Looking for recommendations for household frig

[newbury]

I'm stuck down in Mississippi for about 2 more weeks and my live-at-home (Alexandria, Va) 34 yr. old son calls and says it sounds like the compressor on the fridge is dying.
It's only 19 years old!
So it looks like I need to buy a new fridge/freezer.
Critical points - in order of importance
Don't want a blasted side-by-side fridge/freezer, sides are too narrow to slide in an XLarge pizza box (french door fridge with freezer below is ok with me)
Looking for one with the freezer in the bottom, wife is short. I can sit down to access freezer easier than she can get taller.
Want QUALITY like a Speed Queen washer - no flash in the pan Samsung.
Doesn't need to be BIG, (except for the pizza box), son works at a restaurant/nightclub and wife and I don't eat big meals anymore, 20 cubic feet should do.
No fancy features.

I bought a ~$300 Whirlpool (18 cu ft w/ a top fridge) back in 2010 for the Mississippi house. Only "frill" was an inside the freezer ice maker. Suits us fine.

 

[bmaverick]

I'm stuck down in Mississippi for about 2 more weeks and my live-at-home (Alexandria, Va) 34 yr. old son calls and says it sounds like the compressor on the fridge is dying.
It's only 19 years old!
So it looks like I need to buy a new fridge/freezer.
Critical points - in order of importance
Don't want a blasted side-by-side fridge/freezer, sides are too narrow to slide in an XLarge pizza box (french door fridge with freezer below is ok with me)
Looking for one with the freezer in the bottom, wife is short. I can sit down to access freezer easier than she can get taller.
Want QUALITY like a Speed Queen washer - no flash in the pan Samsung.
Doesn't need to be BIG, (except for the pizza box), son works at a restaurant/nightclub and wife and I don't eat big meals anymore, 20 cubic feet should do.
No fancy features.

I bought a ~$300 Whirlpool (18 cu ft w/ a top fridge) back in 2010 for the Mississippi house. Only "frill" was an inside the freezer ice maker. Suits us fine.

With so much of the major brands outsourcing their entire product overseas, we have stayed with Whirlpool/Amana/Maytag now.

During the 2020 supply chain woes to get parts, Whirlpool was ahead of everyone with ample parts.

My Frigidaire freezer was an out-of-stock for parts, I kept following up on it, then out of nowhere, the parts were discontinued. Nope, will no longer own an Electrolux/Frigidaire again. The freezer was only 3 years old.

 

[oosik]

My frig is built into all the cabinetry. So - somewhat limited on choices. My first one - Kenmore - lasted 32 years. I've got ten years on my second. It's also a Kenmore.

JMHO - the Kenmore lasted this long because it's just a simple frig. Absolutely nothing fancy. No bells, no whistles.

 

[RjCorazza]

I just replaced the second circulating fan in our 6 year old GE. The first failure we called a repair tech to come out, and they just started throwing parts at it, and they clearly were not diagnosing anything. That cost me several hundred dollars for nothing, and I fixed it myself.
I am interested in hearing people's opinions and experiences with reliable appliances.

 

[oldnslo]

What color or finish you looking for? If like around here you won’t find anything white in stock we had to wait 6 weeks to a new fridge. Stainless was very limited options. My first choice is Whirlpool, second was GE neither were inexpensive and all had way to many bells and whistles.

Good luck on your search.

 

[EddieWalker]

We have this LG Refrigerator. https://www.lowes.com/pd/LG-25-5-cu...tproof-Stainless-Steel-ENERGY-STAR/1002543648

I didn't want or need a refrigerator at the time, but a client of mine made me an offer I couldn't say no to. She wanted $200 and for it to disappear off of her porch. It was only one year old, but it was too big for her small kitchen. The big swinging door took up too much room when it was opened, so she had one with side by side doors delivered. She tried to sell it to a few of her friends, but then never showed up and she just wanted it gone. I was there within the hour!!!!

At first we kept it in the shop as an extra fridge. But our Kenmore died about a month after getting the LG. I couldn't believe the timing of it. So we moved the LG into the house and where very surprised at how much more room it had in it. Everything that came out of our old fridge fit in there with all sort of open space left over!!!

It doesn't have a thing for water to fill up a cup, but it does have an ice maker that you have to open the freezer and pick up the ice cubes with your hands. I think that really gives you a lot more space that you never think about until you see it.

The freezer is on the bottom and it slides out. It is really easy to see what's in there and get to what you are looking for.

Unless something really crazy happens, I would buy another. We're actually thinking of getting a second one when we redo our kitchen and having both of them next to each other.

 

[Carl_NH]

We bought a kitchenaid made in Indiana in 2017 French door, double freezer drawer, ice / water in the door. The first one had issues at 6 months (ice maker) would not make ice - ultimately they replaced it with another one - that one lasted for 9 months same issue. We got a credit that one and got a Bosch french door with double freezer drawer, and ice in the freezer, Ironically two friends also bought the same Kitchenaid model and both have failed as well.

The bosch has been good - a few issues with the ice maker in the last year - plastic drive socket failed in the rotating ice tray so I got a new tray and added reinforcement to the socket - now it's fine.

Everything today seems to have a 5-10 year life expectancy, and plastic parts, with new models every few years to make them less expensive to build.

In general, stay away from Ice and water in the door, only get an ice maker in the freezer, then go with the most simple design and cost-effective option. Check consumer reports too - they usually are pretty accurate.

Another good source is your local appliance repair co - not a national firm.

 

[ponytug]

+1 for Amana in the "French door" style. We have two in the family that are an average age of 20 years, with no issues (knock on wood!), but the trouble with that is that are for fridges made many moons ago. I have no idea what the current quality is, or isn't.

I would never do a side by side or top fridge. I have lived with both styles, and was reminded each and every time I opened them why I didn't like them.

All the best,

Peter

 

[EarPlug]

 

[oosik]

Never had a frig with an ice maker or water cooler or double doors. I use ice trays - ceramic jug for cold water - one door gets to everything.

I just don't need the problems.