| robrecht |
OK, all you smart consumers out there, what's the Acura MDX of refrigerators?
According to my wife, who apparently has a previously undisclosed degree in refrigeration engineering and heat transfer dynamics, our 17-year-old model is probably not worth repairing.:31:
I'm assuming I want to get the biggest, most energy efficient model that we can afford. Our opening is 69.25" x 37.24". My own homemaking expertise leads me to believe that side by side dual door units seem to waste internal space as do ice and water dispensers in the door, although I do like the idea of crushed ice. How should we measure energy efficiency?
Oh yeah, white's the best color, right?
Any recommendations? Thanks in advance! |
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| msu79gt82 |
| I'm pleased with our side-by-side black (color has to match the other kitchen appliances) GE Profile. Not sure how you can truly measure energy efficiency apart from the yellow stickers; can't really take it out of your utility bill. |
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| nwaring |
We have a Maytag side-by-side and have been very disappointed. It was new in 99 and we have enjoyed the company of the repairman 4 times. All have been major with a whole new icemaker and the internal parts controlling the defrost being the biggest. For some reason I actually paid for an extended warranty (usually don't) and it hasn't cost us any out-of-pocket. As far as a side-by-side we probably wouldn't do that again either. We actually have a full size refrigerator, freezer on top, in the garage to put things like litters of pop and pizza boxes.
Niles |
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| hammermdx |
| We have a GE and have had no problems with it. I think the "Acura" of all fridges might be the Sub-Zero line. |
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| DaleB |
Unless you are into the ULTRA series of any particular esoteric brand, I have found Sears Kenmore to offer a range and variety that is hard to beat and will match any feature that is important to you.
Of course they sell other brands too, and always have excellent customer service. At least that has always been my experience. |
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| TheWorm |
SubZero's definitely the top-of-the-line, but maybe the BMW of refridgerators based on repair costs :)
We've had a Kenmore for 8 yrs or so and it has been flawless. We just bought new "other" appliances and while killing time I noticed there are a wide range of Kenmores (and the Kenmore Elites) that are well priced and well featured compared to other brands. They had a "garage model" that looked like a Craftsman toolbox -- I thought that one was pretty neat!
The salespeeps @ Sears usually know who's actually making the particular model so you can compare prices and check Consumers Reports if you're so inclined.
Color should match your other appliances, unless they're 70's avocado ;)
I'm personally not a fan of side-by-sides (space efficiency); IMO the ones with the freezers on the bottom and fridge on top are the best ergonomic design. |
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| phins2rt |
| We bought a side-by-side, ice/water in 96 and have replaced almost every major component (some under warranty). One more problem and it is gone! I would stick with Whirlpool/Kenmore. Good luck! |
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| rvehock |
| Take a look at KitchenAid, we just upgraded our kitchen and we are very happy with them. |
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| xfactor |
quote:
Originally posted by msu79gt82
I'm pleased with our side-by-side black (color has to match the other kitchen appliances) ...
Ditto regarding the GE profile side by side. (Stainless steel version):29: |
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| rerodgers |
I used to work for GE and they make good refrigirators. The GE Profile line is very good, but might be a little pricey. I recently moved and just purchased a Kenmore Eilte. Kenmore appliances are all made my manufactures like Maytag, GE, Whirlpool, etc depending on the appliance. Sears does a very good job of beating up their suppliers on price and changing/adding features that are unique to the Kenmore brand.
The Kenmore elite refrig is made by Whirlpool and is severl hundred dollars less than the comparable Whirlpool model. I check several review sites and the Sear Kenmore refrig's all get very good reviews.
I suggest you check our Sears. They are currently running promotions of 10% of and no interest for a year plus other discounts if you buy more than one appliance.
:4: |
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| robrecht |
Thanks, everyone, it's all very helpful.
Just thought of an important criteria. I'm taking along some Chardonnay & Belgian beer bottles to make sure they fit well in the door (unlike our current fridge)! :7: |
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| XStatic |
quote:
Originally posted by xfactor
Ditto regarding the GE profile side by side. (Stainless steel version):29:
I got the same one. One criteria I had was the shelves slide in, not mounted to a rail in the back. I highly recommend the fridge overall, love the temp controls, the quick defrost/quick chill drawer, etc. I am not overly pleased with the icemaker though. It works fine, but it doesn't move all the ice through and is difficult to get out a handful instead of through the door. When You do grab some from the top you end up with shriveled up old cubes that have been through several defrost cycles.
