Need a new fridge/freezer - any brands to stay clear of?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Need a new fridge/freezer - any brands to stay clear of?

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#2865372 11-Feb-2022 12:47

pih: I have two LG fridges, both very good with one exception: the larger one has plumbed water and ice box, but the water supply to the door that goes through the hinge cracked and you can't replace it. As in, I've pulled the fridge apart and the tube is encased in the injected foam in the door. Short of cutting large holes in the door (and digging into the foam to locate the tube), it's simply not repairable, and apparently a common problem with at least this model LG.

Otherwise they've been fantastic and I'd buy again.

@pih perhaps inquire about a replacement door. I've had an LG door replaced under warranty and it was available quickly but if course I never saw a price.

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jonathan18

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#2865374 11-Feb-2022 12:51

Another vote for LG; very little about our fridge/freezer I don't like - apart from a criticism that applies to all models we looked at other than F&P, and that's the lack of options for shelf heights (something F&Ps still do well, but that's not enough to entice me back to them).

Edit: the fridge I bought was a variant of the top-ranked fridge in Consumer's tests of the time; checking now I see of the five they recommend, three (including both of the 'conventional' type) are LG; the other two are an F&P and an Electrolux (both french door tops/drawer bottoms).

My selection experience - which focused on concern about putting a larger fridge in a small space - is here: https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=141&topicid=279563

Other recent(ish) threads:

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=141&topicid=280848

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=141&topicid=245575

pih

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#2865375 11-Feb-2022 12:54

@Dynamic:
perhaps inquire about a replacement door. I've had an LG door replaced under warranty and it was available quickly but if course I never saw a price.

Thanks, yeah it happened at about the 6-7 year mark I think and now it's probably nearly 10 years old so unlikely they will even have replacements. It's our overflow fridge in the garage now, so no big deal.

kotuku4

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#2865378 11-Feb-2022 12:56

I have good experiences with Beko washer, then heat pump drier, and more recently freestanding range. Will definitely try fridge freezer next. Have a 15 plus year old Westinghouse that keeps on going strong.
Beko prices are great and 5 year warranty.

duckDecoy

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#2865387 11-Feb-2022 13:09

When we bought our last fridge I really wanted to get the Samsung one, the internal size was way better than its competitors for the size. But the salesperson warned me that parts are a big issue with Samsung, if something goes wrong in a few years we might be out of luck getting it fixed if they no longer sell that model as they have a bad track record for holding older parts.

Just repeating what I was told.

rogercruse

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#2865388 11-Feb-2022 13:10

Kookoo:...Our Westinghouse has been humming along pretty reliably for a few years now...

We like our Westinghouse fridge / freezer. Mostly because you can access ice-cubes directly from inside the freezer.... makes putting ice in a glass is so much easier!

Benoire

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#2865393 11-Feb-2022 13:18

duckDecoy:

When we bought our last fridge I really wanted to get the Samsung one, the internal size was way better than its competitors for the size. But the salesperson warned me that parts are a big issue with Samsung, if something goes wrong in a few years we might be out of luck getting it fixed if they no longer sell that model as they have a bad track record for holding older parts.

Just repeating what I was told.

I would tend to agree. Under the CGA Samsung are amazing to deal with as they deal with you directly from their offices in Auckland rather than through the retailer... much more efficient and simple especially as the retailer doesn't suffer the loss like they do from other brands BUT we found their products to be a bit flaky and always suffering from some problem or other.

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timmmay

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#2865464 11-Feb-2022 14:08

My experience

My 15 year old F&P fridge is going strong. It makes odd noises but I think it's just the compressor
Bosch dishwasher is maybe 6 years old, only problem has been plastic handle replacement
F&P top loader washer / drier worked fine for 14 years. Replaced with F&P front loader and drier. Their driers are pretty noisy, had the motor replaced but it still makes odd noises. Still better than anything else I could see around for external venting.
2x Samsung TVs 12 year old and 8 year old going fine

MikeAqua

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#2865469 11-Feb-2022 14:12

We had a Haier vertical freezer. Very poor quality flimsy plastic that got brittle when cold ... come on people it's a freezer!

Still operational when we sold it, after three years.

We currently have a Westinghouse chest freezer, Samsung f/f and Mitsi f/f, between 3 and 7 years old. They have all been good.

Never owned Belling fridge. We had one of their gas stoves and it was excellent.

Mike

old3eyes

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#2865532 11-Feb-2022 15:36

timmmay:

Consumer says for reliability avoid Haier (apparently terrible) and Samsung, with LG, Mitsubishi, and F&P most reliable. Most of the other brands sit in the middle.

Haier is F&P in NZ. WE have a vertical Haier freezer. The first one lasted about 28 months before the compressor seized. The wanted to charge $800 to replace it on a $900 freezer. Wife contacted the retailer NL who agreed with us that it should have lasted way longer and put in a replacement claim with F&P who fought tooth and nail saying it wasn't their problem and they were excluded from any part of the CGA. Eventually they came round and replaced it for free. Won't buy another Haier product when this dies.

Regards,

Old3eyes

farcus

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#2866584 11-Feb-2022 18:06

worst I have owned would be an LG. Actually struggled to cool on very hot days.

Best have owned was a Mitsubishi. Quiet and great features.

Handle9

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#2866604 11-Feb-2022 18:53

If you want plumbed in water and ice it is very difficult to beat F&P with their low profile system. Their fridges are decent a reliable as well.

If you don't want water (which you really do, you just don't know it) then it really depends on dimensions. Bosch, F&P, LG etc are all good. We have an electrolux now and it's decent.

Benoire

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#2866607 11-Feb-2022 18:57

Thought I'd check in as a considerable OP and show that I am reading so thanks all! We've determined that we are likely to replace everything when we move on out of this house as most of the appliances would remain due to the spaces being designed for them that also means with about 2-3 years left we do not want to spend the ~4K for a decent LG/Mitsu etc... Problem is that we need ~500L in size but that limits us to Samsung, Haier, Belling and if we're lucky a random F&P found at a random place at random prices... Everything else is etiher too much, physically too large or not enough capacity...

Grrr decisions...

Handle9

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#2866609 11-Feb-2022 19:00

Benoire:

Thought I'd check in as a considerable OP and show that I am reading so thanks all! We've determined that we are likely to replace everything when we move on out of this house as most of the appliances would remain due to the spaces being designed for them that also means with about 2-3 years left we do not want to spend the ~4K for a decent LG/Mitsu etc... Problem is that we need ~500L in size but that limits us to Samsung, Haier, Belling and if we're lucky a random F&P found at a random place at random prices... Everything else is etiher too much, physically too large or not enough capacity...

Grrr decisions...

Second hand? We bought one of our fridges as a 1 year old second hand fridge in 2010. It's still chugging along.

Benoire

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#2866610 11-Feb-2022 19:01

The current one is second hand... Partner is a bit of a leo so likes shiny new things but no so much not quite so clean someone elses... I've been looking though to see what is out there.

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