When is a deal not a deal?

[Zagut]

It's when the new fridge you got from a renovation dies a few months after you got it.

My old fridge died and I thought I'd found a replacement in the nick of time.

It was the same size and color. Essentially it was the same fridge just a different brand name stuck on it.

Well it's kicking the bucket as we speak.

It still keeps the freezer cold enough to keep what I have frozen safe but it runs constantly and refrigerator temp is up.

I can get another one from a client getting rid of one but the timing is questionable.
Mine might be dead before they want to part with it.

So to lessen my stress level about losing all I have in the freezer and not wanting another that might only last a few months I got off my ass and bought a brand new one.

I went to Sears and this is what I got.

http://www.sears.com/kenmore-25.4-cu-ft-side-by-side-refrigerator/p-04650022000P





I looked at the bottom freezers but I'm used to the side by side so I stuck with that.
Seems that digging through the contents of a chest freezer won't fit the way I live.

One day I'll get a small chest freezer to fill my needs and have for times like these when the risk of losing the contents is right there. But as of now every penny counts.
Keeping things not used very often or what I have an abundance of would work well in a chest freezer.

I also did something I never do.
I bought an extended warranty. I've heard so many negative reviews about modern appliances it seemed worth it.
Plus I get to have someone come out and clean the coils & such once a year at no cost.

The other reason I went to Sears is that they could deliver it sooner then others could and they haul away the old one.
It's a second floor delivery and as this is a monster I count that as a plus.
20 years ago when I was young and stupid I managed to get the old beast upstairs myself.
Now that I'm old and stupid I'll leave that task to those with better backs then mine.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hope that the old gal can keep it's contents frozen until Monday when the new gal takes her place.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I looked at the bottom freezers but I'm used to the side by side so I stuck with that.
Seems that digging through the contents of a chest freezer won't fit the way I live.

I used to have a side by each, but when I bought a new one I got a top freezer because a frozen pizza will not lay flat in a side-by-side.

 

[GotGarlic]

I will never have a side by side; I have a French-door fridge. I like to be able to put a sheet pan in the fridge for seasoning a rack of ribs, or holding variety of veggies to be grilled, etc. And I love the drawer that is the width of the fridge for storing meats on one side and cheese on the other. The center divider is easy to adjust, so if I have more of one or the other, I just slide the divider accordingly.

We also have a small freezer and we kept the old top-freezer fridge after we renovated the kitchen several years ago. Lots of freezer space here!

But congrats on your new purchase! I hope you love it

 

[Dawgluver]

Congrats on your new purchase, Zagut! They just don't make them like they used to.

We replaced our old one with a French door style with the freezer drawer on the bottom. I hate it. I miss my old side by side. The thing is possessed. I can't find anything in the freezer drawer without digging. The light randomly determines when it wants to light up, most of the time I'm finding stuff by Braille. The door alarm goes off whenever it feels like it, even though all doors are completely shut. It feels free to vomit ice cubes all over the floor, instead of in the glass (at least Beagle gets nicely chilled water in her bowl.)

 

[roadfix]

I had that problem with my 10 yr old fridge where the freezer worked and the rest of the fridge did not stay cold. After watching a bunch of how-to Youtube videos I replaced a thermostat (under $10 from Amazon) behind the freezer panel and that took care of the huge ice build-up problem behind the panel which was preventing cold air from entering the main compartment.

 

[Andy M.]

I wish you much better luck with the new fridge. I have a french door fridge and don't care for the configuration. Bending over the freezer and digging for something you know is in there somewhere is not my idea of fun. I'd go back to the top freezer style in an instant.

 

[Kayelle]

I love my bottom freezer, but it's sure a lot easier on my back with my kitchen chair.

 

[GotGarlic]

I try to keep my frozen food organized in my various freezers: the one in the kitchen has breads, doughs, nuts, seeds, zest, homemade or grown veggie items, and store-bought frozen veggies. Meats, stock, salsas and cooked leftovers are in the top freezer in the sun room and other stuff is in the small freezer.

I really need to do an inventory and see what all I have. Then I can make a plan for using it up. During the summer, though, it's really hard to resist fresh vegetables from the farmers markets.

