We just got a 24 cubic foot LG stainless steel refrigerator from Home Depot. It was on sale. Freezer on top, fridge on the bottom… no ice maker (I didn’t want one), but it does have an option to add one.
It was $849 + tax + $50 to haul away the old fridge.
I’m kind of “old school”, I do like the freezer on top and fridge on the bottom design over my old side by side.
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To get an instant and broad look at fridges just Google refrigerators and pull up the results for your favorite big box store (e.g., Lowe’s Best Buy, etc.).
To make the call on repair or replace, your current fridge may be old enough that it is not loaded with microchip technology. Ask your repairperson. If it is in fact not microchip dependent, that alone will make it more reliable.
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I asked the repairman who came to fix my oven a few days ago for advice on buying a new refrigerator. He told me to avoid LG and Samsung, and to get the most no-thrills model I can find.
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I just bought a new fridge the end of December. I ended up with a Kitchenaid that was on closeout. 22cf (a big downsize from the 27cf) and it was $2500
How do you like it? Is it the side by side? I am considering getting the KA side by side since I have been happy with the KA I have now. The current one is a 25SF but I’m considering the 22 SF since they are no longer wrapped in SS and I think the grey sides are going to bother me and I will not see much of that if I go with a counter depth one. I have a feeling I’m going to end up with a mini in the garage as back-up if I get the counter depth.
We were constrained by space on our last purchase. More bells and whistles than we either need or prefer, but its configuration rocks. (fisher paykel tower)
But we were spooked by an alarm that we couldn’t figure out. Well, shoooot. Someone brushed against the wine cooler button that you are supposed to initiate when you put a bottle in the freezer to cool. Alarm goes off in 15 minutes to prevent frozen and exploded bottles!
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That’s the exact advice I got from a repairman. Plus, he said parts were impossible for them to get.
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Ive had it since December and Im really happy with it. It was a little bit of an adjustment to go so much smaller, but I also find I need to throw put so many fewer science experiments because they slipped to the back and I lost them
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I’m a much more a practical than style-oriented person, so my advice would be to assume a few things (also mentioned above, in parts). First, appliances like this are crappier every couple of years, so fixing an older one is better. (Applies also to dishwashers, range/stoves, etc.) They are made only by a few manufacturers these days but differently branded and cosmetically different. But the components…?
I have at my place a old oven/range (probably original to the house, built in 1993), and it’s as good as one could want, and has an 18K BTU burner, to boot. It was not premium even then. I’ve fixed several parts on it over the years. But I dread newer appliances.
As to fridges, I know personally and have seen Consumer Reports noting, that ice dispensers are the most headache-prone aspects of fridges, and if you can do without one by using ice trays, I’d go that way. Myself, I ended up getting a new one with an ice dispenser, just as it was on a good sale, but sure enough, it failed within a couple of years. I haven’t bothered fixing that. It still makes ice, actually, but won’t dispense it.
My two cents!
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Ice maker curse. My last dead fridge died when the icemaker caught fire! The freezer was warmer than the room when I opened it to see the smoke and flames. Luckily the circuit breaker cut in.
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Caught fire! That’s so extra bad that it made me laugh out loud. Glad the damage was contained.
Now that’s a cautionary tale. Whew, glad that you caught it in time.
It was a side by side and the freezer side wall of the refrigerator side was hot!
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I have considered that a counter depth might make me a little more disciplined when it comes to food storage. So much gets lost in the back.
Yes… the ice maker on my last fridge also stopped working after a year or two. It made a horrific grinding sound (internally) then stopped making ice altogether. I just turned off the ice maker and picked up a couple of ice trays.
When I purchased our new fridge last month, I specifically looked for a model without an ice maker. Ice trays are working just fine for us and if they break, I can pick up a new pair at the Dollar Tree for $1.25 and continue making ice.
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Are you a Costco member?
If so, then get whatever you like in your price range at Costco.
Cautionary, yes. But man, the irony of an ICE MAKER catching fire.
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The counter depth gave me 6" of my kitchen back!
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So, in the manner of when it rains it pours, the repairman came out on Friday. I had my 2nd lifetime bout of vertigo on Friday. Vertigo absolutely sucks - do not recommend. I wasn’t around for the visit but H said repair dude said $1000. So, we are not going that direction. Had to take son 1 to school and move in yesterday and that took the day. Today, we went to Home Depot and Deward & Bode to look around. Found 2 lower end models that were ok (they would then become the replacement fridge and the replacement fridge would become the main one). OR, we found 2 mid ranges that also looked ok with the layout. Lower ends were $700 and mid ranges were $1100. Pre tax and delivery and all that. I’m leaning toward the more expensive ones, which are bigger and have ice makers. I don’t care about water dispensers, but ice comes in handy. Our fridge that broke also had a broken ice dispenser. It would make it but not dispense. Honestly, it wasn’t as big a deal to open the door and grab ice than it would have been for us to use ice trays.
The 2 we liked for appearance were a Frigidaire (almost direct replace of what broke) and a Samsung. We need to research reviews though. The Frigidaire was a in good shape floor model that was otherwise $1700, so it seems like more bang for buck.
This trip was good to do in person, bc I decided I am not a fan of the pullout freezer drawer. At all. I’d rather have a side by side with shelves in each section, and that cancels out 3/4 of the fridge stock out there.
@ipsedixit Costco is an excellent thought - will check it out.
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I don’t like the pull out freezer either. I agree that it is nice to have an ice maker even if the dispenser is likely to quickly break. I have read lots of reviews and have looked at lots of refrigerators. I almost bought the Frigidaire but have decided on the KitchenAid because I like that the whole ice maker is in the door leaving more space in the main freezer section. Some of the whirlpool models are the same. I am concerned about the issue of the wires getting damaged at the bottom of the door henge. That issue was mentioned in a thread somewhere on HO and also in reviews. I have read nice things about the Frigidaire and was able to listen to it while it was running. It was quiet which is nice. I believe the Frigidaire holds more ice than the KA and Whirlpool models if that matters to you.
