:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=sub zero&sort=rel

 

[stchuck]

I am going to move away from the built ins and go for a free standing counter depth. I don't think sub zero makes any free standing refrigerators but not sure.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Our counter-depth French door KitchenAid is doing well so far, a year after buying it.

Chuck

 

[fan-of-fans]

A friend of mine bought a home with a stainless steel LG side by side. It looks nice but the door dispensers don't work and to fix requires a new door. I believe my neighbor next door had the same problem with a Hotpoint several years ago. At least the Hotpoint was still under warranty. It seems the dispensers are a big problem with a lot of side by sides. We have a Kenmore at work and same thing, ice dispenser doesn't work, but the water does.

 

[whirlcool]

After having a lemon of a Whirlpool SxS we went with a GE SxS this time around. We've had it two and a half years and not a repair yet. It has worked flawlessly.

 

[stchuck]

Bosch

Does anyone have any experience with the bosch refrigerators or have you heard anything about them?

 

[xraytech]

I don't own a side by side, but I purchased a GE bottom freezer model from the new Artistry line in February. So far I'm very pleased with it's finished and it's performance

 

[jmm63]

The counter depth, stainless steel, side by side, GE I bought in 1999 is still running / looking beautiful in my last house. Even my cheapo GE traditional fridge in this house is 7 years old and never a problem. My partner worked in Samsung's call center for awhile, I would stay away from everything Samsung except their TVs and electronics. I don't know how many stories I heard of people throwing out a 2 or 3 year old fridge they paid thousands for.

 

[NYCWriter]

Counter depth?

Really?

Those feel so limiting.

I have a standard free-standing Frigidaire from 2006 that's running like it was still brand-new.

 

[rockland1]

After many years in the appliance business

I have always felt that side X side's are one of the best refrigerator values. Allbeit the counter depth are a little more pricey.

 

[NYCWriter]

French doors ...

... I think are the best compromise.

I've always hated side-by-sides because the refrigerator section is so narrow. Sometimes I need to slide entire cookie sheets in the fridge when I'm baking.

My Frigidaire is the traditional freezer on the top, but if I'd have had my druthers (the apartment was a gut renovation and came with brand-new appliances), I'd have chosen a fridge on the top with a bottom drawer freezer, since I'm in and out of the freezer much less frequently than I am the fridge.

 

[gefilterflo]

I currently have a Frigidaire top freezer and while I've had to glue two shelf brackets back together, I've never actually experienced a functional problem with it; my parents have a Whirlpool top-freezer model that seems to be more studily built than my Frigidaire but neither fridge has actually broken down yet, mine being a 2003 and theirs being a 2007.

 

[super32]

Bosch

My Bosch is about 4-5 years old. I had a few issues with the icemaker but nothing major. Otherwise it has been great. Im 95% sure Bosch does have factory service in your area if the need arises. We do offer a CD SXS.

 

[DADoES]

 
GE Arctica SxS came with the house (new in April 2004).  It's a nice unit, has some useful features, but the motherboard and/or freezer evaporator fan went bad end of Nov 2010.  I changed the fan first, didn't fix the problem so changed the board ... don't know if the fan really was bad or just the board.  The water valve went bad April 2013, constant drip into the ice maker.  The ice dispenser has been a frequent ass-pain.  IMO they're horrible for high-humidity areas.  Cold parts inside the dispenser mechanism in the door catch condensation and rust, and in several instances dripped moisture down the door from around the trim.  The door chute accumulates frost, completely clogged three times.  Second time, I quit using the ice dispenser for several months.  Upon deciding to deal with the situation, found that the chute flapper mechanism (solenoid and bobbin) had rusted to non-functional so had to be replaced.

 

[NYCWriter]

I think ...

... much of the maintenance issues with refrigerators stem from the automatic ice makers -- something I've never been interested in because I don't like drinking water with fluoride in it (and none of the fridge filters are powerful enough to filter out the fluoride), so I just make my own ice cubes the old-fashioned way.

 

[xraytech]

I too am one that doesn't want a ice maker or water dispenser. I like tepid water and rarely use ice so my 2 ice cube trays and the ice storage bin suffices for me

 

[stchuck]

I don't think there is a clear winner here in terms of brand.... I have heard that GE electronics can be a pain.

