Should I pull the trigger and replace our fridge?

[jeromedawg]

Hey all,

Have an 18cu ft very basic Kenmore fridge I bought from Sears back in 2009. It has served me well these past 10+ years but has slowly fallen apart (first the meat/cheese keeper railing broke off, rendering that drawer unit useless). And slowly, other interior shelving pieces are starting to become brittle and break apart - there are cracks in the plastic shelving and it's challenging to arrange things when the fridge gets full. Also, now with two growing kids, we find ourselves tighter on space with this size fridge. Other than that, so far the fridge seems to keep its temps pretty well both in the freezer and fridge. Although the back part of the fridge gets *super* cold to the point that it freezes things so I feel the thermostat/control is kinda wonky)/
I recently replaced our old gas oven range with a open box floor model unit I got for 50% of the open box price at Best Buy (there was a recent sale) but it was a hassle having to transport it and unload it between my wife and myself. Also bought a matching over the range microwave with it. The oven range is installed and I'm planning to do the microwave soon. I was considering a fridge but 1) they didn't have the matching color top-freezer model available and 2) I still would have had to rent a truck, haul it home, and hassle with getting it through the door (likely via removing the refrigerator doors and avoiding scratching our walls and door frames between my wife and I.

That said, it looks like Home Depot has the matching color top-freezer model fridge (21.9cu ft) available for $699~ (marked down from a 'normal' sales price of $1000~ - this fridge seems to run $900 at Lowes and a few other appliance stores) along with low-cost delivery/installation ($17.28 which they say is mandatory and requires a flexible water hose... this fridge has no dispenser so I wonder if they can just waive the fee) and $25 haul-away. After tax it ends up costing just under $800 and even less if they can waive that ridiculous installation fee - all I really need them to do is just move it through two door frames and into our kitchen and I'll move it into place and connect it myself. The only catch is that due to COVID-19, the first availability for delivery (at least per what's indicated on their site) is 5/31. The other option is Lowes, which I can pricematch to and doesn't have any delivery/install fee but haul-away is $30 and first availability for delivery is a bit earlier I think 5/18?. Anyway, there's no way I'm going to also want to move our old fridge out of the condo and onto the street the night before trash collection (we get 3-4 free pickups of large appliances/furniture etc) if I can just pay someone $25-30 to do all that. I'm planning on doing this with our old gas oven range anyway - it's not fun trying to maneuver these appliances through 30"~ wide door frames when its you and your wife :T
The other factor with all this delivery/haul-away is having someone else come into your house and potentially exposing you to COVID-19 - honestly, I'm not that concerned as long as we wipe things down, wear face masks, and not hover around the delivery guys.

In any case, just wanted to see what you guys think and if I should wait it out or if I should pull the trigger. The thing about fridges, and I learned this the hard way, is that it's hard to find a "deal" on one that you prefer when your current one dies on you. The first time this happened I was still using the fridge that the old owner had left behind. It died in a day and pretty much all the food in it had spoiled and I either had to throw it out or try to eat as much of it as I could (IIRC, I think I had some ice cream in there that I ate for lunch LOL). I definitely don't want to go through an ordeal like that again...not with two kids and a wife now. I might be wrong but it seems like with fridges at least, it's one of those things where it may not be such a bad idea to replace *before* it dies on you.

[kei te pai]

Just do it. Delivered asap. In a year you wont remember a bit of extra spending on the fridge, but I guarantee you will remember if you have had to wait weeks with a dead fridge sitting in the kitchen.
Caught any good rats lately?

[Roadrunner53]

If you found the one you like then buy it!

My upright freezer conked out about a year ago over the weekend, on a Saturday. I couldn't find one anywhere to buy immediately. I had a full freezer stocked with meat and other expensive things. We kept the door shut and did not peek inside. After calling all the local places it seemed the earliest I could get a new freezer was possibly 3 days. By then, the meat would have been totaled.

By some odd chance I looked on line and found I could buy an upright freezer from Sears and they could deliver it next day! The unit was around $1,000. The very next day the guys delivered it and installed the new one. Took away the old one. There was a haul away fee. We unloaded the meat just minutes before they arrived. Reloaded the new freezer and didn't lose anything due to thawing. It was a great experience considering the consequences if we had not discovered Sears online option!

People always say to 'buy local' and I tried to do so by calling many appliance companies in my local. NOPE, no one had anything they could get to me.

I also have a Kenmore refrigerator/freezer on top and it has a few cracks and issues like you describe.

