appliance reviews?

[dabuddha]

We're looking to purchase a new fridge. Our main requirement is that it has an indoor ice/water dispenser and that it's stainless steel. Also, the max we want to spend is about $1100 (lower of course would be better).

We're looking at this one:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+...ract_desc=null
But I haven't been able to find many reviews for it.

Is there a website that deals with appliance reviews out there? Also anyone have any experience with samsung fridges or recommend a different one?

TIA!

 

[amdskip]

Consumer reports maybe? YMMV or course and there are haters out there of their reporting. Very little information out there it appears.

http://reviews.us.samsung.com/7463/...-ft-color-stainless-steel-reviews/reviews.htm

 

[meltdown75]

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&s...aq=1&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=home+appliance+&gs_rfai=

 

[Gibson486]

This is one of those things that sucks looking for reviews on. The key is that they will all do their job well enough. Whether they do the job best....that is totally opinion. How do you tell if one fridge is better than another? The only thing you can possibly measure is energy consumption or how smooth the ice cubes are. It's not like a car where you can see how it handles...or a TV where you can see the results. You pretty much have to buy it and you'll know with in a few months whether you made a good purchase or a purchase that you regret. Sadly, the only relevant benchmark is reliability, but that changes model to model.

Essentially, you just go t the store and find one with the features you like.

 

[blackdogdeek]

we just bought a kenmore two weeks ago from sears. they have some reviews on their site but we also found that the general body of reviews anywhere online was lacking. in the end we had to trust our eyes and hope for the best.

we got a kenmore stainless, bottom freezer drawer, fridge on top single door, ice maker in freezer. it was around $1200. good so far.

sears had some crazy sale but you'll have to check because it might have just ended. there is also the cash for clunkers (for electrical appliances) in NJ that ends at the end of april i think. there is also a rebate for recycling your old fridge. the great thing about sears is they figured the rebates into the final costs so we wouldn't have to mail the rebates ourselves.

 

[Vette73]

get the item number and hit up lowes, homedepot, sears, and other smaller internet sites. Read all the revies and go from there.

Never trust just 1 bad review. Everybody has a lemon come fromt he line all the time. But if you keep seeing the same problem, over and over then you know.

Example I found was LG and Samsung made mostly decent washer and dryes. But they both have awful reviews for the dishwashers i could find.


My new kitchen will have a LG frdiges, Jenn-air over, Ge stove top, Maytag dishwasher, and a smaller company garbage disposal.

 

[dabuddha]

This is one of those things that sucks looking for reviews on. The key is that they will all do their job well enough. Whether they do the job best....that is totally opinion. How do you tell if one fridge is better than another? The only thing you can possibly measure is energy consumption or how smooth the ice cubes are. It's not like a car where you can see how it handles...or a TV where you can see the results. You pretty much have to buy it and you'll know with in a few months whether you made a good purchase or a purchase that you regret. Sadly, the only relevant benchmark is reliability, but that changes model to model.

Essentially, you just go t the store and find one with the features you like.

Thanks all for the info! And I do like me some real smooth ice cubes

I was actually looking at an LG fridge at bestbuy (was $1200 before a 10% coupon) but out of the 4 reviews on the bb website, 2 said the motor failed twice within the first 30 days and had some other issues as well.

 

[moshquerade]

don't get stainless steel, get a faux stainless. stainless steel is so hard to keep clean - fingerprints galore.

 

[dullard]

It is hard to make any generalizations with fridges. If my memory serves me correctly, only a couple of manufacturers actually make the fridges and then they just slap a many different labels on for many different brands/stores.

A Kenmore appliance with a good/bad review could be made by Whirlpool. An essentially identical Kenmore appliance could also be made by LG or Fridgidaie. Meaning if you go only by the label, you have no idea which company actually made that fridge.

The impact to you is that you need to have the very exact model number AND the name of the manufacturer. Then you need to find a review that covers that exact same combination.

However, in the end, I don't think there was much variation. A fridge is a fridge is a fridge. You have a shell, some insulation, and a compressor pump. Find features that you like at a price you want to pay. Many stores pay price games, so be willing to jump through their hoops. For example, Sears will have good sales and/or price match. But, to get the best Sears price, you have to negotiate a deal then walk away. Come back the next day and you get a 10% discount off that best deal for "coming back". The biggest price difference is often in the electricity used, so be sure to factor that into your calculation.

 

[meltdown75]

don't get stainless steel, get a faux stainless. stainless steel is so hard to keep clean - fingerprints galore.

i never have fingerprints on mine :shrug:

 

[torpid]

Surprised by the "they're all the same" stuff here. My experience is the opposite. A lot of fridges have huge swings in temperature in areas you don't want there to be. Many also don't keep proper temperatures unless you constantly tweak the dial.

 

[DietDrThunder]

It doesn't really make much difference what you buy, but it does make a difference where you buy. If you buy from Home Depot or Lowes you need to know that they use Sears appliance service. So you think, hmm, I'll just buy from Sears. WRONG! Sears has the worst service imaginable. My co-worker bought a Kenmore washing machine. It broke under warranty and it took them 2 weeks to make the service call. Then they didn't have the part in stock, so they said they'd order the part and once the part came in, they'd reschedule an appointment. 1 week later he was called and they said the part was in and they scheduled the appointment for 2 weeks later. He was without a washer for 5 weeks. We had our 11 year old maytag break and our local mom-and-pop repair shop was at our house the next day.

Best Buy usually farms it out to the local mom-and-pop repair places if the Geek Squad can't get to it.

The best thing to do is find what you want, go to a local mom-and-pop appliance dealer that services what they sell, and buy it from them. Check your local BBB on the mom-and-pop first though.


We just bought major appliances this way, they sold it for less than the big chains, and we've been very happy.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I used the reviews from HomeDepot, Lowes, Sears and BestBuy to help me when I had to buy a washer and dryer.

 

[nerp]

i never have fingerprints on mine :shrug:

You have to take off your robbery gloves first, dude.

 

[dabuddha]

You have to take off your robbery gloves first, dude.

He actually burned off his fingerprints

I'm actually happy with a black one but my wife is really wanting a stainless steel one. I'd prefer using the $150 or so I'd save and spend that on something else.

 

[John P]

I went through this several months ago and got analysis paralysis reading all the reviews since every appliance had some good and some horrible reviews. A person who has problems is more likely to post than somebody who does not.

I ended up with this for I think around $1100 after BCB and energy rebate:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...72000&sLevel=0

Been fine so far except the little console thing at the top gets in the way. Not sure if they have this model in stainless.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Appliances drop in value tremendously. I would recommend checking out what's available from a used appliance store. You still have to do your homework but, you'll probably be able to find a much nicer fridge for your money. Many places also sell extended warranties.