I could not believe how long food kept in my former french door Samsung. Then I realized it only looked fresh. Old is old.

Bought an LG French Door fridge / freezer 10 years ago - at the time LG wasn't well known in the US but I had grown up with it as an option in Europe. My hubby was dubious but I persuaded him to give it a try. He was swayed when he learned that it wasn't stainless steel doors (I think they are some kind of titanium mix) so they were magnetic and could hold all the crap 3 kids tend to produce. We haven't had a problem with it since the day it was installed so I would recommend it.

I was interested to read the comment regarding a drop in quality since 2000; as I understand it, that roughly correlates w the beginning of the Starr program. Refrigerators are due for another manufacturing shift as the 2014 DOE requirements go into effect this fall, and if energy savings is indirectly proportional to decreased longevity , it seems likely that we can expect more of the same for the near future. Company reputations may be a better guide than reviews as the new models roll out.
(In full disclosure, I own a 13 year old bottom of the line unit w a high starr rating due to an upper freezer and no bells - which could also be the reason for its longevity ( knock wood).)

Splurged in 2012 on a Liebherr counter depth French door style with two lower freezer drawers. Cannot believe how much we like an appliance :-!
Efficient, quiet, keeps food fresh longer, and very nice looking. Worth the investment, 10 year warranty and nicely designed.

LOL just had this SAME convo with husband tonight over dinner. He SELLS a lot of these brands--no I can't share where---and he claims that the fridges will only last about 4 years now---for the past few years---and if you get longer than that you are very lucky. Part of it is the chemicals they can use now--like the ones in your car AC--are NOT the same old ones that did indeed KEEP things COLD.

I had noticed (while I was waiting for a new water heater to be hauled onto to my trailer) that the newer fridges have EXTREMELY THICK doors---I guess this is more insulation but it really seems to cut DOWN on the actual useable space inside.

We have a Fridgidaire that is about 10 years old--we did have a complete fail when the u nit was 3 DAYS out of Warranty--the company stonewalled me until I mentioned two important things::: One is I am diabetic and cannot have un-chilled insulin and I had just received a shipment of several hundred dollars worth of the drug; and Two after about ten convos with the co. I happened to mention that my husband was the Manager at the store we had bought the unit at--suddenly the ENTIRE convo changed and we not only had a NEW fridge but we ALSO got a check for the insulin--since it had not been chilled I was unwilling to trust it--and since my health insurance would not replace it (and why should they!) Frigidaire ended up paying full retail---almost as much as the unit cost. And they gave me a check for the value of the spoiled food. It also has the annoying "shelf" behind the shelves--things get back there and go un-noticed and die. But you don;t have the USE of the full depth of the actual SHELF---ugh. And there is NO seal between these shelves and the base of the fridge so you are sometimes--SURPRISED!!!---with stuff that spilled that went un-noticed because--you can't SEE back there and DOWN there.

We were "lucky" that we had a college dorm fridge in storage and we have a huge upright freezer. Since then tho we have had to replace--I finally gave up on these---the deli drawer---the side slides kept breaking off and there was this annoying small 3/4" space UNDER it where things went to die---so I bought a few clear bins at Christmas Tree shop for those things and the deli stuff is just as good in those. We never had the ice maker hooked up but some times the mech seems to "stick" if a box or something hits it and it makes a hugely annoying noise; the temp selector seems to move ON ITS OWN and last week it was turned OFF when no one was in the house! It is in a spot where it is not easy to see or move so HOW does this keep happening? And if it is humid or really cold you have to fiddle with it. This cost around $600 new.

On the other hand--I have a 30+year old Montgomery Wards--remember THEM?---upright full size freezer still going strong. When we moved out of our old farmhouse some one took the ancient--like 1950's--chest freezer to their home--prob still working! And when we moved into that house there was an OLD 1955 GE Monitor Top fridge---which we donated to a local food co-op and some clever guys tinkered with it and got it running and I would not be at ALL surprised if it was going still somewhere!

