Fridges - any recommendations for a 'silent' one?

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Benjip

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#71952 19-Nov-2010 12:53

I'm in the market for a fridge/freezer, just a 'one column' basic unit as it has to fit in an existing space in our kitchen.

My biggest concern (above price, looks and brand) is how much noise the fridge creates. My bedroom is next to the kitchen, and where I sleep means that my head is seperated from the fridge by the thickness of one wall (in an old villa nonetheless) and offset by about a metre.

Our current fridge looks like it's at least 25 years old so it's pretty loud - and I'm an extremely light sleeper (the kind who can't sleep with a CRT television on mute) so I've been wearing earplugs every night for the past four months. This is starting to hurt my ears so I'd rather just ditch the old fridge and get a new, quiet one.

So - long story short, can anyone recommend a fridge that operates very quietly?

Kraven

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#406724 19-Nov-2010 13:11

I can't recommend one that is quiet but I can say that F&P (and I guess Elba too) Fridge/Freezers are very noisy. We got one about 6 months ago and it makes a heck of a racket. Not isolated to ours, friends and family have said the same about theirs.

Luckily our kitchen is at the opposite end of the house from the bedrooms, so doesn't really bother us.

Benjip

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#406727 19-Nov-2010 13:17

Yea my sister has a fairly flash F&P one and it's extremely loud. It revs up every 30 minutes or so and makes all sorts of bizarre sounds.

Another option might be to insulate the fridge with a bit of soundstop stuff behind the unit, but I don't know where I'll find that in small doses.

kiwitrc

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#406742 19-Nov-2010 14:09

We have a Westinghouse and it sounds like its powered by a jet turbine sitting in a steel bin full of empty tin cans. Avoid!

Just had a look on Consumer the quietest were Elba RF249T, Haier HTMR575SS, Electrolux EBM5107SC, F&P 519litre monster, but there wasnt really much in it. You could try sitting your fridge on some rubber insulators?

1gkar

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#406748 19-Nov-2010 14:24

kiwitrc: We have a Westinghouse and it sounds like its powered by a jet turbine sitting in a steel bin full of empty tin cans. Avoid!

I also have a Westinghouse -model WBM3300WA-L- but have to disagree with the noise level.

I have just forced the fridge into fan operation. I am sitting 300mm from a thin partition wall leading to the kitchen. The fridge is about 700mm from the wall & I can't hear it's operation as I type. Maybe it is either your particular model, or the unit, itself. My HTPC is louder than the fridge.

The reason I went with Westinghouse is I was told they have a better quality fan/AC unit. And when I compared similar priced brands, I found the build quality was superior (eg. mine has glass shelving, whereas the F&P had plastic ones. And other features I preferred).

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kiwitrc

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#406754 19-Nov-2010 14:43

1gkar:
kiwitrc: We have a Westinghouse and it sounds like its powered by a jet turbine sitting in a steel bin full of empty tin cans. Avoid!
I also have a Westinghouse -model WBM3300WA-L- but have to disagree with the noise level.

I have just forced the fridge into fan operation. I am sitting 300mm from a thin partition wall leading to the kitchen. The fridge is about 700mm from the wall & I can't hear it's operation as I type. Maybe it is either your particular model, or the unit, itself. My HTPC is louder than the fridge.

The reason I went with Westinghouse is I was told they have a better quality fan/AC unit. And when I compared similar priced brands, I found the build quality was superior (eg. mine has glass shelving, whereas the F&P had plastic ones. And other features I preferred).

Might be my model, its a side by side, the compressor failed at 4 years from new and the replacement is exactly the same. Mind you when its not running its pretty quiet :)

robbyp

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#406828 19-Nov-2010 17:10

I think they all make noise, due to using compressors. I heard F&P had designed some new type of compressor which may be quieter, but they may not yet be available,

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vexxxboy

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#406859 19-Nov-2010 18:00

my Mitsubishi is quiet and i know LG claim to make the quietest fridge on the market.

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SCM

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#406867 19-Nov-2010 18:34

Dont want it too quiet, what if this happens.. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4365337/Faulty-fridge-blamed-for-Auckland-evacuation

cyberhub

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#406871 19-Nov-2010 18:58

We have an Elba and I have not heard a squeek out of it which is great.

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Dunnersfella

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#406875 19-Nov-2010 19:06

For a quality fridge / freezer - look for Mitsubishi and Miele...
We've been hunting for one for a while now (not concerned by noise though) and they constantly seem to be at the top of everyone's recommendations.
FIsher and Paykel, well, they're not what they used to be, sadly.

robjg63

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#406911 19-Nov-2010 20:37

+1 on the noisy Westinghouse. Replaced a 16yo F&P with a Westinghouse in the kitchen this year - its much noisier.

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