Samsung Bespoke is what we went with. Prior units with ice maker in the door were horrible for different reasons, but I think Samsung have learned and implemented fixes. Ice is in the freezer, and they now have a water pitcher and water dispenser in a door in door. We tried to look for something not Samsung but this just felt better constructed. There are different configurations.
Input on "best" refrigerators on the market wanted
- Thread starter The_Eric
- Start date
I just got a new, large G.E. top freezer fridge in May, but please know that it employs a low pressure flammable gas refrigerant (R-600a isoButane) with a likely small compressor. It takes 30-40 mins. to run a cool cycle after opening the Fridge door once. Also, they are not your traditional G.E; they have been sold off to Haier (Chinese multinational) quite a while ago. It is also not energy star rated.
Also of note, the G.E. performs a severe defrost cycle once or twice a day where the freezer air temp climbs to 45 degrees F - and that takes well over an hour to recover from. Other than that quibble, the shelving and capacity are very good - equal or better than the similar size old Whirlpool GOLD I replaced- but the whirlpool had split center shelves for more configuration possibilities.
The G.E. (Haier) also has a quality, smooth, easy to clean "automotive" paint finish on the front doors rather than the textured metal that my old Whirlpool Gold had.
I read everywhere to STAY AWAY from any Korean fridge (Lucky Goldstar "LG", etc.) that employs a linear compressor. They are a JUNK design with a short service life.
- Arco
p.s. If I had a do over, I would have purchased a Whirlpool side-by-side. I have a size (HxW) restriction due to the cabinetry nook.
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Cafe is a model not a brand. It is GE's upper tier product line. Yes, GE is a Chinese owned company. I can't be sure but I would assume made in the USA, if you care you would have to check
I have a Samsung with bottom freezer and icemaker in the LH door. The icemaker is a terrible design, has been replaced once already and now the plastic housing (which is the fridge inside plastic) and drawer are crumbling, getting white plastic into the ice. Ugh.
But worse than that, the central spine that holds up the shelves pulled away from its mounts, causing the shelves to sag in the middle and collapse outward. I repaired that with some aircraft hardware and I now support the center of the shelves with 20 ounce Coke bottles from the bottom up. Might as well use stacked up bricks to support the shelves.
Oh and the French door central seal hinges keep failing. Cheap to purchase the parts but a bit of a pain to fix. As the spring mount broke and I repaired it with Plastex plastic epoxy. That stuff is amazing BTW. (it's like CA glue and baking powder in it's ability to make parts) But is clearly not CA glue and baking powder.
It's a beautiful fridge, but seems to be made from Paper Mache'
But worse than that, the central spine that holds up the shelves pulled away from its mounts, causing the shelves to sag in the middle and collapse outward. I repaired that with some aircraft hardware and I now support the center of the shelves with 20 ounce Coke bottles from the bottom up. Might as well use stacked up bricks to support the shelves.
Oh and the French door central seal hinges keep failing. Cheap to purchase the parts but a bit of a pain to fix. As the spring mount broke and I repaired it with Plastex plastic epoxy. That stuff is amazing BTW. (it's like CA glue and baking powder in it's ability to make parts) But is clearly not CA glue and baking powder.
It's a beautiful fridge, but seems to be made from Paper Mache'
Money no object A tier buy it for life - Liebherr/ Miele / Subzero.
Best "Regular Guy" Fridges - Electrolux (swedish) , Bosch
Next rung down GE, Whirlpool, Kitchen Aid, Frigidaire,
Bottom Rung - Samsung, LG.
Best "Regular Guy" Fridges - Electrolux (swedish) , Bosch
Next rung down GE, Whirlpool, Kitchen Aid, Frigidaire,
Bottom Rung - Samsung, LG.
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Just get the cheapest and simplest, it will work out the cheapest over the years.
Consumer reports surveys greatly disagree with your opinions. Did you use a source for your post?
If anyone is that concerned they can check. I do not think I a post there survey info because of copy rights.
But for someone interested can sign up online access and always cancel, they maybe shocked at what they see. Counters your entire post.
