Fridge getting old.......REALLY old


 
LMichaels

LMichaels

TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
Just pondering this. My kitchen fridge while still running (I think pretty well), is an old simple Amana bottom freezer with ice maker. No dispensers or anything. It's from 2006. Making it about 18-19 years old. Very old by modern fridge standards being typically they only last 10-12 years.
Every day when I hear a loud popping noise or what have you emanate I get the feeling of "impending doom". So, I am researching replacements through Costco. But, OTOH I can't help but wonder should I be risking this thing much longer or plan for a replacement very soon. The ice maker is working sporadically and while an easy fix they're not available anymore. I replaced it many years ago, IIRC in 2010. So honestly it's amazing it is still at least "mostly" working.
If it just dies, I don't know how quickly or if I can save the food in it and the freezer under it. (even though I do have a newer second fridge in my basement), it's a small one. And given the lead time to have a new one delivered can be an "issue".
Part of me says ride this out until it's DOA, another part says order a new one now, while I can still get $50 for it from Communist Edison under their working appliance "by back" program.
Thoughts here?
 
I’m in the same boat. Bought our LG in 2008. It had few issue but it’s 16 years old. My preference is to replace prior to a DOA situation. Home Depot will haul old one away for $50. I plan to do that.

Ir you can get 50 bucks, I vote take it. It’ll cost a lot more if you lose the contents. During the 2017 Tubbs fire, my son’s power was off for several days. We put bowls of dry ice in it and it kept it cold for the duration.

I’ve so far looked at several replacement candidates including LG, GE, and Bosch. I would prefer to not spend a bunch of money as I do not want, WiFi, camera, dual use drawers etc.
 
NEVER EVER SAMSUNG. IMO, major design errors. LG isn't much better.

At the moment, we have a Bosch, and it looks like the follow-on models are now available through Costco. Gotta say that the vegetable drawer really keeps produce fresh for far longer than I'd expect.
 
Oh, one other thing..... pretty much every appliance repairman I've talked says to avoid through door water & ice dispensers. Repairing issues with leaky seals, etc. is sort of their bread & butter.
 
Ice maker/water dispenser in the door is a must for us. Our dispenser has survived 16 years with no issues. While hope is most often not a good plan, I am hoping history repeats itself….
 
My Samsung just died and I’m not sorry. I replaced it with a GE French door with bottom freezer. Not fancy but I don’t want fancy. Hope it lasts longer than the Samsung.
 
We purchased ours April 2007; we've never had one die in 10-12 years. My current mode of thinking is to react when it dies; we have a spare in the basement for overflow and two Sons live within 1/4 mile away, so we'll squeeze our items in one way or another :p.

The one feature that has been on my mind for a while--which I'll explore when the time comes--is a unit with dual evaporators.

Good luck!
 
Been pondering the "brand" issue myself. My new research is showing that apparently Samsung has seen the errors of it's ways with the controversial compressor it had. LG has not. So right now I think LG would be off my list. Sadly Bosch as well is coming off my list, because their models are now made in Mexico and China. Whirlpool also, now China/Mexico none in the US. Oddly GE has SOME US made ones so I'll be perusing them. In addition to the newer Samsung models which repair people are now giving high marks to (as long as not equipped with ice/water dispenser in the door). Which really is pretty much shocking me. But then the new freezer I bought about a year ago is a Samsung and it's working flawlessly and VERY quietly.
So my brand list is becoming quite short. My must haves are pretty simple. bottom freezer, plenty of well laid out space in fridge and freezer, a GOOD ice maker (and here again repair people are giving VERY high marks to Samsung) for their very simple, yet highly functional ice makers and the special freezer drawer for frequently accessed freezer items.
But, again a lot depends on what will fit as I have a quite limited opening width wise. Height wise and depth no issues.
Oddly in looking at Samsung's new "Bespoke" line (again receiving very high marks from techs), they come in various sizes but what changes is the depth more than anything.
 
Google LG linear compressor class actions...yes more than one. They're still selling the same design. We had a less than 2 years old side xside LG when we moved into our current home 4 years ago. It failed 3 months after we moved in. We replaced it with the same model Whirlpool side x side we have in our beach house. Aside from a wonky ice maker which was replaced under warranty, they're about as solid as you can hope for. Costco delivery, removal and installation was very good. The extra year warranty from Costco is good too.
Avoid French door as they are prone to the most problems with the ice maker positioned in the refrigerator portion.

This guy sums things up well.

