Because of severe osteoarthritis, I am considering getting this four-door fridge. I like the pull-out shelves and drawers on the freezer section, as they obviate the chances of “losing” contents buried at the bottom. My current fridge is the typical 2-door, top freezer style. The lower door and one of the two crisper drawers can’t open completely unless I move the kitchen table chair away from the table. If anyone has used this model, I’d appreciate your opinions.
I know nothing of the model, but I’ve been relatively happy with a lower model, reduced-sized Whirlpool.
I like the concept of the 4 doors, freezer below. However, I was recently a guest in a house with one, and Murphy’s Law dictated that I always opened the wrong door. Probably just a matter of unfamiliarity.
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I have a Whirlpool refrigerator. It’s a side by side, not four door.
It’s a lemon. As soon as the warranty expired the ice maker stopped working. We spent an obscene amount of money on diagnosis and parts only to find that the problem was a design flaw. The wires for the ice makers get crimped and eventually cut by the freezer door opening and closing. I believe that Whirlpool should have recalled this model.
Also, different spots in the refrigerator freeze my dairy products and produce even though my refrigerator thermometer shows a temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. I can no longer keep dairy products with a high moisture content (ricotta, feta, sour cream) in the bottom drawer because they freeze.
I kinda have to agree on this with the Whirlpool brand. I have a Maytag fridge (a Whirlpool brand) and it had three failures (one under warranty - and two outside of that). It wasn’t until I sourced parts from a source other than Whirlpool (a local appliance shop) that I got things working reliably.
My other appliances are Frigidaire/Electrolux and have been solid.
Not quite. I have a lower half freezer with two drawers and a shelf, and there’s a lot I miss about my top freezer (like the door space and ease of access).
Not losing things in the drawers is still about organization and keeping track of what you put where. You’ll also need t bend down or sit to pull out the drawers to organize (I have to sit on the floor to pull the drawers out because they get heavy with contents — I don’t think that’s your ideal position).
I love my brother’s narrow vertical freezer (subzero, but others probably make similar versions) because nothing is so deep or so wide that you can’t organize using simple bins. He has drawers on the bottom. And the door still has storage space.
I had a KitchenAid (made by whirlpool) side by side that didn’t even last 3 yrs. It was difficult to find an in-stock replacement mid pandemic. I got a Bosch, because one was available. And I got an extended warranty. The Bosch still functioning. It’s is counter depth with French doors and a dumpster dive freezer on the bottom. Best thing - I got it from a local (not chain) appliance dealer that services what they sell. So when I couldn’t remove the water filter to change it I called them and they said - no problem - you have an extended warranty— we’ll send someone over to change it. I will tell you that different areas in the refrigerator compartment are different temps - regardless of what it’s set on. I know this because I’ve populated the fridge with thermometers. The freezer is always spot on, though.
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I really need to buy a new refrigerator and want a side by side. I have been reading reviews of Whirlpool (and Kitchenaid) and this issue with the wires is a common one with many of their different side by side models. Comsumer reports likes LG but there are not many service providers around me. So frustrating. The spot where my frig sits limits my options and I really don’t like idea of freezer on bottom which is so popular now. Good thing duct tape it is holding my old kitchenaid together for now.
Personally, I’d avoid purchasing Korean appliances. They tend to be marketed as “high tech”, but their tech does not work very well, and is rarely updated… plus I find their quality and customer service to be poor.
Frigidaire/Electrolux makes a number of side by sides that you might want to have a look at.
Thanks, I’ll take a look.
If it is easy for you, could you take a picture of that problem wiring area? I want to see if it is something I could fortify. I ask because a kitchenaid (aka whirlpool) I would buy otherwise will be a good replacement for my current one, size wise.
Are you able to try it out in IRL at a physical store?
That’s the only way to tell if it will work for you.
All of what we say are anecdotical at best, worthless at worst. This goes toward use case, as well as reliability.
For every one person that says (for example) an LG is crap, there will be at least 2 that swear by it. Same for Whirlpool, GE, or any brand you can think of.
Find a brand that is easy to repair in your area (i.e., enough service techs, parts, etc.) and then choose from that brand a style, layout that you need and like.
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Because I have a regular meat share, and enjoy Costco shopping, a bigger freezer space with more organization is very appealing! However, it does seem like it shorts the regular fridge section, which is more compact than usual. Some of the shelves look very tight, compared to the average fridge. Practically speaking that might not work. I guess ideally for me it would just have to be this design and taller to have a normal sized refrigeration area.
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We just bought this same fridge for a kitchen reno. We went with out the ice maker/water in the door feature, which does seem to be the issue that kept coming up in reviews
Bought locally (to us), and the seller will service it. Also included extended warranty on all the appliances.
We wanted something smaller and easier to access and this fridge fits the bill.
Will report back when it actually goes in, 4-6 weeks
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Side by sides have a bigger freezer and a smaller refrigerator compartment than bottom freezer models. I found this out when I had to replace my side by side during the pandemic and a bottom freezer was all they had in stock.
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Smart choice if you want to avoid service calls. The local independent repair technician who helps us says that ice makers are a frequent cause of problems with fridges, so avoiding them is a good idea. (We didn’t specifically discuss water dispensers.)
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I wish I had done this. The ice maker in my Kenmore fridge stopped working (after the warranty period). I just turned it off and make ice in ice cube trays.
Lesson learned.
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That literally might be one of the finicky features of modern fridges. Even more finicky than WiFi smart features like on-demand frost glass and one-touch temp adjustments.
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Yeah, it’s one of the reasons I didn’t go for one when I redid my kitchen years ago. While I like the shelves on the freezer side, the regular refrigerated section is too slim. Saw it at my friend’s condo, and she just barely fit a sheet cake in on one of the shelves.
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I just say no to connecting my appliances to WiFi. I don’t want to jinx myself, but all of my previous fridges’ (going back to the ‘80s) ice makers worked fine I will make a suggestion about any fridge, from experience: get an extended warranty. I think 5 years is the max they offer.
I have a stash of ice cube trays from the olden days.
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