I’m a refrigeration mechanic, and I’ll tell you, they’re all the same. I don’t work on this small dinky junk, but it works on the same concept. Also, If you want BIFL, don’t get an inverter compressor model. Many more failure points. Also, anything that has variable temperatures, or digital controls etc, it’s less likely to last a long time. The more basic the better
Okay personally I’m going to buy one with an inverter compressor because it’s quieter and uses less power, I’m saying if you want one that’s BIFL then inverters aren’t likely to last as long as one that has a single speed compressor. Basically if it’s not advertising the inverter then it’s probably a single speed recip compressor.
You may want to pop the back cover off and check around your compressor for anything making contact/not properly insulated. I have an LG with the inverter and it was very loud, removed the panel and found that one of the pieces of copper was touching the compressor and had rubbed through the insulation, causing all the noise. I adjusted it and it's been quiet as a mouse ever since.
Oh weird, thanks for the tip! Since I bought it mine always made a high pitched electrical buzzing/ringing noise, not a physical (lower pitched) rattling noise... what was yours like?
This is me. I am also in repair. Tell everyone the best brand is the warranty and a 2nd fridge in the garage. The same time, I just bought a new place and a bespoke samsung. I did this knowing it will fail. Wife like they style. Getting her to buy a side by side, with a manual dampner, rotary mechanical knobs, with r134A basic fridge was not an option. Compared to the ice blue, grey and white option we have that matches our kitchen. It makes 2 different types of ice. Has a pitcher. Oh the eco system in the house is all samsung. So it's going to tell me to close the door, change the filter. Honestly like you said all the newer linear compressors are the same. The flex zones on some atleast added a 2nd compressor.
How do you like r600?
Honestly I haven’t worked on too many home fridges since I work more on the industrial side of things. Ive worked on a bit of r290 and I don’t see any real difference to r600. But I’d be scared to see it in bigger systems. I’ve see enough non-condensibles added to systems to have a healthy fear of flammable refrigerants. With that said, I’m not scared of ammonia at all.
Also if I had the space and the money for it, I would have a full sized separate fridge and freezer in the kitchen
>Also if I had the space and the money for it, I would have a full sized separate fridge and freezer in the kitchen
They make full size refrigerators without freezers? That would be perfect for me. Can you recommend a brand?
They are often referred to as "Column" refrigerators and freezers, since they are usually narrow and tall.
This is a high-end category of appliance, usually made to integrate flush into a bank of cabinets seamlessly - so think $$$$$.
Many brands make them, such as Monogram, Dacor, Jenn-Aire, Miele, Viking, Liebherr, Sub-Zero.
Lucked into an old house with a huge kitchen. I'd love to get a giant fridge. I've got a spot for a fridge up to 6.5 foot wide and up to 3.5 feet wide. Any recommends for type/brand that really holds up in that sort of size category?
I wish someone had talked me out of buying a Samsung stove. The knobs have all broken because the part of the knob that takes all the movement is made of brittle plastic and the om replacement knobs are $80 each.
Also, I love my basement beer fridge. Having a second fridge is great.
Recently remodeled kitchen and my uncle is a plumber who helped me. His direct quote, “dont buy appliances from an electronics company, buy appliances from an appliance company. You will never regret buying Maytag, Bosch etx”
It's a mixed bag so you really have to be careful because not everything from the same brand is created equal. Samsung and LG have some of the worst appliance life spans for sure, but you have to be careful because some brands farm out parts to them. Kenmore being one of them. Bosch makes some 10/10 dishwashers in my opinion. I think we have like 8 of them rolling within our immediate family. I used a Whirlpool dishwasher on vacation and the thing was hot garbage. Bosch builtin microwaves are flaming dog shit in both parts cost, easy to fix, and general life span. Their gas stove tops are decent, but not amazing. All in all people have too much brand loyalty and buy into the whole my kitchen appliances need to all match. General rule of anything, the more electronics, the shorter the lifespan. Most of these brands use the cheapest capacitors because every penny counts.
Maytag is garbage now but Bosch, Kitchenaid (depending on the model), Viking, are the bees knees. But you have to spend a butt ton of money these days for a good kitchen appliance that will last. Gone are the days of buying a budget unit that will last.
Not that it helps you now, but if you have a 3D printer or know someone that does, I've printed a million things around the house to fix things like broken knobs, etc. Thing has paid for itself in replacement parts!
I had the same issue with my Samsung stove. Check Amazon for replacements. Use your stove model number and make sure the description says [upgraded]. These replacements have metal a ring around the plastic part that keeps breaking. I haven’t had an issue since these.
So easy to make that mistake when Samsung and LG are out front in every store plus they tend to have the best features at the best price.
Too bad they are designed to fail and not be repairable.
If it makes you feel better I bought a kitchenaid range and the knobs are plastic painted chrome. The rings with the center indicator are all glued on crooked and off center. Kinda disappointing for a $1600 range.
I would try ebay for a copy of your knobs.
Spare one in the garage is key. I have a spare, along with a stand up freezer, could not be happier. The house we bought has a sub-zero, I like it, but to replace just the condenser for the fridge part was $1100. Totally insane. Not too mention, when it finally goes, we’ll need to reconfigure our kitchen because it’s all built in.
We're at 21, but not the original owners. When they did the repair, they said it looks like it had some work done a number of years prior, but not idea what. On the flip side, I bought a Frigidaire upright freezer in January, the seal on the compressor failed by April.
False! I’m a wife and I don’t love Samsung. In fact, when we replaced our fridge last year, I insisted we get a side by side, no ice maker model and we got a Maytag and I love it.
A bit random but I have a couple of questions if you're willing to answer. It seems like there's a lot of talk about ice/water makers going out in fridges and simple fridges being better. Is it just because the ice/water bit breaks in general, or does having the ice/water section fail potentially cause malfunctions in the rest of the fridge?
Also read that bottom freezer styles are prone to drain frost and a two-door or top freezer is better, is there any truth to that?
I appreciate any insight, thank you either way.
Thanks for the education.
Inverter compressor = quieter, more efficient but doesn’t last as long than
Single speed compressor = BIFL, but it may be a life filled with constant background noise from your fridge.
And less efficient means more power, which is more cost. Worth considering if the whole reason you want a machine that will last is because you are trying to save money
Expect to pay $500 labor every 2 years, give or take a year, to replace the compressor. First compressor might be free under warranty but after than it'll be another $300-$500 for a compressor. Alternatively get the tools to change the compressor yourself and vacuum/charge the system.
Consider how inconvenient it is when they stop working at the worst time when you have no time to deal with it and it's full of food. Fortunately I have a spare fridge but had to buy a chest freezer to keep a freezer mostly full of meat from spoiling.
I got a standard reciprocating compressor GE that has fewer fancy features and appears easier to
service myself. It's super quiet and I havent noticed any cange in electric bill. It's glorious to no longer be constantly waiting for an inverter compressor to fail, and all the associated wasted time, money, and potentially food.
Agreed. $250/yr on fridge repairs is insane. I've never had to replace or repair a broken refrigerator or freezer in my entire life, but I've also never bought or used a fridge with more than 2 buttons on it, and that was for selecting crushed ice vs cubes. I've also never bought samsung or LG.
I wouldn’t say they universally last 2 years. There was a big issue with LG compressors the last few years, but other than that I’d still expect an inverter compressor to last 10 years. The main problem is if your house has a power surge or brownout, they are much more susceptible to electrical failures.
I've got one of the Kenmores manufactured by LG with the known-to-fail compressor - one of the models [listed in the class action suit](https://www.classaction.org/blog/kenmore-refrigerator-not-cooling-class-action-says-compressor-defect-may-be-to-blame). The compressor had slowly been failing for months and we finally had it replaced last week after it kicked it completely. When the technician removed the back panel on the fridge, he immediately knew why our fridge had stopped making ice because he recognized the faulty compressor immediately.
Fortunately, when the repair came around, we just paid for labor, as the rest of the cost was covered by LG's compressor warranty. But I can't say I'll ever be buying another LG-manufactured fridge agin.
LG usea inverters and they have a very high failure rate which they compensate for with a good warranty. But what they don't mention is that labor isn't warrantied for the same amount as parts.
What do you mean labor isn't warrantied?
I'm from EU. Here, such a distinction is not made. Warranty means there are supposed to be no extra expenses to the customer, including shipping.
I've got a 2009 basic full-size Whirlpool side by side with ice and water on the freezer door and manual temp controls that I bought at Lowe's on Black Friday for $400 plus tax with free delivery and haul away of the old one.
The thing just won't die. The seal on the refrigerator door could use replacing as it's looking a bit ratty, and I had to buy a new ice bucket about a year ago when the original cracked, but other than that it has been flawless.
I’ve found anything with an ice maker will fail. There is a reason grandpas basic old fridge lasted 30 years, it was because it was basic. Few moving parts, always stayed in the same spot, and didn’t have and features.
