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a1an

Bosch Refrigerators - Hope I won't regret it

7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago

For almost a whole year, I've been hemming and hawing as I was not crazed about the fridge options out there. Current Fridge has been a slow decline but ultimately I had to replace it. Having never seen the one I ordered in person, but only seeing it's current year model (2018-mid 2019), I ordered a new Bosch Fridge . Made in PRC, probably OEM for other brands like THOR, etc. Dunno if I will regret the decision, but from all my readings, if one was to read the reviews, seems like all consumer 'fridges are more MISS than hits .

https://www.bosch-home.com/us/productslist/refrigerators/fridge-freezers/freestanding-fridge-freezers-with-freezer-at-bottom/B36CL80ENS



Ordered it almost 2 months ago. Finally stateside, taking delivery next week

Comments (41)

  • 6 years ago

    Please update us on this fridge. I'm in refrigerator paralysis from reading reviews. I just found this model Bosch which looks nice. Not too many bells and whistles to go bad. I'm just wondering how easy it is to open the doors... seems you have to cross you hands to grab the built in handles???

  • 6 years ago

    Dorys. This is made in China - which I already knew when buying it.....


    Mine was damaged from the installer. Awaiting a replacement, so I'm not really working on tweaking the alignments. But with it improperly aligned, the operation of door is a bit finicky so that is 1 key thing to note. Alignment is fairly key. Right now, the bottom freezer seems fine, but it does not require much pressure to open it (not sure if it's a good thing or bad) as all my other fridges seem to have strong gaskets - require higher pulling force.


    The middle fridge drawer is definately out of wack. Hard to explain, but if you pull the drawer all the way out, you can't just close it like a drawer should. You need to *lift* the inner baskets and then push the drawer in, which will allow it close. Again, I blame this on alignment....


    However, the MOST annoying thing that I am hoping is just alignment is that the french door design. Due to door design, there is a rotating *door seal* on one side of the door, so that the other doors edge gaskets touches this seal and it ~seals~ the fridge. Right not, 85%, when you open the door, the rotating gasket seal *part* rotates, but then when you close it, it does not rotate back to form a *wall* where the other door gasket will sit against it and seal the fridge. So basically you have 2 doors that appear nice and closed, and it wide open with the deal in the retracted position (aka, hole in door).


    Other than that, I love the middle drawer at 32F.

    Layout takes a bit getting used to, when we've had side by sides for as long as I can remember.


    Not a issue for me, but if you are putting this up close towards a fake built in wall , etc, be aware that the door cavity is quite thick and the outswing may be affected if the Left and Right side is not completely flush.


    Can't think of anything else much....as I have not been using it that much (and have been keeping some of our stuff in the second fridge) and we wait for our replacement and I did not want to go do another shuffle



  • 6 years ago

    Thank you for the update. I will be interested to see how the replacement works out. Do you have an ETA of when you'll receive it? Another question I have is if you can measure from the back wall to the end of the shelf in the fridge part... just curious how deep those shelves are. I saw a Cafe this weekend and the shelf was just shy of 14" from the back wall. The kitchenaid counter depth with 5 doors, was almost 17" so there was much more floor space on the shelves. The Cafe looked so narrow that i pulled it off my list. I measured the Samsung with the integrated handles very similar to Bosch and it is 14.5 or 15".

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    It is shallower - 14".

    The doors have thicker holders - deep enough to hold gallon sized milk jugs *which I believe this is where the tradeoff is in shelf space*. I believe this is the theory on the reason for the french doors...you only open 1 half to grab some liquids more often ...so the doors storage needs to be deep enough to hold such items like milk..



    The doors are thicker as well. I'm not sure is it due to more insulation or more *computer brains bits* or a combo of both..fwiw.

  • 6 years ago

    Thanks for the update. The Cafe was actually just under 14". I really looks shallow. I would go with the kitchenaid model with the platinum interior but the reviews are horrible.

    I'm waiting for the new Bosch to actually come in so i can see that model. hoping to catch a holiday sale in the fall or xmas before i buy one. Please keep us (me) updated on how it goes once you get your replacement and overall experience.

  • 6 years ago

    Honestly, all the reviews suggest all the fridges are ~terrible~ so I'm approaching it - that I have a 8 year warranty on it, so P&L is scot free for 8 years. It's like cars , tv, etc......these things are built to last within a certain timeframe before a new replacement. For me, it was a aesthetics decision..

  • 6 years ago

    a1an, how did you get a 8-yr warranty? I'm getting ready to order this fridge...it'll be available in about a month, in my area.

  • 6 years ago

    This is from my appliance dealer - not a bosch direct warranty. This would be my 1st experience from a warranty level should I need it on a pro-sumer appliance. For my Miele or Wolf ,my appliance dealer has always sent a direct factory tech when I needed to file a warranty. It may be Joe the Appliance Dealer Jack of All Trades tech for this Bosch ?

