Refrigerator brands and longevity
- Thread starter JKalchik
- Start date
The entire icemaker unit (not just the pull out drawer) was replaced under warranty due to to the circulation fan locking up solid due to condensation, along with a slight fill line re-route. That didn't work, it continued to frost over, albeit at a longer interval. The refrigerator compartment.... that's also not an uncommon issue. Among other things, these units can be very sensitive to fore/aft leveling.
We just bought a new KitchenAid side by side. It replaces a slightly larger KA that was only 10 years old. Sadly, fridges are getting taller than the 70" opening we have and unless we remodel the cabinetry we have no choice but to accept a slightly smaller cubic footage. First world problem...we'll make it work.
The bigger problem was the one we replaced. It worked great until it started cycling on and off weirdly two months ago. It would try to start up, beep and suddenly stop, then try to start up again. It would do this twice, sometimes four times, sometimes six times, but would eventually run fine. Seems this model had a notoriously bad control board that's no longer made and requires that you send it out for diagnostics and repair. Easy if this is a backup fridge, not so much if your primary kitchen fridge. As one that doesn't like to be caught in a lurch and prefers to nip problems in the bud, we replaced it.
The new KA has some nice features like striking LED lighting, easier access to the water filter, and measured water dispensing. It's very quiet when running, which is a common complaint about new fridges. On the downside, the water solenoid is very loud when dispensing, the icemaker makes a small amount of tiny square cubes, the shelves and bins are more cheaply made than in the previous model, and you're limited to fixed spots where shelves attach, rather than a perforated track system like before.
We also considered a comparable Bosch side by side, but there were so many complaints about the extremely noisy icemaker motor and ice flying out of the dispenser all over the floor that we passed on that one.
The bigger problem was the one we replaced. It worked great until it started cycling on and off weirdly two months ago. It would try to start up, beep and suddenly stop, then try to start up again. It would do this twice, sometimes four times, sometimes six times, but would eventually run fine. Seems this model had a notoriously bad control board that's no longer made and requires that you send it out for diagnostics and repair. Easy if this is a backup fridge, not so much if your primary kitchen fridge. As one that doesn't like to be caught in a lurch and prefers to nip problems in the bud, we replaced it.
The new KA has some nice features like striking LED lighting, easier access to the water filter, and measured water dispensing. It's very quiet when running, which is a common complaint about new fridges. On the downside, the water solenoid is very loud when dispensing, the icemaker makes a small amount of tiny square cubes, the shelves and bins are more cheaply made than in the previous model, and you're limited to fixed spots where shelves attach, rather than a perforated track system like before.
We also considered a comparable Bosch side by side, but there were so many complaints about the extremely noisy icemaker motor and ice flying out of the dispenser all over the floor that we passed on that one.
Ran into this problem when we bought the Samsung. As the old refrigerator was completely dead, and it's a fairly small cubbyhole, I pulled the 2 cabinets down (and was reminded why some people should NOT have access to tools....) painted the wall to match, and moved the cabinets up 4 or 5 inches.
I think just about every appliance with the exception of ovens have gone over completely to bright white LED illumination.
We flat out refused to look at anything with through-door water and ice dispensers. Yeah, I know, I have to open the door to get water, and open the freezer to get ice. Pretty much every appliance tech I've talked to said the through-door stuff is their single biggest source of revenue.
Mike Cout
TVWBB Member
We're on our second Samsung french door fridge. I honestly don't have a whole lot of issues with the fridge itself, but their customer service is probably the worst I've ever encountered. After about 3 months of getting the new fridge we noticed the ice cream in the freezer was starting to get a little soft, ice started melting quickly. Started monitoring temps in the fridge and freezer with my FireBoard. Called the service dept of the local place we got the fridge, guy comes in and I pulled up the FireBoard logs. He looks at it for about 15 seconds and goes you have a refrigerant leak. Then asks what i was using to monitor and probably went and ordered a FireBoard from his van. Said it saved him 1-2 hours of troubleshooting just to be able to see the way it was cycling.