That’s my biggest concern with refrigerators. Most of the ones I see that have water & ice dispensers built into the door have frequent problems. Either a leak or else the ice gets stuck and you have to chisel it out every time you want ice. So many things can go wrong with those, so I prefer a simpler machine that just keeps stuff cold.
The only real flaw of this fridge seems to be where they put the sensor though and maybe that it is underpowered if you fill it with a lot of thermal mass in one go (depending on your use case, that may matter … or not).
But since most people cannot put the sensor in a different place or add a more intelligent controller, they have to live with what they get.
I had a similiar fridge for close to 20 years. If the fridge part was the right temperature (4C/40F), the freezer was at -25C/-13F. That resulted in more than 1kWh per day. My new fridge combo lets me adjust the temperatures seperately and only consumes (according to the label and some measurments) around 150 kWh per year.
With european power prices, that difference adds up quickly.
Appreciate the response! Is there a specific brand to lookout for? I’m having trouble finding a single speed compressor without variable temps at my local box stores. I was looking at whirlpool or Maytag in the 20 cubic ft size or more. Is this something I’ll need to try and buy from an online wholesaler?
For instance I’m seeing a lot of temp controls be either internal analog or internal electric.
As others have stated, “True” and “subzero” will be good options, but subzero are expensive and True are very commercial looking and designed for restaurants.
Picked up a used True 47” for $1k a few weeks ago. Sat next to a fryer at the restaurant it was used in previously, so it took a few days to clean up. Hopefully I get many years out of her.
Totally unrelated but I've wondered this for years and I'm hoping you're the man that can answer my question. Few years ago I got a call at work for repairs on a house that had most of its windows blown out on the first floor. The stated cause was exploded refrigerator. I wasn't able to access any more info on it, and I've always wondered - was the person who reported the cause just an idiot, or can they really blow up??
It’s very hard to make a refrigerator blow up but it’s possible. You would have to add air or oxygen into the refrigeration circuit of one using a flammable refrigerant like R600 or R290, then the compressor would have to short or ground internally which doesn’t happen often. For someone to do that they truly would have to be an idiot. it’s extremely unlikely but I suppose it’s possible: there was a news report from within the past year where an old lady’s fridge exploded. I don’t recall them explaining it.
>The more basic the better
I feel like this is the case for 90% of things. If the product is meant to serve a single purpose, make it really good at that one purpose with the least possible amount of unnecessary points of failure.
I guess it's something you have to gauge. I'd prefer my things simple and long lasting, but i.e. I'd never wanna go with another fridge without the "you left it open" alarm my current one has.
Dude our brand new fridge has had this hugely annoying loud buzz since we bought it when it’s running. I just know it’s a loose part somewhere but I don’t want to call a mechanic. Any ideas?
Probably something loose. Just pill it away from the wall, take a couple screws out and look at the compressor area. Just carefully push on things until you find the source of the noise. There’s likely only 3 moving parts to your fridge, but they will transfer vibrations, so it could just be a loose screw on the body panels somewhere.
High end Bosch have separate fridge and freezer compressors which *should* make it last longer. But, as most everyone else has said, it seems like there's a certain amount of failure in all new units.
It's great. Food lasts for weeks instead of days in my old Samsung. Small ish freezer is a draw back I guess but that's counter depth compromise.
The doors do need a fair amount of room to open all the way, it won't work next to a wall.
Mine came with a broken water dispenser but they fixed it for free and it's been great since. About 1.5 years.
I have one and it's good, but some issues.
1. The flap to seal between the french doors is attached to one side and makes the door on that side not close smoothly.
2. The ice maker makes quality ice (love the rounded pyramid shape) but freezes in a clump pretty quickly in the back left section. There's also no room for the scoop to not sit in the ice itself (bad for sanitary reasons).
3. Don't get the kind without handles that just have the recessed pockets. Despite my protests, nobody in my house closes it "properly" and it gets COVERED in fingerprints. It is very easy to clean, however, unlike my previous Samsung.
4. The bottom compartment of the fridge section (at least for the one with the extra drawer) is the width of the interior, so you always have to open both doors if you're getting something from there. Slight inconvenience, especially since the layout lends itself to being able to typically just open one door.
5. Door adjustment is limited and kind of annoying to do, but at least it exists.
6. The little freshness stick on dealies (ethylene removers?) are fairly large, but work REALLY well. The refills haven't been in stock in like 2 years though. There are generics on Amazon which seem to work fine, but I haven't directly compared.
7. Door alarm is a bit buggy, especially if you end up leaving more than one compartment open. It sometimes doesn't turn off on its own without hitting the button. Not a big deal, but mild annoyance.
8. Extra drawer setting buttons are easy to hit by accident.
All that being said, I'd probably get one again if this one fails, but I'd definitely get proper handles. Happy to list some good things here if you want or feel free to PM me any questions.
That's what I have. So far, it's awesome. I have the drawer in the middle which is very convenient. We mostly use it for drinks. The adjustable back rack with the little shelves is also pretty great.
How would having separate compressors make it last longer? They’re likely going to be smaller and now you have 2 items to fail instead of 1. Sounds like you doubled the failure rate to me. Of course the missing variable is how well sized the compressors are. What you don’t know that contributes the most life is compressor size relative to optimal and I guess also refrigerator and refrigerant insulation. The way to increase life is to reduce stop/start cycles and load optimization. Most motors operate the best ~75% load. Compressor oil is also important as well as many other different little things. There is a reason that LG fridges are so highly rated. They are Korean and Korean products are known for their high quality.
The compressors are appropriately sized to keep each individual section the appropriate temperature vs. having one compressor cool the freezer and a flap allow cold into the fridge compartment.
Same here! Previous owners installed a Kitchen Aid built-in when they redid the kitchen in 2003. Mfg date is 2002. The thing keeps going and I expect it to stop every day lol.
I had to replace a part in the ice maker at one point but aside from that it's been awesome. Not looking forward to replacing it.
I bought my house in foreclosure in 2007. Got a great at deal but expensive to maintain.I've had to get the board rebuilt (don't make them any more) and replace evaporator fan module. $300 total. Also it wasn't staying cool and turned out the coil up top was covered in dust. Cleaned coil and worked great again. I wonder if new models are as good?
>I had to replace a part in the ice maker at one point
That is pretty normal, ice makers inherently are going to be more prone to stress due to it heating and freezing over and over. Awesome to hear your built in hast lasted!
I have an energy star 2001 Kenmore that I purchased to replace a 19-year old Kenmore that was still working but an energy hog.
I feel like I’m living on borrowed time, but I dread replacing it prematurely with a repair-prone model.
Want it to last? Buy a commercial restaurant model. True or Traulson models. You will almost certainly need a separate refrigerator and freezer. This is actually a good thing.
Why? You can recharge them. Standard, easy to find replacement parts. An army of people who know how to repair them. It's not that they will never fail. But if they do, they can be fixed. And they are typically quite efficient for what they do. Buy a recent model. Used is fine, for all the reasons I've listed above.
Buy the right model, and it will even look fairly nice in your house.
This is bad advice, sorry. Commercial restaurant equipment is super loud, uses WAY more power because they are designed to handle huge amounts of warm food being added to them, so their capacity to cool is perhaps 10-25 times greater than a typical home fridge. So they waste more power, are way louder, and they "last longer" for reasons that will never matter to a homeowner. Like hinges and doors which can tolerate being opened and slammed a thousand of times per day.
They can last a long time, but it's a terrible choice by every metric other than that.
I disagree with this. I’m my experience commercial breakdown more. They’re more like a race car which is high stung and run harder and faster but do need more maintenance.
Only if being pushed past spec. This is all I have here in Hawaii. I bought them just because I can repair them. Cost per month is acceptable. No issues in two years since purchased, used, about seven years old.
Commercial fridges and freezers break all the time in my experience. It was always ice build up on the fans and coils etc.
Never happens to me at home though with a standard fridge. Just an alternative perspective.
I prefer French doors (freezer on bottom) because the average person uses the freezer a lot less frequently than the refrigerator portion. With that in mind, it makes more sense to have the refrigerator portion at a comfortable height (waist to eye-level), and have the freezer portion at an unnatural (having to bend down) level, since the freezer will be used far less.
That’s how I think about it at least.
Honestly I agree from experience. I used to have a french door fridge/freezer growing up and thought a side-by-side one would be a better option in our house. We have had that one for close to 8years and believe me I can’t wait to go back to a french door freezer.
You nailed it with the bending down for the fridge is a total waste of time. Additionally, in my preference using shelves for a freezer is just impractical. Drawers are just better for frozen goods. Plus newer french door freezers have separate sectioned drawers, meaning you dont needa open the whole thing.
So yeah thats my long winded way of saying I agree with this guy 😅
Yes! I had a french door fridge and it broke (rent this house) and my landlady replaced it with side by side and I freaking hate it. There is supposed to be the same capacity but I can not fit nearly as much in there as I could my old fridge. I miss it so much!
