Consumer Reports provides a guide on whether to repair or replace a broken refrigerator, based on product costs, depreciation rates, and survey data. Most refrigerators last 10 to 15 years, making it more cost-effective to replace an older one than to pay for repairs. If the refrigerator is relatively new, it might be worth fixing it for extended appliance lifespan, leaks, loud noises, cooling problems, or incorrect ice maker functioning.
To make the right choice, first ensure the refrigerator is plugged in, check the circuit breaker, and inspect any easily accessible fans or compartments. A new refrigerator can cost $1,000 to $3,000 without a home warranty, with some models even costing more than $7,000.
When deciding on capital improvements, consider whether you can carry out the improvement out of your house (a new refrigerator or microwave). The cost of major kitchen appliances is not added to the adjusted cost basis of your home, only capital improvements.
Repairs to appliances in your primary residence are not eligible for tax benefits, as the IRS views repairs as a means to improve the overall home. If your refrigerator often malfunctions, requires costly repairs, is outdated and inefficient, or if sourcing replacement is difficult, consider replacing it.
Earlier surveys indicated that refrigerators are fairly fixable, with 62% of repairs being successful on the first attempt. However, when most home owner kitchen appliances are out of warranty, they may not be worth the expense of repairing.
📹 How To Measure For A New Refrigerator | The Home Depot
When purchasing a new refrigerator, you need to know more than just the refrigerator size for installation and delivery. Follow our …
What is classified as home improvement?
Home improvement refers to various aspects of a home, including building projects, lawn and garden improvements, outdoor structures, maintenance, repair, and general servicing tasks. These projects typically aim to upgrade HVAC systems, add luxuries to rooms, increase plumbing and electrical system capacity, waterproof basements, and soundproof rooms. Other goals include roof tear-off and replacement, replacement or new construction windows, foundation and chimney repairs, repainting, plumbing and electrical system repairs, wallpapering, furniture polishing, plumbing, interior and exterior works, and shower maintenance.
Can I claim for a new fridge freezer?
Your contents insurance may cover your freezer for accidental damage, fire, flood, and theft risks. However, if your old freezer stopped working properly, you cannot claim for a replacement. Your browser may make you think you’re a bot, which could be due to factors like being a power user, disabled cookies, or a third-party browser plugin preventing JavaScript from running. To regain access, ensure cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.
What improvements can be offset against capital gains tax?
The improvement must be made to the asset, such as restoring an artwork, and must increase its value. For example, adding a conservatory to a rental property would increase its value, but repointing the property or replacing missing roof tiles would count as repairs rather than improvements. The increase in value is valid when the asset is disposed of, but if the paintwork deteriorates again before selling, the increase in value cannot be deducted from CGT.
It is essential to keep receipts when paying for an improvement, as without them, there is no evidence of what you’ve paid. HMRC may not allow you to deduct the cost from your CGT bill. If you need more help with CGT, we offer a Fast Track CGT service for property disposals, advise on CGT exempt assets, and any CGT allowances and reliefs that may apply to you. Contact one of our friendly accountants today to learn more.
Are new appliances considered a home improvement?
Luxury kitchen appliances, despite their attractive features, are not eligible for tax deductions due to their primary purpose being personal use and home improvement. To determine if your appliance qualifies, consult the latest IRS guidelines or a tax advisor. Gather all necessary documentation, including purchase receipts, manufacturer’s certifications, and energy efficiency documentation, to confirm eligibility.
Is a refrigerator an improvement?
Capital improvements are those that can be carried out and not carried out, such as a new refrigerator or microwave. If they cannot be carried out, such as a remodeled master bath, they are considered capital improvements. The calculation works by dividing the purchase price by the adjustment, which is then calculated as $110, 000. At the time of sale, any capital gain or loss is calculated using an adjusted basis of $110, 000. Although it’s not always possible to plan repairs or home improvements around tax returns, knowing these rules can help manage the impact on your finances and schedule controllable improvements.
Is a new fridge tax deductible?
Energy-efficiency tax credits are available for appliances that meet stringent efficiency standards set by the U. S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. Common appliances eligible include refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, water heaters, and HVAC systems. Each category has its own set of efficiency requirements, typically measured by the Energy Star rating.
To maximize tax benefits, research eligible appliances, save receipts and product documentation, and consult a tax attorney or accountant. Claim your tax credits using Form 5695 when filing federal income taxes, accurately reporting eligible expenses and following IRS guidelines to avoid errors or discrepancies.
What does the IRS consider capital improvements on a home?
A capital improvement is a significant enhancement to a property that increases its value, often involving structural changes or restoration. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) grants special tax treatment to qualified capital improvements, distinguishing them from ordinary repairs. These improvements can also increase the property’s cost basis, reducing the tax burden when sold. In some states, capital improvements can allow landlords to increase rent beyond the law’s limits. The IRS requires a capital improvement to endure for more than a year upon completion and be durable or permanent. Both homeowners and large-scale property owners can make capital improvements.
What appliances qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act?
The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) administers Home Energy Rebates under the Inflation Reduction Act, which authorizes $391 billion in spending on energy and climate change, including $35 billion clean energy investments managed through DOE. The Act also includes two provisions authorizing $8. 8 billion in rebates for home energy efficiency and electrification projects. The Energy STAR-certified electric heat pump water heater, space heating and cooling, and clothes dryer are eligible for these rebates. The IRA represents the single largest investment in tackling the climate crisis and investing in clean energy in U. S. history.
What is the definition of home improvement?