We have a Frigidaire dishwasher which is--crap; and a Frigidaire stove we got from someone who bought it and never used it (Our old one caught fire when the tech came to put in a SAFETY CUT OFF---ummmm) and it is---OK. But not nearly the same as my old 1930's Tappan--I LOVED THAT STOVE and it was too big at 40" and too heavy to be moved out of our old house. That had amazing features that I have never seen elsewhere (altho they may have been common then!)--It had a Crisper drawer for crackers and cereal etc; that had a re-useable "pod" with some sort of crystals in it that you placed in the oven every once in a while and that sucked in moisture! It had beautiful RED glass rings that went behind the stove knobs and when the gas was turned ON they LIT UP---great way to KNOW your gas was ON in case you had a burner blow out. Also had a pilot light and kept my whole huge kitchen toasty! Lovely pull out crumb trays--WHEN did THOSE vanish from stoves? I miss that stove.

I wouldn't spend the outrageous amount of money on ANY appliance---the basic washer and dryer?----Fine with me and mine came off Craigs list when some one moved and work FINE. And we have 7 people here! Might have to keep an eye out for OLD fridge--and BTW you can have them REPAINTED at car body places for WAY LESS than a NEW one would cost.

Scanning thru the answers, I see a lot of people pick high-end appliances. I am very economical and bought a new side-by- side Frigidaire last year. It works, is Energy Star, and has plenty of room for frozen foods. Tha't's all that matters to me.

Had our old fridge for 18 years. Absolutely no problems at all. It just died one day. Should have had it repaired, but it looked really dated, not in a good way. The new fridge, a kenmore that is really an LG unbeknownst to us, had the light component literally burn out, the part was blackened, about a week before the one year warrantee ran out. Less than 2 years later, the light went out again. The plastic bin for the ice collection is already broken... Again, the old fridge was far better.

Yes, this is all planned obsolescence. It is a sad time we live in.

Todd Kight:
Have you read recent reviews for Samsung refrigerators??
I've read about 500 bad one so far, look online.

For our new house we designed the refrig space for a counter depth. As empty nesters we don't need a hulking refrig. I have been very pleased with our Samsung counter depth.

Research carefully to fit your needs and remember that online reviews generally are not given by happy purchasers but from those with issues we don't have all the background on. Lot's more happy campers than complainers usually.

our 20 year old amana side by side...like i said above, its still running. however, twice a year we vacuum the coils. i've been told vacuuming helps prolong the life of the appliance. anyone else hear of that?

Has anyone tried the type of refrigerator/freezer that can be either - with a switch that makes it a refrigerator in summer when there is lots of garden produce and a freezer in the Fall when meat is plentiful?

Our SubZero owner's manual says to vacuum the coils regularly. I can't remember exactly, but I think it is every 3 months. Definitely, at least every 6. It does make a difference.

I

I love my GE Monitor Top, ca. 1934, similar to the one in the photo. Compressor on top. Foot pedal to open the door when your hands are full. Need to get the compressor looked at to make it colder, but it's still humming along after 80 years.

I have bought 3 fridges in the recent past, here's my experience hope it helps :)
1st I replaced our 25yr old Basement Maytag (it didn't die, but some broken parts) with a GE standard 18.2 fridge. 10 months old, so far so good, a little noisy but nice interior space, I wanted a large freezer area because it serves as my second freezer and fridge for me.
2nd I replaced is our 16yr old main GE side-by-side (overall happy with it but went with Maytag based on my previous experience) fridge with stainless steel Maytag bottom freezer with french doors. I love the functionality and the look of this fridge, need to keep it clean on the outside, mostly the handles, not for someone with small kids. 15 months old.
3rd fridge I replaced is our 4yr old LG (Latest Garbage, will never buy again) fridge from our investment condo, the housing cracked and constantly leaked, broken interior parts, hadn't worked properly for the last 3 years. Bought a Maytag, hoping for the best, only days old.

Marly, I am sooooo jealous!

I've had various brand refrigerators in the various places I've rented over the years. The one I liked the best of them all was a large Amana that had the freezer on the bottom. It was simply the most adaptable interior, quietest ice-maker, and had great accessories available from the Amana website. That was one I bought simply because it fit the space and was on sale as a discontinued floor model. I kept it for years and only recently had a friend buy it from me to use as a backup in their church's kitchen when I moved somewhere it wouldn't fit. It never gave me any trouble. The doors could be adapted to open to either side so I was able to use it in various locations at different homes. I wish I still had it. This GE fridge that came with the new condo is a lot noisier.