  • 6 years ago

    Will it need to be posted to the factory when you get big problems, such as it stop work some days in the warranty period

  • 6 years ago

    Honestly, I have had ZERO experiences with consumer warranty so I have no delta on that.... when I had dee-ziner appliances, there is where I've needed to use warranty service. That just goes to show you how reliable my former KA and Amana Fridges were ;-)



    The Bosch is in a getaway home so it won't be used as hard as a daily. Blue22q.....FWIW, this things is heavy. OCD clean nut here. I do pull out my fridges and stoves and give the floors a thorough vac, sidewalls a wipe, etc. That's never going to happen with the Bosch. It's heavy, the casters on them don't work well on moving in/out (I've tried and was quite surprised on how much effort it did take for me to move it).

  • 6 years ago

    Any news on your purchase? I am looking at this Bosch...

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    My replacement delivery was last Tuesday. This time, not damaged by installing but I believe they did put a *dent* on it while removing it from the box. Anyhow I refused delivery so , oh the joys of waiting another 3 weeks+ till they special order another one from BSH. What is that saying. The 3rd time is the charm

  • 6 years ago

    So i just pulled the trigger on the B36CL80ENS i found on Ebay for a ridiculous price. It was a floor model apparently. I got the SN and called Bosch and they did confirm that it has warranty until June 2020. I should get it tomorrow or Thursday. I certainly hope I don't regret this but I saved over $600 from the online prices Ive found. I'll update once we get the unit plugged in.

  • 6 years ago

    Honestly, I would cancel it IMO but to each their own. Less than 1 year warranty ain't going to be a good experience IMO with todays current ~consumer fridges~.......The 1st service call out of warranty will be a eye opener if you are not familiar with repair costs.


  • 6 years ago

    I actually registered the sn with Bosch and they asked for a purchase date. I'm thinking maybe they'll honor one year. But we're thinking of getting a whole home warranty anyway. just trying to find one that has good reviews.

  • 6 years ago

    I thought I'd update this thread with my initial impressions of this fridge. I actually love it. The refrigerator portion has a ton of room and in fact, looks empty most of the time. I think it's because all my veggies, which always take up the most room are in the middle drawer. And this drawer does do a great job of keep veggies fresher longer.


    The only down side is the right door and freezer do not close on their own. We may need to do some adjustments to fix that. Aside from that, we love this fridge.

  • 6 years ago

    Adjust the legs by putting a level on the front of the doors and adjust the legs until the bubble is in the center but just touching the outside line.

  • 6 years ago

    Thanks Jackvis. We did center front to back but we're thinking to add just a bit to the front for a slight tilt.


  • 6 years ago

    @a1an I'm curious if you even finally got the fridge installed and what your thoughts are? Looking at this model for new construction right now and would love to know if it worked out for you in the end.

  • 6 years ago

    I'm also interested in these frigs. They seem to be the only models available with two compressors in this price range.

  • 6 years ago

    I have been at my other house since March.....so not a lot of time with the Bosch.


    With limited usage under my belt on this, 3 things that need more *time* to see if it's a problem with this unit but since it's easily observed when new and not 3-4 years later....I do see issues. Not to get your your hopes up guys


    Fridge is aligned fine and level.

    At times, alarm will go off advising a door is ajar. It is not. Reseat all doors, fridge, middle and freezer. Alarm won't go off. I have just turned off the alarm and turned it back on....to shut the damm thing off (aka, a reset). Sometimes I have shut it off and just turned it on the following day.

    See the potential NAG right there.........


    There are times where the freezer might not be closed ajar and the alarm won't go off. Very odd. Only reason I know this is when when I see frosting when I have opened the freezer.


    Not sure what's up but either the door seals magnetically are not strong enough as the fridge itself is level. I have considered releveling it with a smidge of a pitch backwards....Oftentime before we head to sleep. I will make it a mental note to push all doors close to make sure they are. NEVER have I needed to do this without any fridge, needing the babysit checks on doors.


    Now, let's talk TEMPS. Freezer temp is fine. Due to the door issues, I have occasionally taken my IR gun to shoot temps. Sometimes it does seem a bit warmer than it should...and for testing, I have walked over to my -other fridge-, used the same IR GUN as temps look like what I expect them to be.


    So for those asking on feedback. this is my limited not so great feedback...

    However, out of All the Consumer Fridges I looked at (which I hated them all), this was the best option that was out on the market at the time of the Original Post

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Sorry to hear.


    I walk into any appliance knowing it will, and what would the cost of repair cost will be. Whether OOP or DIY, taking into account lots'sa brands I may use - parts will only be sold at MSRP....