Home improvement refers to the repair, remodeling, altering, converting, or modernizing of residential property, including the construction, erection, replacement, or improvement of driveways, swimming pools, terraces, patios, awnings, and storm windows. In California, special legal requirements apply to these contracts, protecting homeowners under Business and Prof. Code sec. 7159 and the Contractor’s State License Board regulations.
These requirements include a signed, written contract for a fixed price, firm start and completion dates, a description of the work and major materials to be used, a payment schedule, a notice regarding the contractor’s liability insurance, mechanics liens rights, and a notice of the homeowners’ “Three Day Right to Cancel” contract, as required by Bus. and Prof. Code §7159(e)(A) and Civil Code § 1689. 8.
What home improvements can reduce capital gains tax?
The IRS defines capital improvements as expenses that add value, prolong the property’s useful life, or adapt it to new uses. Examples of such improvements include adding rooms, appliances, floors, garages, decks, windows, roofs, insulation, AC, water heaters, ductwork, security systems, landscaping, driveways, or swimming pools. Working with an accountant can help ensure that an item qualifies. General maintenance is not considered an improvement for tax purposes, but certain maintenance may qualify as part of a qualified improvement project. Improvements with a life expectancy of less than a year cannot be deducted from the cost basis.
Do new appliances increase appraisal?
The installation of new appliances has the potential to significantly enhance the value of a residential property. According to Consumer Reports, the implementation of kitchen upgrades, including the introduction of new appliances, flooring, or countertops, can result in an increase in property value by a range of 3 to 7. In the process of procuring new kitchen appliances, it is advisable to give consideration to the following features.
📹 What’s the BEST Fridge to Buy? The Truth Will SURPRISE You!
One question I get often is specific, more in-depth reccomendations for refrigerators, so I decided to make an in-depth video for my …
I cant believe I spent my morning coffee time perusal a article on refrigerators, especially since Im not in the market for one right now. But this was such a well done, comprehensive article on how to choose a fridge that I was totally engaged. Wonderful job on this, and just the sort of straight shooting we need these days. Keep up good work.
As an appliance repair tech I occasionally have some “WOW” moments. About the 2nd week of March 2023 my partner and I responded to a fridge repair call, upon entering the kitchen we found an original Harvest Gold Freezer still humming away like it was new. All it needed was to be unplugged and allowed to defrost. Once it was thawed and dried it fired right up. That color and Avocado Green have not been available since the early 70’s so that is 50+ years old. A mechanical thermostat and a light bulb is all you see inside, just amazing !
I’m so glad I found you! I was thinking about replacing our 17 year old fridge just because it’s a 17 year old fridge. What I learned, is that I really need to take it out and vacuum it. We have no fancy ice makers or dispensers. It’s just a cold box that has managed to stay cold for 17 years. Thank you!
I cannot thank you enough. based on this article we bought a GE PWE23K Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator mentioned by you. it is made in Kentucky and is a far cry quieter than the 3 year old Frigidaire trash. I have also used your washing machine article to help my brother. Keep up the good work,we all need this kind of info.
I bought an avocado green GE Side by side with water and ice in the door in 1980. 23 years later, I bought a newer fridge and I gave my GE to my company to put in the shop for the yard employee’s. 21 years later, it is still out there working away keeping things cold. 44 years old. Now that is good service.
I used to sell major appliances back in the 80s. GE once came out with a rotary compressor which was supposed to revolutionize the business. It had fewer moving parts, etc. It was a bust. What impressed me was that GE recognized the problem and replaced the compressor in all sold refrigerators — without being forced to by lawsuit or government intervention. It was a completely voluntary recall.
As a baby Boomer, who just celebrated her 74th birthday, I’ve seen lots of refrigerators in my life. I currently have my 2nd french door refrigerator with water and ice in the door. Since I’m the only one these days who uses the ice, I wouldn’t mind having it back in the freezer section. However, I still want water on the door. I just wanted to comment on the fact that you suggest the side by side over the french door. When I had my side by side in the 90s, I found it extremely troublesome to use . The freezer is very difficult to access, and space is very limited. If you have something large to put in there, it’s just not going to go in. There are similar issues with the refrigerator side. While it was a little better, It definitely wasn’t great for space. Hence, I love the french door, which allows a lot of space in the refrigerator & the freezer sections. Therefore, while the side by sides might function better electrically, that is not the case for cooking and storage. Therefore, I don’t know if there really is a solution to keep everybody happy . Also, I’m not a person who would afford a Sub Zero. As a retiree, I do a lot of cooking and baking, so the side by side just is not an option. I do love to hear all your appliance knowledge, though. It doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of young folks around like you doing this sort of career, so good for you. 👏 Keep up the good work.🤩 🏖Kj in Tampa Bay 😊
I am going to send this to my husband. We bought a Samsung French door, no water/ice in the door (put my foot down to refuse that). The bottom drawer freezer is my favorite, we opted for French door because there was better space than the comparable side by sides. Got it as a floor demo to replace an aging Kenmore with stress cracks forming in the freezer. It works great for us.
My brother still has our parents first refrigerator that they bought second hand in the mid-1940s, an art deco style General Electric. Nothing has ever broken on it, NOTHING, even the now illegal latch type industrial looking door handle that traps children inside works perfectly. It has never needed to be recharged. He had it painted in a body shop some years back and it looks awesome in his home theater bar area.
Our refrigerator went out a few days ago right before we left for vacation… This has been an extremely helpful article! Thank you for showing the big picture of refrigerator manufacturers. And very cool that you are Disciple fan. I am a longtime fan of theirs and I’ve seen them in concert many times🤘🏼
I had no idea that cleaning out the back of the fridge was a good idea. I’ve added it to my To Do list for the weekend chore list. I also agree 100% that simple is better. My fridge, washer and dryer all have the absolute minimum of controls (none of them are digital) and they all still work fine 25 years after they were purchased.