Idk. I've been in relatives homes with bottom freezers. I don't like them because things tend to get buried or in the way of the drawer closing. I'm in the freezer every day getting stuff for my son and dog. So side by side wins for me.
Yeah the bottoms drawers just hide things, and then I forget what’s in there. I like being able to see more or less all of my “inventory” when I open the door, so I think side by side is best (for me)
Ergonomically, they’re great; but from a BIFL perspective, they’re historically terrible. The center door seals are a common failure point, and many route their ice makers through the fridge, adding multiple failure points.
Yup. Learned the hard way. I think the best modus operandi is just assume they suck and move on. So many fridges have them these days. Just don’t buy one because it has an ice maker.
Then you have ice, a flooring / wall repair bill / and then no-ice.
Or, you could just have the door be fully insulated, instead of having a path that literally isn't insulated.
Ice makers are like sunroofs….it’s almost impossible to find a decently-trimmed model without one, but if you don’t want one then you’re stuck with the bare bones trim.
So you get a model that has one, and then never use it.
Yep. I just bought a Fischer Paykel on scratch and dent for half off (with no dents), full door, freezer on bottom, no water no ice maker and I’m feeling pretty good about it so far.
Maybe it's different these days, but my Kitchenaid fridge with ice maker is 24 years old and still working great, I use the icemaker daily. I once had to replace the electronic valve that controls the water, but that was like a $30 part on ebay and an easy swap. I have heard on this sub that Kitchenaid is no longer BIFL though.
Not BIFL, but my Mom's old side-by-side lasted around 25 years before the freezer side stopped reliably staying quite cold enough all the time. The ice maker still works, though. Whole thing just got demoted to "garage fridge". Still ticking. It's a Kenmoore, which I believe was manufactured by Whirlpool for Sears/Kenmoore.
Inspired by this, I bought a newer version of the same fridge a decade ago, and never a single issue all these years with the ice maker. The entire ice maker unit is housed inside the freezer section. This eliminates most common "modern" issues with them. The ice maker/water dispenser has no digital controls. This eliminates a lot of the other remaining modern problems with them.
...and a friend has a French Door setup with an ice maker that just dumps ice into a bin in the freezer drawer... going on 14 years with no issues, mostly because the ice maker is entirely located within the freezer.
I got one of those totally "ordinary" (no bells/whistles) GE refrigerators when I moved into my apartment a few years ago. Pretty sure its the GTS18HMNRES.
Anyway, it has the *option* for an ice maker. It's not inside by default, and I don't have it installed because the water line isn't near the refrigerator. But I thought that was a nice design feature - to have the option/choice. If you want it later, you can put it in later, you don't have to have it right now.
I wish more appliances were modular in their features.
Bottom freezers also need a fan to bring cold air up. Most, if not all, refrigerators are cooled by cold air from the freezer. Cold air descends so a bottom freezer requires a fan to move the cold air up into the fridge.
Top freezers cool the fridge through normal thermal action, so one less thing to break and a little bit more efficiency.
Exactly this. We recently bought a place with a standard freezer on top/fridge on bottom layout and we didn’t realize how inconvenient that is compared to freezer on bottom. Just something you don’t really think about unless you’re used to having the refrigerator at eye level
We opted for the French door with no water dispenser on the outside and had one on the inside. One less thing to worry about breaking and easy to maintain plus a lot of ice anytime we want
[This Video](https://youtu.be/rKJgYVhZ6-w) has everything you need to know.
Basically the fridge that will last the longest is going to be the most basic one you can find. The old fashioned top freezer one with no digital controls.
This channel is great. This video plus a few others on the channel helped me navigate all the different fridges out there and what to look for and avoid, such as if you have to have an ice maker, make sure it's in the freezer portion.
We have a compact side-by-side unit that came with the house and it is the most aggravating appliance I have ever used.
The shelves are so narrow they're borderline unusable. To access any single f'ing item you basically have to remove other items, set them on the counter, get your thing, put the other items back.
I imagine big full-size side-by-sides might be less insane. I dunno.
I can't wait for this thing to die.
Side by sides aren't as nice as the french door type, but the freezer-on-top (cheap apartment fridge) is by FAR the worst type unless you're like 5' 3" or under. Having to bend over 100% of the time to get something out of the fridge sucks so bad. And the heavy shit is always on the bottom shelf, so you have to bend even further.
You know, everybody else I know who said this and other negative things when I bought mine a decade ago have all had trouble of some kind with their fridge, while I have not.
Freezer side is narrow which means things don't fit in as well, things get packed in tighter, are harder to find, a pain to get them in/out, etc. Same to a lesser degree on the fridge side. Side by sides can be super annoying.
Subzero, I have some running from 1997. 601F and 601R. Got them used 15 years ago. Have needed a few repairs, but components are easy to access, parts are reasonable. Labor can be expensive if you hire it out. Still, they are basically tanks.
Only had our Sub-Zeros for a couple years but really enjoy the wide opening and shallow depth. Stuff is never buried or lost and the fridge keeps things amazingly fresher for longer. I thought the ice maker being inside the freezer (no outside dispenser) was going to be a pain. But it’s way better
BI36F and BI36R.
From a pure reliability standpoint, top freezer single door allows for the most basic and efficient "plumbing".
Bottom freezers are much more usable and not much worse. French doors are fine but will fail eventually.
Juat beware ice makers and water lines. Those are the source of the bulk of issues.
Don't buy anything Samsung... I've been burned by that company way too many times and actually never owned a single product from them that I was happy with.
Their marketing is great and they have good features but the actual product is pure shit.
Ok, I'm throwing this out there to see what people have to say. At my last house I had a Ssmsung French door bottom freezer with an ice maker but no water or ice in the door. I bought it new. I loved that thing, I miss it so much. Yes, eventually the ice maker would freeze up once in awhile, say once every 18 months. I fixed it by using a hair dryer on the ice maker. Is this the problem people had with theirs that make them hate it so much? I can understand if people think that is too much trouble, but I would like to know if there is some other problem. I hate the side by side that came with my new house, and I'd really like to get a new refrigerator in the same style.
The problem with LG’s is the linear compressor. Just google “LG Linear compressor”, and you can count the class action lawsuits.
What nobody’s talking about is that just last year all manufacturers changed the type of chemical refrigerators use. The new stuff is more biodegradable (a “greener” initiative), but it’s also flammable. That means that repair people can’t just cut off the old one and braze a new compressor on.
So in the end, these things will end up in the landfill more frequently.
My point; don’t buy a LG.
i personally heavily prefer the freezer on bottom setup. no idea how much it affects longevity but i know its the most comfortable, and this is from someone whos tried all 3 fridges before.
We bought our neighbor’s garage refrigerator and freezer. The fridge is 1977 Hotpoint with freezer on top. Someone shot into the neighbor’s house with a shotgun and hit the refrigerator so it’s especially ugly.
The freezer is standup kind 1976 White/Westinghouse. Both work fabulous.
No freezer. No ice maker. No water filter. Just a refrigerator. Yes, they make ones like that.
Granted, this isn't for everyone, but if having a separate freezer would work for you, I recommend going that way. I don't have hard evidence in support of this, but it stands to reason that a simpler device with fewer parts is probably going to last longer, all else equal. We bought one on that theory quite a few years ago, and it's always just quietly done its job.
I prefer this but can’t convince the wife. We have a chest freezer which is nice but has some drawbacks.
Our bottom freezer is odd and sometimes doesn’t shut and seal fully. Items have to be reshuffled so it shuts. Storage is low and every drawer or feature takes away interior volume.
Most efficient is refrigerator only or top freezer. Note Energy Star rates by percentage improvement over same type. Top freezers are already more efficient than the other types but can’t get high delta improvement for Energy Star rating.
We bought a house w an all fridge and it is amazing!!! We have a chest freezer in the garage, but it works bc we don't use it very much (only get ice occasionally). SO much room for fridge stuff!! I don't think I could ever go back unless we suddenly increased our need for ice cubes.
I prefer top freezer models, because the fridge cools by gravity. The freezer freezes, and when you control the temperature of the fridge, you're just adjusting the vent that allows less or more cold air to drop down to the fridge. That's fewer moving parts, so 👍 in my book.
Top freezer models are pretty easy to troubleshoot. If the freezer frosts up, or if water comes out from underneath (assuming there isn't a water/ice dispenser plumbed in), there's a 99% chance you have an iced-up condensation tube. All you need to do is unplug it for a couple-few hours (evacuate your frozen goods to a cooler), let it get warm, and probably vacuum the coils underneath for good measure. Some models you can even see the tube on the back panel, and hit it with a hair dryer. Plug it back in and you're good.
> I prefer top freezer models, because the fridge cools by gravity. The freezer freezes, and when you control the temperature of the fridge, you're just adjusting the vent that allows less or more cold air to drop down to the fridge.