Basic Frigidaire has been running well and semi-quietly for 2 years now, but after researching back then and seeing all the poor reviews I kept our old one (it was working, just leaked water on the defrost cycle but could be "fixed") until the new one proved itself. I gave up on ice makers. Our Amana almost flooded our kitchen twice when the water valve did not shut off, I caught it the second time and it's been ice trays for us ever since. One thing I haven't seen discussed is stainless finishes. It is pretty but if we had young kids I think it would be a hard no. Even with 2 adults I have to get the special cleaner (oily stuff) and a microfiber and rub it anywhere it has been touched every week or so. I don't wanna go back to Avocado Green but stainless is a pain. I guess another reason not to get a Cybertruck or DeLorean either.
My thoughts as well shopping in the under $1500 range but read my post #82 above as a caution. I am constrained by the footprint and height where the fridge must fit so forced into an under 21 cu ft unit.
I was intrigued and salivating over a somewhat compact Fisher & Paykel over decade ago seen at my local luxury appliance store - but that delectable model seems to have disappeared.
My source would be my own purchases, or known acquaintances observed experience over time.
My own ownership of a Samsung Fridge in this case my judgement of them.
Owning multiple homes and rental properties I probably buy more appliances than most guys, maybe not.
I often find my own experiences at odds with consumer reports who doesn't own things for 10-20-30 years.
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I've lost a control board and an ice maker. Not the end of the world, but not great either.
The ice maker barely keeps up with 2 adults on a hot day.
The shelves can leak under the glass and the milk holder is fairly delicate.
Well, I certainly respect peoples reasons for purchasing particular products, but I don’t think it’s a valid review for everybody on such a small scale.
There is another factor with home appliances as well. The refrigerator you bought 10 years ago is not technologically the same as the one you buy today. In fact, chances are the same parent company probably doesn’t own it.
I can rave about my Kenmore elite that I purchased 16 years ago in our last house. Absolutely fantastic but that refrigerator or the technology, parts doesn’t exist anymore.
I’m pretty sure it was made by Whirlpool and the stuff that we saw before we moved into the new house look liked stuff with the poorest fit and finish.
I wouldn’t look for a refrigerator to last more than 15 years or so and for me personally by that time, I want all the appliances in the house replaced anyway.
As a landlord, I would want them to last as long as they could. I have rental property too but it’s still goes in today’s world. We are throwaway society and nothing is built like it was 10, 15 or 20 years ago. The benefit is prices really haven’t changed and yet the energy savings is real in your monthly electric bill
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I find CR just another tool in the box of comparison info, often not having the right models lined up against each other or missing critical bits of info.
A trip through appliance dedicated forums expands ones info way beyond what CR can deliver in deep dives offering first hand users experience without the limitations CR imposes.
I totally agree company experiences can change over time.
There are some brands that can still be relied on and offer superb product.
Speed Queen, Miele, Liebher, for an example.
On fridges I havent seen anything drastic in the last 30 years.
Not much has changed in the way compressors, you got your piston, scroll, screw rotary, swing types.
Then you have control boards, you have some with dual compressors, a variety of features, housings and hinges.
For sure models change and circuitry. Accountants reach is absolute and cheapening over time seems to be the way of the world.
As a landlord stuff will break , and repairability is important.
Im always looking for a good value but if the ROI is there for the longer term purchase I'll take it.
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Subzero?
I bought a Samsung when we moved into my house. That lasted 8 years. Ice maker never worked and had problems with defrost cycles/fan in back. Samsung replaced parts/repaired a couple times under warranty during the first couple years. Paid way to much for too short a time and having to use ice trays. Lowe's was still selling same model when I went looking. Same things that they all pretty much suck.
We ended up with a french door LG and so far has been good, I hope it stays that way. It has 2 ice makers, one in the door and one in bottom freezer. The wheels on the veggie/crisper trays did break and were replaced.
We ended up with a french door LG and so far has been good, I hope it stays that way. It has 2 ice makers, one in the door and one in bottom freezer. The wheels on the veggie/crisper trays did break and were replaced.
Whirlpool
After reading our posts in this thread it reminds me we discussed this before.
