appliance repairman

[rancher1913]

any appliance repair people on the board, need a new refrigerator and would like some first hand info on current quality but even more on who stands behind their product. seams that all the brands have tons of bad reviews and repair horror stories.


really only want advice from people in the actual field, basically if your job involves repairing refrigerators, what brand would you go with currently.

[Winger Ed.]

I've had the best luck and have been happiest with Frigidaire.
Especially ours that has fully adjustable shelves like those ladder brackets for in home book shelves.

Sam Sung is now in our 'never again' category.

Most of the new stuff has racks for the shelves made into the sides.
Real agrivating if you want to arrange them differently.
Also the delivery rate and storage capacity for the ice machines are rather minimal on most.

[daengmei]

My last refrigerator purchase was a Kenmore. About 2 years later the LED lighting inside began to strobe. I looked at the cost and it's a good thing that neither me or the wife have problems from the strobing. It's now 5 years old and the strobe effect comes and goes. Just too darn expensive to replace, can't recall but it was near or over $100...not just a bulb anymore.

So I guess I'm saying look into common problems like you're doin and hopefully you will get one that's problem free.

[Lloyd Smale]

I think there about all throw aways now. You don't see appliance repair men anymore. ME? I buy the cheapest unit that has the features I want. Doesn't matter if its a tv, fridge freezer, or washer and dryer. When it craps out just buy another one. Id about bet that that fancy 2000 dollar fridge has the same guts in it the 800 dollar one has. Just a fancier wrapping. probably get attacked for it but most of my appliances are cheap hot points and frididares.

[Hickory]

Refrigerator, freezers, wash machines, dishwashers and stoves are designed to last only as long as parts are available, when no parts are available for repair then you are forced to buy a new appliance.

[wildwilly501]

I think a good dealer is more important than the brand.I stopped buying at box stores the local dealer isn't any more money.Sells several brands and heres the big one is honest will tell you if they are having issues with certain models.Another thing they will do if you have them out for service and the repair is too much and you decide to replace no service charge if you buy from them.

[Alstep]

I've got an old GE refrigerator made in 1943. Never had a service call & still going strong. Not very efficient and ice builds up, but a good backup when every thing else gives up. Have it out in the barn, nice for a cold brew when working on a project.

[obssd1958]

My youngest son has been an appliance repairman for more than 10 years, so I asked him. His response was:

"Depends on style. I personally like the french door style (bottom freezer) but there are only a couple that I would recommend. A Whirlpool single evaporator or a GE. On side by side machines, I don't have much of a preference, just not a Samsung or LG. The reason I don't recommend them is they are both electronics companies, making appliances - so more complex a lot of times than they need to be."

Hope this helps!

[rancher1913]

obssd1958, that is exactly what I was hoping to get, tell him thanks.

[Scrounge]

any appliance repair people on the board, need a new refrigerator and would like some first hand info on current quality but even more on who stands behind their product. seams that all the brands have tons of bad reviews and repair horror stories.


really only want advice from people in the actual field, basically if your job involves repairing refrigerators, what brand would you go with currently.

I don't do appliance repair except for myself anymore, but if you look into the repair parts for appliance, most parts are common throughout all the various lines. Whirlpool FSP (Factory Specified Parts) are frequently used in Maytag, Whirlpool, Kenmore, Frigidaire, Kitchen Maid, and others. Check out appliancepartspros.com and see how many models of different brands use the same parts. It's quite educational. I use the website to identify parts for the various machines we have, and either buy from them, or find the same parts on ebay, usually for much lower prices. Depends on how desperately we need them as to where we buy. I also have a store in a nearby town that stocks a lot of parts; their prices are much higher, generally, but I can call them, and usually run down and pick up the part if I need it that badly. YMMV, of course.

[metricmonkeywrench]

We’re currently sporting an LG.

Buddy at work got wrung thru the ringer on a brand new Samsung. After multiple fixes they ended up replacing the entire refrigeration system. Even the repairman that came out told him he should have gotten something else. For months they lived out of a cheap scratch and dent no frills in the garage.