Its so confusing

 

[mark_wpduet]

Well

my Whirlpool side by side is almost 10 years old. Just recently, I had to have a repair on a capacitor (not expensive) and it's still working great. The ice maker had to be replaced a few yrs ago (easy fix). I DREAD when the time comes to have to buy another fridge. I have NO CLUE what to get but I think based on what I have read it will either be Whirlpool or GE.

 

[bluejay]

We bought a new GE last year and have had nothing but issues with it. It needed a repair within the first month, as the freezer kept icing up. Now, a year later and it's started again. It was a basic model for $800; apparently GE doesn't feel their low end appliances need to be built with any sort of quality control.

 

[stricklybojack]

Just replaced...

my mothers 25 year old Hot Point with a Samsung.
I bought the Samsung online based on customer reviews and Consumer Reports. We wanted a french door model and the cabinet space was somewhat limited so that gave us only a handful of choices.
Previously we replaced the still working but starting to leak loud Whirlpool DW with a nearly silent Bosch unit. In that search i really liked the Samsung offerings but apparently the dish rack parts are known to become brittle and fail prematurely and the Bosch was clearance priced.
I avoid Samsung for electronics after a middling experience with their cell phones.

 

[stricklybojack]

Ps

The Hot Point is still working but runs too much it seems to me. I thoroughly cleaned the coils a couple of years ago. I am visiting this summer so it's a good time to let go. Delivered with all expenses including tax and haul-away came to $980 using Wayfair.com as a first customer with a reatailmenot coupon.
When it gets here i'll update on the full experience. Lots of sales this holiday weekend.

 

[stricklybojack]

Update

So the new fridge is in and it's a winner. We ended up buying the larger 25 (or 26?)cubic ft. Samsung which fit perfectly at Abt for $1400 with a 3 year extended warranty, tax(none) and free delivery. It too is a 3 door like the one I cancelled. Everything arrived undamaged, and set up was easy.
The old unit awaits free pickup and a $50 payment from our utility company. I also received $55 by using Fatwallet at purchase. So total out of pocket will be under $1300 all in.
The old Hotpoint ran loudly and nearly continuously (the door seal was fine) in the summer heat whereas the new one is comparatively silent.
In the drip tray was the wiring schematic for the old unit, nasty. I tipped the old refrigerator on it's side to reveal a rug of dust covering the coils which I vacuumed. Neglected to take a before pic, oops.

 

[carmine]

These kinds of stories make my $35 '64 Frigidaire worth every penny.

...And I think coppertone looks classy with all the chrome.

 

[stricklybojack]

This Samsung...

will pay for itself in if it holds up. It uses far less energy (the new unit having the best energy guide numbers i saw during my search), and here in San Diego electricity is very pricey compared to much of the rest of the nation. The old Hotpoint was definitely in need of servicing, and if it failed, with inflation what it is, we would stand to loose hundreds of dollars worth of food. So to keep the old would mean paying a service charge in the hundreds, paying another $100 in electric every 18 months or so and risk loosing a couple of hundred in food if it gives up the ghost after 25 good years. Oh and the new one cools the food better and it is a far more usable design.
No brainer for me. With other appliances i love the vintage stuff, but for a family of 5 new refrigerators like this one are the better choice, and keeping units like our old one are a false economy imo.

 

[a440]

Great Buy!
You will love your Samsung Twin Cooling Fridge.
You will be amazed at how long you can save vegetables, Fruits, Meat, Anything!!!! They all seem to stay fresh forever.
I have had a Samsung Side by Side for about 8 years now. Works perfect! I love the fact that the fridge and freezer do not share the same air. The fridge side stays at the correct moisture and temp. It is awesome.
I keep the fridge set at 34 and the freezer set at -2.
Congratulations!

 

[a440]

OH....Thought of another thing....
On the back of your Samsung you will see an opening where the fan draws in air to cool the coils. I bought a window unit type filter and rigged it on this spot. I pull the fridge every 6 months and it is amazing at the dust and lint that it attracts. I just throw it away and replace with a new one. I never have any dust on the coils. The underside of the fridge and the coils are like new.

 

[stricklybojack]

A440..

.
thx for the tip.
Well, a year latter and it's 2 thumbs up for Sammy. Very quiet, spacious, nothing to complain about.
Hope i didn't just jinx it!
I wonder what stchuck ended up with?