 

[rodentraiser]

I had to get a new fridge once and I still can't figure out how I did it. I had to drive 20 miles to leave my truck and get my friend's truck (because his didn't have a camper on the back), then drive 20 miles back to the store (fortunately, they helped put the fridge in the back of the truck), drive to my house, unload the fridge from the back of the truck myself and bring it all the way down the driveway and into the kitchen, then drive the truck back to its owner, pick mine up, and then drive home again. Then like a fool, I left the fridge behind when I moved because of course, every place you rent comes with a fridge. Except the one place I managed to find to rent came with a 1940s fridge that wasn't frost free!

They sure don't make appliances like they used to! I also bought a small washing machine about 1983 (delivered - I was getting smarter by that time) and I used it up till 2005. Then I moved and gave it to a neighbor. He's still using it, from what I hear.

CG, I just went to the FM last Thursday afternoon. I spent $26 and got corn, cherry tomatoes, 2 pints each of strawberries and blueberries, and 8 peaches. It's now Saturday and I have 2 peaches, 1 pint of blueberries, 2 ears of corn, and the tomatoes left, although at the rate I'm eating the tomatoes, I won't have any tomatoes left to put on the chicken tonight. And I'm going to be eating the rest of the blueberries in just a few minutes.

I could turn into a fruititarian (with corn) if I could do this every week. And it's not just that I can't afford to eat like this all week. It's that when I get this stuff, I inhale it like junkies inhale cocaine. I've never been able to make a berry pie or anything because I never get tired enough of plain berries that I want to do something different with them.

 

[RPCookin]

I wish you much better luck with the new fridge. I have a french door fridge and don't care for the configuration. Bending over the freezer and digging for something you know is in there somewhere is not my idea of fun. I'd go back to the top freezer style in an instant.

We have a side by side and I much prefer it. I've owned top freezer, bottom freezer and side by side, and the third one is by far the easiest to use. We looked at the French door ones and really couldn't see the point.

 

[Addie]

We had a huge chest along with the top freezer on the fridge when we lived in Texas. My landlord made deer meat sausages to sell and used the chest one to store them in. Plus I also kept meats in there. Constantly had to dig through his stuff to find mine. I finally stopped using the chest and had no more in there.

That is a beautiful fridge Zagut. Hope you can make a ton of tasty meals.

 

[Kayelle]

I try to keep my frozen food organized in my various freezers: the one in the kitchen has breads, doughs, nuts, seeds, zest, homemade or grown veggie items, and store-bought frozen veggies. Meats, stock, salsas and cooked leftovers are in the top freezer in the sun room and other stuff is in the small freezer.

I really need to do an inventory and see what all I have. Then I can make a plan for using it up. During the summer, though, it's really hard to resist fresh vegetables from the farmers markets.

Yep, I think freezer organization is everything.

My bottom freezer with two drawers is divided into four sections. The left of the top drawer is for cheeses and nuts, the right is for vegetables. The bottom left is for prepared food, and the right is for meats. We removed the ice maker for more room, and have a separate one in the garage.
Our extra 6 cubic foot freezer contains meats with a running inventory the SC takes care of.
I always pretty much know where to look without any trouble.

 

[dragnlaw]

O boy, I have pro's and con's on almost all fridges.
Like the original post, my fridge was starting to run almost constantly. It was a side by side. I kept vacuuming the back trying to reach the coils thinking that was the problem but to no avail. I went shopping.
Got a french door one, looked for the smallest freezer possible as I already had an upright and a small chest. The only "fridge-only's" were the 'below zero's' which I could hardly afford. Hydro was giving us 60$ and would take away our old fridges.
When they came to get it and hoisted it in the truck, they put it on its back and there were the coils on the bottom, completely coated with dust and hair from many hairy dogs in residence! WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE TELL ME THE COILS WERE UNDERNEATH! I squawked and the guys loading it told me I was not the first person to be caught like that! ARGHHH. That fridge could have possibly lasted another couple of years.

 

[LizStreithorst]

I learned the hard way to vacuum my coils, too.