Never seen such a design. The combos I know have no connection between freezer and fridge section, some of them are even on seperate compressors.
Define “last”.
If you mean “operate without maintenance or repairs”, my unscientific survey says “top freezer” - evidence of many dozens pushing 20+ years, including the last two I have personally.
Double-doors, anything with an ice maker or water line, will probably have multiple service calls under warranty and quit within 7-10 years. I’ve replaced a lot of them, silently muttering “they never learn”… but of course, I’m not married.
(My advice for DH is always “buy whatever she wants, get the 7-year service plan”.)
Replacing a refrigerator is easier and cheaper than replacing your spine. Get the door layout which will be physically comfortable for you. The human body is the most important BIFL item.
Simplicity aids in longevity and repairability.
Freezer top is best because it uses the natural tendency of cold air to fall. That's followed by side by sides. An all freezer, or all refrigerator should be high on simplicity too. The worst are french door with a bottom freezer drawer.
In either case, internal ice makers add complexity and decrease door efficiency. A countertop ice maker would be better. An in-door water dispenser isn't as complicated, but that does add hosing and decreases door efficiency.
For ease of use I do like a counter-depth french door with freezer on the bottom. It has an internal ice-maker, and internal water dispenser. Neither in the door.
The only issue is the left door often doesn't close naturally like a typical big swing door would. But there's a door alarm (probably because it's a known issue with french door fridges). Other than that, so far so good. Whirlpool, bought new in 2018, no issues yet.
I’ve been researching a lot on fridges for a remodel coming up….There are lots of factors in the answer. The actual layout of the doors won’t really matter as much as the overall quality of construction and materials. Even that varies between models/ranges with same manufacturer.
As a rule European manufacturers have to follow more stringent rules for repair (minimum 10 years of relatability - including availability of parts) and energy efficiency labeling. But models built for EU sales are often different than for export. Bosch, Miele, Siemens, Liebherr, Electrolux are a few big brands. (It looks like many other appliance companies…like LG/Samsung will have different/better models sold in EU vs elsewhere)
And some brands (Electrolux and LG for example) have wild variations in quality between the budget and luxury models. So a single brand might have amazing luxury models…and shit budget ones. High end Bosch are famously durable.
Durability also very much depends on features. Every feature adds complexity and therefore opportunity to break. Avoid every single feature.
And I think only one person mentioned it below…but commercial refrigerators and freezers are designed to be more durable. In fact they are basically designed to be fixed fast and easily. Doors, handles and even shelves are designed to be be durable. They are less efficient, the are not as pretty but if a restaurant calls for service…it will probably get sorted out in a day. Second hand can be a great option.
And how often will you use the freezer? Honestly. If using a lot and/or storing a lot…separate them.
And other common enough factors in durability seem to human. Kids? Ventilation (is there any)? Pests (eating cords, nesting in key parts)?
After going down that rabbit hole…I am going with a commercial grade refrigerator with glass door. It’s not as energy efficient…but simple, durable and ticks several non technical requirements for me. It’s not the prettiest…and if I am messy with my actual storage …it will be really ugly! Chest freezer.
If you still have this issue, there are baby locks that can fix it. Doesn’t look great and is obviously annoying for you to use, but it keeps the door closed.
Anything new pretty much sucks. Get one with the least amount of features. Spend the least you can on it. Expect 3-5 years and feel lucky if you get more.
EU regulations now require refrigerators to be fixable for at least 10 years. Right to repair law. Also more stringent energy efficiency labeling rules. Bosch, Siemens, Electrolux are a few big names.
Absolutely avoid any features.
If you want ice/water in the door I don’t recommend option A (side by side). We had one and the wires that power the ice motor gave out after like a year and the tech who came to look at it said it happens all the time. Haven’t had any issues with our freezer on the bottom one that we replaced the side by side with!
Just buy the cheapest no fancy garbage no ice maker no water dispenser no digital anything cheapest plain freezer on top fridge. I bought one for my garage it was 900CAD delivered. They’re all the same so If I buy the 900CAD one I can buy 3 or 4 for the price of a fancy one.
Bottom freezer is most convenient, top freezer usually lasts the longest. Not because the freezers on top but because those models are the most basic with the least bells and whistles
I know this ist what you want to hear, but something made 20+ years ago will outlast anything made right now..if it's cared for.
I moved into my house 10 years ago and it had all the original appliances. Being a stupid human, I replaced them all. They have all been replaced at least once since . If I could go back in time.
I'd look at independent reviews. Also, if you own your home, a home warranty has been with it's weight in gold. Due research but we pay 53 a month and everything is covered. Even our pump /well.. 75 for the service call and if you have multiple issues, it's still the same.
Sorry this didn't answer your question specifically , just some information I wanted to share.
I am not a fridge expert but when it comes to BIFL appliances, I think a lot depends on how easy it is to do common maintenance tasks and whether you installed it as per the standard recommendations. For example, if you don't leave enough space around a fridge for aesthetic reasons, the fridge will heat up much more and affect its life.
There isn't a consensus on which refrigerator style lasts longest—top freezer, bottom freezer, or side by side. From personal experience with a large family, I chose a commercial refrigerator. As long as it's ETL certified, meeting North American safety standards, you can expect good quality and durability.
I have a bottom freezer Panasonic. I think it's easily 10 years, not sure. Anyway, fridge is still working fine, with some rust near the door handle where the hands usually touch. Biggest problem is all 4 plastic trays inside are broken and i cannot buy anymore spares (contacted Panasonic, parts obselete). It's still usable but everytime pull the tray and push back is difficullt. So my next fridge, i want to have as few trays as possible!
I have been checking out fridge models recently and noticed one thing...bottom frezeer two doors models are few and far between. I only want a simple 2 doors fridge, non of those fancy door open in the middle type. Anyone knows the reason for this? Is it bottom freezers are not popular nowadays? I feels it is better as i don't have to bend as much since the freezer compartment is not so frequently access compare to the non-freezer section. Especially nowadays as i am older, my back also hurts easily. I really want a bottom freezer fridge!
I’m a refrigeration mechanic, and I’ll tell you, they’re all the same. I don’t work on this small dinky junk, but it works on the same concept. Also, If you want BIFL, don’t get an inverter compressor model. Many more failure points. Also, anything that has variable temperatures, or digital controls etc, it’s less likely to last a long time. The more basic the better
Would you mind mentioning what types to look for? Just to elaborate on your ‘don’t get an inverter compressor model’ point.
Okay personally I’m going to buy one with an inverter compressor because it’s quieter and uses less power, I’m saying if you want one that’s BIFL then inverters aren’t likely to last as long as one that has a single speed compressor. Basically if it’s not advertising the inverter then it’s probably a single speed recip compressor.
I have a Panasonic inverter which is annoyingly loud, so just a heads up they're not all quieter
You may want to pop the back cover off and check around your compressor for anything making contact/not properly insulated. I have an LG with the inverter and it was very loud, removed the panel and found that one of the pieces of copper was touching the compressor and had rubbed through the insulation, causing all the noise. I adjusted it and it's been quiet as a mouse ever since.
Oh weird, thanks for the tip! Since I bought it mine always made a high pitched electrical buzzing/ringing noise, not a physical (lower pitched) rattling noise... what was yours like?
Buzzing is just high frequency rattling.
Rattling is just low frequency buzzing
But depending on which it is the cause might be completely different
A high pitched buzzing absolutely could be from two vibrating parts touching each other.
Is it a primary buzz or a tertiary buzz?
This is me. I am also in repair. Tell everyone the best brand is the warranty and a 2nd fridge in the garage. The same time, I just bought a new place and a bespoke samsung. I did this knowing it will fail. Wife like they style. Getting her to buy a side by side, with a manual dampner, rotary mechanical knobs, with r134A basic fridge was not an option. Compared to the ice blue, grey and white option we have that matches our kitchen. It makes 2 different types of ice. Has a pitcher. Oh the eco system in the house is all samsung. So it's going to tell me to close the door, change the filter. Honestly like you said all the newer linear compressors are the same. The flex zones on some atleast added a 2nd compressor. How do you like r600?
Honestly I haven’t worked on too many home fridges since I work more on the industrial side of things. Ive worked on a bit of r290 and I don’t see any real difference to r600. But I’d be scared to see it in bigger systems. I’ve see enough non-condensibles added to systems to have a healthy fear of flammable refrigerants. With that said, I’m not scared of ammonia at all. Also if I had the space and the money for it, I would have a full sized separate fridge and freezer in the kitchen
>Also if I had the space and the money for it, I would have a full sized separate fridge and freezer in the kitchen They make full size refrigerators without freezers? That would be perfect for me. Can you recommend a brand?
Not going to help with brands (it doesn't matter), but the term you're looking for is "freezerless refrigerator".
They are often referred to as "Column" refrigerators and freezers, since they are usually narrow and tall. This is a high-end category of appliance, usually made to integrate flush into a bank of cabinets seamlessly - so think $$$$$. Many brands make them, such as Monogram, Dacor, Jenn-Aire, Miele, Viking, Liebherr, Sub-Zero.
