In the market for a new fridge

[macandal]

I'm in the market for a new fridge. Our current one has both, a water dispenser and an ice maker. I was thinking that, for the new one, I should only get a fridge/freezer -- no water dispenser, no ice maker -- to maximize inside real estate. Instead, I would install a water filter in our sink to get the water and buy a separate ice-maker. What do you all think? Is this a good idea? Also, any brands I should go for/avoid?

Thanks.

 

[havasu]

Who on earth has the money to load a fridge these days?
Fortunately for me, Top Raman stores in a closet!


Honestly, it is a personal choice of convenience and need. Knowing how ice makers die in the Korean fridges built now, you may be saving lots of money in the long run.

 

[Snoonyb]

Who on earth has the money to load a fridge these days?
Fortunately for me, Top Raman stores in a closet!


Honestly, it is a personal choice of convenience and need. Knowing how ice makers die in the Korean fridges built now, you may be saving lots of money in the long run.

I you play your cards right, there are several food b banks in LAPUENTE, ELMONTE and just south of you in WALNUT.

 

[havasu]

Although I dated a girl in La Puente, I worked in El Monte, and went to college in Walnut, those places are about a 50 minute drive from me now!

 

[Snoonyb]

Was a speculative response based upon previous geo. posts. I'm 1500mi east, in a state whose dems want to emulate CA. Looking for opportunities near SPARKS or northern ARIZ.

 

[macandal]

Knowing how ice makers die in the Korean fridges built now, you may be saving lots of money in the long run.

I may be saving money by doing what?

 

[Snoonyb]

By, as you suggested, switching from a do everything appliance, to separate singular appliances.

 

[havasu]

Yes, newer fridges seem to all have ice makers that die after a few years.

 

[macandal]

Yes, newer fridges seem to all have ice makers that die after a few years.

I guess we lucked out with ours. Still going strong after 10 years. The fridge, however, that's a different story. It's seen better days.

Do you know anything about stand-alone ice-makers? Are they any good?

 

[Snoonyb]

Yes, newer fridges seem to all have ice makers that die after a few years.

It's interesting the efficiency fenom, Bought a GE side-by-side in 79, left it operating in 08, bought a SAMSUNG in 13, trashed it rusted hulk in 16.

 

[Snoonyb]

I guess we lucked out with ours. Still going strong after 10 years. The fridge, however, that's a different story. It's seen better days.

Do you know anything about stand-alone ice-makers? Are they any good?

We have one that we manually fill with water, doesn't have a float mech. for auto fill, but works well.

 

[havasu]

We just purchased a LG 3 door fridge with dual ice makers. The delivery guy said this way, we may have a working ice maker in 5 years. Me, I'd forget a counter ice maker, and just fill trays. How often do you use ice?
At my vacation home, I have a commercial ice maker that pumps out 50 pounds of ice a day. That thing works great, and I use it for my ice chests on the boat.

 

[billshack]

i bough a Samsung frig , it had a panel in the freezer that looked like one could by a add on ice maker, the salesman said i could install one . I got the frig and ordered the icemaker from amazon and the solenoid valve . I tried several times to install it no way. I called Samsung several times no help from them . I went on line and found several others had the same trouble . After spending more than 20 hours on this i gave up. I now make ice in a ice cube tray .

 

[68bucks]

I went premium with a US made sub-zero. 8 years old and still working great. Bottom freezer with ice maker, no water dispenser. We use a lot of ice, I'd never go without an ice maker again. We had water/ice through the door on a Kitchen-aid at the last house. Had ice maker trouble and I agree, took up too much space. Otherwise it was a good fridge.

 

[mabloodhound]

I'm in the market for a new fridge. Our current one has both, a water dispenser and an ice maker. I was thinking that, for the new one, I should only get a fridge/freezer -- no water dispenser, no ice maker -- to maximize inside real estate. Instead, I would install a water filter in our sink to get the water and buy a separate ice-maker. What do you all think? Is this a good idea? Also, any brands I should go for/avoid?

Thanks.

There's a lot of info on YouTube. Avoid LG and Samsung. Do not get a door mounted ice/water in the refrigerator section. Only if it is mounted in a freezer door otherwise will be a problem.

 

[Tailgunner]

I have had good luck with Maytag , and they are made in the USA!

 

[Snoonyb]

There's a lot of info on YouTube. Avoid LG and Samsung. Do not get a door mounted ice/water in the refrigerator section. Only if it is mounted in a freezer door otherwise will be a problem.

Where the failure on our SAMSUNG was the door panel around the ice/water dispenser and Samsung service agreed to repair, but they'd need to take the entire door with them.

 

[PJB12]

I have had good luck with Maytag , and they are made in the USA!

Just to keep Yin & Yang in balance, we've had terrible luck with our Maytag Bravos Bottom Freezer unit since the day it was delivered & not working.

Control boards and Defrost Terminators and Damper Motors repeatedly fail- using all factory parts for replacements. Over and over again, especially the control board which lasts a few months at best.

We have two surge suppressors: One protecting the service and one at the machine. I even have sent the boards in for inspection for surge damage. None was found. The failures were in IC chips.

I guess the quality of Maytag (and the 10,000 other brands Whirlpool owns) depends on the model.

Paul

PS: Our Maytag Bravos clothes washer and clothes dryer also arrived not working. It took many service calls spread over 11 weeks to fix and they still fail on a regular frequency. The washing machine is worse than the clothes dryer for failures. Non stop.

Starting on the day of delivery, the warranty people were terrible to deal with. They sent a repair guy who dented both the new washer and dryer, broke the glass on the washer lid, scratched the dryer all up & cursed at and threatened my wife! (Were I home at the time, I'd be writing this from prison.)

When I called Maytag to send someone else, they refused- saying that same person would come back. This is after I explained the damage and the threat and that my wife was scared of him. (Week 3 of three non-functional new in box appliances.)

I had to register a web domain called "WhirlpoolSucks.com" and bring it to the attention of the CEO before they fixed our 3 appliances & replaced the cabinets and glass (with 3 different warranty people from a different contracted company).
Nine! weeks of non-functional brand new in box appliances.

PPS: All three machines were assembled in Michigan. Every part that I've replaced on each machine is Made in China or Made in Mexico. Whether or not that matters is subjective.

No more whirlpool products for us. Ever.

 

[Tailgunner]

We bought all Maytag when we moved into our new home September 2011. Home Depot had a real good deal going at the time. So far here is my list of repairs that were needed :
Bravos dryer 0
Bravos X washer 0
Gemini Stove, 2 igniters
French door fridge, ice maker
SS dishwasher, control panel, rack rollers

Its just the wife and I so not huge hours on the washer and dryer, but we use the dishwasher nearly every day .
Sorry to hear about the issues you encountered .
I did the repairs myself, so probably less than $500 for 5 appliances for 11 years.

 

[macandal]

We just purchased a LG 3 door fridge with dual ice makers. The delivery guy said this way, we may have a working ice maker in 5 years. Me, I'd forget a counter ice maker, and just fill trays. How often do you use ice?
At my vacation home, I have a commercial ice maker that pumps out 50 pounds of ice a day. That thing works great, and I use it for my ice chests on the boat.

I'd say we use ice every day. Three adults.

50 pounds of ice is probably waaaay too much for us. I'm trying to visualize here, and I think our fridge produces the equivalent of a 5-lb bag per day. Of course, it stops producing once it's full.