New refrigerator

[zxcvbob]

Wife has wanted a new fridge for years.  Some friends and neighbors have offered us their old one, which is too big for me to move and it has some problems, but kinda forces the issue of us getting a new one.  The one we have now is a 18 cu ft Whirlpool over 20 years old, no ice-maker, and works fine but the fan is a little noisy sometimes.

I've noticed that most brands no longer warranty their sealed units and compressors for more than 1 year.  They didn't fail that often before, but there must have been a reason for changing it.   Like maybe they switched to undersized compressors to get the Energy Star rating, and they don't last?  LG guarantees their sealed units for 7 years, and 10 years on the compressor ("linear compressor" models only)  What's a linear compressor?  Here's the one at the top of the list: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-23-6-cu-ft-french-door-refrigerator-white/3102164.p?skuId=3102164 it has all the features she wants except one, and something just like the one that's missing (fourth door drawer between fridge and freezer)

I'll need to tap into my main water line to run water to the ice maker.  The main supply line for the whole house runs right under the fridge in the basement.  I assume I should use 1/4" copper lines, and either Sharkbite or soldered connections?  I can't find any 1/4" PEX longer than 5 feet, and I don't trust non-PEX plastic.  I've heard lots of stories about the braided lines making your ice taste like an old tire.

[Jim147]

Saw this thread and then lost it, been sick for two weeks.

Most common fail on current refrigerators is the evap coil leaking. That is for the sealed system that most have cut the warranty on. You might get a batch of crap compressors but they weed themselves out in the first year.

Ice maker was and still is the number one call on refrigerators. Most common problem is lack of flow from the house system. Go with a full size valve using shark bite or other connections. The saddle valve is not your friend.

I have used a stainless line on my ice maker for eight years. I have not had a taste problem. If you go 1/4 copper make sure it can feed back freely when pushing the unit in or it can make a big mess  on the floor and anything below it.

[Firethorn]

A linear compressor is one that uses a linear induction motor to do its thing.  This is good because it has substantially fewer moving parts to break.  Saves energy as well.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_compressor
https://youtu.be/sKf_v7URTtg

[zxcvbob]

Wife decided on the Samsung rather than the LG because it's slightly larger capacity.  (it's also 3" wider, which I don't like but it's not a problem)  I think it has an old-fashioned compressor.  It does have a 5 year warranty on the sealed unit and 7 on the compressor.  I almost never get extended warranties, but I did on this (3 years.)

I think Best Buy had the Energy Star tags swapped between the Samsung and the LG display models (they were right next to each other) because the Samsung said $50 per year and the LG with the linear compressor said $74. I thought that was peculiar and I looked at the tags, and they didn't identify what model they were for.  Online the Samsung tag says $74.

I ordered one of these PEX hoses today from Amazon because I can't find anything I like locally https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004CR4OBS  I haven't measured the run, but just eyeballing it, it's about 12 to 15 feet and will have to pass thru a floor.  I was afraid copper would kink or something even if I put a loop behind the fridge, and cheap poly tubing would spring a leak for no reason inside the floor joist space.  

That hose has captive compression nuts on the end.  I may ruin it and have to use copper after-all, but I'm planning to cut 8 feet or so off one end (measure first, and leave plenty of slack) to get it closer to the right length, and so I can feed it thru a 5/16" hole.  Then connect it to a real angle-stop valve in the basement, not a saddle valve.  I assume I can use a standard 1/4" plastic compression ferrule and brass nut, and with PEX it shouldn't need the little 1/8" metal insert for the end.

[Pb]

I did read that due to gov efficiency regs, fridge makers switched to underpowered compressors, which fail much more often.

And I can tell you don't get a Whirlpool fridge, they are garbage.

[K Frame]

I bought a Frigidaire a couple of years ago to replace the GE that was original to the house.

The GE was still working fine, but it used the same amount of electricity in a month that the new one uses in a year. That and the interior was starting to go to hell -- shelves cracking, etc.

[HankB]

Sears Kenmore large kitchen appliances used to be good, but they've been featured in Design News' Made By Monkeys column too often in recent years to retain their old reputation.

I currently have a 20 year old Amana which hasn't given me any problems at all so far . . . but I'm really not looking forward to shopping for a new one in the future, since there's seemingly so much junk on the market today, with formerly good brands going in the crapper.

[dogmush]

I have a very similar Samsung that's 6 years old now.  For the most part I'm happy.  Keeps stuff cold, is quiet, is huge inside with lots of movable stuff to be versatile.

For some reason my freezer builds up a lot of ice.  Every six months or so it gets to the point that it starts impeding the drawer and I have to take the food bin out of the freezer door and thump on the two or so inch slab of ice until it comes free and throw it in the sink.  It only takes like 10 min to do, but it's kinda annoying.  Don't know if that's mine, or a thing that the Samsung freezer on the bottom's do.

[zxcvbob]

Sears Kenmore large kitchen appliances used to be good, but they've been featured in Design News' Made By Monkeys column too often in recent years to retain their old reputation.

I currently have a 20 year old Amana which hasn't given me any problems at all so far . . . but I'm really not looking forward to shopping for a new one in the future, since there's seemingly so much junk on the market today, with formerly good brands going in the crapper.

That's why I got the extended warranty (just rolled part of the really good sale price back into it), and why I'm debating keeping my old 22+ year old Whirlpool.  Just put it in the garage or basement as a spare. 

[MechAg94]

I bought a Frigidaire a few years ago.  Working find so far.  I got the full blown ice maker with dispenser.  If I did it over again, I would get the ice maker without all the dispenser stuff.  I figure it takes a lot of volume away from the freezer.

[cordex]

I've been dealing with a Whirlpool Gold french door fridge that keeps icing up the evaporator coils. 

Very unhappy with it and would not buy another.

[Jim147]

Of all the units I have worked on over the years the bottom freezer French door units have always been crap.

[cordex]

Of all the units I have worked on over the years the bottom freezer French door units have always been crap.

Good to know for when we decide to replace this thing.

Got it defrosted again and found another loose connection on the defrost heater wiring. Thermistors and element seem to check okay on the multimeter. Putting it back together in a little bit and we should be good for another month anyway.

[zahc]

I've been dealing with a Whirlpool Gold french door fridge that keeps icing up the evaporator coils. 

Very unhappy with it and would not buy another.

I have that fridge too. It stops cooling up top every couple months and we unload it and let it thaw all day then it works again. And the water dispenser is inside and requires two hands to use. And the French doors are annoying. F-- would not buy again.

[zxcvbob]

Our kitchen is a lot smaller now.   I don't think Wife realized how much bigger the new fridge is than the old one.  It's not just 6.5" wider, it's about 5 inches deeper too.

Best Buy did have the wrong Energy Star tag on the display model.  I didn't think there was any way the $50 a year tag could be right.  I'm not happy about that, otoh I'm not really mad because I suspected it was wrong and bought it anyway.

Hope I got one of the good ones, and wasted $100 on the extended warranty/service contract.

Now I gotta get started running the icemaker line...  (they got here 3 hours early. They did call first)

[K Frame]

I need to run a line to my ice maker.

Of course, I've had the fridge for going on 6 or 7 years now and still haven't run the line...

[zxcvbob]

Sorting thru the stuff, putting it in the new fridge.  Throwing out some that's not identifiable.

I have *way* too many assorted jars of curry.  And half a jar of fig preserves from 1998...  Gave the dog an unopened carton of ricotta cheese with an expiry date of 2013 (it looked fine and passed the sniff test)