My parents went for the subzero and it has been nothing but trouble. Its ice maker was poorly designed and it has such a long chute that you can't put glass under the dispenser as the high speed cubes will break the glass. They have had several other repair issues as well. |
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| wmquan |
Here's some Consumer Reports comments:
quote:
Top-freezer and bottom-freezer fridges generally give you more for your money than their side-by-side siblings--and cost less to run.
If you're shopping for a new refrigerator, you're probably considering models that are fancier than your current fridge. The trend is toward spacious models with flexible, more efficiently used storage space. Useful features such as spillproof, slide-out glass shelves and temperature-controlled compartments, once only in expensive refrigerators, are now practically standard in midpriced models. Stainless-steel doors are a stylish but costly extra. Built-in refrigerators appeal to people who want to customize their kitchens, but they're expensive. Some mainstream models offer a built-in-style look for less.
Replacing an aging refrigerator may save you in electric bills, since refrigerators are more energy efficient now than they were a decade ago. The Department of Energy toughened its rules in the early 1990s and imposed even stricter requirements in July 2001 for this appliance, which is the among the top electricity users in the house.
quote:
Only a handful of companies actually manufacture refrigerators. The same or very similar units may be sold under several brand names. Frigidaire, General Electric, Kenmore, and Whirlpool account for about three-quarters of top-freezer sales. For side-by-side models, these brands and Maytag account for more than 80 percent of sales. Brands offering bottom-freezers include Amana, GE, Jenn-Air, Kenmore, KitchenAid, LG, Maytag, Samsung, and Whirlpool. Mainstream manufacturers have introduced high-end sub-brands such as GE Profile and Kenmore Elite. Six brands specialize in built-ins: Sub-Zero, Viking, GE Monogram, Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, and Thermador. Amana, GE, Jenn-Air, Kenmore, KitchenAid, LG and Whirlpool offer built-in-style, or "cabinet-depth" models. LG and Samsung, brands new to the U.S. market, offer side-by-side, top-freezer, and bottom-freezer types.
For reliability, getting an icemaker zooms up the incidence of repair (but I like the feature and wouldn't buy a fridge without it). According to their stats on top or bottom freezer units, Whirlpool and Kenmore tend to have the lowest frequency of repair, while GE and Maytag tend to be among the highest (though SubZero is by far the worst). For side-by-side units, Whirpool is the best, followed by KitchenAid, GE, and Kenmore. Maytag, SubZero, and Frigidaire do the worse for the side-by-sides.
The February 2004 issue has a bewildering array of 49 models tested! 5 were judged to be "Best Buys:" Kenmore 7398[2] top-freezer unit, Maytag Plus MBB2254GE[W] and Kenmore (Sears) 7283[2] bottom-freezer units, and GE GSS25JFP[WW] and Kenmore (Sears) 5350[2] side-by-side units. However, the two side-by-sides are 70". In fact, all but 2 or 3 of the 15 side-by-sides they tested were 70" or 71". That may make a side-by-side prohibitive for your kitchen, I'm afraid. |
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| robrecht |
quote:
Originally posted by wmquan
Here's some Consumer Reports comments:
For reliability, getting an icemaker zooms up the incidence of repair (but I like the feature and wouldn't buy a fridge without it). According to their stats on top or bottom freezer units, Whirlpool and Kenmore tend to have the lowest frequency of repair, while GE and Maytag tend to be among the highest (though SubZero is by far the worst). For side-by-side units, Whirpool is the best, followed by KitchenAid, GE, and Kenmore. Maytag, SubZero, and Frigidaire do the worse for the side-by-sides.
The February 2004 issue has a bewildering array of 49 models tested! 5 were judged to be "Best Buys:" Kenmore 7398[2] top-freezer unit, Maytag Plus MBB2254GE[W] and Kenmore (Sears) 7283[2] bottom-freezer units, and GE GSS25JFP[WW] and Kenmore (Sears) 5350[2] side-by-side units. However, the two side-by-sides are 70". In fact, all but 2 or 3 of the 15 side-by-sides they tested were 70" or 71". That may make a side-by-side prohibitive for your kitchen, I'm afraid.
Thanks, wmquan! I think we're going with freezer on top. But you never know once the salesman gets a hold of the wife in the show room.