 

[Cheryl J]

Congrats on your new fridge, Zagut! I hope you'll be very happy with it for many years.

 

[Zagut]

I had that problem with my 10 yr old fridge where the freezer worked and the rest of the fridge did not stay cold. After watching a bunch of how-to Youtube videos I replaced a thermostat (under $10 from Amazon) behind the freezer panel and that took care of the huge ice build-up problem behind the panel which was preventing cold air from entering the main compartment.

The first one died due to a controller that when I tried to find the part on the internet I learned it was no longer available.

O boy, I have pro's and con's on almost all fridges.
Like the original post, my fridge was starting to run almost constantly. It was a side by side. I kept vacuuming the back trying to reach the coils thinking that was the problem but to no avail. I went shopping.
Got a french door one, looked for the smallest freezer possible as I already had an upright and a small chest. The only "fridge-only's" were the 'below zero's' which I could hardly afford. Hydro was giving us 60$ and would take away our old fridges.
When they came to get it and hoisted it in the truck, they put it on its back and there were the coils on the bottom, completely coated with dust and hair from many hairy dogs in residence! WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE TELL ME THE COILS WERE UNDERNEATH! I squawked and the guys loading it told me I was not the first person to be caught like that! ARGHHH. That fridge could have possibly lasted another couple of years.

I wish it was just the coils. I didn't want to dig very deep with a 20 year old fridge so I bit the bullet. The coils were clean as a whistle. But I know what you mean about pet hair. I have 2 kitties but I swear they produce more hair per pound of body weight then is possible.
And in my professional opinion stay away from Sub Zeros unless you want a close relationship with the repairman.

Congrats on your new fridge, Zagut! I hope you'll be very happy with it for many years.

I hope so too Cheryl, The last one (Also a Kenmore) gave me 20+ years of service so I hope this one will too.

I learned the hard way to vacuum my coils, too.

Been there done that myself.






Well it came today.
2 very nice and strong fellows carried that monster upstairs and hauled the dead one downstairs and took it away.
I kept the one kicking the bucket to experiment on.
If I can get it going again it's a plus but it will be a learning experience for me to piddle with even if I don't.

My first observation is that newer fridges take longer to get to temp.
Guess it's an energy saving thing?
Also this thing is very quiet. Hardly hear it run at all.
I transferred all my stuff from the one kicking the bucket once I saw ice crystals beginning to form in the new one.
It's a nice feeling to not worry about losing hundreds of $$$ worth of food and that it's safe now. Crossing my fingers.

Seems I'm not the only one who likes a side by side.
I chose it for it's convenience and it's what I was used to.
I do want to one day get a small chest freezer for the things I want to keep long term.
Things like homemade stock or meats I can buy when cheap.
A chest freezer is inexpensive and very efficient as far as energy goes. There only disadvantage is the archeological effort the take to get to things. I'm just not that organized.

Well gotta go. The second batch of ice cubes just dumped themselves and the manual said I should toss the first 3 so I'll go toss this batch and wait for the third. Once I toss that I'll be able to have ice cubes without the trays.

 

[Andy M.]

...I do want to one day get a small chest freezer for the things I want to keep long term.[/SIZE][/SIZE]
Things like homemade stock or meats I can buy when cheap.
A chest freezer is inexpensive and very efficient as far as energy goes. There only disadvantage is the archeological effort the take to get to things. I'm just not that organized. ...

I steered away from a chest freezer for that very reason. I couldn't see myself bent over the edge of the freezer trying to find something. I went with an upright freezer instead and it's worked out great.

I didn't learn my lesson. Bought a French door refrigerator which is essentially a fridge on top of a chest freezer...

 

[roadfix]

The only one thing good about a chest freezer is that every time you open the chest you're not dumping all the cold air out of the freezer.

 

[GotGarlic]

When I dig in my freezer in the French-door fridge, I count it as a stretching exercise. It's good for me!

If I was going to get another freezer, it would be an upright to replace the small one.

 

[Dawgluver]

I want to dump out my chest freezer. It will be replaced by a side-by-side freezer when it croaks. As will my upstairs French door fridge/freezer.