New Used Fridge

[MinnesotaMike]

The wife wants to buy a Stianless Steel French door style fridge.

We have been researching for a while and I have noticed that alot of the fridges are discontinued only after a few years.

Is this normal?

Do new models come out that fast?

I know nothing about the appliance market so amybe someone can set me straight.

Thx,

Mike

[cavalierowner]

In my experience, that's common in all appliances. I would love to hear an explanation too. When I was working as an architect, I would specify a certain appliance the client wanted by model number. Then almost invariably I would get a call from the contractor trying to order it a few months later saying the model was discontinued and can he substitute model xxx. Used to drive me crazy because I had to go back to the client and get approval yet again! I asked manufacturers about it a number of times and all I got was a bunch of double talk.

BTW, we have an LG french door refrigerator with the bottom freezer and LOVE it. Just be sure to bring a water glass with you to make sure it actually fits in the water/ice dispenser recess. I have heard they have mostly fixed this oversight on the newer refrigerators. It's a minor frustration, but a frustration none the less.

[Macgyver55]

Quote:

BTW, we have an LG french door refrigerator with the bottom freezer and LOVE it.

We have the same style in a Maytag and are very happy with it as well, especially the bottom freezer!

[Tom7227]

Check the dimensions of the opening you have now. I found out that fridges have grown and it was a bit of a hassle to find one that fit and was acceptable to the mrs. As she looked around she decided that the ice maker in the door ate up too much of the interior and so she went with a traditional one inside the freezer.

[delcecchi]

Do they put icemakers in the drawer type freezer compartments?

We love the ice/water dispenser on our french door refrigerator, although it does take up space.

[Cicada]

Models generally don't stick around too long. It would be rare for a model to last a few years. Sometimes the new model has a cosmetic change, sometimes a functional change. Part of why they do this is to keep a fresh look on showroom floors. Part of the reason is people look for something that is just a little bit better than something they saw in a friend's house. Sometimes they feel the model has reached the highest price it can bring "as is", even if the price increase might be due to increase costs of manufacture. Something to make it different can bring the price up a bit.

A good reason why you should shop in an appliance store rather than a big box store is the big boxes will pick up discontinued models at a discount and blow them out at a cheap price. To them, a "current model" means they have it in stock. Your local appliance store can answer questions that you should ask. Does anyone make a fingerprint resistant stainless steel? Can I use a RO filter system to supply water to the refrigerator? What might happen if I have a GFCI outlet in the circuit that my 'fridge is plugged into? Are all warranties the same, or does any manufacturer offer a better warranty? Who will service my refrigerator if something happens to it? If you are selling me an extended warranty, who will service it? The answer to the last two questions will not always be the same. Not all repair services will work with all warranty companies. These extended warranties are usually not offered by the manufacturer, but an independent company. Some of which do not have a good reputation for payment to the servicer, and therefore, not all servicers will work with that company. What will an extended warranty cover? What is included in the price as far as delivery, setup, etc.? The price you see in an appliance store may be higher, but it may include these extras and a discount might be available if you want to haul it yourself.

Good luck in your search.

[Tom7227]

We bought all new appliances this past summer after redoing the kitchen. We shopped all over and I agree that it is best to go to an appliance store. In fact we got some very good info from the a saleslady at ApplainceSmart about the various features. My wife wanted a rig with two doors on top and the freezer in the bottom. It has a traditional ice maker that you have to open the door to get the cubes. That was the room thing I mentioned above. It was virtually impossible to compare prices as no one seemed to have the same model numbers on the floor. My wife ended up deciding on a model and then asking several stores for quotes. The price differences were pretty substantial. We got a fridge, a gas stove and a microwave and one place would want $1500 for the fridge and another would want $1800. We dropped around $3,500 for all three and got one of those no interest deals knowing that it would kill us if we were late on a payment.

Hope this helps.

Tom