One of my fav pieces of advice (the flashlight test) many often overlook is the door gaskets which over time can fail, they get compressed, rip/tear, cause issues, simply wait for evening hours, hit the off switch for the kitchen overhead lights and place a lit flashlight inside the fridge or freezer. You might see light leaking from around the door gaskets, or coming from the ice maker door flap where the ice dispenses. Leaking gaskets or flaps allow warm air to enter the fridge. If your fridge is running all the time or the ice cubes in your ice bin is freezing into one big chuck, check the gaskets and flaps first. Too many times I have seen customers pay for expensive control boards, temperature thermostats, or compressors when it’s simply a faulty gasket or flap. (Flap failure is usually the little spring that breaks or pops off causing the flap to not close & seal properly.)
I’m a contractor and when we renovate a home(rentals) we buy the cheapest cuz it does not matter. Like you said, “They are all crap” When we get a new stove or dishwasher in from Korea, it has a checksheet taped to the inside somewhere that asks what badge to put on it! They are all made in the same crappy factories. Thanks for the truth.
Whoa! What just happened here>?? An honest, clear report with plenty of details and explanations? How rare – what a treat. Thanks Ben. I got into refrigeration repair by accident a few years ago when I did some general repair work in a guy’s apartment, and he liked what he saw me doing. He asked me if I could help him in his restaurant. I did, and realized the refrigeration repair tech he had was ripping him off bigtime, Told him he needed a new compressor (wrong – all that was wrong was the internal circulation fans were not working) and then quoted him a price about five times higher than it was worth. (I already knew how to do basic refrigeration repair.) So I became my friend’s refrigeration tech. Had to learn how to fix icemakers (those f***ers are complicated), Was great fun working for my friend until he finally sold his restaurant, I wound up with a restaurant maintenance company until I retired a few years later. My thing was honesty and good work, so I can appreciate what you are doing.
I agree with this…and it’s really well explained. I bought the most basic Samsung fridge from Costco – no bells and whistles – and it has been outstanding. It’s quiet and works exactly as it should. Couldn’t be happier. My LG was very basic too and lasted nearly 10 years so pretty happy with that as well. Stick to more basic fridges for fewer problems.
Great article and very valid points about adding all the options. Keeping the features simple and doing 2 steps religiously will give you the longest life of your fridge, 1) do not pack your fridge or freezer (the air needs to flow for it to work!) and 2) clean the vents and coils every six months (figure it out and do the best you can).
I found this fascinating and educational. One thing you didn’t mention but I have found very important, is the quality/type of plastic used to make the drawers, door compartments etc. In my experience as an owner I have found massive variations between models and brands. Great website and I have just subscribed. FYI. I’m in the UK.
When I moved to a different part of the state in 1992 I took my 1990 GE refrigerator with me. We kept in in our kitchen for 8 years and then my wife just had to have one of the new shinny silver models. We moved the old GE outside to the garage as a backup frig. 15 years later ( another two new inside refrigerators later) it finally broke down. The old one was just built better than the new ones!
I own a 1979 mobile home that was the mother-in-law‘s when we bought this place and we’ve done some remodeling up there but I’m so proud of the fact that that refrigerators over 40 years old more like 45 and it still runs great it’s a little rusty. I don’t care fact that this thing still running and I’ve been through 2 side-by-side refrigerators in my house in the last 20 years speaks volumes
Going light on all the bells and whistles is good advice on more than just refrigerators. My ex-wife just had to have a Saab convertible that did everything including whistle “Dixie.” It was in the shop ALL the time. I don’t recall a time when every system was working. We live in a world where people are attracted to the newest and latest. My cell phone can do all sorts of things I don’t need it to do. Friends, you don’t need a nail gun to hang a picture. Buy a hammer.
I was raised by two school teachers, who I revere. That being said: your articles are extremely effective for teaching and explaining. You don’t use abrasive language, you speak clearly, you are very coherent and confident, you prove your knowledge, and most importantly, you know how to inject just the right level of humor. Your humor isn’t overboard to where some people would find you annoying. On the other hand, you inject just enough, and at the right times, for those that have trouble following along on topics like these (people that have ADHD appreciate that). You’ve earned my subscription, sir. Keep educating. Much appreciated! 🙂👍
Great article. So the cliff notes…..get an American made plain icebox with zero bells and whistles (no ice-makers, water dispenser, touch screens, etc) as they tend to fail and the more you have the more chances of something going out fast. Basically, get great grandma’s literal ice box, that will not be aesthetically pleasing or anything to write home about, and be happy.
Great lesson in fridge buying. Please consider making, if you haven’t yet, articles on which fridges are cheapest and easiest to fix. Are there any third party parts makers selling cheaper parts? I can’t remember the brand of refrigerator but the manufacturer of one we owned stopped selling replacement circuit boards for it and it was less than 10 years old. The repairman knew an off brand company that made identical circuit boards for a fraction of the cost. It kept it running for years. We sold it with the house.
I bought a no-frills, white Kenmore fridge about 25 years ago, made in Canada. It has never given me an ounce of trouble. Still looks good and does what it is supposed to do. My Mom and Dad had a GE fridge bought in and around 1950. They owned it until they sold their house in about 2005. As far as I know it is still going strong.