The icemaker repair issue makes me think. Seems I've never owned a refrigerator in which the ice-maker didn't have problems eventually. A salesman told my wife that they can add an ice-maker to any model. Perhaps it would be easier down the road to replace an "after-market" ice-maker rather than repair one that was pre-installed??? OTOH, I'm assuming that "after-market" ice-makers take up more space.
Any IIHS or NHTSA crash tests on refrigerators? :7: |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by robrecht
.
The icemaker repair issue makes me think. Seems I've never owned a refrigerator in which the ice-maker didn't have problems eventually.
Interesting point. The in-door units with crushed/cubed and water work great. But mine does not get that much use. The built in water filter does a fair job, but no comparison to the undersink models, dual filter and RO's. And it is a dual filter, charcoal and sediment, not just an inline sediment filter. And can be changed right at the front next to the control panel.
The indoor 'fountain' feature definitely takes up a lot of potential storage space. If they could really put the whole unit in the door it would be fine. Instead they give you an ice-maker big enough to handle an army.
Sometimes I think it would just be better to go back to cube trays. |
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| XStatic |
quote:
Originally posted by robrecht
The icemaker repair issue makes me think. Seems I've never owned a refrigerator in which the ice-maker didn't have problems eventually. A salesman told my wife that they can add an ice-maker to any model. Perhaps it would be easier down the road to replace an "after-market" ice-maker rather than repair one that was pre-installed??? OTOH, I'm assuming that "after-market" ice-makers take up more space.
The ice maker that is "built in" takes seconds to replace. Generally there are just two screws and an electrical plug.
I would highly recommend replacing this unit instead of calling a repair person if you unit is out of warrantee. The units do eventually fail and there is no sense wasting money on a service call for such an easy swap. |
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| edepa |
A few years ago we were redoing our entire kitchen. We had a side by side whirlpool for around 15 years, and it gave great service, still does down in our basement. In the new kitchen the 'boss' wanted a built in unit and we looked at sub-zero. My sister in law has it and loves it, but also has continued to pay for, and use, extended warranty coverage. We instead went with the kitchenaide built in side by side, i think it is 27 cu ft, since it was several thousand less than the sub zero. Consumer report didn't rate this kitchenaide that high a few years ago because it used more electric than the subzero, some $20 bucks more a year. I figured I could pay an extra $20 a year for over a hundred years and still be ahead with the kitchenaide over the price of the subzero. It has served us flawlessly, but so far it is maybe 3 years old.
As to all fridges with icemakers, I echo what was said above...I'd not buy a fridge without it....HOWEVER...they take up way too much space, I don't need to have ice on hand for a party of 50 people every day of my life, and historically the icemakers are the weakest link in many fridges of most brands. Happy shopping to you! |
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| robrecht |
Yeah, I just stopped by a Sears catalogue store on the way home and they confirmed that a built-in ice-maker is as easy to replace (and cheaper) as an after-market model. 'Nother one of my ideas bites the dust.
Serious comparisons will take place this weekend, but so far the biggest one Sears has that will fit our openings is a 25 cu. ft. GE Profile Acrtica (35 7/8" wide x 68 5/8" high x 33 5/8" deep).
Thanks again for all your help! |
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| New MDXer |
| Recently perchased a Bottom Freezer GE Profile Stainless Steel w/ ice maker. Very happy with it. |
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| cp_ssrebba |
quote:
Originally posted by New MDXer
Recently perchased a Bottom Freezer GE Profile Stainless Steel w/ ice maker. Very happy with it.
i somehow feel that there might be a dead body inside the stainless steel ones. |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by cp_ssrebba
i somehow feel that there might be a dead body inside the stainless steel ones.
Was that statement intended to be in the past, present, or future tense? :p |
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| Lance Crowley |
We've got a GE 36" side-by-side with water and ice cubes through the door that's 12 years old. It's never had a single problem, we're very pleased with it. We use the water and ice feature a lot. Side-by-side's are not the most efficient, however, we find them to be the most convenient.
We're going to be building a new home in Nevada and have been checking out appliances; we have friends that have Sub-Zero's that have run without a problem for years and others that have had nothing but problems. They're great looking machines and the only make that has separate compressors for the freezer and frig. Not sure what way we'll go, but, probably with the Sub-Zero. |
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| BaldEagle |
quote:
Originally posted by robrecht
Yeah, I just stopped by a Sears catalogue store on the way home and ..........
???
Sears closed down their catalogue department in 1993?
Go with a Whirlpool refrigerator. They are made better internally according to comments I hear from the repair guys.
