Whirlpool engineers strike out.

[panthera]

And, oh!, those boys from Epsilon...

oh, right, sorry, pre-first coffee, here, too and having pleasant thoughts of the forbidden sort.

I suspect there are two factors involved in the problem:
1) Electronics are being used to lower quality, not raise it.
2) Short term profit is the only motive, screw the customers, screw the company workers, screw the owners, all that counts is the management).

The first point shows up in these machines which are capable of spinning at 1400rpm...but have sensors which only permit that spin when everything is perfectly balanced. Takes forever, but the bearings just won't hold under any stress.

Yeah, I think in parallel is a good idea, thermostat in the part of the house most likely to cool down first. Thanks!

 

[lordkenmore]

Perhaps it's because I'm simple minded....

...but I also think simple designs are almost always superior. I remember reading one of those tiresome discussions about which is better, tubes or transistors, for audio applications. And that writer suggested that the technology might not matter as much as that he thought tube amps were generally simpler, and simple meant less chance for things to go wrong.

 

[lordkenmore]

As for thermostats, my ideal is no backup. I like to have ONE old fashioned thermostat that has ONE setting.

Yes, those electronic models can automatically set the heat back for energy savings. I can do the same thing, manually. It is only slightly more complicated than turning a light off. (Although, in a world where so many people have brains fried on TV, even the light switch might prove difficult.) With old fashioned thermostat, I have no batteries to fail, nothing to program ("Let's see. It says: 'Press and hold the program button for exactly three seconds. Release. Press it again and hold for two seconds to enable the During the Day mode for Weekdays. Then....'"). And the setbacks are always perfect for my schedule, even on unusual days.

Although, for those who do have a modern thermostat, the backup idea is a good one. I once experienced the "joy" of an electronic thermostat that stopped working because of a battery failure. I survived, but I don't want to think what could happen places that get really cold in winter.

 

[mysteryclock]

To resurrect this thread...

...it appears that, just in time for our tax refund, I may be in the market for a new fridge since our ~9yo KitchenAid was lukewarm this morning. I'm hoping it was because the freezer door may have been ajar last night, but if not then I'm looking since the cost of a compressor / fan / control board repair is almost certainly > than what it is worth.

I was looking at the french-door Whirlpools but then I remembered this thread. Does anyone have any recommendations on a good brand / model that's new?

 

[circlew]

The Whirlpool bottom freezer models are the same as the Amana, made in the Amana, IA plant. Maytag and SOME Kenmore models are also. I have a non French door Amana model about 12 yrs. old that I like.

 

[iheartmaytag]

I have the Maytag bottom freezer I purchased Dec 06. No complaints. Well, ok I wished it were a little bigger at only 19 cu. ft. But I didn't have room for a larger frig, so it was my doings and not the refrigerators fault.