[Half Dog]

I’m in the ANTI-Samsung camp.

[Scrounge]

I have to admit I keep looking at the big Samsung at Sam's Club. It's got a 20" tablet computer built into the door, and it's only about $3200. Nancy Pelosi probably has one. ;)

[Winger Ed.]

I have to admit I keep looking at the big Samsung at Sam's Club. It's got a 20" tablet computer built into the door, and it's only about $3200. Nancy Pelosi probably has one. ;)

Somebody looked up her 2 from the 'stay at home' thing she did with the little $8-9. ice cream tubs.
Those refrigerators are $25,000 each.

A niece has worked for Lowe's about 10 years.
She says Sam Sung leads the parade for returned refrigerators.

Here, we have a 1990 vintage GE, and a 2002 Frigidair. Both still on the job without issues.
The 4 1/2 year old Sam Sung konked out last week and went to the trash.

[metricmonkeywrench]

She probably has no clue if she even has one, the “staff” takes care of all those unimportant details...

[CastingFool]

We have a Samsung refrig. Had it for a couple years and coil froze up. Fam motor died. Replaced it myself and ran ok for quite a while before the coil began to freeze up. Replaced the defrost heater, fam motor and the temp sensor. Have not had any problems since, and it's been like 5yrs ago.

[rancher1913]

found a whirlpool single evaporator french door, just a plain no frills unit that the wife liked but when I tried to purchase it, its out of stock till the end of June at the earliest, so after spending lots of time on the phone and internet I found the one she wanted in Denver as a scratch and dent floor model, brand new and full warranty so I guess she will have to live with a few dings. now to keep my fingers crossed that it will be a good unit.

[FLINTNFIRE]

Hey rancher1913 , I bought one some months ago from Sears , online , delivered and they were to set it up , as I had some work going on , I took delivery at curb and set up myself , had a dent on side at back .

I could care less about a dent I can not see as long as it works like it should , glad you got one the wife likes .

[Mr_Sheesh]

daengmei - LED Strobing means the LED's power supply has gotten sick, if you can replace it that should fix it. If up to repairing your own, This (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UerFD3AgJHE) is a good example of how they work & how to repair them.

[Teddy (punchie)]

We got a cheap run of the mill unit. So repair guy was in at work Unit was 1 year old and fan stopped. I ask him he said one that's at least 10 years old. Keep your old one. I have been doing this with washers and dryers. Buy a old used one in good shape they are going into a old home with a old basement. What do I need new for. They all have issues. My mom's newer front loaders are moody and always cleaning filters at farm pump water.

[Froogal]

I won't recommend a brand, but if you have a "mom and pop" appliance store in your area, one that has their own repairman, they will know which brands to stay away from. My preference would be ANY brand that does not have an onboard computer. It seems that those "motherboards" fail more often than anything else.

[Mal Paso]

Lucky Goldstar has to be at the bottom of the list. Panasonic at the top.

[fecmech]

I would also recommend a local appliance store if you have one. n Their prices are comparable to the big guys as they have some kind of dealers group that helps with pricing. They also are knowledgeable as to what brands are really "turkey's" and don't carry them. We also have our first refrigerator a Whirlpool (1967) in the basement doing just fine!

[fecmech]

I should never have bragged about my 1967 Whirlpool fridge. Went downstairs to get a jar of soup out of the freezer and discovered it gave up the ghost. Fortunately nothing had thawed so no big loss as far as food goes. Tomorrow I will take a trip into town and visit my local appliance dealer. That will teach me!

[Plate plinker]

Good thread. Didn’t know Samsung was junk.

[Froogal]

Good thread. Didn’t know Samsung was junk.

Maybe Samsung is junk, maybe it is not. Our local, mom and pop appliance store sold us a Samsung dishwasher about 5 or 6 years ago. It was the brand that had given the least amount of service calls for them. We have been very happy with it.

"Made in China" means that the quality is a crap shoot. It will either be very good, or it will be a total piece of junk right out of the box. Brand name seems to make no difference.