Our home was built in 1968 and we have lived here forty years. In the basement is a GE refrigerator that the original owners brought when they moved in. So it has to be well over fifty years old. It happily chills our watermelons in the summer, and cheerfully accommodates the overflow dishes for Christmas/ New Year's dinners. I defrost it usually once a year. Every time I plug it in, I say a little prayer and so far, it works. Our kitchen refrig (Whirlpool) came with the house andI finally died, in all its avocado glory, after 34 years of unfailing service. I'm crossing my fingers for the twelve year old Whirlpool that took its place. So far, so good.

elainejentes, you must be the refrigerator whisperer!!

I have a white seven-year-old Bosch Intelligent Frost-Free 44, chosen because I needed a tall, skinny one for the space in my former kitchen, and because I got a floor model at a great price. It has freezer on top and reversible doors. I've been very happy with it. I live in a harsh climate (temps frequently over 100ºF in summer and no AC), plus I open the doors about a million times a day for ice and water. Only once did the self-defrost system jam up, and the manual told me step by step exactly how to fix it, so no service call was needed. As an aside, I wish more refrigerator designers would make use of upper space. Mine is a little over six feet tall, but I'd happily go for a seven footer next time.

Maybe refrigerators are like husbands...luck of the draw. LOL!

Judy G, I think you are right! I've had the husband for fifty years, he still runs well, stays cool most of the time, and efficiently stores left-overs. However, I don't keep him in the basement and don't plan to get rid of him soon.....

The MSRP for the SubZero 48" wide Pro refrigerator with glass door and freezer drawers is $16,285. I'm just sayng....................

I thought I wanted the French door style fridge with the freezer on the bottom, so got one. Found out I miss all the shelves in the doors and I don't like having to open both doors to find what I am looking for. Then they are going shut on you as you are looking. Went back to a side by side for our lake home.

Yes the SubZero is expensive. I had thought when we did our remodel that I would want a fancy range. When we went looking, and after talking with people about cleaning one I started having second thoughts. I fell in LOVE with the SubZero and lusted after it. No plastic, easy to clean, long life...the range changed to a nice cook top and we splurged on the refrig. So far, worth every penny. I waited 25 years for the kitchen remodel and it is my dream kitchen.

elaine, cute response!!!!!

Yes, refrigerators may be like husbands. But, I did say above "My fridge just won't die!". Thank goodness! Hubs did have some major repairs done though. :)

a lot of people buy appliances by what they can afford and what they want. if some people dis others because they buy expensive things, could it be those people are envious that they can't afford expensive things? maybe, maybe not. who knows, i buy what i can afford and want. i hope that the appliances produced these days will last. not many of us like to waste our money!

mspo, interesting point. I think many people do buy things they can't afford and they just don't know it. If you have to use a credit card you can't afford it! We have always had an interest in things that pleased us and not trendy stuff. Probably why our home is so eclectic and special to us. No debt over 'stuff' happens here. Save up or do without. I look at appliances as disposable and spend according to that in the back of my mind.

i have a 7' Thermador check online for more options it has a clean look inside out n spacious for storage

We bought all new KitchenAid appliances during renovation of our previously owned short sale home. I was happy to leave them behind when we moved. The freezer barely froze, the fridge had a different temperature on every shelf and at different times of the day, and the "stainless steel" didn't hold up to two months without a/c before it started rusting. I was tossing food constantly.

s_hayre, thanks for the tip on Thermador. Unfortunately they all seem to be stainless and very pricey, but it's good to know the tall ones are out there!

well im glad the fridge is "STAINLESS" i was afraid it was gonna stain my clothes

The best is efficient and then more so.

Five year old Whirlpool. Had one computer repair. During vacation the freezer froze up, light went out and the fridge quit. It has two months left on the extended warranty. I was told to get the extended warranty. And I will renew it again if I can. Had a cheap Kenmore ($200 brand new) that wouldn't die and an Amana that wouldn't die. I'm thinking I'll have to replace this one, but I'm not going with an expensive model because they don't last either. Why do we have to battle these unworthy appliances! Here's a job for a creative designer to design something functional and that lasts. Sigh...probably isn't going to happen. So we unite and whine!