I’ve been a commercial food equipment repair technician since 1995. I built my home in 1999 with contractor grade appliances because they’re simple and reliable. 25 years later and everything is still going strong with just a simple preventive maintenance schedule. Contractor grade is designed with old school electromechanical controls. (Simple= reliable). Some folks may prioritize bells and whistles and replace every 6 years. I work on commercial appliances for a living, I do not want to spend my free time working on MY appliances😂
For those that don’t use all of the space in your refrigerator: I recommend keeping containers of water in the dead space(not in the door though). Every time you open the door, the cold air rushes out; by keeping cold water inside, there is less air that has to be re-cooled and the water will also help bring it back to temp. I like to imagine this lowers my electricity bill, even slightly.
I’m here in China and my apartment came with a very small freezer-top refrigerator. I got a 2nd slightly used larger second refrigerator and a small square top loading freezer. All simple design Chinese brands. Total cost was $200 and I now have the same storage space as the most expensive $2000 units. If any one of them fails it’s cheap to replace. BTW, in the 80s, I remember everybody putting their old refrigerators in the garage for sofa-pop and beer. Those things lasted forever.
I recently bought a refrigerator, and saved almost $1,000 by going plain vanilla – top freezer without in-door water or ice. I just don’t use enough ice to rationalize getting a fancier model. Also, while the top freezer wasn’t as exciting as a French door, it is perfectly adequate for my needs. I usually aim for the appliances with the least bells and whistles I can get, figuring there are fewer things to go wrong.
My Kenmore (GE) was bought in 1980 for $399.00 and is still running great. I should replace the seal but other than that, no complaints – even the ice maker still works. My other is a very basic 3 year old GE I got for free because the people were remodeling their kitchen and wanted to get a brand new fancy LG. So far it works great and it has the ice maker inside the bottom freezer drawer. My friend has been through 3 brand new LG’s in the past year at a sticker price of over $2,000. Just like cars, the less buttons, the better!!
This guy gives good advice. Simpler = Better. Whether it’s fridges or cars, the more techy and complex they make it, the faster it will become a piece of junk and I’m glad that the fridge I have in the kitchen (and the one I’m aiming to replace it with shortly as it’s making weird noises after ~10-12 years) is the Frigidaire Top Freezer model he shows (or one very similar to it, no ice maker, just the fridge and top freezer). It’s all I need, to be honest. 40F in the bottom, 0-10 in the top. I don’t need no tablet interfaces, or fancy digital readouts on the front or any junk like that. Just give me a turn dial or two to let me set the temp and that’s all I need or want.
I moved into my home in 1998 and the ONLY original appliance is the Kenmore Refrigerator! It is now 25 years old and working like a champ. The only thing that does not work is the ice maker which gave in a few years back and I did not have it fixed. But everything else works perfectly! A Kenmore product that was purchased in 1998, I am afraid to get rid of this incredible Fridge only to end up with something that breaks in a few years! Your comment about the space needed around the fridge may be one of the reasons mine has lasted so long. I have sufficient space/clearance around my 25 year old double door fridge.
I moved into my condo about 10 years ago. The cheap builder-grade Frigidaire fridge has worked normally since I bought the place. It has no features, but it keeps food cold or frozen which is all I care about. When I have to buy a new one I’ll pick up a new basic one, because even it if breaks down just as easily at least I haven’t spent as much on it.
In 2006, I bought an LG French door refrigerator with water and ice in the door, and for 10 years had no issues. Finally a solenoid failed on the front door water and ice and I could no longer use that feature. But other than that nothing else failed. It’s been sitting in storage for a few years now since I had to downsize and I hope when I get it out it will still be in great shape. I really dislike the side by sides as they feel so cramped without enough space. I do like the top freezer models and if my LG French door ever dies, I’ll go with one of those.
I bought a Kenmore freezer top in 1997 with the optional slide out shelving and freezer mounted ice maker. It has been taken care of, over the years, and continues to blow cold air and make ice cubes effortlessly. It has 2 standard appliance bulbs in the refrigerator and one in the freezer, and it is always well lit (something I can’t say about the LED lighting used in new fridges). Newer ISN’T always better.
We felt the same way, so you just reinforced my outlook and what I found when we researched before buying our last one a couple of months ago. We ended up getting a cheap one, as we didn’t think spending more would get us a longer lasting product. No bells and whistles except being frost free with an ice maker. Nothing in the door! No water filter, no nothing! Nothing is built to last anymore period.
My wife and I just bought a new fridge last month. She wanted a fancy french door model. I guess I wanted one too, but I told her more bells and whistle the more problems. I couldn’t see spending 3k or 4k on fridge, just to have it break in a few years. Im happy to say I think we made a great choice. We got a GE GTS22k with a ice maker for $1200.
Thanks Ben. Good point at 10:00 – Many refrigs are now designed to run most of the time, so if the condenser fins are dirty, a door seal leaks, there is really hot air in back, and any excess recovery capacity is just not there. Best to ensure the refrig is level when installed. Might want to mention something about using plastic tubing supplying the drinking water. I have had 2 friends whose houses were heavily damaged by water when the tubing disconnected. My KitchenAid built-in KSSS42, bought used 26 years ago, and its only problem has been the ice/ water dispenser door heater being kaput so condensed water is not evaporated from the catch pan. And there were no problems even after the local utility was providing 143 Vac power instead of 120 Vac for at least a month or more. Freezer kept at -10°F and food stays consistently at desired temps. To heck with the LCD displays, but it would be nice to have some sort of ability to show or download a record of actual temps if the refrig failed to meet a required temp, or download a record of power failures. (The local NIPSCO electricity provider is not too reliable.) So Ben is correct when he says there are less things to go wrong with fewer bells and whistles.
