I know we have appliance experts here, need to get a new refrigerator

So my wife has fallen in love with these new refrigerators that have a door...within the door. I know I know I know. I'm done asking why, I'm just tasked with finding one that doesn't cost more than a challenger car. This is the remodel she has always wanted, so I can't just grab a 20 year old Whirlpool off Craigslist (I asked...I shouldn't have asked).

So, she picked out a nice LG model which I found at the local Sears scratch & dent outlet: https://www.searsoutlet.com/br/pdp/lg-lfxs30766s-29-6-cu-ft-3-door-door-in-door-smart-refrigerator-stainless-steel/135352?uid=44885597

Unfortunately upon further research apparently LG quality is akin to flaming poo. Same for Samsung.

I'm trying to find a manufacturer that sells a fridge that isn't a 2-3 year disposable unit WITH the door-in-door thing. From my research only LG, Samsung, and GE offer it. It might boil down to a less of three evils situation.

What say ye appliance experts of the GRM world? Is any of those three brands the least worst?

slefain said:

only LG, Samsung, and GE offer it. It might boil down to a less of three evils situation.

What say ye appliance experts of the GRM world? Is any of those three brands the least worst?

I would choose LG out of those three.  I've heard Samsung future repair is a pain to schedule, and you will need future repair on any new fridge.  GE just sucks.

Yikes!  That's a lotta moolah! 

I'd avoid the Koreans like the plague, but that's just me.  So GE?

What does Consumer Reports say?

Extended warranty?

I like having a spare fridge in the garage.  It started out one Thanksgiving holiday, when we needed the space.  Now, it's indispensable, and would keep a single total fridge breakdown from being a cataclysmic event.

1988RedT2 said:

Yikes!  That's a lotta moolah! 

I'd avoid the Koreans like the plague, but that's just me.  So GE?

What does Consumer Reports say?

Extended warranty?

I like having a spare fridge in the garage.  It started out one Thanksgiving holiday, when we needed the space.  Now, it's indispensable, and would keep a single total fridge breakdown from being a cataclysmic event.

Our old fridge (that works flawlessly) is being moved to the basement to replace the last old fridge (which still works but rattles). And we still have a the chest freezer that came over on the Titanic. Big family, lots of mouths to feed, so we buy in bulk and rotate stock as needed among the cold storage units.

I'm going to call my appliance guy and ask which one he can gets parts for no problem. That may be the deciding factor.

Not an expert, but I’m leery of reviews. Our Whirlpool got horrible reviews because one person claimed the icemaker was “So loud it woke her up at night,” then others piled on the bandwagon. The icemaker sounds like an icemaker. And it MAKES ICE! RELIABLY!

Wife bought a table on amazon. Good looking, but mixed reviews. Upon *reading* the reviews, people were complaining that it took 8 hours to put together (I could build one from scratch in that time.) One guy complained “The holes didn’t line up, so I drilled the holes bigger. Now the screws won’t go in!” No E36 M3!? Lol. Wife put it together by herself in an hour and it looks great!

As far as a good “brand,” I find that it’s hit or miss. Our LG Microwave started losing functions about 90 days in. Our LG washer and dryer are AWESOME 2-3 years in.

My brother spent a godzillion dollars on a Miehle(?) stove for his new house. It didn’t work right from day one. After MULTIPLE failed repair attempts, they finally gave him a new one, and it “kind of” works.

Anyway, we’re happy with our Whirpool fridge. Dunno if they make a door-in-door model.

We have a new Whirlpool that needed a repair within two weeks.  The had to order a new door because the nylon sleeve for the upper hinge disintegrated.  Now the door on the water filter won’t stay shut.  I also hate how the interior is arranged.  

In reply to spitfirebill :

So yeah. It’s a crapshoot. I’d be taking that berkeleyer back to the store.

My data point of one says my LG that was 6 years old when I bought my house 6 years ago and has been running great is 100% awesome.  French door, no water or ice on the door, icemaker in the freezer.  

Two things I have done to it:  Reseat the icemaker since it came loose and quit making ice, and take it apart and blow the cat hair out of it and run a fan on the compressor for 12 hours when it was left open for a few days (whoops) and wouldnt recover below 45F and the freezer wasnt freezing.  That little incident was 2 years ago and it is still rocking and rolling.  If anything it improved a lot being cleaned out, I got about half a cat out of it.  

I had friends 20 years ago who had a fridge with a door in a door thing that held cokes and such. It all comes back around. 

I forget the mfg, but I bought the smallest freezer-on-the-bottom model available.  (my kid wants to get popsicles himself) I was excited about the water dispenser feature, ice cold water any time we want it!  (my kid drinks nothing but water)  Until I realized that the water line went straight from the connection to the door, it doesn't reduce the temp at all!  Maybe that's standard - this is my first fridge with a dispenser - but I was bummed.   

We had major headaches with Whirlpool and eventually had to fight with the store and Whirlpool to get it replaced. We lost our entire fridge worth of food before a family party and after that was fixed (after a few weeks of waiting) the icemaker stopped working and that took 5 months of fighting before getting it traded for a smaller KitchenAid (still Whirlpool with fancier trim). YMMV. We bought a Bosch dishwasher about 6 months ago and it has been fantastic.