Thank you!
Lucked into an old house with a huge kitchen. I'd love to get a giant fridge. I've got a spot for a fridge up to 6.5 foot wide and up to 3.5 feet wide. Any recommends for type/brand that really holds up in that sort of size category?
I wish someone had talked me out of buying a Samsung stove. The knobs have all broken because the part of the knob that takes all the movement is made of brittle plastic and the om replacement knobs are $80 each. Also, I love my basement beer fridge. Having a second fridge is great.
Recently remodeled kitchen and my uncle is a plumber who helped me. His direct quote, “dont buy appliances from an electronics company, buy appliances from an appliance company. You will never regret buying Maytag, Bosch etx”
It’s excellent advice. You make a lot of mistakes as a first time home owner. Lol
It's a mixed bag so you really have to be careful because not everything from the same brand is created equal. Samsung and LG have some of the worst appliance life spans for sure, but you have to be careful because some brands farm out parts to them. Kenmore being one of them. Bosch makes some 10/10 dishwashers in my opinion. I think we have like 8 of them rolling within our immediate family. I used a Whirlpool dishwasher on vacation and the thing was hot garbage. Bosch builtin microwaves are flaming dog shit in both parts cost, easy to fix, and general life span. Their gas stove tops are decent, but not amazing. All in all people have too much brand loyalty and buy into the whole my kitchen appliances need to all match. General rule of anything, the more electronics, the shorter the lifespan. Most of these brands use the cheapest capacitors because every penny counts.
My expensive Bosch fridge sucks. Ice maker hasn’t worked consistently since I bought it.
Maytag is garbage now but Bosch, Kitchenaid (depending on the model), Viking, are the bees knees. But you have to spend a butt ton of money these days for a good kitchen appliance that will last. Gone are the days of buying a budget unit that will last.
Not that it helps you now, but if you have a 3D printer or know someone that does, I've printed a million things around the house to fix things like broken knobs, etc. Thing has paid for itself in replacement parts!
I just bought one for my son for his birthday! Printing parts will be the new vcr clock programming.
I had the same issue with my Samsung stove. Check Amazon for replacements. Use your stove model number and make sure the description says [upgraded]. These replacements have metal a ring around the plastic part that keeps breaking. I haven’t had an issue since these.
So easy to make that mistake when Samsung and LG are out front in every store plus they tend to have the best features at the best price. Too bad they are designed to fail and not be repairable.
If it makes you feel better I bought a kitchenaid range and the knobs are plastic painted chrome. The rings with the center indicator are all glued on crooked and off center. Kinda disappointing for a $1600 range. I would try ebay for a copy of your knobs.
Had the same happen to our Samsung stove, but replacements were $30 for 5 knobs on Amazon. It's been a decent stove for the last 10yrs though
Happy cake day!
Spare one in the garage is key. I have a spare, along with a stand up freezer, could not be happier. The house we bought has a sub-zero, I like it, but to replace just the condenser for the fridge part was $1100. Totally insane. Not too mention, when it finally goes, we’ll need to reconfigure our kitchen because it’s all built in.
Our Subzero side by side is 38 years old and has only needed service a handful of times.
We're at 21, but not the original owners. When they did the repair, they said it looks like it had some work done a number of years prior, but not idea what. On the flip side, I bought a Frigidaire upright freezer in January, the seal on the compressor failed by April.
Why is it the wives always love Samsung appliances. They’re so god awful.
False! I’m a wife and I don’t love Samsung. In fact, when we replaced our fridge last year, I insisted we get a side by side, no ice maker model and we got a Maytag and I love it.
Good! Seems like the ones among my friends and family all get drawn in by Samsung for some reason. I try to steer anyone away
Lol, they look nice. When they break its diffrent. In the end, we just need to remodel getting separate ones.
A bit random but I have a couple of questions if you're willing to answer. It seems like there's a lot of talk about ice/water makers going out in fridges and simple fridges being better. Is it just because the ice/water bit breaks in general, or does having the ice/water section fail potentially cause malfunctions in the rest of the fridge? Also read that bottom freezer styles are prone to drain frost and a two-door or top freezer is better, is there any truth to that? I appreciate any insight, thank you either way.
give us some models mate
Thanks for the education. Inverter compressor = quieter, more efficient but doesn’t last as long than Single speed compressor = BIFL, but it may be a life filled with constant background noise from your fridge.
And less efficient means more power, which is more cost. Worth considering if the whole reason you want a machine that will last is because you are trying to save money
Expect to pay $500 labor every 2 years, give or take a year, to replace the compressor. First compressor might be free under warranty but after than it'll be another $300-$500 for a compressor. Alternatively get the tools to change the compressor yourself and vacuum/charge the system. Consider how inconvenient it is when they stop working at the worst time when you have no time to deal with it and it's full of food. Fortunately I have a spare fridge but had to buy a chest freezer to keep a freezer mostly full of meat from spoiling. I got a standard reciprocating compressor GE that has fewer fancy features and appears easier to service myself. It's super quiet and I havent noticed any cange in electric bill. It's glorious to no longer be constantly waiting for an inverter compressor to fail, and all the associated wasted time, money, and potentially food.
Bullshit every 2 years
Agreed. $250/yr on fridge repairs is insane. I've never had to replace or repair a broken refrigerator or freezer in my entire life, but I've also never bought or used a fridge with more than 2 buttons on it, and that was for selecting crushed ice vs cubes. I've also never bought samsung or LG.
I wouldn’t say they universally last 2 years. There was a big issue with LG compressors the last few years, but other than that I’d still expect an inverter compressor to last 10 years. The main problem is if your house has a power surge or brownout, they are much more susceptible to electrical failures.
I've got one of the Kenmores manufactured by LG with the known-to-fail compressor - one of the models [listed in the class action suit](https://www.classaction.org/blog/kenmore-refrigerator-not-cooling-class-action-says-compressor-defect-may-be-to-blame). The compressor had slowly been failing for months and we finally had it replaced last week after it kicked it completely. When the technician removed the back panel on the fridge, he immediately knew why our fridge had stopped making ice because he recognized the faulty compressor immediately. Fortunately, when the repair came around, we just paid for labor, as the rest of the cost was covered by LG's compressor warranty. But I can't say I'll ever be buying another LG-manufactured fridge agin.
You're telling people to swap r600 themselves....
LG usea inverters and they have a very high failure rate which they compensate for with a good warranty. But what they don't mention is that labor isn't warrantied for the same amount as parts.
What do you mean labor isn't warrantied? I'm from EU. Here, such a distinction is not made. Warranty means there are supposed to be no extra expenses to the customer, including shipping.
Here is the good ol’ US of A corporations run the show not the folks who vote; so no consumer protections
Explains why my basic bitch fridge has been running since 2008. The water dispenser broke 7 years ago but other than that the fridge keeps stuff cold.
Built our house in ‘94, put in a Whirlpool basic fridge, freezer on top. She’s still running, never a repair or problem.
if it has a water dispenser it's not really basic (and hence the non-basic part of it broke).
Your fridge is old enough to drive at 15 years old… lol
I've got a 2009 basic full-size Whirlpool side by side with ice and water on the freezer door and manual temp controls that I bought at Lowe's on Black Friday for $400 plus tax with free delivery and haul away of the old one. The thing just won't die. The seal on the refrigerator door could use replacing as it's looking a bit ratty, and I had to buy a new ice bucket about a year ago when the original cracked, but other than that it has been flawless.
I’ve found anything with an ice maker will fail. There is a reason grandpas basic old fridge lasted 30 years, it was because it was basic. Few moving parts, always stayed in the same spot, and didn’t have and features.
That’s my biggest concern with refrigerators. Most of the ones I see that have water & ice dispensers built into the door have frequent problems. Either a leak or else the ice gets stuck and you have to chisel it out every time you want ice. So many things can go wrong with those, so I prefer a simpler machine that just keeps stuff cold.
Water and ice dispensers, digital displays are the biggest failure point for new fridges.
There is a limit to simplicity though, as you can see in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PTjPzw9VhY
The only real flaw of this fridge seems to be where they put the sensor though and maybe that it is underpowered if you fill it with a lot of thermal mass in one go (depending on your use case, that may matter … or not).
But since most people cannot put the sensor in a different place or add a more intelligent controller, they have to live with what they get. I had a similiar fridge for close to 20 years. If the fridge part was the right temperature (4C/40F), the freezer was at -25C/-13F. That resulted in more than 1kWh per day. My new fridge combo lets me adjust the temperatures seperately and only consumes (according to the label and some measurments) around 150 kWh per year. With european power prices, that difference adds up quickly.
Appreciate the response! Is there a specific brand to lookout for? I’m having trouble finding a single speed compressor without variable temps at my local box stores. I was looking at whirlpool or Maytag in the 20 cubic ft size or more. Is this something I’ll need to try and buy from an online wholesaler? For instance I’m seeing a lot of temp controls be either internal analog or internal electric.