I have an Amana top freezer refrigerator bought in 1991 (23 yrs). I replaced it 6 years ago with a Kenmore side by side counter depth with black exterior. I LOVE the Kenmore-not a single service call needed in 6 years. The Amana continues to run like clockwork in my garage. Good experiences. I also have a Kenmore dishwasher that is the best in my 53 years of marriage

My Kenmore with freezer on bottom and two doors that open wide is perfect for entertaining because it handles platters and party trays easily!!! It's not given me any problems since I got it 10 years ago!

I have a Sub-Zero which I can't wait to get rid of. It always has condensation on everything and all the paint chipped of where the door meets the fridge to close. Every other year we need a repairmen because of some problem. It's built in (not by me) so getting a replacement might be problematic. I have a cheap refrigerator from Home Depot in the basement that has never given me any trouble. Sub-Zero is the worst!

To Rhodalyn:

We have a 16-year-old SubZero and I wouldn't buy any other brand. The freezer is on the bottom and pulls out. It has an ice maker in it which I love. I hate the ones in the door. It is built in and matches our cabinetry. You didn't mention how old yours is. I have been reading more and more how appliances don't last much more than 6 or 7 years no matter what you pay. I just hope when mine dies SubZero hasn't succumbed to that mind set. Sorry to hear of all the problems you've had with it.

Frigidaire side-by-side from circa 2012 came with the house I bought late last year. I don't recommend it. It keeps food cold, but the drawers and shelves are flimsy, especially the crisper drawers. I don't use the ice maker / water dispenser and they take up a lot of interior space. The narrow freezer is also awkward to use.

It doesn't mean anything when repairmen say something like, "all refrigerators only last 4-6 years."

First, repairmen only see broken refrigerators. They don't see all of those that are 8, 10, 14 years old or older and still going strong.

Second, they also don't see the refrigerators that break after 10 or 15 years because those people usually don't call a repairmen. At that age, people are much more likely to just throw it out.

Bought my house in '89, which came with an ancient Maytag washer and dryer. Have had to replace the belts on each about every 5-6 years. Still running great!

French Door tops with freezer bottoms seem to be a good "overall" solution for both function and for tight spaces. Beware of ice and water dispensers over wood flooring in a kitchen. Ice cubes can tend to sneak out unreported and ruin a floor over time. Check out our Blog Page and search "refrigerators", for an article I wrote some time ago if you like!

http://taliankodesigngroup.com/knowledge/choosing-the-best-refrigerator/

Well, I know that above mikasmom1 says that it is ridiculous to spend a lot on a refrigerator, but we are totally redoing our kitchen right now, and we just took out a SubZero that had been there for 31 years...and it was still running when it was removed! So, I have purchased another Sub Zero! It had been such a good refrigerator for so long, I thought the company deserved another go! I did NOT get a Viking or Wolf range though, due to all of the bad reviews on both of them, although I think Wolf may be making a comeback. I got a Steam oven 48" Thermador. I'm very excited to start using my new appliances...waited a long time for this!

P.S. My washer and dryer are Kenmore's and they are about 20 years old and still going strong!

You can keep a car running for 31 years too but it isn't so efficient at some point. An old appliance is a huge energy user. You have to balance the replacement with the usage.

The old stuff was built to last. Even if you buy a replacement from the same maker there is nothing guaranteeing it will be the same quality as the last. Sadly most of the middle tier priced appliances are junk.

Well, it depends on what you want. If you prioritize energy efficiency and capacity per dollar spent, top-freezer refrigerators are a great option. If you want something elegant-looking with bells and whistles like dispensers, ice makers, etc, bottom freezer variants (french door or single door) are something to seriously consider. LG and GE have some terrific models. I put together a pretty comprehensive refrigerator guide on my website that can hopefully help some people out in this regard right here.

looking for feedback from someone who has had the jenn air obisidian refrigerator for some time. Are you still happy with it? Any problems? Any rusting with all the metal trim? Thanks

lg not as good as before, in my opinion whirpool best. Maytag is also good but if you calculate the price, whirpool is currently the best brand. Samsung will give the best service if you buy an expensive fridge.

You can see my comprehensive refrigerator guide in my site

https://bestbudgetfor.com/refrigerators-under-500/