Thank you a LOT for the info. My fridge is a 1994 GE upright 2-door model that came with the house. I had a fridge guy come out ONE TIME ONLY to fix the freezer side, which (as it turned out) was a small fuse on one of the boards. Haven’t had a bit of trouble with it yet, apart from my overloading the cooler section. I don’t use the icemaker; I use ice cube trays for making ice, because I have no small children clamoring for cold soda. So, at 30 years old, it still runs fine, keeps my food cold and doesn’t seem to mind being overloaded. Thanks, Ben. GE is and always has been the best fridge. I think I’ll keep mine.
The most expensive refrigerator that I bought came with my last house – $14k. That was the amount of damage that a defective sensor caused when it failed in my kitchen and flooded the floor beneath. When we bought this house, we disabled the ice maker to prevent a repeat performance. Personally, we live in a 55+ retirement home where the average house turns over every five years. This means that in at least 40% of the homes, the kitchen is remodeled in 40% of the homes. We often buy a refrigerator off of one on the neighbors remodeling, especially if it is 15 years old when most parts were made in the USA. Our repairman loves to fix 80s era appliances and the words “LG” and “Samsung” are enough to drive him off a cliff.
I bought a house with a sub zero that is at least 14 years old. It’s my second year in the home and I already had to replace the door gaskets, control panel and ice tray. Vey easy to do yourself. Hopefully this will last a lifetime because I love it compared to my previous cheap fridge in my old house.
My parents refrigs lasted so long they only had 3 in 56 years! We always vacuumed the back and cleaned under too. They were free-standing which made them easy to move. I took the last one (which I purchased after the 2nd old one gave up the ghost) after both of my parents passed away. My son has it at his place, in the garage as a spare mostly for beer and soda. It still runs great!
I sell these things and would generally agree with everything said here, especially the comment that nothing is foolproof. Layouts are important to people and french door units make better use of interior space, unless you freeze lots of your food. One thing to consider is having a backup fridge in the house. This removes the stress when repairs are needed to the main fridge. By the way, reliability in repair services is another dicey area. Know your repair service. Great review and information.
I love the “feature” my freezer/fridge came with: a manual ice maker. It was a ice cube tray that was taped inside the freezer so it wouldn’t slide around during shipping.🤣 That is what it was advertised as, a manual ice maker! Between your website and Consumer Reports, I got the most stripped down, freezer-over-fridge I could buy. It is a little smaller than I realized, but it works out great for me. I don’t lose stuff in the back as easily.
My parents have a french door Whirlpool fridge they got brand new with a 50% discount in 1993 (the year I was born) because it had a big scratch in the front. It is still their only fridge to this day. It has lasted 30 years. Its fun to go over to their house and use the same fridge I grew up using. I have had a simple french door Samsung for 3 years with no issues. Simple meaning it only has a ice maker in the freezer, no water outlet or ice dispenser. I think the simpler the better.
In mid 2000s we got a expensive LG or Samsung 3 door fridge from Bestbuy with the extended warranty. We are on our 4th “free” fridge. The last 2 were Electrolux with the second ice maker in the bottom. Even though the 1st Electrolux failed, we loved it so much that we got the same thing again. The top ice maker died after the extended warranty ran out, but we never bothered to get it fixed and just use the one in the bottom freezer.
I just bought my first fridge, an used GE (Ariston brand in my country, Argentina) french style called E4D X Quadrio. I was so scared of it being a bad product, as they are not that common in my country.. People usually just go for known brands like Samsung or Whirpool. I’m 23 and i have no idea of kitchen appliances stuff so your article made me so happy! thanks. I just hope it lasts for years and years
Bought an old 26 years old GE fridge 6 years ago for 20$. Fridge is now 32 years old and still running like a brand new one. The friend who sold me the old fridge bought a new one at the time and just had to replace that new one with another new one. I told him in 5 years when his 2nd new fridge breaks, I’d sell him my 37 years old fridge for 40$ 🙂
Just starting to watch this but I hate shopping for appliances. We just got a new whirlpool side by side (had a top freezer whirlpool) solely because we wanted an ice maker again. It’s fine. It was cheap on sale at Menards. It’s small which is our biggest issue. We don’t have space for a big one. Can’t say I feel it will last long. But we are also keeping our other one as well. The one I will never buy again is Samsung. Nothing but issues with them from leaking underneath (which ruined our floor) and one nearly caught fire.
Dude… I can’t properly explain in words how much I truly appreciate this article. Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is what quality YouTubing looks like, and I’ll definitely be subscribing and binge-watching your articles after I hit “submit.” Thanks for your time and what you do. This is a true service for the average person. It’s an absolute sham that manufacturers get away with their lack of quality. I’m not for more legislation, but there should be a law that makes every manufacturer to warranty their product for at least a decade. Something needs to happen… hopefully these class action lawsuits bring some change to the market. Paying $3-4K for a consumer appliance is ludicrous if it dies within 5 years. Crazytown…
Your content, your dry (but not always🥸)sense of humor, your palpable decent human-beingness and your creativity-in-production/script and delivery of same – Makes you IMO an effing rockstar re: fridges! I subscribed for more of this high quality and super useful/accessible info/entertainment. Thank you!