Appliances do not last like they did 25 years ago. I swear there is a ticking time clock on the appliance when you get it and it is programmed to die soon after the warranty is off. Used to be 5 year warranty. Now, I am guessing one year is the standard. However, good luck getting anything fixed.

As far as your fridge having no dispenser, wouldn't it need to be hooked up for the ice maker?

Sounds like you found a good deal! Go for it!

[Freedomin5]

Sounds like a good deal for a new fridge. And I’m assuming the used ones on Craigslist aren’t as cheap?

[Fishindude]

Pull the trigger and get a new fridge.
Note - Old refrigerators and freezers make excellent garage storage cabinets for things that need to stay mouse and bug proof or dry.   Things like; garden seeds, charcoal, lawn chemicals, bird food, dog food, etc.

[jeromedawg]

Thanks all for the feedback! I think I'll get it. One other question related to warranty: bad idea to partially use gift cards for appliances at these big box stores if I intend to pay with a credit card (Citi Costco Anywhere) that would offer extended warranty protection? My understanding is that using GCs will reduce the amount of coverage (not sure how this would impact service and repair but obviously for replacement you'd be out the amount of the GC... with a large appliance like this though typically I'd think actual service/repair is more common rather than replacement).

[JLee]

Best Buy has 40% off open box appliances right now - https://slickdeals.net/f/14023220-best-buy-b-m-major-appliance-open-box-additional-40-off-open-box-price-starting-05-04-ymmv?v=1&src=frontpage

[jeromedawg]

Best Buy has 40% off open box appliances right now - https://slickdeals.net/f/14023220-best-buy-b-m-major-appliance-open-box-additional-40-off-open-box-price-starting-05-04-ymmv?v=1&src=frontpage

Yes, that's what prompted my search - I got the oven range and microwave through a prior 50% off sale. There was one fridge (Samsung) I was looking at with the 40% off sale and at a great price, but too many red flags - several others warning of ice build-up in the lower corner of the freezer side as well as leakage and just awful experiences overall. So that fridge and brand out of the question - I don't want to save money on something like a fridge that ends up having an even shorter lifespan than expected (would also have to deal with hauling, unloading and getting it through two door frames on top of that - if I paid someone to do it, it would offset the cost of savings too). Anyway, wife wants me to find a "matching" fridge too. I figure top-freezer units (or ones with the least # of extra features and components) are, by nature, going to be most reliable simply because they do not have extra parts for more things to break.


BTW: does anyone know about the gift card situation and extended warranties on credit cards? I'm *guessing* that using a GC may invalidate the extended warranty and other related benefits but just wanted to quickly check here. I will call the CC company but they've gotten much busier with longer hold times as of late.

[jeromedawg]

Best Buy has 40% off open box appliances right now - https://slickdeals.net/f/14023220-best-buy-b-m-major-appliance-open-box-additional-40-off-open-box-price-starting-05-04-ymmv?v=1&src=frontpage

Yes, that's what prompted my search - I got the oven range and microwave through a prior 50% off sale. There was one fridge (Samsung) I was looking at with the 40% off sale and at a great price, but too many red flags - several others warning of ice build-up in the lower corner of the freezer side as well as leakage and just awful experiences overall. So that fridge and brand out of the question - I don't want to save money on something like a fridge that ends up having an even shorter lifespan than expected (would also have to deal with hauling, unloading and getting it through two door frames on top of that - if I paid someone to do it, it would offset the cost of savings too). Anyway, wife wants me to find a "matching" fridge too. I figure top-freezer units (or ones with the least # of extra features and components) are, by nature, going to be most reliable simply because they do not have extra parts for more things to break.


BTW: does anyone know about the gift card situation and extended warranties on credit cards? I'm *guessing* that using a GC may invalidate the extended warranty and other related benefits but just wanted to quickly check here. I will call the CC company but they've gotten much busier with longer hold times as of late.

OK, so I was able to get some clarity after calling the benefits line and getting through - if I pay with gift cards, the 2yr extended warranty for service and repair won't be impacted but in the case that the fridge needs to be replaced or I need reimbursement, the reimbursement will only be for up to the amount charged to the card. So the risk is if the fridge completely breaks down and is unrepairable I'll have lost the original value on it per however much I applied in terms of gift cards... not sure if that's a huge risk so I'm leaning towards supplementing with the GC at this point haha. At the same time, if I want to play it conservatively I should maybe just put it all on the card.