Anyway, long story short, got in contact with Samsung, they sent a tech out, didn't do sealed systems, sent another tech out, said it was the main board. After about 3 months of techs coming out Samsung agreed to refund or replace. We chose refund (our local appliance guy said take it and run if they actually offer it to you), sent all the documentation they asked for. Another couple months goes by with us checking in, and finally Samsung states that they never agreed to a refund and they'll have to send a tech out to look at it again. Tech comes, he finally agrees with the original local guy that it's a refrigerant leak, start the process of replacement. It took about a year to finally get a new fridge in the house, and strangely enough the new one feels even cheaper than the old one when it comes to some of the drawers and whatnot. The entire time I was thankful that we had an upright freezer in the basement, because the one on the fridge was completely unusable the entire time. Apparently when there's an issue the fridge will prioritize keeping the refrigerator portion cold and just give up on the freezer.
So, I will never buy another Samsung, because it's just not worth the headache if something does go wrong. I'm lucky enough that our local guy is a friend of a friend, and has absolutely no issues matching the prices found anywhere around. We even left his place to head to Lowe's to shop, and went back and said this is what we want, he had it delivered to us 3 days later.
timothy
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
That's odd because all cabinets are made for a 6' (72") opening.
Cabinets come in two different total heights.
Either you have a 7' height with a 12" upper or a 8' height with a 24" upper.
Makes me think the contractor installed the cabinets before the finish floor ( cabinets should be installed after the floor)
And maybe you remodeled and added another layer of floor?
Tim
Or, you have a situation like me.... probably the biggest is where someone should not have access to tools.... Or, like my refrigerator cubbyhole, which has a small 1' or so wide counter height cabinet on the left, and about 48" of cabinets over the refrigerator. There's nothing except the refrigerator to dictate mounting height for the upper cabinets. This leaves a small counter that seems just about right for a toaster, or maybe a coffee maker (but not both.) Ceiling height isn't a problem, kitchen, dining room and living room have a cathedral ceiling, and the refrigerator cubby backs up to the peak height in the middle of the space.
It's odd, alright. The opening is 70" x 36". The height of the top cabinet is 25.5" from ceiling to bottom edge. I assume the cabinets are sitting directly on the slab foundation. The previous owner removed the original vinyl flooring and replaced with tile, but it's not 2" thick tile!
![IMG_0087[1].JPG](https://tvwbb.com/data/attachments/4/4178-6adf9e011e9a675e2148c6bfeedd1aae.jpg "IMG_0087[1].JPG")
![IMG_0084[1].JPG](https://tvwbb.com/data/attachments/4/4179-842922f1ba52617996f34f7e94de8302.jpg "IMG_0084[1].JPG")
timothy
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Well like I posted there are certain rules we follow. 7' or 8' to the top of the cabinets depending on the package ordered.
You get into remods or DIY stuff and who knows.
Tim
Yes, you would have a far more difficult time moving those cabinets up, having to match to the other cabinets and the vertical divider. All I had to do was move out the refrigerator for space to work, empty the cabinets, then find all of the screws somebody had put in (in a lame/vain attempt to stabilize,) then lift the 2 cabinets off the wall-mounted cleat.
timothy
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
That's a taller cabinet then most, must be a custom because a 24" is the norm.
Tim
No argument, Tim. I don't have adjacent cabinets or finishes to match, and there's a fairly large separation with the rest of the cabinets. You might be able to tell they're not set right (you probably could tell that before I moved them....) nobody else has noticed since I lifted them, not even the contractor who replaced the windows here 2 years ago. He noticed more than a few things he suggested could have been done better, that just wasn't one of them.
timothy
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
LMichaels
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Or something like I discovered at my house. The builder was/is a total nincompoot. He builds really bad stuff but oddly manages to use good materials yet puts it together so badly and haphazardly the house is just awful. So I discovered that it had been a model "spec" home. Apparently they wanted to show it with a different color floor and semi (1/2) finished basement. Well the electrical work I have been discovering in the basement would make you shudder. I have found live electrical wires taped off with nothing but some scotch type tape. My kitchen floor is layer of vinyl, than another layer of plywood and another layer of vinyl so my floor is nearly 1" too high.