Just came across your website and subscribed. Thank you for this info. I bought my first NEW refrigerator last Nov, 2022, and I’m 74. I’m tired of hand me downs and decided I deserved it. I did extensive research and wanted a counter depth. I bought the Haier 16.4cf 4-door Quad counter depth fridge. I definitely did not want an icemaker. I wanted the space and never liked the taste/texture of ice cubes anyway. I love the sleekness and beauty of this fridge. It has worked fantastic. I think the parent company is GE. Bought it from Costco so I have a 2-yr warranty. Have replaced a plastic shelf due to a crack and it was covered by my warranty. What is your review? Melaney from SoCal
I have both a GE (from 2004) and Frigidaire (from 1995) both are side by sides and still working great! I have taken out the ice makers from both. I had to change out some fans, a defroster/deicer, and lots of lights (switched them both to LED bulbs) but nothing too complicated! Frigidaire is owned by Electrolux (as you mentioned) a Swedish company and GE Appliance is owned by HAIER a CCP or communist China company. Liked and subscribed!
This was so helpful!! The fridge I have now came with the house and it’s an Amana side by side with water and ice on the freezer door. The ice dispenser has never worked, and the ice maker just quit working this year. So we’re looking to replace the fridge this year, and I learned so much from this article that it will make shopping for a new fridge a bit easier. Thanks!
I have a 42″ Sub Zero side by side from when I built my house new in 1997. The ice maker is a drawer / bin inside the freezer. Flawless performance of refrigerator, freezer, and ice maker. Also, it’s super quiet. I vacuum the coils every 6 months. Just remove the grille at the top of the unit for easy access. Never a need to pull the unit away from the wall.
This article takes me back to the 1970’s when my Grandpa was still with us. He was a Electrical Maintenance Superintendent at Lockheed Burbank since before WW2. He used to say “if you want an appliance or machine to last, keep it simple stupid”. I listened to him and whenever I can I follow Grandpa’s advise I do. So when our GE whiz-bang double door stainless steel 5 year old refrigerator with through the door ice, cubed, crushed and water died I went back to a simple Kenmore $800, (on sale, made in Mexico, NOT China), top freezer stainless steel 20cuft refrigerator with a simple ice maker in the freezer Like we had before the $3,000 whiz-bang double door stainless steel refrigerator. Al least I can get 10 years out of this one and it doesn’t cost as much as a used Toyoda.
As a restaurant owner for over 12 years, I can tell you that the Ice Maker aspect of any kitchen device will absolutely be the weakest link. Over these 12 years, we have put far more hours in resolving ice issues than all other issues for every single item in the kitchen, put together. And I bet you would get the exact same response from a Grocery Store owner too, lol. I think the single most reliable appliance in our kitchen was a 20 yr old freezer. Aside from having to defrost it now and then, it just worked and worked and worked.
Holy crap this has been great. Found this article through a appliance discussion on Reddit. My $2300 LG fridge purchased from Lowes crapped out 3 weeks ago. Thankfully bought extended warranty at the time. 3 tech visits and the refrigerant keeps leaking and they can’t find it. Was advised today fridge will be written off and I will be given a credit of pre-tax purchase price. It WONT be an LG and if we need ice in the door, it’ll be a side-by-side or none at all.
The compressor in my LG was bad out of the box and died after three years. LG went out of their way to replace all of the guts that keep food cold (board and everything) and now the fridge I really liked and didn’t want to give up works great and is super quiet. LG spent a lot of money to fix my $3700 fridge I got on sale for $2800 and they reimbursed me for a large part (not all) of the food I lost. Their customer service people were exceptional except for one who was obviously in the wrong business.
Yes! Simple! I am in the tech industry (software developer), and I see when things fail or work badly, then recognize that it did not need to happen. So many mistakes and bad decisions ship. Now I am considering adopting the name, “Luddite Wannabe”. I love my cast iron cookware — it’ll last for generations.
I wish I knew of your website when I bought my house/appliances 2 yrs ago. I have all GE kitchen and LG laundry appliances. I was a diehard top load fan and got the largest tub I could get for my top load washer. I have a dog that sheds a lot and we use blankets to cover everything. Only problem with the huge tub is that I’m afraid of falling in and getting lost. No really, I wish I had purchased a front loader. I did buy the ice in the door water and ice and so far, I am happy with it. I just googled how to turn off the part that puts the ice into the bucket. I am the only person in the house so don’t use too much ice. I was hearing the ice machine trying to eject ice when the bucket was full. I figured that piece would get worn out, so I turned it off. Anyhow, thank you for your very informative articles!
We remodeled the kitchen in 2015 and moved the GE Profile Arctica to the family room next to the kitchen as I couldn’t justify getting rid of it. Good thing I did as the new Samsung ice in the door counter depth lasted only five and a half years. I replaced it with a counter depth GE. The old GE will be 21 years old this year and my small GE fridge for drinks on the porch by the pool will be 33 years old this year. GE for me for sure!!
My fridge is a 35 y/o Whirlpool Top Freezer. It has the condenser coil hanging off the back. It’s a frost-free design that has never had an issue. I service medical lab equipment including Cryostats. A Cryostat is a deep freezer with a microtome inside it. Old Cryostats made in the 70’s can still be found working perfectly in some places. Newer units have a lot more issues. Refrigerant leaks, and insulation breaking down are common problems, not to mention electronic issues.
I stumbled upon this gem of a article while searching for fridge reviews since mine has reached the end of its life at exactly 8 years (just like he said in the beginning!). This is exactly what I was looking for…what’s the most basic fridge that will just do the only job I want it to – reliably keep my food at a safe temperature! I guess my hunch was right that sticking to more basic models will give me less trouble, regardless of the brand, although GE sounds like a safe bet 👍🏼.