[Roadrunner53]

Put the whole thing on your CC and get your Costco rewards for the entire purchase. Use the GC for something else. Can you use the GC anywhere or is it only for Home Depot?

If only for Home Depot, I am sure you can find a zillion things to buy there including garden plants, outdoor chairs, grill stuff, ceiling fans, mirrors. They have tons of stuff!

[jeromedawg]

Put the whole thing on your CC and get your Costco rewards for the entire purchase. Use the GC for something else. Can you use the GC anywhere or is it only for Home Depot?

If only for Home Depot, I am sure you can find a zillion things to buy there including garden plants, outdoor chairs, grill stuff, ceiling fans, mirrors. They have tons of stuff!

Darn, just put the order through and applied the GC haha. The GC is only at Home Depot. It was for $100. The GC basically covered the cost of tax, haul away and the installation part (which I'll probably try to get waived). I could always place another order and cancel this first one to get the GC back too... Oh, I also made sure to click through a CB site (BeFrugal) to get an additional 2% CB back. Anyway, with Citi Costco Anywhere it's basically 1% cashback so instead of $7.97 I'm getting $6.97 on that. I think the $1 difference isn't that big a deal to bother canceling the order and reordering over lol.

[Roadrunner53]

Good luck on your purchase!

[Steeze]

I have a circa 1988 fridgidaire refrigerator freezer I inherited when I bought my condo. Thing seems to run decent - maybe the freezer could be colder. The thing runs a lot though. And it runs super hot. There is noticeable heat coming out from around it (it’s built in to cabinetry) and the cabinet above are several degrees warmer than the ambient air.

The thing seems like a quality piece of budget machinery that will last another decade and could probably be improved with a new thermostat, seals, and a good cleaning for under $100 and some man hours.

Curious though if technology has improved in the last 30 years enough to justify replacing this antique. My electric bill isn’t unusually high or anything, but I don’t keep a close eye on it either. Is a fancy new energy star appliance going to save me money over the next 5-10 years? What is the payoff period on something like that?

Anyone have ballpark rule-of-thumb approach for estimating this?

[ketchup]

I have a circa 1988 fridgidaire refrigerator freezer I inherited when I bought my condo. Thing seems to run decent - maybe the freezer could be colder. The thing runs a lot though. And it runs super hot. There is noticeable heat coming out from around it (it’s built in to cabinetry) and the cabinet above are several degrees warmer than the ambient air.

The thing seems like a quality piece of budget machinery that will last another decade and could probably be improved with a new thermostat, seals, and a good cleaning for under $100 and some man hours.

Curious though if technology has improved in the last 30 years enough to justify replacing this antique. My electric bill isn’t unusually high or anything, but I don’t keep a close eye on it either. Is a fancy new energy star appliance going to save me money over the next 5-10 years? What is the payoff period on something like that?

Anyone have ballpark rule-of-thumb approach for estimating this?

When I last looked, the cutoff was around 2000.  Anything made before that was cost-effective to replace with a current model based solely on energy usage (slightly past it if your electricity is particularly expensive).  Luckily, my fridge was made in exactly the year 2000, so I'm good, at least for now.

[Steeze]

Thanks - looking at the dimensions it is really an odd size - 24 deep, 28 wide, 55 tall. Not sure I will find something to fit in this cabinet opening

[MilesTeg]

Major applliances are one of those things that you can easily buy second hand. Lots of crazy folks replace their perfectly good appliances for style reasons.

Might take a while, but worth a shot. Unless you think your fridge's death is imminent, it's worth it.

You should replace it either way, IMO.

[Optimiser]

I have a circa 1988 fridgidaire refrigerator freezer I inherited when I bought my condo. Thing seems to run decent - maybe the freezer could be colder. The thing runs a lot though. And it runs super hot. There is noticeable heat coming out from around it (it’s built in to cabinetry) and the cabinet above are several degrees warmer than the ambient air.

The thing seems like a quality piece of budget machinery that will last another decade and could probably be improved with a new thermostat, seals, and a good cleaning for under $100 and some man hours.

Curious though if technology has improved in the last 30 years enough to justify replacing this antique. My electric bill isn’t unusually high or anything, but I don’t keep a close eye on it either. Is a fancy new energy star appliance going to save me money over the next 5-10 years? What is the payoff period on something like that?

Anyone have ballpark rule-of-thumb approach for estimating this?

When I last looked, the cutoff was around 2000.  Anything made before that was cost-effective to replace with a current model based solely on energy usage (slightly past it if your electricity is particularly expensive).  Luckily, my fridge was made in exactly the year 2000, so I'm good, at least for now.

