Best refrigerator?

cland72 · Nov 12, 2014

My 15 year old GE Profile fridge just quit working, and the home warranty company is cutting me a check since they've had the repair techs out three times to no avail.

Who makes a really good, reliable, long lasting fridge? I don't need bells and whistles, just something that will work for the next decade (or, preferably, longer).

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

Blueskies123 · Nov 12, 2014

You should purchase a subscription to consumer reports.

Beamhead · Nov 12, 2014

Just posting as I am curious also, our 23 year old Whirlpool which we call old frosty still works although it makes some strange noises that sound like people talking.

It will be giving up the ghost soon. :popcorn:

Chauncey Gardiner · Nov 12, 2014

Frigidaire has four Top-Rated units for under $1,000. They are all freezer on top machines. There's a GE Profile in the number two spot. Same category. It's $1,400.

The 2015 ConsumerReports Buying Guide is now available, so you wouldn't need to subscribe to the magazine. Just l@@k for the buying guide at your local grocery store's magazine rack.

~ Chance

cland72 · Nov 12, 2014

Thanks, I'll have to check those out and see about grabbing a copy of the consumer reports buying guide.

Locally I've seen a brand new whirlpool for $800, any experiences with that brand?

jabe1 · Nov 12, 2014

I have an Admiral, which is made by Maytag. 9 years old and going strong. Go to Sears and find a salesperson who has been there a long time, they can be very helpful.
Also, check Appliance411.com.

FlashKat · Nov 13, 2014

Whirlpool is considered a good brad. I had a Kitchen Aid which is made by Whirlpool, and it was a good refrigerator. I currently have a Kenmore which is also made by Whirlpool that has been running great for the last 10 years.

cland72 said:
Thanks, I'll have to check those out and see about grabbing a copy of the consumer reports buying guide.

Locally I've seen a brand new whirlpool for $800, any experiences with that brand?

cland72 · Nov 14, 2014

Shopping for a refrigerator sucks.

I find one rated 4 stars online, right in my price range, by reputable manufacturers (Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Samsung, GE) but then I start digging into the reviews and find that 20% of those who bought the items ranked them between 1 and 3 stars... I'm wondering if the appliance QC/build quality has gone down which is why 1 in 5 products seem to be defective, or maybe 20% of people are just impossible to please.

I don't mind spending $100 on a flashlight that I think I want, but spending $900 on a potentially crappy fridge I'm going to be stuck with long term scares the crap out of me.

Chauncey Gardiner · Nov 14, 2014

If you have a Father & Son type appliance store in your area, shopping with them might provide you with greater peace of mind. They tend to have somewhat higher prices, but their customer service makes their prices worthwhile. If of course, you find a good one. As with any other purchase you hope will provide you with 15 years service, time spent shopping for the item and the best place to buy it is time well spent. Also, concerning the cost, a $1,000 item that provides 10 to 15 years of use isn't too bad. The problem is, you have to prepay so many years in advance.

~ Chance

markr6 · Nov 14, 2014

cland72 said:
Shopping for a refrigerator sucks.

No kidding! I spent a lot of time looking and ended up with an LG which has the pullout bottom drawer freezer. I didn't think I would like this at first, but it's great! Nice stainless steel finish. I think it was around $1000. One of the biggest reasons I chose this was the shallower footprint. Most other units would have stuck out 2" beyond where I wanted it lined up with the wall. But this isn't a counter depth unit either.

I planned on keeping my 1990 GE (great condition) for the garage, but passed after I found out it costs $15/month to run!

Chauncey Gardiner · Nov 14, 2014

markr6 said:
I planned on keeping my 1990 GE (great condition) for the garage, but passed after I found out it costs $15/month to run!

Not to be argumentative, but a refrigerator in an un-heated garage is going to cost much less to operate than one in the kitchen. Say your primary refrigerator is operating in a 70 degree room. Every time you open the door the cold air escapes to the floor while heated air replaces it. A secondary refrigerator is usually opened much less.....depending on how many beers one consumes. Also consider the tempature of the air that replaces the cold air when the door is opened. My understanding of how refrigerators work is they don't really make items inside colder, well actually they do but the process isn't actually making cold, but reducing content tempature by removing heat. I like to think of it as magic. That helps me understand the process.

But, mark6, a good point nevertheless. Cost of operating should be a concern. The rate of return on buying a more efficient unit will depend on your fridge habits, (how often you open the door l@@king for something but you don't know what that something is) and the cost of electricity.

