Samsung Fridges- How awful are they?

9 years ago

Even though Consumer Reports highly rated the Samsung fridge RS265TD highly for excellent performance and usable space, another review site did not recommend it because it had really poor reviews by Amazon users.

Not just that, but Samsung is facing a lawsuit over that class of refrigerator:

http://www.zimmreed.com/Samsung-Refrigerator/20856/

According to the lawsuit, certain Samsung models have an inherent design flaw and defect that causes the coils to ice over and fail prematurely. As a result of this defect, the lawsuit alleges that Samsung fridges do not stay cool, the food spoils, and it takes costly repairs to fix that problem.

The lawsuit accuses Samsung of knowing about this problem, but yet Samsung continues to build, market, and sell fridges with this same flaw.

So, how would I know when I'm shopping for a Samsung fridge if it would have that design flaw? Do most of the Samsungs have this problem, or just a couple of models that have this problem?

When I look at Amazon reviews for other Samsung fridges, I notice that they have middling average ratings because there's a very large number of one star ratings.

Yet, when I look at Consumer Reports reliability reports from 2011-2014, its not like Samsungs really stick out with an high number of repairs compared to other brands. And, JD Powers gives high marks to Samsung fridges for performance and reliability.

I wonder if those Samsung fridges are like my Samsung TV which was great and gave superior performance but then died and needed to be replaced when it was only 3.5 years old. The amazon reviews for that Samsung TV were great in the beginning, but then there were a wave of bad reviews a few years later as a lot of other people had that same problem with their TV.

If the Samsung fridgess are fine when new but break down after a couple of years, maybe there will be a lag for those CR repairs where we don't see that many Samsung repairs in the past few CR reliability reports but will see a significant jump in the next few years.

Comments (4)

Laura
2 years ago
A MULTITUDE of their fridges ALL still have major issues (like the icemaker problems) that all stem back to sealing system defects that Samsung will deny. &..They are STILL selling them! If you are one of those who still have a Samsung & have any kind of issue with function, please come join our group that now has almost 80,000 members. (read the announcements in it after being admitted before asking questions so we can help you best) We are trying to force the hand of SS & make them do a recall...but it has not happened yet.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1520337151601316
Laura
2 years ago
A MULTITUDE of their fridges ALL still have major issues (like the icemaker problems) that all stem back to sealing system defects that Samsung will deny. &..They are STILL selling them! If you are one of those who still have a Samsung & have any kind of issue with function, please come join our group that now has almost 80,000 members. (read the announcements in it after being admitted before asking questions so we can help you best) We are trying to force the hand of SS & make them do a recall...but it has not happened yet.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1520337151601316
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Sharon Fullen
2 years ago
Recently I did some research on main stream refrigerators such as the Samsung. Refrigerators are complex machines so things will go wrong. #1 repair is ice makers. Because things will go wrong, factor in the cost and availability of repairparts. Next factor in customer service (see Facebook group). I think there is no perfect refrigerator for those of us with budgets. Stay away from too many bells and whistles like Wi-fi and inventory control. Just more to fail. I came to the conclusion that repairs (unlike Mom’s frig that lasted 15 years) are just the price of ownership. Sad but true. My 2019 LG malfunctioned 1 month after purchase because a software update didn't automatically update.

You referred to 2014 Consumer Reports. This info is too old for comparison of an electrical product. The best way to determine quality is to call several repair shops and ask what manufacturers they repair less frequently. The extent of Samsung’s quality issue (above) eliminates it from my list!
Laura
2 years ago
Except for the fact that Samsung is all too aware of these factory design defects & they keep selling fridges with the same design defects. There are literally almost 80,000 in a FB group that have all these same problems. Many of them have some more bare-bone fridges & they still have the same problems. It has nothing to do with the "bells & whistles". It a sealing system defect (not a warranty issue) that only gets worse & then causes the other parts in the fridge to break down. I speak from experience. My fridge started having problems in less than one year of my purchase. I have now had 3 total repairs & now the compressor has gone out. (the fridge is now barely 4 years old)