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elizamamma

Samsung Fridge repair issues?

elizamamma
10 years ago

Hi all,
First, thank you for all of the direct and indirect appliance advice. I've learned a lot over the last few months from these pages. I'm still deciding on a fridge. We'd like a counter depth french door, and I like the looks of Electrolux and Samsung. The appliance salesman tried to steer me clear of Samsung due to the difficulty of repairs. I guess there are no dedicated Samsung repair people and parts are hard to get? Can anyone comment on that, or on either of these brands for DC FD fridges?

Thanks!
Liz

Comments (31)

  • deeageaux
    10 years ago

    Five years ago when you needed Samsung parts they needed to be ordered out of New Jersey headquarters or a warehouse in Los Angeles. As the company rapidly grew in the USA and Canada this created a lot of backorders and delays.

    Today things are much better. I don't know if Samsung has the same coverage as Whirlpool or Frigidaire/Electrolux and has every nook and cranny of the USA and Canada filled with regional warehouses for parts but I know that matters have improved significantly.

    I have never heard of dedicated Electrolux repair people. Below is a link from Electrolux to find repair. I punch in my zip code and get a half dozed local independent shops. No dedicated Electrolux repair facility.

    Here is a link that might be useful: LINK

  • dadoes
    10 years ago

    Friends of my sister had a huge ruckus with a Samsung refrigerator last July 2012. They borrowed my spare/garage KitchenAid for ten weeks while awaiting repair ... which ended being a failure after multiple attempts by the repair service so they bought a new unit.

  • deeageaux
    10 years ago

    JD Powers last publically available refrigerator satisfaction study was 2012.

    Samsung ranked #1. Electrolux #14.

    Not a random data point. Scientific data samples.

    Here is a link that might be useful: JD Power

  • dadoes
    10 years ago

    That's nice but it didn't help the Sullivan's situation.

  • None Ofyourbusiness
    10 years ago

    We had a Samsung fridge in our last house that was replaced by Whirlpool. The perception about repairs being difficult is accurate. We needed repairs in 2009, 2011, and 2012. The parts always took 2+ weeks to get. Multiple appliance repair people have told us this is typical and to always by domestic appliances. The parts are easier to get, less expensive, and repairman have more experience with them. All of the appliances we've had from the whirlpool family(whirlpool, kitchen aid, Jenn Air) have served us much better.

  • None Ofyourbusiness
    10 years ago

    We had a Samsung fridge in our last house that was replaced by Whirlpool. The perception about repairs being difficult is accurate. We needed repairs in 2009, 2011, and 2012. The parts always took 2+ weeks to get. Multiple appliance repair people have told us this is typical and to always by domestic appliances. The parts are easier to get, less expensive, and repairman have more experience with them. All of the appliances we've had from the whirlpool family(whirlpool, kitchen aid, Jenn Air) have served us much better.

  • llaatt22
    10 years ago

    Samsung has a fairly widespread reputation for offering trouble free good value at a good price to a high percentage of their customers. Ordinary customers in possession of a newish lemon may experience a more authentically Korean view of customer service needs and a distinct lack of happy smiling faces. And the lesson is also gradually being well learned elsewhere much closer to home.

  • steph2000
    10 years ago

    I've been researching fridges - and Samsung is on our short list. However, I was told this week at Home Depot that there is not a certified training program for service techs for Samsung fridges in the state of Alaska and this can make repairs tricky.

    From what I gather on-line, people really like their Samsung fridges - until and unless they have a problem wtih said fridge.

    Makes it kinda dicey.

    We like a lot of the features, though, including the LED lighting, the shelving, the sealed ice and the flip-up shelf. It seems odd they don't offer a CD FD model that doesn't have an ice maker, though...

  • HannahJohan
    10 years ago

    You can still get it fixed at a good fridge repair place! There are many centers where they provide samsung fridge repair service.

    Here is a link that might be useful: fridge repair

  • rwagoner
    10 years ago

    I refuse to buy Samsung. I doubt their quality, and I hate that they copy EVERYTHING.

  • Mary Graham
    8 years ago

    Samsung has great looks, extras, all the goodies. I've had a stove- still waiting on that part to come in, 2 years and counting. Replaced with GE Induction 2 years ago. My 1ST Samsung fridge icemaker went out 2 years ago, Lowe's (LOVE THEM!!!) replaced it with my choice, another Samsung. that was 2 years ago in September. I'm back in the same boat- broken ice maker, service guy came this morning (4th or 5th trip since January), finally throwing in the towel and admitting they can't fix it. Should get a call from Lowes on Monday- back to fridge shopping for us. No matter how sexy that Samsung looks I will NOT be swayed by it's good looks again.

  • Laura Schwartz
    8 years ago

    I'm on the same boat now. In the process of buying our first home and need a fridge. My preference is a French Door, bottom drawer freezer WITHOUT water and ice on the door. I do want an icemaker in the freezer, though.

    I'd also love to find one with the fridge drawer but haven't seen one of those without the water and ice on the door.

    I'm debating going Samsung, Whirlpool or something else, but from what I've seen so far the Samsung has the best layout inside.

    Would love some insight and opinions!

  • divotdiva2
    8 years ago

    The new Samsung has 4 doors. not sure if it comes without ice / water on the door. My husband wants it as he likes the layout of the counter depth, and the 4th door/section can be a refrigerator or a freezer. He dislikes the wide and deep, 1 or 2 freezer drawers most French door refrigerators have. This one has doors, and inside that drawers - 3 per section - for organization. Our GC only recommended getting the extended warranty if we buy it.

  • Laura Schwartz
    8 years ago

    Oh, yeah, that one looks really nice and also way out of my budget! I'm looking to stay at $2000 and under.