Never thought I would say this about a refrigerator, but I am madly in love with my six year old Fisher and Paykel counter depth fridge. No ice maker, no water dispenser. Just a great top fridge/bottom freezer appliance. Easy to clean glass shelves. Three pull out freezer drawers. Quiet. Cheap to operate. No, I DON’T WORK FOR THEM 🤣 lol
My husband was determined to get a Sub-Zero. I told him he was nuts. We got a refurbished one after we’d had a kitchen fire. Best money ever spent. We’ve likely saved the price of the refrigerator/freezer (side by side) in food that takes dramatically longer to spoil in the 8 years we’ve now had it. I’ve been stunned.
On our 4th fridge since 2010. First was a Samsung then 2 Kenmore Elite LGs. Went with a Whirlpool this time but the one you stood in front of at the beginning of your article, the french door with deli drawer and in door ice and water. Hope it wasn’t another mistake. Only had for a couple of days but the ice maker is super slow and has not made much ice yet.
Wow, the part where Ben talks about moving your fridge away from the wall and vacuuming out the coils in back, I’ve never done that, and I don’t know anyone who has. Four generations of my family live in the same house, and neither my parents nor grandparents ever did that or were told they should. The refrigerator that was in our single family home (before we bought a huge house and all moved in together) when I was growing up still works. It’s our beer fridge, out in the garage! I just checked, and it’s a Whirlpool. The back has never been vacuumed and brushed out. I guess we’ll have to start doing that, but it’s going to be gross, maybe done in phases (⊙_⊙)
I just started perusal your article, and I’ll just say that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Samsung refrigerator. I’m 74 and have had many fridges in the past, but not one of them comes even close to ours. It’s actually perfect in every way, and although we’ve only had it about 6 years, I expect it to last much longer. One thing I would never ever do is to get one with an icemaker. That’s crazy. A few ice cube trays work fine and dandy. EDIT: Too funny! I just reached your comments about ice makers and had to add that I agree with you 100%. Another EDIT: My Samsung fridge was made in South Korea- be careful what you say in your article. The reason why I picked the one I did is because the plastic parts inside are stronger and thicker than every other fridge I saw at Lowe’s.
Had a GE fridge with ice maker in the door and it had trouble making ice off and on. It was on the top left side of fridge with separate freezer on bottom. Had to watch the settings on the ice maker to get it to work. It was brand new when the problem started. Had a Kenmore fridge side by side stop working and cleaned the fan by vacuuming, and it started working again.
I remember going into Best Buy several years back to buy a washer & dryer. The salesperson asked me what I wanted it to do. I looked at him for a moment and said, “Well, I want the washer to wash my clothes and the dryer to dry them.” I ended out buying a simple top-load washer and simple dryer set that had an open box discount. Apparently it wasn’t “musical” enough for the previous owner. I still have mine. I wonder how many sets that other person has gone thru by now?
What an awesome website, my boyfriend calls me “The Appliance Queen” because my refrigerator is 38 years old, which just had its second repair from a wonderful place here in BURBANK called”save-on appliances, they fixed it once before five years ago and that was under $100, yes they are great and their prices are great but the bottom line is my old GE that is from the mid 80s is amazing. My washer and dryer are about 25 years ago and they are Maytag and they are amazing. The only repair I’ve ever had on the dryer is to replace the little mechanism that helps it stay closed because opening and closing of course for that many years makes it work out. And I don’t care how pretty all the new ones look these are amazing. I will keep them and keep them going as long as I can. I hope all these companies figure out that if they had their in-house repair and made it a decent price it would be worth it to make things that are truly repairable and make them with parts that are always going to be available they will still make money. There are so many people out there who need and use appliances I am just so glad that I made this purchase. I was a kid and we had an old Kelvinator kind you have to defrost and I think maybe the compressor went and my dad was kind of done with that whole thing. So he said let’s go to the local hardware store, which happened to be to do it center, they used to sell appliances he picked out a GE and I picked out a GE that had three drawers at the bottom. I’m one of those people that want more and he said OK you’re just started your first job if you want that one you have to kick in the extra hundred bucks for that, the best hundred bucks I ever spent 38 years it is running like a charm😊
Ben should get the award if there is an award for best article production providing quality and entertaining information on appliances. I watched his article, which allowed me to better shop and care for refrigerators. I have fast-forwarded it through other content providers on appliances but I felt like I needed a bag of popcorn perusal his article. Fantastic job, Ben!
Thank you for this. I’m finally trying to shop for a new refrigerator after my LG circuit board caught fire in July. The unit was only I my home 355 days, and LG refuses to honor the warranty period by refunding/replacing. I basically spent $1,500.00 to rent a refrigerator for less than a year. Neverminding the nearly $1,000 replacement value of food lost, the $400 of dry ice the rep told me would be reimbursed to try and save the food, and the added costs of having to eat out or shop daily, because we couldn’t have fresh foods in the house. Fortunately, I work for attorneys, because we’re trying to get a response for arbitration and expect it will be a lawsuit. Not only is the product awful, but the customer service and ethics of LG is sickening.
Agree 100% about the in-door ice dispenser. This latest house I bought came with one of those. My old refrigerator at the last place, had a modular ice maker that filled up a big gray in the freezer. t was perfect. It was kind of cheesy, and it broke down on me, once, but it was an easy remove-and-replace for about $100. The new fridge’s ice dispenser works OK, if you don’t mind a giant ice ball building up in the top, which I DO mind. You have to take that ice chunk out when it gets too big. Money down the drain.
