Dangit, I need refrigerator advice.

My 'fridge died tonight. I need to buy one tomorrow (!!!!!).
I'd like to know what you folks think of specific brands, reliability-wise.
After that, are there any things I should avoid, like are there known issues with seals on the french door style, or the bottom freezer style has problems, stuff like that.
I appreciate any help.

Our last one was a GE and it was moderately horrible. I cheered the day it died. My parents have a GE. My mom prays for it's demise on a regular basis. They both had problems with temperature regulation. One day the fridge side would be too warm, the next day, everything in it would be frozen. The ice machine made about 2 cubes per hour. It was just a bad machine.

We went to Slowes. Wandered through and picked out a couple to ask questions about. The people there were just plain bad. Didn't seem to care if they ever sold anything. They either didn't want to, or couldn't answer any questions. So we took our money elsewhere.

We ended up at Sears. Great to deal with. Prices as good or better than Slowes. The refrigerator is much better at everything. I think it's a Kenmore, which is probably a re-branded something else. I like that the ice maker is built entirely into the door, instead of taking up the entire top shelf in the freezer. I like the glass shelves rather than the plastic. I like the LED lighting that runs from top to bottom and doesn't leave the bottom of the refrigerator cloaked in darkness.

We have only had it about 9 months so I can't speak to the long term reliability. We will probably be headed back to Sears for a microwave and stove in the next month or so. I need to get a gas line and tank installed. We will be switching the stove top to propane.

As with most large appliances these days the most current designs seem to be the worst as respects longevity and reliability. I'd try to find a NOS of an older style, or maybe even go really cheap and get a used one. There is a used appliance place near me that has some stuff that looks like it was used once and put in storage for a decade. Sure it will use more power, but if it lasts many times longer you come out ahead. I'm quite certain that the appliance manufacturers are using energy efficiency as cover for planned obsolescence.

Have you tried to trouble shoot it? It could be something simple.

only get a lower end whirlpool, maytag, amana right now. Avoid ALL others. Do NOT get a korean one, do NOT get GE, do NOT get anything with a dual evaporator, or woe be it to you in 5 years. Avoid kenmore, you never know what you're getting, probably something that wont last.

I repeat, ONLY whirlpool amana and Maytag, nothing real expensive. The more expensive it is, expect it to fail that much more often. Not serious things, but stupid things like ice makers breaking, water lines freezing inside the cabinet, and evaporators frosting up. Especially korean ones. If you put a pan of jello in there, it releases too much moisture and newer systems, especially samsung/LG, can't handle it and freeze up. There is no fix, they just suck at that.

My Samsung blows goats. If the power goes out for more than 3 hours, throw everything away. Even if you didn't open it at all. Just piss poor insulation.

I do like the size. French door/bottom freeze. Mom and dad have the same one with in door ice maker and water dispenser. It has broken multiple times in the past year.

HappyAndy wrote: As with most large appliances these days the most current designs seem to be the worst as respects longevity and reliability. I'd try to find a NOS of an older style, or maybe even go really cheap and get a used one. There is a used appliance place near me that has some stuff that looks like it was used once and put in storage for a decade. Sure it will use more power, but if it lasts many times longer you come out ahead. I'm quite certain that the appliance manufacturers are using energy efficiency as cover for planned obsolescence. Have you tried to trouble shoot it? It could be something simple.

I'm with you on this one. When our washing machine died a few years ago we got a Speed Queen. Old school, not high efficiency, not pretty, no bells and whistles, but should be handed down to my kids when they move out. That's what I'm hoping to find in the refrigerator sector. Some brand that still builds them like they did in the 50's.
In reply to just about everyone else:
Yeah, I'm not getting the fancy models with a build in Android tablet in the door and cameras inside the 'fridge. That's just something else to break. I just want a two box unit that keeps stuff cold.
Monday we're going to the Sears Scratch and Dent center. Typically 40+% off and the scratches are often not in a conspicuous place.

True story: My grandmother had a refrigerator from the fifties that she used until well into the nineties. I don't know who made it, but it looked like a cross between a rocket and an Oldsmobile to me.

When it stopped working she called in an appliance repair guy to see if it could be fixed. I think he said it was a burnt out motor, and would be an easy fix if parts were available, but parts haven't been for 25 years. He also said his dad used to fix these with parts adapted from a newer machine,but those parts went out of production in the early eighties.

It is not hyperbole when people say they don't build them like they used to.

I have a freezer on top unit and it's ok but not great. Freezer stuff isn't quite cold enough (ice cream should be hard dammit) and bottom shelf freezes veggie solid.

I used to have the freezer on the bottom design and it worked much better. I don't know if it's a brand thing or a thermodynamic issue (cold sinks).

We have a Frigidaire side by side, and it has not been great. The compressor has been replaced under warranty, the ice maker has stopped working a couple times, and the water dispenser in the door freezes up occasionally.

I have a 25cu.ft LG from about 2010 that I bought off Craigslist for $150. When I got it you couldn't adjust the temp on it, so I replaced the main board for $75. Then the seals wore out due to crappy french door design, that was another $90, then this last failure was the $30 start relay on the capacitor for the compressor.

So it's not the worst, and it's not the best, but so far hasn't cost me more than $400.