Fridge/Freezer manufacturers - best of?

[jamma-plusser]

Okay, time to bite the bullet, think I'm going to have to buy a new integrated fridge OR 50/50 fridge/freezer combo.

Main criteria is that the temperature is displayed or the unit at least has a warning light or alarm if the temp gets too high.

So which manufacturers are the ones to go for and the ones to avoid?

Thanks

[jamma-plusser]

Oh, and I don't want to spend more than £300 on a fridge either, so I guess that eliminates Miele and Liebherr.

[NT]

Last time this was asked I think the concensus was that all makes are reliable if you stay away from the frost frees. One thing to look out for is replaceable door seals, I gather not all are now.

NT

[mike]

For what it's worth, our Bosch frost-free fridge freezer has been problem free for thirteen years and has temp display/alarm.

Wouldn't go back to a non-frost free model despite other people's dislike of them.

[The Medway Handyman]

Can you imagine asking the average fridge sales droid that question? They wouldn't know what a door seal was, let alone if it was replaceable.

[John Stumbles]

I'm on my third Hotpoint FFFF* - go figure

• or in their parlance FFFFF: "_Fully_ Frost Free Fridge Freezer" i.e. a regular Planet Earth-type FFFF which is actually FF in both Fridge and Freezer compartments: Hotpoint's marketing droids seemed to think it was a pretty neat idea to label their FF-Freezer/normal-fridge units "Frost Free Fridge-Freezer"

[Owain]

Any fridge you like, and a =A310? digital thermometer from Maplin or the like with an external sensor inside the fridge

Owain

[Mike Lane]

Owain wrote on Jul 15, 2009:

I use two of these; one for the fridge, one for the freezer:

[Mark]

Then you have elimated the best ones. Miele fridge/freezers are made by Liebherr btw.

If possible get separate fridge and freezer and avoid frost free freezers.

Avoid ones that are made in the far east too.

If on a budget, I'd go for Bosch but in the long term I'd say that Liebherr would be more cost effective.

[Mike Lane]

Ma rk wrote on Jul 15, 2009:

What is supposed to be the problem with these? I've had a Hoover F/F fridge-freezer since 2002 and it's still working normally. I used to find defrosting a freezer indoors a really tedious chore that I'm glad not to have to do any more

[Andrew Gabriel]

Reliability of basic sealed refrigeration systems is astonishingly high, and has been for decades. Reliability of the extra frost-free components can't get even close, so it's the frost-free parts which limit the reliability of frost free freezers.

7 years, and just one appliance, really doesn't mean anything.

I've had a non-frost free freezer for 9 years now, and never yet needed to defrost it (although I probably will have to in next couple of years).

[NT]

AIUI there are 3 reliability problems with FF FFs.

1. Failure of inherently limited life parts, namely fans
2. greater complication and lower reliability of control systems leads to many failures too
3. Design compromises mean that deicing sometimes fails, resulting in ice clogging, causing failure to cool.

In some respects FF FFs are certainly better, but failure is a real issue in practice, and I'm not convinced they're a great choice because of this.

no quite

And dont forget that its a mistake to assume frost frees dont need defrosting. If the door gets left ajar or the defrost heater fails, both of which happen, it will then need a defrost tog et working again.

NT

[jamma-plusser]

Thanks good people, perhaps I'll try and track down a 'bargain basement' Miele fridge or fridge/freezer ................ do any online retailers do good deals on them?

[jamma-plusser]

Hmmm, that's a pain, all the Miele integrated fridges are too big for my allocated space ............ now looking at the Baumatic BR16.3A which gets a high user rating here and WILL fit:

[Mark]

If the fan, controller, or defrost heater fails it will need defrosting far more frequently than a non frost-free freezer. Typically a matter of a few weeks IME.

[Mark]

I get the best deals from a local independent dealer and I get good service too.

[NT]

NT

[John]

I thought I once read that there are only about 4 manufacturers of domestic fridge compressors in the world.

I found it easy to replace a FF FF defrost timer - once I realised what I needed. Only £7.95