When to replace a fridge?

[swimmer_spe]

I think an important part is where to get a fridge, or specifically, what retailer offers the best EXTENDED warranty because as stated, they will break. There will never be another 30 year appliance.

Costco gives a 2 year total warranty if you have their credit card. There is no other warranty you can buy.

HD and Lowe's here now offer a 5 Year extended warranty...

My 10+ year old washer and dryer have worked trouble free since I bought new.

 

[Spicoli43]

That's unheard of. You got extremely lucky.

 

[Sparky617]

I'm probably jinxing myself. Our SxS fridge has had a few minor problems I've been able to fix myself. All dealing with the water and ice maker. It is 24 years old. Our washer and dryer (Whirlpool front loader) has been trouble free for 10+ years. In 24 years I'm on my second DW, second range, and 4th above the range MW. On the original range the main failure has been the oven ignitor.

 

[swimmer_spe]

That's unheard of. You got extremely lucky.

They are LGs.

 

[Spicoli43]

They are LGs.

Even more lucky... My 2014 LG washer and dishwasher are long gone, dryer on it's last leg, fridge is fine.

 

[BuzzLOL]

My 10+ year old washer and dryer have worked trouble free since I bought new.

My 60 year old GE washer and Frigidaire dryer work fine, but the dryer needs a new belt about every 20 years... used to be 10 years, but belt material technology appears to be improving...

 

[swimmer_spe]

Even more lucky... My 2014 LG washer and dishwasher are long gone, dryer on it's last leg, fridge is fine.

I thought it was Samsung that were the worst.

 

[Spicoli43]

I thought it was Samsung that were the worst.

I haven't found a brand that is good. They make them to break. My Whirlpool washer and dryer are 2 years old, the dryer is dead and the washer is close. The Maytag dishwasher needed 2 service calls and it gave a hint that it's almost dead by turning off mid cycle.

I don't know how old you are, but in the 80's, they had the "Lonely Maytag Repairman" commercials where the dude had nothing to do... Not anymore, homeboy works 160 hours a week now.

For the first service call on my Samsung oven, I was talking to the guy and he commented on my LG Dishwasher, said his store doesn't work on LG... When a repair joint won't even touch a certain brand, that says a lot. They would be paid no matter what by me or the warranty, but they choose not to even deal with an entire brand.

That's why I get 5 year warranties on everything... If it makes it that long and dies in year 7, so be it, but everything I have owned as an Adult has barely made it a Year without a service call.

 

[swimmer_spe]

I haven't found a brand that is good. They make them to break. My Whirlpool washer and dryer are 2 years old, the dryer is dead and the washer is close. The Maytag dishwasher needed 2 service calls and it gave a hint that it's almost dead by turning off mid cycle.

I don't know how old you are, but in the 80's, they had the "Lonely Maytag Repairman" commercials where the dude had nothing to do... Not anymore, homeboy works 160 hours a week now.

For the first service call on my Samsung oven, I was talking to the guy and he commented on my LG Dishwasher, said his store doesn't work on LG... When a repair joint won't even touch a certain brand, that says a lot. They would be paid no matter what by me or the warranty, but they choose not to even deal with an entire brand.

That's why I get 5 year warranties on everything... If it makes it that long and dies in year 7, so be it, but everything I have owned as an Adult has barely made it a Year without a service call.

I am old enough to remember those old Maytag commercials.

 

[68bucks]

I thought it was Samsung that were the worst.

Our Samsung washer and dryer are a bit over 10 years old.

 

[ojsameday]

The average lifespan of these fridges is 12-15 years. If maintained correctly, it can last up to 20 years and more.

 

[Ron Van]

The average lifespan of these fridges is 12-15 years. If maintained correctly, it can last up to 20 years and more.

When you say "maintained correctly," what do you think that means?

 

[Sparky617]

When you say "maintained correctly," what do you think that means?

I was thinking the same. To me good refrigerator/freezer maintenance includes: periodically cleaning the coils (3-4 times a year) and it wouldn't hurt to do a manual defrost annually. I've had issues with refrigerators that are fixed by simply doing a manual defrost. Not for frost accumulation on the box, but for ice forming in places that impede proper functioning. Ice jamming the ice maker, ice in the filler for the ice maker and ice in the drain line. I've gotten 24 years out of my current main SxS. I've had to replace a few parts and it is showing its age but it hasn't had a problem keeping frozen food frozen and refrigerated food cold w/o freezing it.

 

[Ron Van]

I was thinking the same. To me good refrigerator/freezer maintenance includes: periodically cleaning the coils (3-4 times a year) and it wouldn't hurt to do a manual defrost annually. I've had issues with refrigerators that are fixed by simply doing a manual defrost. Not for frost accumulation on the box, but for ice forming in places that impede proper functioning. Ice jamming the ice maker, ice in the filler for the ice maker and ice in the drain line. I've gotten 24 years out of my current main SxS. I've had to replace a few parts and it is showing its age but it hasn't had a problem keeping frozen food frozen and refrigerated food cold w/o freezing it.

Back when refrigerator coils were on the back of the box, you could get to them to clean the coils but now they put the coils under the unit making it hard if not impossible to get to the coils. Out of all the refrigerators I’ve had (3 just in the last 3 years), none of them have failed to cool. My problems are by far having to do with the ice maker not working for various reasons like a frozen water supply tube, or ice maker circuit stopped working. Luckily, you can buy the entire ice unit online and swap them out fairly easy.

Nowadays, it seems maintenance is changing filters and making sure the seals are not compromised.

 

[Sparky617]

I have two refrigerators. A 24 year old Whirlpool SxS and a 20ish year old Whirlpool freezer on top in the laundry room. The SxS has coils that are under the unit and accessible by removing the grill and using a long brush to pull out the dust bunnies. The top freezer model I have to pull the back off and use my air compressor to blow out the coils. There is no way to do it with a vacuum cleaner or a brush. Both have had issues with the drain lines freezing up. The SxS has the ice maker from the other one, that I never hooked up. It fit perfectly and was an easy swap. Things are starting to go wrong with the ice and water functions. First the water filter started leaking, I just bypassed it because I needed a new $80 housing to fix it. I didn't think sinking another $80 into a 23 year old unit was worth it. Next the switch for the water in the door got flakey. One of the vegetable drawers slides is broken. And of course the earlier mentioned ice maker swap. I'll probably be getting a new one soon, it is the last white kitchen appliance in the kitchen.

A lot of issues can be resolved with a full defrost and a jolly good clean of the gaskets, inside of the cabinet, and the coils.