We've been shopping for side by side fridges for a while now & are still not sure what brand we want.

What are the high quality fridges & how long can one expect them to last?

Right now we are thinking about going with either a Whirlpool or a KitchenAid fridge. We are also going to be getting a new oven (more than likely natural gas) and a dishwasher & would like all of them to be the same brand so the finish will be the same.

Take a look at Roper they are made by Whirlpool only difference between them i found is the price

I would check out the anti-gun Consumer Reports at the local library. I think the KitchenAide had reliability issues, but see for yourself.

Go to Sears and let them talk you into a Gold Mastercard then go for the 50% off on their commercial stainless no frost model.

Quoted: We've been shopping for side by side fridges for a while now & are still not sure what brand we want. What are the high quality fridges & how long can one expect them to last? Right now we are thinking about going with either a Whirlpool or a KitchenAid fridge. We are also going to be getting a new oven (more than likely natural gas) and a dishwasher & would like all of them to be the same brand so the finish will be the same.

I THINK this is my area of expertise... let me check.....



....YEP, I can help.

OK for Refrigerators... are you looking for a "built-In" or "freestanding" If you are looking at a built in... go with a Sub Zero. YES they are pricey but you get what you paid for. They are the Rolls Royce of refrigerators. Now if it is freestanding that you are going for REMEMBER, Roper, Whirlpool and Kitchen Aid are the same company... Good refrigerators BUT!!!!! Go with Amana FIRST! I have one that is 18 years old now and has had only 1 mechanical failure. BIG DEAL.

On a Range, High end I would go with a Wolf or a Dacor. STAY AWAY FROM VIKING! Mid range I would go with Whirlpool, or Frigidaire... YES I SAID IT! My friends have a Frigidaire and I am pleasantly surprised at the quality and performance.

Dishwashers, High End... Fisher & Paykel or Bosch. Middle of the road I would go with Whirlpool.

NOTICE I NEVER SAID G.E.  .... Customer service is not what it used to be and generally, I dont like the quality.

You have to remember that you are spending GOOD HARD EARNED MONEY. You want a company that knows and RESPECTS that. You also have to remember that I have been in the industry 18+ years and have heard every complaint and seen every brand out there. These are the products I would put in my parents home as well as my own. THATS how much I trust them.

SCREW CONSUMER REPORTS!  despite what they say they have been wrong about some of their tests and were called on them (twice that I know of) Talk to service companies. they are the ones that know.

Oh and one more thing. I dont know how you feel about maintenance contracts but as a rule, I dont buy them. Most companies have 5 or more years warranty on their compressors and that is your big ticket item as far as repairs go. Most repairs run about 120-175 dollars so, you be the judge. Besides if you bitch to the manufacturer after a warranty expires, sometimes they bend if they are a good company.

Are you certain you want a side by side?  The wife and I got one and then found the space to not be as useful as a top/bottom unit.  If I had to do it over again I would get the one with the fridge on top and the pull out freezer on the bottom.  Just something to think about.

Hey DrFrige, What is wrong with Viking stoves?  When I redid my kitchen I almost bought one but at the last moment bought a Thermador instead because I got a good discount by buying the stove, hood, and dishwasher at the same time from them.

Quoted: Hey DrFrige, What is wrong with Viking stoves?  When I redid my kitchen I almost bought one but at the last moment bought a Thermador instead because I got a good discount by buying the stove, hood, and dishwasher at the same time from them.

Customer service sucks, they are glorified. Nothing special about them. They have a GREAT marketing team... and thats it. they sell to all these cooking shows so the customer thinks that Viking is the shit. thermador is a FAR MORE superior product in my eyes. their dishwashers are built by Bosch and they STILL know what customer service is all about.

ETA: I just had 4 customers that had their display clocks start to fade (Thermador) and these customers were 4 years out of warranty. Believe it or not, Thermador PAID FOR THE CLOCK ASSY's!!! the customer of course had to pay the labor, but you are talking about $300.00 clocks!

Quoted: OK for Refrigerators... are you looking for a "built-In" or "freestanding" If you are looking at a built in... go with a Sub Zero. YES they are pricey but you get what you paid for. They are the Rolls Royce of refrigerators. Now if it is freestanding that you are going for REMEMBER, Roper, Whirlpool and Kitchen Aid are the same company... Good refrigerators BUT!!!!! Go with Amana FIRST! I have one that is 18 years old now and has had only 1 mechanical failure. BIG DEAL.

hmmm, IIRC, Sub Zero has a high failure rate.

just what i've heard on Clark Howard's consumer advocate show www.clarkhoward.com large appliancees are *not* my area of expertise.

