Are there any refrigerator companies that make a reliable fridge anymore ??

[k0ua]

In almost all cases the answer is no, no one makes a reliable refrigerator. One of the reasons is that most of them buy components from a single source, so many of the refrigerators, under the skin are the same. Almost all the GEs use Embarco compressors from Mexico or China

I had a GE counter depth go out last summer. I did a trouble shoot off youtube and traced the probable cause to an inverter board on the compressor. Well, a repair would have cost me $650 from the repairman. The board alone was $250 from Amazon or AppliancePro or someone like that, or $30 via epacket from China, for an original equipment part. I bought the part from China, took two weeks to get, and about 30 minutes to change the attaching plug and replace. Refrigerator runs like new. By the way, why would a refrigerator need and inverter board you might ask? Because most of the newer high efficiency ones have a 3 phase compressor so they slow down rpm via hertz or cycles. Saves electricity, but the boards tend to short out over time.

My advice is either trouble shoot it yourself if you can before you replace it, it may be something really simple like mine.

I bet that is one RFI producing machine with that 3 phase inverter in there. That is such a wonderful idea. Let save a little energy and pollute the RF spectrum from DC to daylight.

 

[tallyho8]

kenmore=whirlpool

That was certainly true for a very long time. From the 1950s to the 1980s all Kenmore and Coldspots were made by Whirlpool and they were mostly but not completely identical. Sears demanded some special features in their brand that made them better than Whirlpools. For instance, Kenmore washers and dryers all had porcelain tops whereas Whirlpools usually had painted tops. The big pull-out air conditioner doors on the Whirlpools only had 2 plastic hinges that were always breaking off but the Kenmores had 3. There was always more porcelain in the Kenmore refrigerators than in the Whirlpools. The Kenmore air conditioners had better rust-proofing also.

In the 1990s Kenmore started taking bids from manufacturers and many Kenmores were then built in Asia by the low bidder. A company might get a contract for 10,000 one year and then another company might get the bid for the next 10,000 that year with a third company getting the bid for the next 10,000 all in one year. This meant that the units that looked similar would be made by 3 different companies in one year with completely different parts making it about impossible for part suppliers to stock all the parts each year. Most parts had to be special ordered from Asia taking time and costing much more and some parts were no longer sold. This compared to the earlier Whirlpool models where a part off a 1959 machine would usually fit a 1989 machine.

Now many Asian countries simply buy the rights to use the name of an old reliable manufacturer and build cheap machines that people buy thinking they are the same quality as they used to be.

 

[ultrarunner]

We recently bought a new kitchen suite and went with LG. I talked at length with the guy at Lowes who's been selling appliances his whole life. LG was what he recommended. He said stay away from Samsung. I commented that I liked some of the Fridgedaire appliances and he said stay away from them too. Many manufacturers may have a good appliance, say a fridge, but their dishwasher might be plagued with reliability issues. In my mind, I focused on the two main appliances, fridge and stove, and then stuck with that same manufacturer for the dishwasher and microwave. Truth be told, I hate dishwashers and would rather just hand wash the dishes. But the wife....

I know folks that have bought GE (GE Profile) kitchen suites and they had nothing but problems with one appliance or the other.

I think what folks are saying about longevity is spot on. They've now been designed to have a reasonable life, 10- 15 years.

Back in 1995 I did a total kitchen including adding square feet and the appliances chosen were all GE profile...

I realize this is ancient in the world of appliances but 20 years later all were functioning without incident when the home was sold...

 

[PILOON]

Scan the receipts into your pc when you get them. Back up your pc to the cloud. You will have your receipts for as long as you want them.

I like to make a photocopy of those that I want to retain.

 

[coobie]

Local appliance shop where we purchased our new fridge had and 1950,s fridge in there showroom still running cannot remember what brand though.

 

[PILOON]

Quote:
"Now many Asian countries simply buy the rights to use the name of an old reliable manufacturer and build cheap machines that people buy thinking they are the same quality as they used to be. "

Yes just like DeWalt/Stanley bought the tool trademarks that Sears owned just recently.

 

[oosik]

I've heard that Amana makes a good product. I have no experience with them.

 

[gsganzer]

Back in 1995 I did a total kitchen including adding square feet and the appliances chosen were all GE profile...

I realize this is ancient in the world of appliances but 20 years later all were functioning without incident when the home was sold...

The folks I know that bought the GE profile suite were in 2006. They had issues with the gas range and the dishwasher if I remember correctly, and they didn't have good success with GE on getting them fixed.

I guess like some others have said, the manufacture of these appliances might change badging, design and factories fairly regularly. It seems like most of the current appliances are mostly made in South Korea, where it was Japan a decade or so ago and the US before that.

 

[kenmac]

I've heard that Amana makes a good product. I have no experience with them.

Amana https://www.goedekers.com/blog/who-makes-amana-appliances/

 

[Industrial Toys]

It's like the name doesn't matter much anymore. They could just have a better marketing campagne that says they are the best. Kind of like Maytag did for many, many years. VERY effective.