    I buy my appliances generally with the longest warranty I can get (within reason). It has paid for itself time after time. Especially on my Mieles, Wolf, etc... My dealer used to offer 10 years, and 2 years ago, the longest he offered was 8 years. The one time repair on my designer/prosumer appliances paid for itself......I know many abhorr warrantys and I guess it does boil down to who is also doing the servicing. In my case, my dealer dispatchs not Joe, the in house repair tech but a factory authorized rep for each of the deee-ziner brands

  • 5 years ago

    A1an, I am sorry to say that we are currently looking to replace our Bosch refrigerator for the very issue you speak of. Ours is less than 5 years old and we have had several repair people out, including from Bosch to try and fix the issue with the constant alarm going off despite the doors being closed. We have had the button that manages the light replaced per Bosch believing that was the issue. It was not. You may find that the alarm sounds mainly after the left door has been opened. Next steps were to take apart the motherboard to see what the issue is. The cost of that does not make sense. We will move this annoying one to be an extra fridge in our garage, and will buy something else. Not Bosch, and not our handles and other appliances will be mismatched. Very disappointing. It is RIDICULOUS that the alarm cannot be disconnected. I hope you have better luck. I found your comment researching what refrigerator gets the most recommendations on this site.

  • 5 years ago

    I'm currently planning a new kitchen and planned to have all Bosch appliances until i found out the fridge I wanted was made in China. I'm going with Cafe in stainless...love that when you open the door the entire back wall lights up.


  • 5 years ago

    Babe Cross Creek, we saw the Cafe yesterday while we were shopping. Stunning!! Love that all the hardware can be customized too.

  • 5 years ago

    Hi for those of you that own Bosch fridges, is the alarm issue happening in the 4 door model without handles? Just curious if this issue is specific to a model or across many models.

  • 5 years ago

    Hi Mansavi, our 17 year old refrigerator started freezing things randomly a couple of months ago and we decided to get a new one. I was leaning toward the Cafe but the sales rep said they could not tell me when it would come in so I decided to go with the Bosch 800 series with Pro handles. It is only a month old. but we have not had any issues with the alarm. It wolfs just as it should. We really love the refrigerator.

  • 5 years ago

    HU. On the Bosch unit we speak of in this thread, you can turn the alarm if needed, but sofar, it's only happened like 4-6 times since ownership and it seemed like it only happened during a span of May-Aug'ish. Has not creeped up since then.


    For those looking at this thread, I am actually taking delivery of the same model today again! Older unit broke in the same household. I looked at everything online. At the end of the day, for all the junk that is out there, I'm rolling the dice and getting the same unit for the garage......the household has been kep to the brim full on all iceboxes with the current worldwide cv19


  • 5 years ago

    Has anyone had a problem with this refrigerator’s internal water dispenser dripping? Brand new fridge, replaced 2 times, yes 3 fridges. All with the same problem. And Bosch can’t tell me if it’s a known problem. No luck with authorized techs. Really love the fridge but might have to replace if we can’t find a fix.

  • 5 years ago

    Sorry can't report back on this one Lisa. Don't have ours hooked up. IME, -in general- built ins on water/ice are always a issue so I avoid it.

  • 4 years ago

    Beware of the Bosch stainless refrigerator. Experienced peeling within 2 years. Refusing to cover it and they have AWFUL customer service

  • 4 years ago

    Peeling ? I actually don't like the shiny finish vs matte. It's like a black car. Shows fingerprints easily. But all it gets is some H20 and a microfiber

  • 4 years ago

    Bare stainless steel doesn't peel. Anything peeling is an additional applied coating such as an anti-fingerprint finish, "black" stainless, or the like.

  • 4 years ago

    Yes. It is the coating Only ever used the approved Bosch cleaning clothes. Very frustrating

  • 4 years ago

    Are you using any cleaning agents ?


  • 4 years ago

    Just the Bosch stainless cleaning clothes

  • 4 years ago

    Link. A brief google brings various things ?


    AKA, bare SS is fine with SS cleaning products on the market....

    For coated SS, H20 with MF. Nothing more.


    What you describe, hopefully in these cleaning cloths, is not having a reaction with the coating


    On these Bosch fridges, or at least the one in this thread, is is -coated-. Plain Jane H20 and a MF

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    It 100% peels. Gillian is right. I've had both doors replaced and now the bottom drawer is doing it 2 years in. It is the coating they put on it to make it easy clean- it is not pure bare stainless. I used stainless spray on the doors that were replaced then switched to stainless wipes by Bosh and it is still happening. it is a manu defect.

  • 3 years ago

    Any new updates on their Bosch refrigerators?? Trying to make a decision soon on which fridge to choose. Any help would be appreciated!

  • 3 years ago

    We installed the 800 series counter depth fridge (B36CT80SNS) last summer after our gutjob kitchen reno, and have nothing but good things to say about it. Spacious inside and the organization (esp. in the freezer) works really well for us. Seems efficient in its temp regulation and is completely quiet. Love the internal water dispenser (no issues with leaking). And no issues at all with the stainless finish. All in all, we couldn't be happier...at least 6 months in.