Refrigerator Freezer

WireNut · « **on:** 26 Jun 2015, 07:37 am »

Can anyone recommend a basic no frills 18 CF refrigerator in almond or bisque color for $750 or less?
I don't need a water faucet on the outside of the door and I don't need an Ice maker.
Only thing I want is around 18 CF with the freezer on the top. Also, I don't think I need a high efficiency model. Just more electronics to fail.

Who is a good manufacturer at that price range for a basic frig/top freezer?
Have any suggestions?

My compressor died in my old frig and I need to get a new one quick because I just went to the store this week and spent $250.00 on groceries.
I don't think it's worth getting the compressor fixed at it's age.

Thanks.
Steve

JLM · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Jun 2015, 10:51 am »

Just shopped for a dryer this past week (10 year old one developed fried logic and relay boards = $500+ in parts, cause unknown). The internet is your friend. Bought a basic Speed Queen (cost a bit more but employee owned company in Wisconsin, commercial grade, rated for 8 loads per week for 25 years).

Are you sure it's the compressor? Earlier this year our 10 year old (located indoors) cheap freezer was slowly warming up (not holding temperature). So I emptied it, found most of the contents to be expired, including a rabbit that had died over a year ago (wifey shows rabbits and forgot to bury it). Half of the refrigerator's freezer contents were expired too, so all the valuable stuff fit there. With just the two of us at home now, thought about not replacing it. It sat for a couple of days, I dipped it over to see what I might do with it (nothing). Tipped it back up and for some reason plugged it back in and somehow it has been working ever since.

Must be female instinct to build nests, can't figure out the need for a freezer anyway. Most say to take advantage of sales or deals on a side of meat but we rarely catch sales and have never scored a side of anything. If you do, it's not available for the next opportunity and if you don't its just running empty. Instead we pay maybe $10/month to run the freezer with mostly expired food. I wanted to turn the space into a collection spot for recycling, is that so wrong?

sfox7076 · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Jun 2015, 01:28 pm »

We use our freezer to store grass fed kosher meat, which is hard to come by and $$$$. We had issues with the logic board on our GE. It was 7 years old and I thought the fridge was done for because it was heating up. Bought a new $100 logic board on ebay, swapped it. It has been working fine for the last 2 years.

Speedskater · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Jun 2015, 02:28 pm »

I just read some good things about LG refrigerators in that 70,000 post DIY Audio forum thread.

WireNut · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Jun 2015, 05:53 pm »

Quote from: JLM on 26 Jun 2015, 10:51 am

Are you sure it's the compressor?

The compressor is red hot, vibrating and shaking the whole refrigerator. It's noisy as hell. But for now it's still keeping the frig/freezer cold.

WireNut · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Jun 2015, 06:04 pm »

Quote from: Speedskater on 26 Jun 2015, 02:28 pm

I just read some good things about LG refrigerators in that 70,000 post DIY Audio forum thread.

Speedskater, Could you give me the link to that site. I'd really appreciate it, Thanks.

mresseguie · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Jun 2015, 06:46 pm »

Steve,

There's a GE fridge....17.5 CF top-freezer for $640.00:

http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=GTE18GTHCC

Michael

WGH · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 Jun 2015, 06:55 pm »

I have a basic Frigidaire LFHT1817LWSD 18.2 cu. ft. with glass shelves, it is durable and quiet. The fridge was moved between houses 2 times and lived in the middle of the backyard exposed to the elements for 3 months during the remodel. It's all cleaned up in my new kitchen now and is quietly humming along with no strange noises after 4 years.

List in 2011 was $599, Tucson Appliance sells scratched and dent floor models from Lowes and other retailers so I paid $430.00. The scratch was on the side and completely hidden by cabinetry.

WireNut · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Jun 2015, 12:59 am »

Quote from: mresseguie on 26 Jun 2015, 06:46 pm

Steve,
There's a GE fridge....17.5 CF top-freezer for $640.00:
http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=GTE18GTHCC
Michael

Michael, I like it. That's all i need. I'll look into it locally. Thanks

Quote from: WGH on 26 Jun 2015, 06:55 pm

I have a basic Frigidaire LFHT1817LWSD 18.2 cu. ft. with glass shelves, it is durable and quiet. The fridge was moved between houses 2 times and lived in the middle of the backyard exposed to the elements for 3 months during the remodel. It's all cleaned up in my new kitchen now and is quietly humming along with no strange noises after 4 years.

List in 2011 was $599, Tucson Appliance sells scratched and dent floor models from Lowes and other retailers so I paid $430.00. The scratch was on the side and completely hidden by cabinetry.

WGH. I can't find that exact number but something close to it. If I could find that one I think I'd get it. There is a store here called Recker and Boerger The Comfort Zone. http://www.reckerandboergerhomeappliance.com/

They've been around for decades in Cincinnati and have a lot of Frigidaire's in stock. Some are scratch and dent. I think I'm going to look there first tomorrow. WGH. If you have the time to find one similar to yours I may pick one up this week end. If it can live in your backyard for 3 months that's good enough for me. Thanks, Steve

JLM · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Jun 2015, 01:38 am »

My most knowledgable local appliance sales person told me he tried twice to sell LG appliances in the past 10 years, but parts were unacceptably hard to obtain. His opinion was that LG sells to the younger market based on their success with TV's and that they barely had corporate personnel in the U.S. to provide support.