All good, we all have our methods. I never had a refrigerator fail me. My entire life on Kenmore Elite ice maker failed I replaced the part myself.
I dont agree that not much has changed with the way they work, compressors and control boards had to be adapted to much tighter design standards (ex. amount of condenser coils used and maybe evaporator coils too) and gasses used for least amount of electric. There are no longer coils on the backs of refrigerators or accessible under them, heck I dont know where mine are, darn thing is silent and I need to pull it out because I used to always clean the coils. SO the amount of coils are incredibly little.
Newer models of the last decade or even two decades are constantly changing, using new gasses, new expansion valves, new electronics, new cheaper ways to construct them. Durability can be in the toilet with some cheap brands, shelving, the plastics used etc. My wife and I were astounded at the construction of Whirlpool which we sought out to buy when moving into our new home, no freaking way would we have settled for that. We couldn't believe it.
But the big one is like everything else on our world. All of this driven by regulations and desire for the most energy efficiency. This is what changed, EnergyStar and the least possible use of electricity as well as the gas used.
This is why I do not disagree with the way you purchase either. We all buy what works for our use. I know you are a thinker and I am as well, just different tracks on this subject. We have a beautiful new, LG side by side, water and ice in the door. Gorgeous fit and finish, compliments the kitchen. Good old trustworthy linear compressor
which I know issues have been worked out. LG has been working with Linear since around 2001, they had a run of a few bad years. Many people here most likely to do know linear compressors are used in a lot of ductless AC units. I already know the issues are corrected but even that said, it is just as important to my wife and I the entire every day experience of the unit.I know some choose $5,000 to $12,000 units, all good but they aren't any more reliable running wise. Its a design thing much the same way my wife choose ours. Depending on brand, the repair frequency puts some of these expensive units much lower than cheaper brands. Think Honda vs. Mercedes.
That is not us. (or our budget) I would call replacement every 12 + reasonable life in today's world. As of right now, anyone with an old reliable refrigerator are burning up the kWh's in electricity.
Its all good but I have to stand by my statement the brand you buy today is not the brand you bought 10 or more years ago, even 5 years ago in some cases and even then, many brands are owned by the same corporation.
BTW- my post is based on our own use, not a rental property.
So for us and taking into account design, looks, quality feel it came down to the two Korean brands, Samsung and LG. LG had the highest ratings off all in CR. GE (China) was very nice in their Cafe' brand. I had a hard time with the other brands.
Whirlpool just didn't look and feel high end and Kitchen Aid (another Whirlpool brand) had a REALLY nice interior (at double the price of the Korean brands) YET we weren't impressed with the handles, for some reason they were all loose in the stores we saw them in, though price was the reason we got turned off.
BTW- 10 years ago I would not have considered Samsung or LG.... times change
Ps, my comments are on side by sides. We aren't French door people, would not work well in the kitchen and just doesn't make sense for our use. Prefer freezer height to be the same as refrigerator, bonus is no draws, rollers and hardware to cause issues too.
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The Koreans do a great job of packing features into a good looking product at a fair price.
Perhaps better than anyone, but I haven't experienced them to be as robust as their Euro, or few remaining American counterparts that cost a bit more money, experiencing what I would call "partial failures" one can live without the ice maker, but when a control board dies it brings the whole thing down with it.
When you tear the machine apart you get a look at what's really in it and how repairable it was made to be.
Maybe because I run a manufacturing company I look at these details differently than most, how thick are the boards? how well are they isolated, any soldered wires, how hard are they to remove and replace, what kind of connectors are used, all kinds of things like that. I find The Korean stuff is pretty weak here across all their range of appliances.
I'm with you in that I could look at an otherwise fine machine but kill the purchase over something like a handle I don't like or some other feature elsewhere in the machine. Although I'd say Im price conscious its rarely the top factor in the decision to buy something I have to live with for (hopefully) 2 decades.
We diverge in our expectation of longevity and what we consider major differences in tech.
I will pay for an expect 15-20 years of service out of something like a fridge, it doesn't have to be perfect but I expect it to be repairable vs a throw away.
