My Fridge has died

buckeyefarmer · Jun 9, 2015

Came home to a fridge sounding like a hit and miss engine. My wife says, "O yeah, the freezer isn't working". This one is 17 yrs old, and the ice maker has been acting up for years, and the compressor has been loud and I was expecting it to go out.

Any suggestions on a replacement? My wife wants white, top freezer, ice maker and has to fit the current space.

Parkanzky · Jun 9, 2015

You owe it to yourself to at least consider a bottom-freezer. My mother needed a new fridge when we moved her and she'd always had a top-freezer and was against French-door models (we are too). She spent a week or two at our place and fell in love with our bottom-freezer refrigerator. We moved recently, and the main refrigerator is French-door. We dislike it, and will replace it with a bottom-freezer model as soon as the rest of the main-floor renovations are complete.

We will get another Fisher & Paykel fridge (which is what was in our previous home and what we bought my mother) when the time comes. I think they have white.

buckeyefarmer · Jun 9, 2015

Looking at an LG right now. seems the GE/Whirlpool/kenmore's I've looked at no longer have a light in the freezer, which is a must also. Some are LED lights.

buckeyefarmer · Jun 9, 2015

The one I want is back ordered until the end of july. looks like i'll have to pick another one.

leaky little red · Jun 9, 2015

Don't know if LG has gotten any better, but as a contractor I have seen these fail sooner than the other name brands. Find a small local appliance dealer, and they can probably sell you a good fridge/freezer for about the same as the big box stores. The only problem I have with the cafe style doors is the seal wears out quickly on the door where the flapper hits it

Fawken · Jun 9, 2015

Too bad they haven't gone down in price over the years like televisions and phones.

Pixguy · Jun 9, 2015

This area is where Americans can practice what most say, "Buy American". My understanding is the LG is made in South Korea and Whirlpool, Maytag and GE is largely engineered, manufactured and assembled in America.

It's your money but keep that in mind.

My 2cents.

buckeyefarmer · Jun 9, 2015

can get a whirlpool bottom freezer from lowes, $1098 sale ends today.. not sure I would like the top fridge.

Pixguy · Jun 9, 2015

buckeyefarmer said:
can get a whirlpool bottom freezer from lowes, $1098 sale ends today.. not sure I would like the top fridge.

The French door fridges are very popular because they are easy to access the daily items we reach for. The bottom freezers are nicer than they used to be because the drawers pull out and some have an additional drawer or two above the bottom basket, making it so you don't bury items like we used to with a bottom freezer that hinged on the side.

Be ready to spend $50 every 6 months on an overpriced water filter.

Jstpssng · Jun 9, 2015

Two points on bottom freezer;
-What do you get into more often, freezer or fridge? For most it's the fridge which means less bending down to take things out.
-Heat rises, so it stands to reason that having the freezer on bottom means less work for the compressor.
Just my 2｢ worth.

We had my first bottom freezer when I was growing up back in the (19) 60's, a Philco that had a foot lever to operate the freezer. I guess it's all what you're accustomed to.

jaotguy · Jun 9, 2015

run from the LG ... unless they want to give you one for free ....

the compressors go out and they change the styles regularly ( sorry , they no longer make that model and parts are back ordered )... customer service is non existent ...

if you buy one , make sure to get the extended warranty with full replacement value .... you will need it ...

s219 · Jun 9, 2015

None of the brands are very good anymore -- all have about the same level of reliability/quality (or lack of). So I'd say just pick whatever you like from a usability/size/convenience/price standpoint. Look for a good deal.

tman1020 · Jun 10, 2015

Current appliances seem to be designed to last about seven years. Hard to believe but that seems to be the norm. I always try to buy the most American-made one I can afford and it has worked out well so far lasting longer than the seven years life expectancy.

buckeyefarmer · Jun 10, 2015

Whirlpool one would be a tight fit. 1/8" less than clearce.

Teachu2 · Jun 10, 2015

buckeyefarmer said:
Whirlpool one would be a tight fit. 1/8" less than clearce.

Perfect!

Bird · Jun 10, 2015

Our Kenmore is relatively small because of the small space it had to fit into. But it's nine & a half years old, has had one service call for the ice maker, it does have a light in the top freezer, and we do open the freezer frequently to get more ice, so prefer the top freezer. Then we have a very cheap Galaxy top freezer refrigerator in the shop for additional cooler & freezer space; no ice maker, no light in the freezer. Both of them were bought at the same time at Sears, of course. And since we really LIKE what we have, but agree that they don't seem to last much more than 10 years, I recently bought Sears' 3 year master protection plan for the one in the house.

Pixguy · Jun 10, 2015

Ice for me and cold filtered water on the door was important for DW so that's what we went for.

Just remember that Kenmore doesn't manufacture anything, they just have one of the other 6or 7 make it for them.

Reviews are also a good indicator of satisfaction in the first couple of years.
(I took a part time job selling appliances in a big orange box store a few weeks ago)

Bird · Jun 10, 2015

Ice for me and cold filtered water on the door was important for DW so that's what we went for.

I have to open the freezer door to get a scoop of ice from the bin (we keep a big scoop in there) and you have to open the lower (refrigerator) door to get to the cold filtered water dispenser. My wife uses that; I never do. I get a scoop of ice in my glass, then get the water at the sink.

Just remember that Kenmore doesn't manufacture anything, they just have one of the other 6or 7 make it for them.

Yep, but Sears provides the warranty and/or service.

Beltman60 · Jun 10, 2015

just bought a Samsung 4 door 2 weeks ago
love it
has the freezer in the bottom with a sliding drawer
next on up has 4 temp settings on what they call a flex zone (temps from a chill to a soft freeze)
then french doors for the frig with built in ice maker and water in the left door

have I mentioned that I love it
suggested retail was $3200 got it at HH Gregg for $1958 :thumbsup: