Buying a Refrigerator...

[tortillasoup]

A couple of months ago, dropped $1900 on an LG french door, delivery and removal. Hurt my heart.

Regardless of brand, you should put an appliance surge protector on it and you should pull it out every few months and clean the coils. Supposedly the compressor runs 24/7 on our model and if the compressor burns up because of build up....voided warranty.

Ice makers will leak. Sooner or later, they or the supply line will. I didn't hook ours up. Trays work fine....since I don't use ice.:sneaky:

Depends on the room temperature but for the most part, NO a compressor should not run 24/7. Check to make sure the EVAP and Condenser fans are spinning at a proper speed. It would have to be about 75F+ ambient temperatures for a compressor to reasonably running at a 80% duty cycle.

Sorry, but that makes no sense at all, Sears builds nothing, they just put their sticker/badges on other manufacturer's products. Some of the stuff is built just a little different, but most isn't. The refrigerator I bought is a Kenmore, made by LG.

If you read what Consumer Reports says, they do not recommend fixing refrigerators beyond very simple stuff, a 10 year old refrigerator is much less efficient than a new model. The one I bought is huge and uses 30% of the electricity of the one it replaced.

10 year old refrigerators aren't significantly less efficient than modern refrigerators especially if you already had an energy star model. Anything made after about 2004 or so that's an energy star appliance isn't going to see a significant improvement in efficiency. Literally saw only about a 100kwh a year difference according to the tag of a 2015 model vs a 2005 model refrigerator of similar size. Now if your refrigerator was made in the year 2000, that's a different story as the standards were significantly lower then.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I have heard bad stories about every brand out there for every appliance. So, my recommendation is get the features (or look) you want and don't cheap out.

For me personally, the slate finish that GE offers trumped everything out there. Samsung has a black stainless that's nice, but the slate color is completely matte which I like a lot. I'm not a huge fan of the fit and finish when installing them (cheap leveling legs and such), but once they're installed they're really nice. I only have the gas range and dishwasher though, and haven't had them for longer than a couple months.

I'm currently looking for a good bottom freezer fridge that DOESN'T have French doors, because the spot for my fridge is against a wall so I couldn't open the left door fully. I need a single door fridge, which GE has but for some reason they cut a lot of the features out of it. Apparently I can't get a single door fridge with all the high end features, and that pisses me off. Not sure if any other brand has a top-end model with a single hinge door or not, but that's what I need.

we've actually been eyeing the GE Slate a TON. Our only issue? It kinda limits you on what you buy for your other appliances.

Wife basically says if we go slate, we have to get slate in all the other appliances (which are currently in black). Soooo yeah, it limits our brand selection, so all I'm saying I guess. You can usually mix and match stainless steel, but these slate colors can differ from brand to brand.

 

[highland145]

Depends on the room temperature but for the most part, NO a compressor should not run 24/7. Check to make sure the EVAP and Condenser fans are spinning at a proper speed. It would have to be about 75F+ ambient temperatures for a compressor to reasonably running at a 80% duty cycle.

Yeah...nope.

The new energy efficient refrigerators are designed to run more (up to 80% of the time) but use less energy due to smaller, more efficient compressors, motors and high-tech defrost systems.

That's what google is telling me and the evaporator fan (?) could/should run longer to cool the compressor down. Whatever it is, something is running which means cleaning the coils regularly which I've never done in the past but I've got a lot tied up in this one to just ignore it.

 

[tortillasoup]

Yeah...nope.
That's what google is telling me and the evaporator fan (?) could/should run longer to cool the compressor down. Whatever it is, something is running which means cleaning the coils regularly which I've never done in the past but I've got a lot tied up in this one to just ignore it.

I can tell you, I've worked on many older and newer "high efficiency" refrigerators and they do not run "all the time" unless they're defective. If you put your hand to the compressor and it's hot, and the room temperature is like 70F and the condenser fan is spinning slowly, it's likely a bad condenser fan.

 

[highland145]

I can tell you, I've worked on many older and newer "high efficiency" refrigerators and they do not run "all the time" unless they're defective. If you put your hand to the compressor and it's hot, and the room temperature is like 70F and the condenser fan is spinning slowly, it's likely a bad condenser fan.

I'm not doubting you. Just parroting what the lady said (with the exception of if she said the compressor or the fan). I will take her advice about cleaning the coils. 80% of the time is a lot and I would think there would be a lot of buildup.

 

[Imp]

Our bottom of the line, POS Kenmore is still running a decade later and has never been repaired. There was a period when it would chug really loudly but we never did anything about it and it went away -- someone here said it was a safety mechanism and that the bottom should be cleaned. We did nothing and it still works. It's never been on a surge protector, I believe. Kenmore is a rebranded bigger brand, IIRC.

The fridge probably needs to be replaced in the next 5 years. Plan is to get something cheap and small (20 cubic feet or less), then maybe add a chest freezer on the side. Aesthetics or matching the room are not a concern.

 

[JM Aggie08]

Our Kenmore side-by-side has been fantastic for the year we've had it. I'd suggest making sure that the ice maker is in the door -- allows for more storage in the freezer.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

I can tell you, I've worked on many older and newer "high efficiency" refrigerators and they do not run "all the time" unless they're defective. If you put your hand to the compressor and it's hot, and the room temperature is like 70F and the condenser fan is spinning slowly, it's likely a bad condenser fan.

According to the *older* tech that came to service a new freezer we just bought, when I asked him why the unit seemed to be running almost constantly, He told me that many manufacturers, in order to get a high energy *star* rating would under power the compressors. Thus making them have to work longer, and harder, Longevity be damned.

 

[highland145]

According to the *older* tech that came to service a new freezer we just bought, when I asked him why the unit seemed to be running almost constantly, He told me that many manufacturers, in order to get a high energy *star* rating would under power the compressors. Thus making them have to work longer, and harder, Longevity be damned.

Algebra 1...the other side of the equation = screw the customer.

Awesome....

 

[NutBucket]

Our Kenmore side-by-side has been fantastic for the year we've had it. I'd suggest making sure that the ice maker is in the door -- allows for more storage in the freezer.

So the entire mechanism is in the door? That I have not seen!

 

[tortillasoup]

According to the *older* tech that came to service a new freezer we just bought, when I asked him why the unit seemed to be running almost constantly, He told me that many manufacturers, in order to get a high energy *star* rating would under power the compressors. Thus making them have to work longer, and harder, Longevity be damned.

Well it depends on the room temperature and how cold you have the freezer set to. It "appearing" to run all the time and actually doing that are two different things. I've seen units that literally run all the time when there is an ambient temperature of less than 60F and the coils are all clean but the fan is running slow or it has some other issue.

A unit that runs all of the time with middle of the road temperature settings and a ambient temperature of 70F is a defective unit. It's defective because it doesn't give the unit any room for cooling load when the ambient air temps increase or the refrigerator's thermostat is set lower than factory settings. It's not impossible to get an undercharged unit from the factory or have a defective circuit board or any other numerous issues.

 

[tortillasoup]

The fridge probably needs to be replaced in the next 5 years. Plan is to get something cheap and small (20 cubic feet or less), then maybe add a chest freezer on the side. Aesthetics or matching the room are not a concern.

It's cost and energy inefficient to do things that way. It's better to get the largest unit possible with as much freezer space as possible than to have two separate units.

I like to buy my refrigerators off craigslist and before purchasing, look up the model # and see if there are any known defects so I can be prepared. I like to look for units with bad Ice makers as I don't need an Ice maker in my garage.

 

[spacejamz]

So the entire mechanism is in the door? That I have not seen!

French Door

Side by Side

 

[NutBucket]

Nice. We had a french door fridge at our last house but it had a normal icemaker in the freezer.

But that really saves a ton of space. Awesome!

 

[Imp]

It's cost and energy inefficient to do things that way. It's better to get the largest unit possible with as much freezer space as possible than to have two separate units.

I like to buy my refrigerators off craigslist and before purchasing, look up the model # and see if there are any known defects so I can be prepared. I like to look for units with bad Ice makers as I don't need an Ice maker in my garage.

I agree.

The energy ratings for all compact refrigeration devices like chest freezers and mini-fridges that I"ve seen suck. How does a 3 cubic feet mini-fridge use 250 kWh per year while a regular 17 cubic feet fridge uses 450-ish kWh?

Something about electro-something cooling versus refrigerants?

I would go with two units for redundancy though. If one suddenly dies, everything goes in the other.