Do not assume that a Kenmore refrigerator will be made by Whirlpool. At one time most of the Kenmore refrigerators were made by Whirlpool, not so now. Some are, some are made by GE, and some are made by Electrolux (Frigidaire).
If you want a Kenmore refrigerator made by Whirlpool check the model number. The first three numbers indicates the source, 116 is Whirlpool.
Whirlpool still makes most of the washers/dryers sold by Sears under the Kenmore brand. Exceptions are the front loaders (not Elite) that are made by Electrolux. |
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| robrecht |
quote:
Originally posted by BaldEagle
???
Sears closed down their catalogue department in 1993?
Technically, I suppose it's not a catalogue store, but it is a very small storefront in a small shopping center. They have some merchandise to look at but have to order most items.
Haven't seen any big top freezer Whirlpools yet, hope to today. |
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| BaldEagle |
| Probably an "authorized dealer" store. Even the larger Sears stores have to order in most of the appliances they sell. Sears carries most of their appliance inventory at RDC's (retail distribution centers) and ship to the stores for redelivery. |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by BaldEagle
???
If you want a Kenmore refrigerator made by Whirlpool check the model number. The first three numbers indicates the source, 116 is Whirlpool.
Whirlpool still makes most of the washers/dryers sold by Sears under the Kenmore brand. Exceptions are the front loaders (not Elite) that are made by Electrolux.
Maybe 106?
http://www.applianceaid.com/searscodes.html
http://www.edgeta.org/sears.htm |
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| robrecht |
Well, Whirlpool and KitchenAid don't seem to make larger freezer-on-top models.
Maytag makes a big one (25.5 cu. ft.), but can't say that that's a name I think of when I think of refrigerators (see nwaring's post above). Energywise, it's rated at 517 kWh/yr.
The largest GE Profile freezer-on-top model is a little smaller (24.6 cu. ft.) and is rated at 475 kWh/yr. Biggest advantage is that it can be delivered by Wednesday.
Wife definitely doesn't want side-by-side design because of large platters for entertaining and frozen pizzas. But it does seem like wide-by-sides are becoming fairly efficient in their use of space with top of the line ice and water in the door features. Doesn't look like I'm gonna get my crushed ice dispenser. :bonk:
In the end, maybe it's the Honda Pilot rather than the MDX of refrigerators. :7: |
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| mullysalt |
| I bought a Kenmore yesterday for a Sears Outlet DC. All the fridges were half off retail. :eek: I just went along to help a buddy pick up his fridge and ended up with a $1200 unit for about $720 with tax and extended warranty. There also is a 30-day no question return policy. Most of these units have a small dent or a scratch and there fore end up at the Outlet Center. Thanks for the info in this thread. |
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| xfactor |
quote:
Originally posted by cp_ssrebba
i somehow feel that there might be a dead body inside the stainless steel ones.
LOL - Nope, I checked...:D
(mine)... |
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| jswift2000 |
quote:
Originally posted by XStatic
I got the same one. One criteria I had was the shelves slide in, not mounted to a rail in the back. I highly recommend the fridge overall, love the temp controls, the quick defrost/quick chill drawer, etc. I am not overly pleased with the icemaker though. It works fine, but it doesn't move all the ice through and is difficult to get out a handful instead of through the door. When You do grab some from the top you end up with shriveled up old cubes that have been through several defrost cycles.
We have the GE Profile Artica and it rocks. A great fridge at a really good price. We went to sears and they compared prices from two other stores, gave us some money off and threw in free shipping. The only gripe with the freezer is the ixe maker, as X mentioned above. Other than that, you cant go wrong. The cooling drawer is fantastic.
Good luck. |
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| tax_atty |
| I actually have 3 refrigerators in my house. I have a stainless steel counter depth Kitchen Aid "Architect Series" side by side fridge in my kitchen. Looks great, but the ice maker takes up too much freezer space. They fixed this by putting the ice maker on the door just a few months after I bought mine. Also I need more room for larger items and when we have parties. (Platters, large cakes etc. don't fit in a side by side. So I bought a second fridge - a Frigidaire with a top freezer to put in the basement. I got the most efficient one anyone makes for that size and left out the ice maker. Finally, I have a mini frige only (stainless steel Danby - 5 cubic feet?) upstairs in my exercise room. I keep water, soda and the twin's bottles of formula in there. With a multi level house, that small fridge was the best move I made. |
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