Author Topic: Refrigerator Recommendation?  (Read 5881 times)

oldtoyota

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Refrigerator Recommendation?
« on: December 08, 2013, 05:20:38 PM »
We bought a fridge a few years ago. Water drips down from the top. Pieces fall off the door. The cheese drawer broke age ago. Yay, Frigidaire!

My daughter likes to jump all around the house and likes to hang on the fridge handle. Usually, I tell her not to do that. Today, I said I'd give her a hammer and she could take it to the inside of the fridge and put the thing out its misery.

Any recommendations on a refrigerator that won't fall apart after three years?

Also, what should I do with this old broken thing?


Another Reader

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Re: Refrigerator Recommendation?
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2013, 05:51:20 PM »
You just missed the Black Friday sales....

About 15 months ago I bought a GE side by side from Home Depot.  Labor Day sale, same price as Black Friday.  I'd give it a B.  The Whirlpool did not get as good reviews, but has a better layout and more storage.  My old Whirlpool went 14 years.  If I had to buy again, I would probably opt for a basic Whirlpool side by side.  I put GE top freezer or basic Whirlpool side by sides in my rentals and both have lasted well.  Frigidaire makes terrible refrigerators.  The side by sides are cheap junk.  I will not buy Frigidaire products.  The Korean brands (Samsung and LG) are spotty and are difficult to repair because parts are not readily available and often have to be ordered.

Recycle the old one.

Nords

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Re: Refrigerator Recommendation?
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2013, 07:54:31 PM »
We bought a fridge a few years ago. Water drips down from the top. Pieces fall off the door. The cheese drawer broke age ago. Yay, Frigidaire!
Any recommendations on a refrigerator that won't fall apart after three years?
You could start with appliance ratings like Consumer Reports (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/refrigerators.htm) or JD Powers (http://www.jdpower.com/consumer-ratings/homes/ratings/909201547/2013-Kitchen+Appliance+Satisfaction+Study%3A+Refrigerator/index.htm) and then search Craigslist for models that are 2-3 years old.  Someone's always remodeling their kitchen and selling relatively new appliances on Craigslist because the appliance finish doesn't match the paint color.

Also, what should I do with this old broken thing?
You could take the model number to the Appliance Samurai website (http://fixitnow.com/kitchen-appliance-repair-help/refrigerator-repair-faq/) and figure out what it'd cost to repair it.  Then you'd either be able to fix it up and sell it, or list it on Craigslist as a "handyman special", or have your trash service haul it away on bulk pickup day.

I'd avoid the GE Profile Arctica line of fridges.  I'm getting ready to replace the icemaker dispenser door solenoid for the second time in two years...

mm1970

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Re: Refrigerator Recommendation?
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2013, 09:06:48 PM »
We check ratings on Consumer Reports, hence we have a basic Kenmore (circa 2001), the only problem is that about a year ago the fan broke so the fridge wasn't cold.

We called Sears, they sent a guy, he told us what was wrong and what it would cost to fix, and told us where in town we could go to get the part for way less and explained how to fix it.

oldtoyota

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Re: Refrigerator Recommendation?
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2013, 07:44:45 PM »
Thank you, everyone! I will avoid Frigidaire from now on!

Argyle

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Re: Refrigerator Recommendation?
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2013, 07:51:34 PM »
Things like icemakers break way out of proportion with the rest of the fridge.  Avoid if you don't want to be splurging on repairs down the line.

I'd go to estate sales and see what's selling.  Be ready to get it transported on your own.

m8547

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Re: Refrigerator Recommendation?
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2013, 08:51:07 PM »
My apartment has a side-by-side fridge/freezer with an icemaker, whirpool, I think. The icemaker takes up half the freezer space, so the usable space is about 9.5"wide x 14" deep x 4 feet high. If I want to keep frozen pizza it has to stand up diagonally, but if I put in a casserole pan it takes up an entire shelf. The shelves are not adjustable, which is why the pizza only fits diagonally. I don't even use ice, and the only reason I use the water dispenser is because it has a filter and the tap water here tasted terrible. I will never buy a fridge with an icemaker if I have a choice.

Nords

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Re: Refrigerator Recommendation?
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2013, 09:10:54 PM »
I will never buy a fridge with an icemaker if I have a choice.
We bought an icemaker expressly because we were parenting a teenager.  ("But, Daaa-ad, the ice tray's not empty-- there's still two cubes left!")  Now that she's voluntarily evicted herself, I'll never buy a fridge with an icemaker again.

Greg

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Re: Refrigerator Recommendation?
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2013, 09:11:31 AM »
For folks who have fridges with icemakers (thinking inside models, not through-the-door-dispenser models) consider you can probably remove it and store it for the next owner.  Usually the reverse of installation. 

Look up the installation instructions online for the icemaker kit and follow it backwards.  Not only will this free up space it the freezer, but it will eliminate a potential leak problem.