Do you remember where you researched this? My fridge is definitely older than 2000 and although it's working fine, if replacing it now will save me in the long run I'd be happy to.'

Edit: Nevermind, I just plugged my fridge into my kill-a-watt and will run my own comparison.

[jeromedawg]

Thanks all, the new fridge has been ordered. Delivery date slated 5/31. The current fridge is OK but likely on its last legs. My wife has told me in the past week that she thinks the fridge doesn't feel as cool as it has in the past - that could be a big sign.

Anyway, hopefully it doesn't break down before the delivery date!!! *Fingers crossed*

That said, any suggestions on the food transfer process (since the new fridge may take a while to come down to the right temp and stabilize - Google says to allow for 24 hours)? We have a chest freezer so we'll be able to move some stuff from the top freezer and cram it in I think. But what about the perishable items that are in the fridge? Things like milk, juice, butter, cheese, lunch meat, veggies, sauces, etc? We have a couple mid-to-small sized coolers I guess I could put stuff in with some ice or dry ice blocks. But I was wondering if it might be better just to have the old fridge moved to the garage and plugged in, temporarily, while we wait for the new fridge to get to temp. Then once it's good we'll just transfer everything and push the fridge out to the curb for appliance pick-up from Waste Management. Though it would be nice not having to deal with the 2nd fridge and having it hauled away in a single visit too...

[ketchup]

Thanks all, the new fridge has been ordered. Delivery date slated 5/31. The current fridge is OK but likely on its last legs. My wife has told me in the past week that she thinks the fridge doesn't feel as cool as it has in the past - that could be a big sign.

Anyway, hopefully it doesn't break down before the delivery date!!! *Fingers crossed*

That said, any suggestions on the food transfer process (since the new fridge may take a while to come down to the right temp and stabilize - Google says to allow for 24 hours)? We have a chest freezer so we'll be able to move some stuff from the top freezer and cram it in I think. But what about the perishable items that are in the fridge? Things like milk, juice, butter, cheese, lunch meat, veggies, sauces, etc? We have a couple mid-to-small sized coolers I guess I could put stuff in with some ice or dry ice blocks. But I was wondering if it might be better just to have the old fridge moved to the garage and plugged in, temporarily, while we wait for the new fridge to get to temp. Then once it's good we'll just transfer everything and push the fridge out to the curb for appliance pick-up from Waste Management. Though it would be nice not having to deal with the 2nd fridge and having it hauled away in a single visit too...

Honestly I'd just eat down the perishables and plan on going grocery shopping right after new fridge arrives.

[Cadman]

I have a circa 1988 fridgidaire refrigerator freezer I inherited when I bought my condo. Thing seems to run decent - maybe the freezer could be colder. The thing runs a lot though. And it runs super hot. There is noticeable heat coming out from around it (it’s built in to cabinetry) and the cabinet above are several degrees warmer than the ambient air.

The thing seems like a quality piece of budget machinery that will last another decade and could probably be improved with a new thermostat, seals, and a good cleaning for under $100 and some man hours.

Curious though if technology has improved in the last 30 years enough to justify replacing this antique. My electric bill isn’t unusually high or anything, but I don’t keep a close eye on it either. Is a fancy new energy star appliance going to save me money over the next 5-10 years? What is the payoff period on something like that?

Anyone have ballpark rule-of-thumb approach for estimating this?

I wouldn't bother replacing it unless you're having issues; while a new fridge may use less power, their life is also shorter. We're not talking 1970's units full of defrost heaters (those are the real energy hogs). The financial impact is nebulous and the environmental impact terrible.

Two things have changed since 1988 with regards to energy use- the compressor fans are now electronically commutated, saving a few watts, and the compressors are undersized. The idea is it's more economical to run a low-HP comp for long periods than an oversized unit for a shorter duty cycle. The downside is these comps wear themselves out prematurely.

The price on that '88 fridge would be eye-watering to today's buyers, adjusted for inflation. In the 'race to the bottom', there is only so much overhead you can cut from manufacturing to keep the price down before you have to go after materials. Less copper and aluminum in the condensers and evaporators. More plastic pieces, everywhere. To create tiered pricing, the manufacturers have shifted to whiz-bang features and plastic 'stainless', but the underlying quality is no better.

If I were you, I'd clean those condenser coils and make sure the unit can breathe. If you can't get decent airflow through the condenser, the compressor has to work harder ($$), and the heat build up raises interior temps ($$).