Ooofff. Ended up replacing a pull switch a couple of years ago for my g/f's [now retired] coworker. Discovered that the bedroom at the front of the house shared a breaker with the kitchen at the back of the house. The house is a century old, I shudder to think f what else is waiting to be found in the electrical system.
I'd be making note of that contractor.... and ensuring I NEVER used them for anything. And politely passed word.
Jeff Boudman
TVWBB Wizard
Lowe’s dropped off our new refrigerator yesterday. It’s really nice except for the 6 inch scratch on the door by the handle. Also, when they hooked up the ice maker there was a leak at the hookup. The guy took a picture and told me to show it to someone at Lowe’s and they’d have the part I needed to fix the problem. The guy in plumbing was knowledgeable and helpful and spent 15 minutes talking to me. He said he had no idea
what the guy was talking about. I got the same response from the guyi in appliances.
Oh well, they’re supposed to bring a new refrigerator tomorrow. The guy who attached the ice maker hose told me they would just swap doors. I hope he’s right about that.
what the guy was talking about. I got the same response from the guyi in appliances.
Oh well, they’re supposed to bring a new refrigerator tomorrow. The guy who attached the ice maker hose told me they would just swap doors. I hope he’s right about that.
Jeff, did you get a look at the box/crate before it was removed? I've been fortunate with appliance delivery, I've never had a damaged packaging issue to deal with (and that'd more likely be "Stop while I make a phone call.")
As far as the hookup leak goes.... compression fittings are a bit finicky. it's pretty easy to either under tighten or over tighten the fitting. Over tighten it and you've also damaged the compression ring. Homer Depot told me that a shutoff valve was required behind the refrigerator, or the delivery crew would not connect it. I did purchase the "mandatory" line kit which should not be necessary here. I found the proper shutoff valve on the shelf at Menard's that connected right to the end of the copper line flare fitting, so that should satisfy the delivery crew.
As far as the hookup leak goes.... compression fittings are a bit finicky. it's pretty easy to either under tighten or over tighten the fitting. Over tighten it and you've also damaged the compression ring. Homer Depot told me that a shutoff valve was required behind the refrigerator, or the delivery crew would not connect it. I did purchase the "mandatory" line kit which should not be necessary here. I found the proper shutoff valve on the shelf at Menard's that connected right to the end of the copper line flare fitting, so that should satisfy the delivery crew.
LMichaels
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
On a happy note I scored a small upright freezer from Sam's Wednesday. Not a bad little unit. Thompson brand. Not fancy but it gets CCCCOOOOOLD. I am using it for the meats I am buying and having wife vacuum pack. I think I hit upon why I was having so much bad luck with the Food Saver. I had never read before that they recommend you freeze the items open on a tray to dry them out a bit and allow them to not change shape under vacuum. We did that and we have some VERY nicely packaged beef, pork and chicken. Even a catfish fillet or two. Going to maybe buy either another prime strip loin (since strips are wife's fav steak) or another prime packer tenderloin (her other fav). Also maybe another pack or 3 of some boneless short ribs. Very versatile. I can smoke them, grind them to burger and so on. And maybe some prime top sirloin. I do a coarse grind on that for my Bolognese Just enough fat for flavor but lean enough it does not leave "grease" in my gravy. (yes we true Italians call it gravy only marinara is called sauce) 
Jeff Boudman
TVWBB Wizard
They took the box off in the truck.
A friend came over and fixed the leak. The guy from Lowe’s must have loosened the nut when he changed the fittings.
They should be here in 20 minutes with the new refrigerator.