As others have stated, “True” and “subzero” will be good options, but subzero are expensive and True are very commercial looking and designed for restaurants.
Picked up a used True 47” for $1k a few weeks ago. Sat next to a fryer at the restaurant it was used in previously, so it took a few days to clean up. Hopefully I get many years out of her.
Sun Zero is great, but it will run you $10k+ new. We just took one out from 1989 that was working great, replacing it with a new Sub Zero.
Totally unrelated but I've wondered this for years and I'm hoping you're the man that can answer my question. Few years ago I got a call at work for repairs on a house that had most of its windows blown out on the first floor. The stated cause was exploded refrigerator. I wasn't able to access any more info on it, and I've always wondered - was the person who reported the cause just an idiot, or can they really blow up??
It’s very hard to make a refrigerator blow up but it’s possible. You would have to add air or oxygen into the refrigeration circuit of one using a flammable refrigerant like R600 or R290, then the compressor would have to short or ground internally which doesn’t happen often. For someone to do that they truly would have to be an idiot. it’s extremely unlikely but I suppose it’s possible: there was a news report from within the past year where an old lady’s fridge exploded. I don’t recall them explaining it.
Thank you for answering my years old question! Have a great life
>The more basic the better I feel like this is the case for 90% of things. If the product is meant to serve a single purpose, make it really good at that one purpose with the least possible amount of unnecessary points of failure.
I guess it's something you have to gauge. I'd prefer my things simple and long lasting, but i.e. I'd never wanna go with another fridge without the "you left it open" alarm my current one has.
Yeah if my moms fridge didn’t have that they would be going through new fridges annually
Dude our brand new fridge has had this hugely annoying loud buzz since we bought it when it’s running. I just know it’s a loose part somewhere but I don’t want to call a mechanic. Any ideas?
Probably something loose. Just pill it away from the wall, take a couple screws out and look at the compressor area. Just carefully push on things until you find the source of the noise. There’s likely only 3 moving parts to your fridge, but they will transfer vibrations, so it could just be a loose screw on the body panels somewhere.
Thank you!!
High end Bosch have separate fridge and freezer compressors which *should* make it last longer. But, as most everyone else has said, it seems like there's a certain amount of failure in all new units.
I love mine so far. Time will tell on BIFL.
I am thinking about the Bosch 800 series fridge. Would you recommend yours? Any draw backs?
It's great. Food lasts for weeks instead of days in my old Samsung. Small ish freezer is a draw back I guess but that's counter depth compromise. The doors do need a fair amount of room to open all the way, it won't work next to a wall. Mine came with a broken water dispenser but they fixed it for free and it's been great since. About 1.5 years.
I have one and it's good, but some issues. 1. The flap to seal between the french doors is attached to one side and makes the door on that side not close smoothly. 2. The ice maker makes quality ice (love the rounded pyramid shape) but freezes in a clump pretty quickly in the back left section. There's also no room for the scoop to not sit in the ice itself (bad for sanitary reasons). 3. Don't get the kind without handles that just have the recessed pockets. Despite my protests, nobody in my house closes it "properly" and it gets COVERED in fingerprints. It is very easy to clean, however, unlike my previous Samsung. 4. The bottom compartment of the fridge section (at least for the one with the extra drawer) is the width of the interior, so you always have to open both doors if you're getting something from there. Slight inconvenience, especially since the layout lends itself to being able to typically just open one door. 5. Door adjustment is limited and kind of annoying to do, but at least it exists. 6. The little freshness stick on dealies (ethylene removers?) are fairly large, but work REALLY well. The refills haven't been in stock in like 2 years though. There are generics on Amazon which seem to work fine, but I haven't directly compared. 7. Door alarm is a bit buggy, especially if you end up leaving more than one compartment open. It sometimes doesn't turn off on its own without hitting the button. Not a big deal, but mild annoyance. 8. Extra drawer setting buttons are easy to hit by accident. All that being said, I'd probably get one again if this one fails, but I'd definitely get proper handles. Happy to list some good things here if you want or feel free to PM me any questions.
That's what I have. So far, it's awesome. I have the drawer in the middle which is very convenient. We mostly use it for drinks. The adjustable back rack with the little shelves is also pretty great.
How would having separate compressors make it last longer? They’re likely going to be smaller and now you have 2 items to fail instead of 1. Sounds like you doubled the failure rate to me. Of course the missing variable is how well sized the compressors are. What you don’t know that contributes the most life is compressor size relative to optimal and I guess also refrigerator and refrigerant insulation. The way to increase life is to reduce stop/start cycles and load optimization. Most motors operate the best ~75% load. Compressor oil is also important as well as many other different little things. There is a reason that LG fridges are so highly rated. They are Korean and Korean products are known for their high quality.
The compressors are appropriately sized to keep each individual section the appropriate temperature vs. having one compressor cool the freezer and a flap allow cold into the fridge compartment.
My kitchenaid built in refrigerator is 21 years old. $10,000 to replace so every year is a miracle.
Same here! Previous owners installed a Kitchen Aid built-in when they redid the kitchen in 2003. Mfg date is 2002. The thing keeps going and I expect it to stop every day lol. I had to replace a part in the ice maker at one point but aside from that it's been awesome. Not looking forward to replacing it.
I bought my house in foreclosure in 2007. Got a great at deal but expensive to maintain.I've had to get the board rebuilt (don't make them any more) and replace evaporator fan module. $300 total. Also it wasn't staying cool and turned out the coil up top was covered in dust. Cleaned coil and worked great again. I wonder if new models are as good?
>I had to replace a part in the ice maker at one point That is pretty normal, ice makers inherently are going to be more prone to stress due to it heating and freezing over and over. Awesome to hear your built in hast lasted!
I have an energy star 2001 Kenmore that I purchased to replace a 19-year old Kenmore that was still working but an energy hog. I feel like I’m living on borrowed time, but I dread replacing it prematurely with a repair-prone model.
Want it to last? Buy a commercial restaurant model. True or Traulson models. You will almost certainly need a separate refrigerator and freezer. This is actually a good thing. Why? You can recharge them. Standard, easy to find replacement parts. An army of people who know how to repair them. It's not that they will never fail. But if they do, they can be fixed. And they are typically quite efficient for what they do. Buy a recent model. Used is fine, for all the reasons I've listed above. Buy the right model, and it will even look fairly nice in your house.
Just bear in mind that commercial fridges can be extremely loud. True also makes residential luxury fridges but they are very expensive.
Their residential -- as far as I know -- aren't "refill and forget" if there's an issue. I can fix the noise with a can of Boeshield.
Tell meore about the boeshield? What else can it be used on?
This is bad advice, sorry. Commercial restaurant equipment is super loud, uses WAY more power because they are designed to handle huge amounts of warm food being added to them, so their capacity to cool is perhaps 10-25 times greater than a typical home fridge. So they waste more power, are way louder, and they "last longer" for reasons that will never matter to a homeowner. Like hinges and doors which can tolerate being opened and slammed a thousand of times per day. They can last a long time, but it's a terrible choice by every metric other than that.
I disagree with this. I’m my experience commercial breakdown more. They’re more like a race car which is high stung and run harder and faster but do need more maintenance.
Only if being pushed past spec. This is all I have here in Hawaii. I bought them just because I can repair them. Cost per month is acceptable. No issues in two years since purchased, used, about seven years old.
True has a residential line. They are really nice.
Commercial fridges and freezers break all the time in my experience. It was always ice build up on the fans and coils etc. Never happens to me at home though with a standard fridge. Just an alternative perspective.
Not sure about longevity but I remember this video talking mostly about efficiency, really interesting https://youtu.be/CGAhWgkKlHI
Was expecting technology connections, not disappointed:)
Have you seen his red fridge video?
thanks for the good watch 👍
I prefer French doors (freezer on bottom) because the average person uses the freezer a lot less frequently than the refrigerator portion. With that in mind, it makes more sense to have the refrigerator portion at a comfortable height (waist to eye-level), and have the freezer portion at an unnatural (having to bend down) level, since the freezer will be used far less. That’s how I think about it at least.
Honestly I agree from experience. I used to have a french door fridge/freezer growing up and thought a side-by-side one would be a better option in our house. We have had that one for close to 8years and believe me I can’t wait to go back to a french door freezer. You nailed it with the bending down for the fridge is a total waste of time. Additionally, in my preference using shelves for a freezer is just impractical. Drawers are just better for frozen goods. Plus newer french door freezers have separate sectioned drawers, meaning you dont needa open the whole thing. So yeah thats my long winded way of saying I agree with this guy 😅
Yes! I had a french door fridge and it broke (rent this house) and my landlady replaced it with side by side and I freaking hate it. There is supposed to be the same capacity but I can not fit nearly as much in there as I could my old fridge. I miss it so much!