We've gotten a few compressors over the decades that are more efficient and can be driven at variable speeds and or adaptively run around patterns, but it's still a compression based motor. Sadly efficiency has gone up at the expense of life - no more 30 year products, the downsized compressors and higher pressure gasses simply don't last as long.
Electronics have eeked out some gain driving the mechanicals variably, clever insulation eeked out a few more.
To me these are incremental vs leaps.
What would I consider a major leap - some sort of solid sate peltier "type" non moving way to create the temp differential.
Optimum config - right now I have both a french door type and a side by side.
Both counter depth and 36" width which is a serious limitation many dont have.
The problem I/we my household has with a side by side in this dimension is simple - it's not wide enough to put a half, much less a full size sheet pan in width wise. If I did not have the counter depth and width limitation I could perhaps get more utility out of a side by side.
I hope you enjoy a lifetime of use from a device you pay a lot of money for and I appreciate our discussions.
Perhaps better than anyone, but I haven't experienced them to be as robust as their Euro, or few remaining American counterparts that cost a bit more money, experiencing what I would call "partial failures" one can live without the ice maker, but when a control board dies it brings the whole thing down with it.
When you tear the machine apart you get a look at what's really in it and how repairable it was made to be.
Maybe because I run a manufacturing company I look at these details differently than most, how thick are the boards? how well are they isolated, any soldered wires, how hard are they to remove and replace, what kind of connectors are used, all kinds of things like that. I find The Korean stuff is pretty weak here across all their range of appliances.
I'm with you in that I could look at an otherwise fine machine but kill the purchase over something like a handle I don't like or some other feature elsewhere in the machine. Although I'd say Im price conscious its rarely the top factor in the decision to buy something I have to live with for (hopefully) 2 decades.
We diverge in our expectation of longevity and what we consider major differences in tech.
I will pay for an expect 15-20 years of service out of something like a fridge, it doesn't have to be perfect but I expect it to be repairable vs a throw away.
We've gotten a few compressors over the decades that are more efficient and can be driven at variable speeds and or adaptively run around patterns, but it's still a compression based motor. Sadly efficiency has gone up at the expense of life - no more 30 year products, the downsized compressors and higher pressure gasses simply don't last as long.
Electronics have eeked out some gain driving the mechanicals variably, clever insulation eeked out a few more.
To me these are incremental vs leaps.
What would I consider a major leap - some sort of solid sate peltier "type" non moving way to create the temp differential.
Optimum config - right now I have both a french door type and a side by side.
Both counter depth and 36" width which is a serious limitation many dont have.
The problem I/we my household has with a side by side in this dimension is simple - it's not wide enough to put a half, much less a full size sheet pan in width wise. If I did not have the counter depth and width limitation I could perhaps get more utility out of a side by side.
I hope you enjoy a lifetime of use from a device you pay a lot of money for and I appreciate our discussions.
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Best wish for you. I hope LG has indeed finally fixed their linear compressor issues, but that's a risk you have to take. After all when you ask us you are only going to get our past experience and opinion.
Regarding to durability, I truly believe that people who use something to make a living knows best no matter what tools you buy. I would trust an Uber driver on car durability, and commercial kitchens and restaurants for refrigeration. Sure you cannot buy the commercial grade stuff for home but you can try to understand why they are using what they use and why they are more durable, and pick the equivalent build quality and products in residential use.
I know from my experience water dispenser is the first thing to fail on old fridge and I usually disconnect it. I would trust an old Whirlpool / GE way more than an LG / Samsung because of what they have already proven to be. Future could be different as always.
Regarding to durability, I truly believe that people who use something to make a living knows best no matter what tools you buy. I would trust an Uber driver on car durability, and commercial kitchens and restaurants for refrigeration. Sure you cannot buy the commercial grade stuff for home but you can try to understand why they are using what they use and why they are more durable, and pick the equivalent build quality and products in residential use.
I know from my experience water dispenser is the first thing to fail on old fridge and I usually disconnect it. I would trust an old Whirlpool / GE way more than an LG / Samsung because of what they have already proven to be. Future could be different as always.
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