~ Chance

markr6 · Nov 14, 2014

Chauncey Gardiner said:
Not to be argumentative, but a refrigerator in an un-heated garage is going to cost much less to operate than one in the kitchen. Say your primary refrigerator is operating in a 70 degree room. Every time you open the door the cold air escapes to the floor while heated air replaces it. A secondary refrigerator is usually opened much less.....depending on how many beers one consumes. Also consider the tempature of the air that replaces the cold air when the door is opened. My understanding of how refrigerators work is they don't really make items inside colder, well actually they do but the process isn't actually making cold, but reducing content tempature by removing heat. I like to think of it as magic. That helps me understand the process.

But, mark6, a good point nevertheless. Cost of operating should be a concern. The rate of return on buying a more efficient unit will depend on your fridge habits, (how often you open the door l@@king for something but you don't know what that something is) and the cost of electricity.

~ Chance

That's true. Gosh, this thing would probably go days or even over a week without even being opened. After buying the new one over a year ago, we haven't had a true NEED for the second one. It's just sitting in the garage empty, so I think we're selling it to a friend for $20.

cland72 · Nov 14, 2014

I'm thinking I'll probably buy the unit I've been looking at from the start (Whirlpool Model WRS325FDAB), and pay the extra $109 for the Lowe's 5 year protection plan. I'm just so scared this thing might crap out after the one year manufacturer's warranty is up. It would be worth the extra $109 to have piece of mind in my opinion - I'm saving over $1,000 compared to what I COULD buy, so maybe it's money well spent to ensure I won't lose out on my investment during the first five years, in the event it turns out to be a lemon.

markr6 · Nov 14, 2014

cland72 said:
I'm thinking I'll probably buy the unit I've been looking at from the start (Whirlpool Model WRS325FDAB), and pay the extra $109 for the Lowe's 5 year protection plan. I'm just so scared this thing might crap out after the one year manufacturer's warranty is up. It would be worth the extra $109 to have piece of mind in my opinion - I'm saving over $1,000 compared to what I COULD buy, so maybe it's money well spent to ensure I won't lose out on my investment during the first five years, in the event it turns out to be a lemon.

I usually pass on all warranty plans, but $109 for 5 years sounds like a good deal. In my last home I purchased it and I'm glad it did. Someone had to come out 3 times to repair it or add on fixes, and it finally had to be replaced.

cland72 · Nov 14, 2014

markr6 said:
I usually pass on all warranty plans...

I absolutely agree, but when it is only about 10% of the purchase price, and gives me five times the duration of the original warranty, I'm inclined to go ahead and do it.

I say no to EVERYTHING I've been offered - protection plans on cars, motorcycles, furniture, electronics, etc and I've never regretted it. If I regret spending the extra $100 at the end of 5 years, then the good news is the fridge was reliable!

Capolini · Nov 14, 2014

Good luck whatever you choose.

I have a Frigidaire Admiral I bought in 1999.Simple, nothing fancy. When I bought it he told me that it would last about 10 years and that appliances at that time[most likely today to] were only made to last a specific amount of years! Makes sense. if they made stuff [tanks]like they did 50/60 years ago, stuff that lasted forever, they would be out of business!

I have had it 15 years,,,,,I hope I do not jinx it!

I just got a new dryer,,,,,,,,,another Hotpoint[nothing fancy again],,,,The first Hotpoint lasted 21.5 years! :thumbsup:

markr6 · Nov 14, 2014

Capolini said:
if they made stuff [tanks]like they did 50/60 years ago, stuff that lasted forever, they would be out of business!

My parents just recently got rid of an old spare fridge, Kenmore brand IIRC. Avocado green with wood grain accents, so I don't need to date it

Used and abused, ran like a champ!

Capolini · Nov 14, 2014

markr6 said:
My parents just recently got rid of an old spare fridge, Kenmore brand IIRC. Avocado green with wood grain accents, so I don't need to date it Used and abused, ran like a champ!

I believe it!!!

I do not know the brand[my guess was a GE] but this was like a tank! At the time[Early 70's] it was ~ 35/40 years old and still working!! It was my Grandmothers and when she moved to an apartment ~1990 I guess it got tossed!

Chauncey Gardiner · Nov 14, 2014

Whatever you buy or already own, clean the coils every two or three months. The compressor won't need to run as long to accomplish its job. Less wear-n-tear equals a longer service life.

~ Chance

cland72 · Nov 21, 2014

I made my purchase at Home Depot - the GE GSS25GGHBB. I got it on sale for $998 and purchased the 5 year protection plan for an additional $150. They also let me use my father's veteran ID card for 10% off the total purchase.

Thanks to everyone for their advice!

Chauncey Gardiner said:
Whatever you buy or already own, clean the coils every two or three months. The compressor won't need to run as long to accomplish its job. Less wear-n-tear equals a longer service life.

~ Chance

Good advice there, I picked up a coil brush at Home Depot so I can do just that moving forward w/ my new one.

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