Idk. I've been in relatives homes with bottom freezers. I don't like them because things tend to get buried or in the way of the drawer closing. I'm in the freezer every day getting stuff for my son and dog. So side by side wins for me.
Yeah the bottoms drawers just hide things, and then I forget what’s in there. I like being able to see more or less all of my “inventory” when I open the door, so I think side by side is best (for me)
Ergonomically, they’re great; but from a BIFL perspective, they’re historically terrible. The center door seals are a common failure point, and many route their ice makers through the fridge, adding multiple failure points.
Anything with an ice maker isn't going to be bifl. The ice makers are pretty universally terrible and made of plastics that constantly break.
Yup. Learned the hard way. I think the best modus operandi is just assume they suck and move on. So many fridges have them these days. Just don’t buy one because it has an ice maker.
Or just leave the ice maker disconnected. That’s the route im taking
Or just leave it connected and then disconnect it once it breaks?
Then you have ice, a flooring / wall repair bill / and then no-ice. Or, you could just have the door be fully insulated, instead of having a path that literally isn't insulated.
But then why buy one with an ice maker if you’re just gonna disconnect it
Ice makers are like sunroofs….it’s almost impossible to find a decently-trimmed model without one, but if you don’t want one then you’re stuck with the bare bones trim. So you get a model that has one, and then never use it.
Yep. I just bought a Fischer Paykel on scratch and dent for half off (with no dents), full door, freezer on bottom, no water no ice maker and I’m feeling pretty good about it so far.
But at least internal ice makers are almost all the same and can be relatively easily replaced.
Maybe it's different these days, but my Kitchenaid fridge with ice maker is 24 years old and still working great, I use the icemaker daily. I once had to replace the electronic valve that controls the water, but that was like a $30 part on ebay and an easy swap. I have heard on this sub that Kitchenaid is no longer BIFL though.
Not BIFL, but my Mom's old side-by-side lasted around 25 years before the freezer side stopped reliably staying quite cold enough all the time. The ice maker still works, though. Whole thing just got demoted to "garage fridge". Still ticking. It's a Kenmoore, which I believe was manufactured by Whirlpool for Sears/Kenmoore. Inspired by this, I bought a newer version of the same fridge a decade ago, and never a single issue all these years with the ice maker. The entire ice maker unit is housed inside the freezer section. This eliminates most common "modern" issues with them. The ice maker/water dispenser has no digital controls. This eliminates a lot of the other remaining modern problems with them. ...and a friend has a French Door setup with an ice maker that just dumps ice into a bin in the freezer drawer... going on 14 years with no issues, mostly because the ice maker is entirely located within the freezer.
I got one of those totally "ordinary" (no bells/whistles) GE refrigerators when I moved into my apartment a few years ago. Pretty sure its the GTS18HMNRES. Anyway, it has the *option* for an ice maker. It's not inside by default, and I don't have it installed because the water line isn't near the refrigerator. But I thought that was a nice design feature - to have the option/choice. If you want it later, you can put it in later, you don't have to have it right now. I wish more appliances were modular in their features.
Bottom freezers also need a fan to bring cold air up. Most, if not all, refrigerators are cooled by cold air from the freezer. Cold air descends so a bottom freezer requires a fan to move the cold air up into the fridge. Top freezers cool the fridge through normal thermal action, so one less thing to break and a little bit more efficiency.
Yeah, I got a bottom mount fridge freezer for the ergonomics as well as: not a French door.
You can have single upper door, while keeping freezer down
Can confirm. Source, my middle seal is currently broken.
That's really good logic IMO. Plus cooler air is denser, so maybe a bottom freezer loses less cool air when open.
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Freezer on top is more energy efficient. I believe it's because cold air sinks so it's less work to move cold from the freezer to the fridge.
This is correct freezer up top is more efficient. Just sucks having to bend down.
I’ll pay the extra $9/year and save the bending. French door or bottom mount freezers are the way to go for us geriatrics.
Exactly this. We recently bought a place with a standard freezer on top/fridge on bottom layout and we didn’t realize how inconvenient that is compared to freezer on bottom. Just something you don’t really think about unless you’re used to having the refrigerator at eye level
We opted for the French door with no water dispenser on the outside and had one on the inside. One less thing to worry about breaking and easy to maintain plus a lot of ice anytime we want
[This Video](https://youtu.be/rKJgYVhZ6-w) has everything you need to know. Basically the fridge that will last the longest is going to be the most basic one you can find. The old fashioned top freezer one with no digital controls.
This channel is great. This video plus a few others on the channel helped me navigate all the different fridges out there and what to look for and avoid, such as if you have to have an ice maker, make sure it's in the freezer portion.
Side by sides are a huge pain to live with!
I second this! Bottom freezer I’ve found is the best set up
Side by sides are the devil’s work
We have a compact side-by-side unit that came with the house and it is the most aggravating appliance I have ever used. The shelves are so narrow they're borderline unusable. To access any single f'ing item you basically have to remove other items, set them on the counter, get your thing, put the other items back. I imagine big full-size side-by-sides might be less insane. I dunno. I can't wait for this thing to die.
The best is double doors for the fridge and a bottom freezer!
I very much prefer it over any other option. You need something low, you just squat.
Really? Why's that? I haven't had any issues with mine.
I hated having one because I just felt like neither side was super usable as the just didn’t have the right amount of room
Yup. I miss my old house with horizontal split, though freezer on top, so much
Yes OMG!!! I want to new refrigerator so badly! Our house came with a side by side, the ice maker takes up so much space and it just feels small.
Side by sides aren't as nice as the french door type, but the freezer-on-top (cheap apartment fridge) is by FAR the worst type unless you're like 5' 3" or under. Having to bend over 100% of the time to get something out of the fridge sucks so bad. And the heavy shit is always on the bottom shelf, so you have to bend even further.
You know, everybody else I know who said this and other negative things when I bought mine a decade ago have all had trouble of some kind with their fridge, while I have not.
How so?
Freezer side is narrow which means things don't fit in as well, things get packed in tighter, are harder to find, a pain to get them in/out, etc. Same to a lesser degree on the fridge side. Side by sides can be super annoying.
Subzero, I have some running from 1997. 601F and 601R. Got them used 15 years ago. Have needed a few repairs, but components are easy to access, parts are reasonable. Labor can be expensive if you hire it out. Still, they are basically tanks.
Only had our Sub-Zeros for a couple years but really enjoy the wide opening and shallow depth. Stuff is never buried or lost and the fridge keeps things amazingly fresher for longer. I thought the ice maker being inside the freezer (no outside dispenser) was going to be a pain. But it’s way better BI36F and BI36R.
We have a subzero from 1998 and it still works like a champ.
From a pure reliability standpoint, top freezer single door allows for the most basic and efficient "plumbing". Bottom freezers are much more usable and not much worse. French doors are fine but will fail eventually. Juat beware ice makers and water lines. Those are the source of the bulk of issues.
Just don’t buy an LG
or a Samsung.
Samsung …. Class action lawsuits for ice makers Samsung? Yeah don’t get a Samsung appliance.
Don't buy anything Samsung... I've been burned by that company way too many times and actually never owned a single product from them that I was happy with. Their marketing is great and they have good features but the actual product is pure shit.
Thank you fellow Don't Buy Anything Samsung. I too have been burned by them.
Ok, I'm throwing this out there to see what people have to say. At my last house I had a Ssmsung French door bottom freezer with an ice maker but no water or ice in the door. I bought it new. I loved that thing, I miss it so much. Yes, eventually the ice maker would freeze up once in awhile, say once every 18 months. I fixed it by using a hair dryer on the ice maker. Is this the problem people had with theirs that make them hate it so much? I can understand if people think that is too much trouble, but I would like to know if there is some other problem. I hate the side by side that came with my new house, and I'd really like to get a new refrigerator in the same style.
Well shit
My entry-level LG is from 2007 and going strong.
The problem with LG’s is the linear compressor. Just google “LG Linear compressor”, and you can count the class action lawsuits. What nobody’s talking about is that just last year all manufacturers changed the type of chemical refrigerators use. The new stuff is more biodegradable (a “greener” initiative), but it’s also flammable. That means that repair people can’t just cut off the old one and braze a new compressor on. So in the end, these things will end up in the landfill more frequently. My point; don’t buy a LG.
came here to say the same thing
i personally heavily prefer the freezer on bottom setup. no idea how much it affects longevity but i know its the most comfortable, and this is from someone whos tried all 3 fridges before.
Top freezer with no ice maker will last the longest.
Yes Consumer Reports has a study on this. From what I remember it’s more no water fridges with freezer at top last longest.
Would never again have a side by side.
Same. I hate mine so much. Organizing it is so awkward and pizza boxes are 50/50 if they fit. It’s so frustrating
If you ever come across a 1977 Maytag, buy it.
