Buying Guide: Refrigerators
Seeing that I work for a very large home electronics retail center, I have learned MANY things about buying a refrigerator, and thus, here is a guide for all of you consumers out there. This guide is merely full of tips and tid-bits for you to be a SMART consumer, and not one that gives in foolishly to the vicious salesmen out there. So, take out your notepad and read on for the official Buyers Guide to Refrigerators.
If you’re like me, than you are more than likely wanting to have a great item, at an even GREATER price. Well, now-a-days it’s pretty hard to find an item that matches up to its price tag. The saying really is true, you get what you pay for – this is especially true in the appliance world. Even though some of the appliances out there are a little on the pricy end, they really are like an investment into your family. With such “newer” manufacturers like, LG (Lucky Goldstar), Siemens, and Samsung, it is easy for a truly new consumer to not trust them. However, it is with my experience that the latter manufacturers’ products last at least twice as long as the more familiar Whirlpool and GE. Don’t take my word for it, go out and find an individual who owns an appliance from the beforehand mentioned manufacturers, and you will quickly find out that they are VERY satisfied with their products. And if there is anything wrong with them, the customer service for these “foreign” products are light-years ahead of the “American” manufacturers.
All right, lets begin with the basics – Refrigerators come in various different “builds”
1.) TOP MOUNT- Which is what your grandmother is used to. This model is the more traditional refrigerator. It is called a top mount due to the fact that the freezer is positioned ABOVE the refrigerator section.
2.) SIDE-BY-SIDE – This is the second to most commonly found refrigerator. This unit is literally split down the middle, with half of the unit consisting of a freezer and the other half is consisting of a refrigerator. The only downfall with this style of body is you are sacrificing being able to contain bulky items both in the freezer and refrigerator section. Which, if you are a large family, or an avid chef, this could end up with nothing but a headache and a huge hunk of meat sitting out in your living room. INSIDER TIP: Make sure that if you are going with a side-by-side, you choose a model that has TWO different compressors, one for each section (freezer and refrigerator). The main benefit of this being that you will not experience any odor and taste exchanges due to the fact that each section is completely sealed off from the other – they are both separate entities. Also, you will SAVE MONEY by switching to this style, two compressors work less than one – think about it.
3.) BOTTOM MOUNT – This is a fairly new model found within the refrigerator family. It has definitely gained in popularity ever since the “mod” look has become a commonplace within all homes. This unit is called a “Bottom Mount” due to the fact that the freezer is BELOW the refrigerator. One of the cooler benefits of choosing this type of unit is that since the design for it is pretty new, you are going to have all of the latest and greatest updates to the entire refrigerator. Another HUGE benefit of choosing this type of refrigerator, is you are going to have tons freezer AND refrigerator space, much more than the standard Top Mount and loads more than the Side-By-Side(s). If you are a family, a young professional, or someone who is just looking for a unique style for your kitchen, I highly suggest going with this type of refrigerator. INSIDER TIP: Make sure that if you are going with a Bottom Mount, that you absolutely have one with TWO compressors, similar to that of the Side-By-Side. Such manufacturers as Samsung (http://www.Samsung.com) and LG (http://www.us.lge.com) have developed bottom mounts with the specific feature.
FRENCH-DOOR BOTTOM MOUNT – This unit is brand new. It has literally the best of both worlds. The refrigerator section opens up in traditional side-by-side fashion, some models even have an ice and water despencer within the door, and the freezer section is that of a bottom mount refrigerator. One of the only successful models is the LG 22.4 Cubic Foot Side-By-Side Bottom Mount (Model: LFD22850SW). Of course, there are always many different variations with this particular unit, so make sure you visit your friendly appliance specialist at Best Buy, the nations number one home electronics (and appliance) retailer.
Now that we have the basic type of refrigerators out there, lets go over some finer details. We’ll start with considering the water filters. Now these little items have gone along way from where they first began. They are now very smart filters, and the refrigerators that they go inside are now more “filter friendly” than ever before. Some of the newer mid-grade to high-end units have features such as a “filter alert,” which basically alerts its users of when it is time to change the filter. However, be careful to read about how this feature is used – because there are some refrigerators that are set to a timer and every 6-to-8 months will go off and tell you to change your filter – even if the used one is not ruined. Here is a good rule of thumb, pay attention to the way your water tastes, also, make sure you know if you have hard or soft water. The harder your water, the more often you will have to change your water filter. Worried about the cost? The average filter cost is $45.00, however, at most retailers if you agree to buy more than one, you will be able to get a percentage off – if they don’t advertise this, demand it.
Some other various features include the placement of the ice maker – if you are to be able to choose which one you would like, make sure you get one where the ice-maker is IN THE DOOR. By obtaining one of this standard, than you will be able to use the entire section of the freezer (mainly useful with side-by-side and French-Door refrigerators). The ice-maker placement is a very important feature to pay attention too. It used to be that the only choice was a good 13 inches lost in your freezer section, however, there are many different variations to this long-time dilemma. But, for those people who like to keep things as traditional, they still make the standard ice maker placement – however, attempt to upgrade.
There are many different types of refrigerators, however, there is only one main tip I can send to everyone – make sure you research, research, research and make a list of the features that you want. Because, there is a perfect refrigerator out there – find it.