  • fauguy
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    There are now two counter depth 4 door models.

    http://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/RF23J9011SR.html

    Higher price Chef model.

    http://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/RF24J9960S4.html

    Only real different is the stainless metal interior and the ice and water dispenser.

    I ddon't see how the Chef model could be $2000 more. I wouldn't pay that the extra.

    Last year I saw the standard depth 4 door model at HD and liked how it looked, but if they aren't made well and always need repair, then why buy it.

  • divotdiva2
    8 years ago

    not getting the Chef model. Don't need sparkling water dispensed or stainless interior or need the temperature displayed on the face of the door. Buying the other model on sale with warranty. Most brands seem to be a be a little like a crap shoot, I have Whirlpool (Kenmore Elite) now and the ice maker dispenser broke, previous Whirlpool had a poor layout. Other models/brands only have the wide freezer drawers (one or two) and you're forced to dig deep for anything. DH picked this one and since he is letting me choose most other items, he has the say on the fridge.

    I was in Korea in Dec. and one of the department stores gave me a Samsung catalog. They have way different stuff than US, more features. Sometimes our regulations take over as to what can be imported, there is good and bad to that.

  • fauguy
    8 years ago

    Just wondering where and how much was your 4 door Samsung, I guess it is the RF23J listed above.

    Please let us know how you like it after it gets installed.

  • raebutt
    8 years ago

    We bought a Samsung french door refrig/freezer from Home Depot in Dec 2014 in the San Diego area. The freezer drawers kept frosting over despite leveling, seal check etc. Samsung was excellent at sending out a rep to check the freezer, try adjustments then gave us a whole new unit that we have had no problems with. We did complain about the initial issue within 30 days of purchase. Unit runs great and we love it!


  • raebutt
    8 years ago

    BTW our model is french door refrig, separate refrig drawer below then larger freezer drawer. We also have ice and water dispenser on the exterior left door. My son liked it so much he purchased same model for his new home, no problems!


  • divotdiva2
    8 years ago

    Yes it is the RF23J9011. 3k plus tax. It's a special order so won't have it for a while, it has to come by ocean freight. Renov isn't going to start for a while either as we are still looking at the drawings.

    I looked at the 2014 Samsung catalog I mentioned, they show no fewer than five Chef Collection models starting with RF10Hxxxx - only one has the ice/sparkling water (SodaStream) in door - and five non-Chef models starting with RF90Hxxxx -one with water (regular water) and ice in door. The model # for the US version of the Chef model is RF34H I believe. Sometimes the model is just different due to color, they have no less than eight stainless patterns they use on their refrigerators, and seems like about 4 are on these 4-door French Door models. One is more taupe/hint of gold vs. silver. And from the dims, I guess some are regular depth.

    I can't read Korean, but they have lots of photos in the catalog showing cute little containers, yummy food like bibimbap, and bento type boxes custom-fitting inside. I can infer from the diagrams that the Chef collection sparkling water dispenser is adjustable as to amount of bubbles, and can dispense 330ml at a time (I think). The CO2 cartridges can make 60L. I don't drink much carbonated water or soda so this did not interest me. The Chef one also has a place you can hang a (their) stainless pan from a shelf to marinate meat and this frees up your regular shelf space. I can see this being important to the Korean market as they marinate meats a lot. I don't know if the unit will hold up, but I think the engineers put effort into the design.




  • jensonandcathy
    8 years ago

    Our 20+ years old Whirlpool fridge is dying. I am attracted to a Samsung side by side and door in door model with a price under 2,000 but hesitated as reading so many bad review about liability issues and difficulty of getting repaired. True, I can purchase store warranty by Lowes or Homedepot but who wants to deal with repairment or replacement in such a short time? I went to a local GE appliance store. Of course, they confirmed the poor service of Samsung, LG, Kenmore, etc. and interested to buy a GE brand and they would provide timely repairment. But I still love the door in door feature of Samsung and LG brand (Kenmore has it too). I don't really care about the ice water or ice feature but can't find any interesting model without it. Any suggestion? Anyone has a Samsung product and still is happy with it?

  • hvtech42
    8 years ago

    I wouldn't let their extremely biased opinion get in your way.

  • jensonandcathy
    8 years ago

    yes, I also read poor review about GE.

  • jensonandcathy
    8 years ago

    Laura Schwartz, have you ever gotten your new fridge? What brand you got. I am really interested to Model #RH25H5611SR. Now Lowes has it for sale about $1,700.

  • Bernice Roots
    3 years ago

    I'm very upset

  • 101stretired
    3 years ago

    NEVER buy a Samsung, they look nice and that is about it, I have a counter depth French door, I replaced the ice maker twice and replaced the main circuit board. Parts are hard to find, I was lucky found the circuit board on ebay. Thank god I can fix these machines myself, otherwise it would be in the land fill.

  • dadoes
    3 years ago

    My 17yo (serial no. Dec 2003) GE Artica SxS has an inverter, variable speed compressor. The control board (not the inverter) went bad in 2010, got the replacement board for $125. Been good since then.

  • teddybonzer
    last year

    Do NOT buy a Samsung! We got one 6 1/2 years ago. Ice maker replaced twice and now it needs a new compressor. Their service people won’t even guarantee the repair work even for 90 days because the repair process is so problematic. Now I know why none of the reputable repair people in my area will touch a Samsung refrigerator. And I will eat spoiled food before I ever touch another one!

  • daaana
    last year

    Samsung routinely discontinue parts....a HUGE issue for their

  • daaana
    last year
    last modified: last year

    Samsung persistently discontinue parts. This is a HUGE problem for appliances. Just more metal for our land fills. Thanks Samsung for forgetting about out planet!