 

[soulcougher73]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUh1eGf57DY

 

[SparkyJJO]

All this talk of 5 years and 10 years makes me a little bewildered. My parents got a basic GE fridge back in the early 90s when their old one crapped out, and 20+ years later it is still chugging away just fine. It did have an issue after a big power surge back in 2005 when the neighbor's house got struck by lightning (and it blew out some electronics in my parents' house), but all it took was a swift kick to the side (literally, my dad was frustrated lol) and it started running again. Never a problem since.

 

[tortillasoup]

I agree.

The energy ratings for all compact refrigeration devices like chest freezers and mini-fridges that I"ve seen suck. How does a 3 cubic feet mini-fridge use 250 kWh per year while a regular 17 cubic feet fridge uses 450-ish kWh?

Something about electro-something cooling versus refrigerants?

I would go with two units for redundancy though. If one suddenly dies, everything goes in the other.

Actually it's worse than that, I've seen 20 cubic foot refrigerator/freezers that use about 300kwh per year vs 200-300 for the mini refrigerators. It has to do with the compressor running, efficiency, etc. Less compressors the better.

I just figure that if I'm going to be buying a refrigerator, why get something small unless you absolutely need something small? Just get something that is efficient and cheap (used).

 

[cbrunny]

Make sure to get one that cools in Celsius and not Fahrenheit.

 

[highland145]

Actually it's worse than that, I've seen 20 cubic foot refrigerator/freezers that use about 300kwh per year vs 200-300 for the mini refrigerators. It has to do with the compressor running, efficiency, etc. Less compressors the better.

So are you saying that compressors/fans are running more to be more efficient for the government standards?

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Except it is the $2400 fridge that is more likely to fail (there are far more parts to break). The math typically is much more like this:

$800/15 years vs. $2400/5 years.

Hmm, I guess the bells and whistles I paid for are reliability. There is one LED in it to tell me to change the water filter, but other than that its dumb, fifteen years old dumb. OK, may be its so dumb it forgot how to fail. LOL.

I'll stick with what I got and continuing enjoying not having to replace it every five years.

 

[highland145]

Hmm, I guess the bells and whistles I paid for are reliability. There is one LED in it to tell me to change the water filter, but other than that its dumb, fifteen years old dumb. OK, may be its so dumb it forgot how to fail. LOL.

I'll stick with what I got and continuing enjoying not having to replace it every five years.

Try that now.

 

[Kaido]

Look around in searsoutlet.com I got a killer deal on an LG.

My buddy mentioned that a few days ago, said he got a great deal on his. I stopped in tonight & found an awesome fridge...$3,800 Kenmore Elite for $950, has a pretty good-sized dent on on the side, but meh, don't care - inside was fine. Only catch is I'd have to shave down my top cabinets by a couple inches (fortunately there's a lip) & it'd stick out decently far into my tiny galley kitchen. But it'd be huge. And awesome. Dent is nasty but I'm not hung up on it. Hmm.

 

[tortillasoup]

So are you saying that compressors/fans are running more to be more efficient for the government standards?

That's a weird question in regards to what I said unless you're saying the reason larger units have higher efficiency is due to them running longer. I haven't actually found this to be the case at all. I've found that units made in the last 20 years regardless of their type have similar duty cycles. At about 70F ambient temperatures, their duty cycle seems to be around 50% and it increases to nearly 100% by the time 80-90F comes around (depends on how well insulated the unit is). Compressor size doesn't seem to vary too much between the smallest and larger units. One thing I have noticed is that the more efficient units like CEE Tier 3 units have much more insulation and have other efficiency boosting technologies such as ECM motors and scroll type compressors.

Also keep in mind that smaller units typically do away with EVAP and condenser fans and that can reduce efficiency. Funny though, I've seen $2000 mini refrigerators with all sorts of fancy efficiency minded technologies thrown in like hot gas defrosting, ecm fans, dual evaporators, and they still had horrible efficiency given their size. Though that unit was designed to be able to be used outside 100% of the time and those units typically have stronger cooling requirements. I mean as much as I love having a fully programmable refrigerator, $2K for a mini fridge with a POS Ice Maker just isn't worth it!

 

[tortillasoup]

http://cleantechnica.com/2015/03/01/revolutionary-new-science-fridge-coming-soon-kitchen-near/

Looking forward to something like this.