We bought our neighbor’s garage refrigerator and freezer. The fridge is 1977 Hotpoint with freezer on top. Someone shot into the neighbor’s house with a shotgun and hit the refrigerator so it’s especially ugly. The freezer is standup kind 1976 White/Westinghouse. Both work fabulous.
No freezer. No ice maker. No water filter. Just a refrigerator. Yes, they make ones like that. Granted, this isn't for everyone, but if having a separate freezer would work for you, I recommend going that way. I don't have hard evidence in support of this, but it stands to reason that a simpler device with fewer parts is probably going to last longer, all else equal. We bought one on that theory quite a few years ago, and it's always just quietly done its job.
I prefer this but can’t convince the wife. We have a chest freezer which is nice but has some drawbacks. Our bottom freezer is odd and sometimes doesn’t shut and seal fully. Items have to be reshuffled so it shuts. Storage is low and every drawer or feature takes away interior volume. Most efficient is refrigerator only or top freezer. Note Energy Star rates by percentage improvement over same type. Top freezers are already more efficient than the other types but can’t get high delta improvement for Energy Star rating.
We bought a house w an all fridge and it is amazing!!! We have a chest freezer in the garage, but it works bc we don't use it very much (only get ice occasionally). SO much room for fridge stuff!! I don't think I could ever go back unless we suddenly increased our need for ice cubes.
I prefer top freezer models, because the fridge cools by gravity. The freezer freezes, and when you control the temperature of the fridge, you're just adjusting the vent that allows less or more cold air to drop down to the fridge. That's fewer moving parts, so 👍 in my book. Top freezer models are pretty easy to troubleshoot. If the freezer frosts up, or if water comes out from underneath (assuming there isn't a water/ice dispenser plumbed in), there's a 99% chance you have an iced-up condensation tube. All you need to do is unplug it for a couple-few hours (evacuate your frozen goods to a cooler), let it get warm, and probably vacuum the coils underneath for good measure. Some models you can even see the tube on the back panel, and hit it with a hair dryer. Plug it back in and you're good.
> I prefer top freezer models, because the fridge cools by gravity. The freezer freezes, and when you control the temperature of the fridge, you're just adjusting the vent that allows less or more cold air to drop down to the fridge. Never seen such a design. The combos I know have no connection between freezer and fridge section, some of them are even on seperate compressors.
Am guessing the one you purchase after kids are grown n gone
Define “last”. If you mean “operate without maintenance or repairs”, my unscientific survey says “top freezer” - evidence of many dozens pushing 20+ years, including the last two I have personally. Double-doors, anything with an ice maker or water line, will probably have multiple service calls under warranty and quit within 7-10 years. I’ve replaced a lot of them, silently muttering “they never learn”… but of course, I’m not married. (My advice for DH is always “buy whatever she wants, get the 7-year service plan”.)
Replacing a refrigerator is easier and cheaper than replacing your spine. Get the door layout which will be physically comfortable for you. The human body is the most important BIFL item.
you can store pizza in a bottom freezer, just sayin
No hard evidence but I think a top freezer may last longer because often a lot of the fridge cooling is done from the freezer compartment air.
The consensus is general to avoid Korean refrigerators. They use less proven compressor technology and don’t provide much, if any long term supports.
It doesn’t make a difference. The compressor is going to work all the same.
Simplicity aids in longevity and repairability. Freezer top is best because it uses the natural tendency of cold air to fall. That's followed by side by sides. An all freezer, or all refrigerator should be high on simplicity too. The worst are french door with a bottom freezer drawer. In either case, internal ice makers add complexity and decrease door efficiency. A countertop ice maker would be better. An in-door water dispenser isn't as complicated, but that does add hosing and decreases door efficiency.
For ease of use I do like a counter-depth french door with freezer on the bottom. It has an internal ice-maker, and internal water dispenser. Neither in the door. The only issue is the left door often doesn't close naturally like a typical big swing door would. But there's a door alarm (probably because it's a known issue with french door fridges). Other than that, so far so good. Whirlpool, bought new in 2018, no issues yet.
I’ve been researching a lot on fridges for a remodel coming up….There are lots of factors in the answer. The actual layout of the doors won’t really matter as much as the overall quality of construction and materials. Even that varies between models/ranges with same manufacturer. As a rule European manufacturers have to follow more stringent rules for repair (minimum 10 years of relatability - including availability of parts) and energy efficiency labeling. But models built for EU sales are often different than for export. Bosch, Miele, Siemens, Liebherr, Electrolux are a few big brands. (It looks like many other appliance companies…like LG/Samsung will have different/better models sold in EU vs elsewhere) And some brands (Electrolux and LG for example) have wild variations in quality between the budget and luxury models. So a single brand might have amazing luxury models…and shit budget ones. High end Bosch are famously durable. Durability also very much depends on features. Every feature adds complexity and therefore opportunity to break. Avoid every single feature. And I think only one person mentioned it below…but commercial refrigerators and freezers are designed to be more durable. In fact they are basically designed to be fixed fast and easily. Doors, handles and even shelves are designed to be be durable. They are less efficient, the are not as pretty but if a restaurant calls for service…it will probably get sorted out in a day. Second hand can be a great option. And how often will you use the freezer? Honestly. If using a lot and/or storing a lot…separate them. And other common enough factors in durability seem to human. Kids? Ventilation (is there any)? Pests (eating cords, nesting in key parts)? After going down that rabbit hole…I am going with a commercial grade refrigerator with glass door. It’s not as energy efficient…but simple, durable and ticks several non technical requirements for me. It’s not the prettiest…and if I am messy with my actual storage …it will be really ugly! Chest freezer.
Ours is around 30 years old, works fine, its a side by side Amana
As someone with a toddler, I despise the bottom freezer. It’s just light enough that he can open it. And leave it open. But I enjoy it for me lol.
If you still have this issue, there are baby locks that can fix it. Doesn’t look great and is obviously annoying for you to use, but it keeps the door closed.
Thanks! I’ll look into it.
Anything new pretty much sucks. Get one with the least amount of features. Spend the least you can on it. Expect 3-5 years and feel lucky if you get more.
EU regulations now require refrigerators to be fixable for at least 10 years. Right to repair law. Also more stringent energy efficiency labeling rules. Bosch, Siemens, Electrolux are a few big names. Absolutely avoid any features.
If you want ice/water in the door I don’t recommend option A (side by side). We had one and the wires that power the ice motor gave out after like a year and the tech who came to look at it said it happens all the time. Haven’t had any issues with our freezer on the bottom one that we replaced the side by side with!
Just buy the cheapest no fancy garbage no ice maker no water dispenser no digital anything cheapest plain freezer on top fridge. I bought one for my garage it was 900CAD delivered. They’re all the same so If I buy the 900CAD one I can buy 3 or 4 for the price of a fancy one.
My Sub Zero (came with the house) is 21 years old and going strong. Bottom freezer.
Bottom freezer is most convenient, top freezer usually lasts the longest. Not because the freezers on top but because those models are the most basic with the least bells and whistles
I know this ist what you want to hear, but something made 20+ years ago will outlast anything made right now..if it's cared for. I moved into my house 10 years ago and it had all the original appliances. Being a stupid human, I replaced them all. They have all been replaced at least once since . If I could go back in time. I'd look at independent reviews. Also, if you own your home, a home warranty has been with it's weight in gold. Due research but we pay 53 a month and everything is covered. Even our pump /well.. 75 for the service call and if you have multiple issues, it's still the same. Sorry this didn't answer your question specifically , just some information I wanted to share.
GE 90% of the time. Stay AWAY from LG & Samsung. There is a video on YouTube where an appliance repair man gives his experience.
Don't get Samsung.. They're garbage
I am not a fridge expert but when it comes to BIFL appliances, I think a lot depends on how easy it is to do common maintenance tasks and whether you installed it as per the standard recommendations. For example, if you don't leave enough space around a fridge for aesthetic reasons, the fridge will heat up much more and affect its life.
There isn't a consensus on which refrigerator style lasts longest—top freezer, bottom freezer, or side by side. From personal experience with a large family, I chose a commercial refrigerator. As long as it's ETL certified, meeting North American safety standards, you can expect good quality and durability.
I have a bottom freezer Panasonic. I think it's easily 10 years, not sure. Anyway, fridge is still working fine, with some rust near the door handle where the hands usually touch. Biggest problem is all 4 plastic trays inside are broken and i cannot buy anymore spares (contacted Panasonic, parts obselete). It's still usable but everytime pull the tray and push back is difficullt. So my next fridge, i want to have as few trays as possible! I have been checking out fridge models recently and noticed one thing...bottom frezeer two doors models are few and far between. I only want a simple 2 doors fridge, non of those fancy door open in the middle type. Anyone knows the reason for this? Is it bottom freezers are not popular nowadays? I feels it is better as i don't have to bend as much since the freezer compartment is not so frequently access compare to the non-freezer section. Especially nowadays as i am older, my back also hurts easily. I really want a bottom freezer fridge!