Time for a new refrigerator
 

We bought a Samsung french door refrigerator about three years ago and during the last year I have come to hate it. Ice gets under the tray in the freezer and causes the unit to rattle or glass touches in the top part and the thing rattles. Then, about two months ago the fan in the top started making a loud noise so I researched the problem and found it was probably caused by an ice build up around the fan. So, I emptied the refrigerator and pulled out the shelves. Then I removed the back panel and the fan was iced up. I used my wife's hair dryer to thaw the thing out, thoroughly dried it and put everything back together. The unit worked fine until two days ago when the fan started making the same noise. Finally it froze up completely causing the top part of the refrigerator to warm up. So, today I took everything out and defrosted the fan area again.
Hopefully it will last another month or two to give me time to look for a new one.
And that brings me to my question; what refrigerator do you have and do you like it? My wife definitely wants to get another french door one. But, if it were up to me I would consider a side by side.
Here's a picture I took today after removing the back panel. This buildup took less than two months. the fan sits in the recession next to the ice.

I have only bought 3 refrigerators since 1976. All 3 have been Whirlpool top freezer and bottom refrigerator style. None have been top of the line (without water/ice dispensers in the door). I am probably due for another one in the next 5 years or so. I would not buy any other brand or style based on my past experience.

Yeah that doesn't happen anymore. Now a days you are a charmed person if you get 10 years. I got 8 years out of my $2800.00 Jenn-Air and the tech was amazed.

So this time I spent $1500.00 on a Frigidaire. The way I see it, for 3 grand I get 16 years.

The tech and all the good appliance stores all said Samsung refrigerators were junk. Their washers are good.

They also said to stay away from the ones with video screens. The only thing they are good for is amusing the kids and shortens the life.

I bought an LG and it almost made 4 years, when it died we did a complete suite of appliances from Maytag, much better than the LG. Better design, stronger bins etc.

I have a Whirlpool, compressor went out in the first 6 months. They warrantied it but the tech who fixed it said the new frigs have got just enough freon in them to work. You may want have freon checked.

My GE refrigerator is 19 years old. Occasionally, the heater defrost element burns out and it gets the ice build-up shown in the OP's post. Easy $12 fix. I actually keep a spare heater defrost part on hand. Someone once told me most refrigerator problems are due to 1) the heater defrost element, 2) the thermostat, or 3) the timer. All inexpensive and easy repairs.

Replace a top of the line Whirlpool(9 years old) with a Kenmore top mount( no ice or water) three years ago. Haven’t had a minute’s trouble with it. Our best frig? A thirty year old Sears ColdSpot(made by Whirlpool) that we bought from a retired Army Master Sergeant when we lived outside Ft. Campbell. That was in 1997. It finally “died” in 2009 after too many voltage surges “fried” the temp controllers( no spares available). It was 42 years old.

I think the thing to do would be to find a fridge from the 1960s or even earlier, refurb it as required, and run it. Those things back then would run just about forever. ;) My parents had a Westinghouse they bought in about 1942, it was still running strong when we sold the house in the mid 1990s after they had passed away. I didn't have all the features of today's refrigerators and it probably wasn't as energy efficient, but it was built like a brick outhouse.

I’ve had good luck with Samsung’s. Never a problem. The one in my garage is at least 17 years old

Change the defrost terminator first. If that does not fix it, check the heater coil for continuity , then change the control board.

Bought our first GE when it was 10 years old, still working 10 years later when we got a Kenmore (Sears) ... that last 10 years, still working when we sold it, got another Kenmore (probably one of the last from Sears) still working about 8 years now ... had some problems with the defrost ... I searched the internet and found the "secret codes" for triggering various functions like defrost etc. manually. Have to do that now and then during hot humid weather.

Fridges can be fixed, almost every problem they have is some ancillary system with relatively cheap parts, the sealed compressors will last a very long time. Problem is ... down time ... typically the wife is not interested in you spending a couple of week diagnosing and fixing the fridge, she just wants it to work NOW .... so off the store.

Currently running a Whirlpool “Gold” side by side. Noisy. The ice maker is in the door, which has caused problems on and off in the 10 years we’ve had it. Based on the noise alone, I’ll look at another brand next time.

We had a high dollar GE and all the water and ice maker lines disintegrated after 7 years. Never again will I buy their crap. Have a Bosch now which was purchased based on noise ratings. So far so good.

Don

Stunningly bad designs have come out for Fridge, Dishwasher, & Clothes Washer/Dryer...!!!

I recommend Frigidaire Fridg.

Our new home purchase has Samsung Fridge & Dishwasher. SOFT-Keys under a Hard plastic!!!
1st thing I did was remove the Ice Maker, Added shelves there from ebay., Bought Ice Cube Trays.
Now it is a brain-dead Freezer & Fridge (good to go).

Dishwasher....avoid the SOFT-KEY "DOOR Lock" models "child-proof" say what?! we lost power and the DW door locked shut upon re-power! Internet-based 3-finger salute unlocks it. Gotta update to an old Kitchenaid or GE.

HSV AL home had the Samsung Washer & Dryer: we soooo lucked-out, they worked fine, but the Internet is full of failure modes.
New home has new GE Washer & Dryer with KNOBS.

And what's with this noise crap? I remember when the only thing you "barely" heard was the motor. Refrigerators today are like a bowl of cereal... SNAP... CRACKLE.... POP! And they manage to make the most noise in the middle of the night. A few weeks ago I woke up at 4 in the morning to what I though was someone trying to get into the back door. :mad:

daduck said 3 refrigerators since 1976. That's 44 years, or about 15 years per fridge (his current one is still running, so it may be 16 or more years average).

My KitchenAid (manufactured by Whirlpool) side by side with ice and water in the door is 15 years old purchased new when we built our house in 2005. By your standards I must lead a very charmed life.

All my other appliances (wall over, cooktop, MW, dishwasher - all KItchenAid except the cooktop) are still the original ones installed when we built the house.

Your tech that was amazed doesn't get to work on the refrigerators that last 15+ years.

When a 15+ year old fridge dies (or other major appliance), most people simply decide it's time for a new one anyway.

Our Kitchenaid frig is 15 years old. Kitchenaid dishwasher is 25 years old. Frigidaire oven is 20 years old. Quasar microwave is 38 years old.

I do repair them when they need it, but all work as good as new.

Samsung owner here and I would NOT recommend. 3 years ago bought an entire suite of appliances when I remodeled our kitchen. 3 months after the warranty expired the 'fridge went up. Did the same as the OP has posted. Tech came out, took the back off and cleaned the coils, and added more insulation. He said 'they all have problems and the factory doesn't put in enough insulation'. Been over a year and it has been working fine.
I dont think any appliance made today is worthwhile and will last like they have in the past. For a wedding present my gave us a maytag washer and dryer. That set lasted almost 30 years. We are on our 3 set since.

I just replaced a Maytag Wide-By-Side refrigerator after 16 years. I got tired of replacing defrost modules, and the door was completely rotted out where the opening for the ice and water dispenser is located. Replaced it with a stainless Samsung. After a year, it's been fine.

LG stuff from my experience is Largely Garbage. Samsung microwave had the handle break off. Common problem. Replacement part is worse design. I made one from some leftover aluminum parts.

French doors? does that mean you have to lick them for it to open? :)