WireNut · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Jun 2015, 01:47 am »

Quote from: JLM on 27 Jun 2015, 01:38 am

My most knowledgable local appliance sales person told me he tried twice to sell LG appliances in the past 10 years, but parts were unacceptably hard to obtain. His opinion was that LG sells to the younger market based on their success with TV's and that they barely had corporate personnel in the U.S. to provide support.

This is great to know. Thank you JLM.

Johnny2Bad · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Jun 2015, 05:14 am »

LG and Samsung both have issues with repairs, lots of complaints if something goes wrong with them, takes forever to get them fixed. I bought a Fridgidaire Gallery series 5 years ago and it's quiet and just keeps on keeping on. Stainless, around 19 ft2, top freezer, and was about $700.

I shopped online, printed out the lowest priced models with the features I wanted, and went to the bricks-and-mortor with my research, then challenged them to meet / beat with something in-stock.

Got a better deal on the stove (convection, self clean, 3 racks, 1 med, 1 warmer, 1 lge, 1 dual sm/med, and 1 dual med/lge, glass top Gallery, stainless model for $900, MSRP was $1600) so both together came in almost $1000 under MSRP. Without my printouts to show sales staff there was no way I would have been able to swing that deal.

The stove is awesome, will boil water with the element on 4, convection takes 30% off cooking time in the oven. Note: always get self-clean, they have twice the oven insulation as manual clean. The fridge works great as well, never have to worry about it, freezer is also worry-free.

WireNut · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Jun 2015, 08:39 am »

Great info. I'm heading out tomorrow to look for a Fridgidaire Gallery series 5. Thank You

Hmm, taking a quite look online the Frigidaire Gallery series 5 only looks like it come in stoves. I'll be looking for them anyway. Seems like Frigidaire is a good brand of refrigerator.

WireNut · « **Reply #13 on:** 28 Jun 2015, 11:10 pm »

I went and looked at a Whirlpool WRB322DMBM Frig/ Frezzer on the bottom for $998 in stainless at lowes. Only the front was stainless the sides where black which is ok by me.
I thought for $1000.00 it was the best one on the floor. So I come home and start reading reviews on varies sites. Most where bashing it saying it was noisy and died in two years. Some loved it. I need a new Frig/frezzer. Do I go by my qut feeling because it looks great or do I listen to these complainers on websites?

To me it looks great, but I don't want it dying in 2 years. I'm getting frustrated. $1000.00 is all I can afford for a refrigerator/ freezer.

WGH · « **Reply #14 on:** 28 Jun 2015, 11:35 pm »

I bought my range and dishwasher with free delivery from AJ Madison. A good place to do research too.
http://www.ajmadison.com/refrigeration/

Wayne

RDavidson · « **Reply #15 on:** 29 Jun 2015, 01:21 am »

It seems to me that unless you can buy higher end appliances, it can be entirely hit or miss.....and even then, it can still be hit or miss. It's a headache.

What doesn't help is that sometimes people don't provide enough context in their reviews. Did they crank the fridge to the lowest setting and leave the doors open for 2 years, or did they use it in too tight of a space where it didn't get enough ventilation, etc?

Seems that the best thing you can do is a little research. I use Consumer Reports as a general guide, then go from there with reading user reviews etc. Think about getting an extended warranty if you can find one that makes sense for your purchase. See what Squaretrade has to offer, then compare it with whatever the store offers.

Carl V · « **Reply #16 on:** 29 Jun 2015, 01:45 am »

really?!
Plain & Simple Whirlpool has been dependable
for 25+ years. Re-frig only has required repair.
Find a good repairman. this isn't rocket science.

I have owned a variety of brands...
Not too complicated.

best of ouck

JLM · « **Reply #17 on:** 29 Jun 2015, 01:38 pm »

I prefer simple stuff. No circuit boards to get fried from power surges (IC's have almost no tolerance to power aberrations). While fancy electronics do help diagnose problems they are extremely expensive to replace (our old dryer would have been $600+ to replace logic and relay boards). No extraneous features (for refrigerators that includes water and/or ice maker that tend to fail quickly). Simpler to operate, cheaper to buy, cheaper and less likely to repair.

Atlplasma · « **Reply #18 on:** 29 Jun 2015, 01:53 pm »

Check its energy usage before finalizing your decision. Refrigerators are one of the most costly applicances to operate. It might make more sense to buy a somewhat more expensive model that's more efficient.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #19 on:** 29 Jun 2015, 02:10 pm »

I firmly believe it is a total crapshoot.

My 3 year old Kitchenaid fridge will need attention this year, I can hear the compressor whining already.

My 3 year old Kitchenaid hood range microwave the same. The turntable is noisy already.

Our 1 year old Samsung (we auditioned Whirpool and Maytag too) needed a drum and brain replaced. It was within $100 of being outright replaced by the service guys, but it was repaired under warranty.