Quoted: Hey DrFrige, What is wrong with Viking stoves?  When I redid my kitchen I almost bought one but at the last moment bought a Thermador instead because I got a good discount by buying the stove, hood, and dishwasher at the same time from them.

Had to start another post.

Viking: Burner and re-ignition system.... All basics
Wolf: Each burner has its own reignition module and TRUE simmer setting for a sealed burner. Also you can hit it with a Buick and it will still work. Great for simmering in small pots.
Thermador: X-LO burner settings and STAR burners. Great for simmering in small pots.
Dacor: Family run business so, they have no choice but to make a great product... which they do.

Quoted: hmmm, IIRC, Sub Zero has a high failure rate.

One thing you have to understand is that EVERY service company fills out what they call a NARDA form when a warranty clam is submitted. So when all companies report that they had "X" amount of NARDA's submitted versus SALES you have your SERVICE to SALES ratio... Follow?

When a company will cover cosmetics for 2 years like Sub Zero does and other companys cover them for 90 days... Of course you will show more service calls. Another case in point is where lets say you call me out for service on Brand ABC refrigerator for a "No Ice" complaint, and I check it out and the problem is your house plumbing (i.e Plumber forgot to turn the water on or a line is plugged up) The manufacturer WILL NOT cover that under warranty... as they should not have to.

Sub Zero does. As well as "Customer Education" calls. No other company I know of does. hell I even had Sub Zero cover a compressor that was 15 years out of warranty... which generates a NARDA and a notch against Sub Zero BUT... that customer will definitely buy another Sub Zero because of that goodwill gesture.

NOTE: Remember when someone buys a 6,000.00 Sub Zero Vs. a 800.00 Whirlpool, those customers tend to be QUITE a bit more picky when it comes to every ding, scratch, squeak and vibration noise than a regualr 'Joe" like you and me.

I have been with Sub Zero 16 years and NEVER have I seen them turn their back on a customer...


...EVER.

I bought an Amana and it's a piece of junk. I won't buy any of their appliances again.

Quoted: Are you certain you want a side by side?  The wife and I got one and then found the space to not be as useful as a top/bottom unit.  If I had to do it over again I would get the one with the fridge on top and the pull out freezer on the bottom.  Just something to think about.

I actually found more space, actually space more evenly distributed, on a side by side. This is one person who will never go back to a top-bottom.
Note though, last fridge we bought (mothers day this year) salesman was very quick to point out the model we were getting was not big enough to store a turkey in the freezer, no biggie we told him, we have seperate freezer also.

Thanks for all the replies and excellent info

They will all be freestanding appliances & the dish washer will have to wait till we have the kitchen rebuilt with all new cabinets & everything. The fridge will be going right up against a wall on one side & kitchen counter on the other.

Was wondering about the extra warranty but had almost mad eup my mind to skip it. now I know I will


With 2 kids & several other little ones running around the house (friends) we really like the ice/water in the door. It's so much easier to get the kids water when they are thirsty. Figgure that it will also save by not having to open & close the door every time. We also really like the ice in the door feature instead of taking up space in the middle of the freezer.

We have several friends who have Amana's & they all are not built to the same high quality that they once were. We have not been to impressed with them but will take another look at them.

How bout Sears Kenmore? That's the unit we ar replacing & it seems to be a good unit even if it's rather old & the ice maker just up and quit on us (after I replaced the fresh water supply line from the fridge to the sink) We also had to have a water pressure regulator & a expansion tank installed in the house as the plumber said we had over 100 psi water pressure at the showerhead.

We have a friend who works at Lowes selling appliances & he said if we go thrugh him we can get his discount on anything & if it's a special order it's only 10% over Lowes cost.

AMANA, I bought one on 1997 and it has been great, no problems at all......

It is not a side by side, but the freezer on top.

LG, Maytag, JennAir are my recomendations.  The LG's have stainless no fingerprint finishes, hidden hinges, all kinds of configurations, cool jets that blow cold from the freezer to the fridge with at least 5 temperature zones, Quick freeze compartment and timed defrost as well. Removable, collapsable, trays that are spill proof. and you can get one with a cool 13" LCD TV on em too.  Oh yeah and not to mention custom ice dispensing (i.e. crushed, big or small cubes)

Kitchenaid is good, as are the equivalent Kenmore refigerators made at the same plant (check the model codes to make sure it's made by Whirlpool).

I could also recommend Magic Chef/Maytag appliances.  Surprisingly reliable.

GunLvr