So I was trying to understand your comments about the ice maker and I definitely understand. some of these French door fancy,,, refrigerators have a nice tunnel in the front of it it’s not just the temperature difference between the fridge and where the ice is made on the door, but you’re running components :electrical and water into the door that might be unnecessary complexity. As an an engineer who has studied electrical and computer systems complexity is the bane of reliability in many cases. what leads to both cars and appliances breaking down more often is complexity. But I’m curious does the advice hold for a another type of refrigerator that has the freezer and ice maker in one place together, whether it’s a freezer on top, or side by side? I know the Frigidaire that we’ve had in our house I’ve replaced the ice maker twice in it, and one of the reasons I’m buying a new fridge is because the ice maker has gone bad and a lot of the plastic components and seals around the door are Justin bad shape the spiders taken care of it and while I can get those parts many of them on the outer Market many of them are not inexpensive in part because of the bulk rather than the shipping weight. So I’ve decided it might be better to spend just a teeny bit more buy a new fridge to get a new warrantable refrigerator
Bought my first house in 1975. It came with a Kenmore fridge made in 1962, when the house was built. I took it with me when I moved in 1992. Finally sold that house in 2015. With the fridge still working. I found out about a year later that it was finally replaced by the owner. Because the house was in a hurricane and it got flooded.
What a great vid! The idea of 2 simple freezer tops with reversed doors was BRILLIANT! Not only that but if one does die you have a backup.. Just move everything over to the other side, much lower stress while you wait for the repairman/parts! I used to be in the airplane business. Back in the days when Boeing built the best airplanes around they had a company philosophy that simply read, “Simplicity = Reliability”. Every engineer at Boeing strove to keep everything as simple as possible in every aspect all the time. That is one of the reasons Boeing was a best seller in the airlines, they had the highest dispatch rates (dependability) and when they did they need fixing were quick and easy to repair. It was interesting to watch you teach us that same lesson that even Boeing has forgotten now!
Great vid. Warranty support is horrible. We bought a basic Frigidaire last summer, within 90 days the door plastic had broken where the shelf bar meets the door. Was told by Frigidaire that thats not covered because its “cosmetic” so now we have limited door storage. Will probably epoxy it in but its annoying that we replaced a 25 yr old fridge with this tinkertoy
I’m renting right now and the very basic freezer top fridge does a great job of freezing the ice in trays assuming the kids refill them. Someday I’ll have another side by side with ice in the door. I know they aren’t cool anymore but I like the layout and now I know that’s the best ice in-door option. It took me a while to realize I was perusal an add with the tablet front fridge. 😂
Awesome advice, just be advised you can extend the life of your old unit by making sure to keep the coils clean! I rescued 2 “oldies but goodies” that were making noise just by cleaning the coils! Use a strong vacuum nozzle plus aggressive brushing, the ones designed to scour the bottom of water heaters work well.
I’m so relieved that two years ago I didn’t buy a fridge with ice/water in the door. I didn’t know any of this, but I wanted the French doors with a freezer on the bottom, and I avoided the in-door features simply because I thought they took up too much space in the refrigerator. I have an ice maker in the freezer and a filtered water tap inside the fridge, and they work just fine. Hopefully, they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future!
Great article, very straightforward with helpful info. Our current fridge (came with the house) is a 20 year old GE side by side with a water/ice dispenser . I’ve managed to find the filters on Home Depots parts website, generic HD $12 each which is reasonable I think. I drink ice water ALL DAY when I’m at home . I love my ice!! LOL! So, a dispenser is important since it keeps me from opening the fridge 20 times a day. I love the look and open storage space of the French Doors with the ice dispensers, but I’ll probably stick with the side by side on the next one just due to the points you’ve made. We have a small “mini fridge” style freezer which helps with the freezer storage, especially frozen pizzas.
I wish the salesmen were 1/10th as helpful as you! Just bought a basic GE electric range in white and he couldn’t have been less interested. I should have left but it was exactly what I wanted, I had already done my research and I wanted to buy from our local small business versus the big box. So far I’m very happy with it. Anyway thanks for your very thorough articles!
Correct! We have the dreaded Samsung but bought it without the ice and water in the door knowing they breakdown. Friends of ours got rid of theirs after about three years and constant problems. Ours ran for seven years without a problem until the evil drainage hole blockage reared its ugly head. After having that recently repaired, we’ll see how long it lasts.
4 years ago I got rid of our 25 year old Whirlpool side by side with ice and water through the door, the only thing we had ever replaced on the fridge is the ice maker at about $100 . My wife wanted the new Samsung with all the bells and whistles and you know the rest of the story ? We started having problems after about 6 months and it continued until finally the extended warranty that we had paid us the cost of the fridge rather than continue to repair it .
My Whirlpool fridge I bought in spring of 2000 is still going strong. I credit the fact that at the time it was being manufactured in USA, it is very simple (I even pulled out the ice maker first thing because I hate how they always break and also take up space in the appliance), and it has always been pulled out and thoroughly cleaned every 6 months besides the regular vacuuming of the coils from under the front of the fridge. It also sits in a larger cavity, so it has excellent air circulation. I will need to get a different one when we remodel the kitchen, but I’m wary of replacing it now.
I’m disappointed that the in-door ice maker and water dispenser has so many points of failure. My current refrigerator doesn’t have those features and it’s something that I would love to have. BUT, I’m very glad I know that now! When my current fridge goes the way of the dodo, I would’ve definitely gotten a fridge with that in it and I’ll definitely be reconsidering now. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks, this gives me some things to think about. One thing to mention is our family got a Whirlpool in like 1998 that had ice and water dispenser that never had issues even to this day (other than changing the filter of course). I wonder which brand(s) resonate the most negative feedback according to ice and water dispensers having repeatable issues as mentioned in this. One thing to also think about is the sheer volume of consumers in Korea that solely goes through LG and Samsung and their feedback.