 
Actually I am looking at French door models (but without ice maker in the door) as these are the most problematic. That is the guy speaking highly of the new Samsung products BTW. Sadly if LG could sort out their QC issues on the linear compressor they would be really nice designs. Theoretically they should be the most reliable things going. Sadly they're not. Apparently Samsung has ditched that design type. Going instead to a more conventional design
 
We had a Kitchen Aid French door in our previous home. It was their top of the line model with the red inserts in the handles. We didn't have any problems with it but we only had 4 years before we moved and I've read that model is plagued with problems. It had a lot of mostly useless features. GE, Frigidaire and Whirlpool have the best parts availability from my research. We've just had poor luck with Samsung and LG with the exception of LG laundry appliances.
 
Mark Foreman said:
Ice maker/water dispenser in the door is a must for us.
Click to expand...
Its a must for us also the primary reason we have stayed away from French Doors. My GE Profile counter depth has lasted 12 years I have replaced one ice maker in that time like many other companies there was an issue with the water line freezing when dispensing water which after a google search put a piece of styro the lid from a cooler taped to the back of the water/ice dispenser inside the freezer problem solved. Apparantly it was lack of insulation and GE was not the only brand who had that issue.

My back is not what it used to be and I also did not want to bend down everytime I wanted something out of the freezer but I know plenty of people with French Doors who like them it just does not work for us.
 
Brian B Atlanta said:
Its a must for us also the primary reason we have stayed away from French Doors. My GE Profile counter depth has lasted 12 years I have replaced one ice maker in that time like many other companies there was an issue with the water line freezing when dispensing water which after a google search put a piece of styro the lid from a cooler taped to the back of the water/ice dispenser inside the freezer problem solved. Apparantly it was lack of insulation and GE was not the only brand who had that issue.

My back is not what it used to be and I also did not want to bend down everytime I wanted something out of the freezer but I know plenty of people with French Doors who like them it just does not work for us.
Click to expand...
We didn't like the bottom freezer on the French door...a giant drawer where you had to dig through everything on top and bend way down looking for things. Side x side it's all pretty much right in front of you. Ice and water through the door is a must for us too.
 
We bought a new LG for the new house. Love it.

It makes craft ice (round), ice chips (small squares) regular in the door ice cubes and crushed ice.

So far it’s holding temps very well. It’s super quiet. Has programable energy saving features.

And it’s their new motor type, not the one that some people had issues with.

Bought it at Costco, on sale. Very happy with Costco appliances. They’ve been my goto for a while now. And I see no reason to switch.

31 cu. ft. Smart Standard-Depth MAX™ French Door Refrigerator with Four Types of Ice (LRYXS3106S)

Shop the 31 cu. ft. Smart Standard-Depth MAX™ French Door Refrigerator with Four Types of Ice (LRYXS3106S). Discover LG's Reliable Technology.
www.lg.com www.lg.com

We got it for the sale price plus a free 6 cu ft fridge/freezer. Yup, free. Costco runs great sales.
 
Yeah, I really hate side by sides. Both pieces are too narrow to get anything into. That Samsung is one of the ones I'll be looking into. I don't mind the bottom freezer since going in the freezer is not nearly as often as in the fridge. What I like on some of those Samsung models is the drawer for freezer items frequently accessed like the ice and stuff. The design just seems so sensible
 
LMichaels said:
I don't mind the bottom freezer since going in the freezer is not nearly as often as in the fridge.
Click to expand...
Well this is why you pick your poison on either design. With a ice/water dispenser on the side by side I don't need to go into the freezer at all unless I need something out of it which since there is only 2 of us not often nor is their any difficulty fitting items in the refrigerator section big stuff on the door, 3 drawers for deli meat, produce and can't remember what the heck the other one is for.

There is no wrong or right answer its what is your family use for some like myself its side by side we have to have the ice/water dispenser on the door we use it every day for others that is no concern. Samsung on their French Door models years ago tried the ice/water dispenser on the door it was basically a disaster. The LG that Brett posted appears to do what Samsung did meaning both if I understood the specs hopefully they have better luck than Samsung had remains to be seen.
 
I just went through this with our 2009 Kitchenaid french door fridge - I noticed freezer temp increasing but fridge temp holding setpoint

What was happening was the digital controls would operate the fan to maintain fridge temp at expense of freezer temp. It gradually got worse but never to the point where the freezer section thawed. I had the advantage of a digital control and display as well as a home energy monitor that “found” a new motor.

The new motor was the compressor capacitor/starter relay that would overload and try again until it started. It progressively got worse until I replaced both capacitor and relay for about $60 and now I have a working fridge instead of a $2000 replacement. I also now have the signature of a bad start on the compressor so I can troubleshoot and repair immediately

For those without an energy monitor - watch freezer temp and proceed with diagnosis

Whirlpool Corp has consistently used Embraco compressors which are conventional design (I just acquired a top freezer whirlpool made in 2016 that uses same compressor with similar signature and energy use). My parents had an LG with linear compressor which failed and they had problems getting someone to perform warranty service - ironically our new LG all in one washer with heatpump uses a conventional scroll compressor

Hope this helps
Ray
 

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