Never buy a Whirlpool refrigerator

You're welcome.

or washing machine.

Our Whirlpool fridge is still going, bought in 1995, never repaired.  Yes, I know a newer one would be more efficient.

Whirlpool washer croaked about a year ago, bought sometime between 1990 and 1995.  It did require some repairs in its "golden years."

Maybe they're not making them like they used to?

Nobody is making anything the way they used to.   

Our whirlpool washer from the mid-1990s is also doing fine.  But I doubt that the newer ones are as good.

PeggyC said:

Nobody is making anything the way they used to.  "> 

That's exactly the issue. We bought a Whirlpool Gold french-door fridge five years ago. Right after the one-year warranty period was over (natch) we had to replace the ice-maker. A year later, it was the ice-maker motor. The freezer seal had to be replaced because we kept waking up to a freezer full of snow, and then the water line. Last Friday, the compressor went.

Our new Samsung arrives today.

We had to replace the entire door of our Whirlpool sxs fridge when the ice dispenser tube stopped working. BUnder 2 years old but out of warranty.

through the door icemakers have always been the weak point with most manufacturers.

Agreed.

Our last fridge (~20 years old) mostly worked fine... except for the frequent water dispenser motor burnouts/tube leaks/ice maker line freezes/filter change difficulties.  

So when we got a new fridge, we got one without all that external stuff (it does have an in-freezer ice maker - but we haven't turned it on since we're not ice people).  Bonus is more space in the fridge/freezer.

Same here... ours has an icemaker inside the freezer, but we specifically opted for one without anything in the door. Both because they break easily and because my boys would make a huge mess with a water dispenser

I think front door icemakers are hideous but good luck trying to find a brand without one.  It's hard.

Robert_Casotto said:

I think front door icemakers are hideous but good luck trying to find a brand without one.  It's hard.

It is indeed. Our Samsung French Door was one of the few options!

we turned off our ice maker as we dont like the water and use bottled water to make ice cubes

made a huge difference in quality and clarity of ice and no nasty taste getting into my cocktails !!

I'm looking for another sxs now (different house) and I think I've seen 2 without a front dispenser.  

We have a French-door, bottom freezer GE now with the in-freezer ice maker. And water dispenser inside the fridge box. We had an LG previously that had no ice maker at all, praise the lord. Also French door and bottom freezer.

You would think the manufacturers would realize how popular such items would be and make more, unless they are counting on the revenues from frequent repairs.   

Looking at research and reviews, it's pretty clear that the door mounted dispensers raise all sorts of issues.  It makes sense if you look at it -  the ice is made and stored in the body and has to be dispensed through a door that opens and closes.    Not an insurmountable problem, but probably one that would require more investment in better materials than the manufacturers think we're willing to pay. 

We just bought a KitchenAid French Door with bottom freezer.   The salesman strongly agreed with the premise of avoiding in-door ice/water dispensers.      http://www.kitchenaid.com/shop/-[KRFF302ESS]-408491/KRFF302ESS/#ratingsandreviews

BTW,  huge props to Reno's Appliance in Patterson.   We are redoing our kitchen, and the sales experience was outstanding and the price was fully $2K less than what I had priced out from Big Box stores.     

TarheelsInNj said:

Robert_Casotto said:

I think front door icemakers are hideous but good luck trying to find a brand without one.  It's hard.

It is indeed. Our Samsung French Door was one of the few options!

Our new Samsung has the icemaker built into the door.

This is what we got:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Samsung-24-5-cu-ft-Side-by-Side-Refrigerator-in-White-RS25H5111WW/204798601

catch22 said:

Looking at research and reviews, it's pretty clear that the door mounted dispensers raise all sorts of issues.  It makes sense if you look at it -  the ice is made and stored in the body and has to be dispensed through a door that opens and closes.    Not an insurmountable problem, but probably one that would require more investment in better materials than the manufacturers think we're willing to pay. 
   

TarheelsInNj said:

Robert_Casotto said:

I think front door icemakers are hideous but good luck trying to find a brand without one.  It's hard.

It is indeed. Our Samsung French Door was one of the few options!

Samsung and Kenmore definitely make this option, I believe others do as well.

wendyn said:

I'm looking for another sxs now (different house) and I think I've seen 2 without a front dispenser.  

Well sue me, but I like having water and ice on the door.

I think plenty of people LIKE it... But many have noticed that these functions are prone to problems. YMMV.

FWIW - we got water and ice dispensers against our better judgment.

Often there is no real choice. When we needed to get a new fridge for my parents' house, we discovered that it had to be counter depth to fit the space. There were very few options in a reasonable price range, and they all had the in-door dispensers. If it had been for our house, I would have done the same thing, but it would not have been my first choice.