The Fridge Fiasco

[ivinsfan]

My Whirlpool fridge is working great... they are rated higher than Samsung and LG from what I read...

The dents are the big problem from the OP makes you wonder about quality control.

 

[Koolau]

Our 18 year old Whirlpool refrigerator served us well, but the defrost drain line kept freezing over and causing water to build up inside the fridge. I replaced the defrost timer twice, as well as the thermostat, fans, switches, etc. So we decided to buy a new fridge rather than keep throwing money at that one unsuccessfully.

Dec 18, 2022 - We went to Lowes and picked out a new Whirlpool refrigerator that was the same size and color as our old one.

Dec 22, 2022 - I removed the ice maker, disconnected the water line, and moved all our food into coolers. They showed up with the fridge but it had a big dent in the front door. So I rejected the fridge and put everything back in the old fridge.

Dec 26, 2022 - I disconnected and unloaded everything again, and Lowes showed up with another fridge. This one had a big deep scratch in the lower door. So I rejected that one too and reinstalled everything once again.

Dec 31, 2022 - Once again I disconnected and unloaded everything from our old fridge. This one looked good so they hauled away our old one and we waited the recommended two hours before plugging it in. Once we did it had a high pitched whine and vibrated badly. We could hear it through the entire house, and even had to turn up the TV in the living room to hear over the noisy refrigerator.

Jan 3, 2023 - Got a call the night before with a delivery window for another fridge. We waited all day, but no one ever showed. I got tired of listening to the loud noise, so I made a redneck repair to minimize the vibration by sticking a block of wood under one of the refrigerant lines. Still loud, but minimized.

Jan 7, 2023 - Lowes delivery showed up at our door, but they were only here to "pick up" the noisy one. They did not have a replacement. We couldn't live without a fridge, so I sent them away again.

Jan 8, 2023 - Called Lowes to try and schedule another replacement, but the gal told me we were beyond our 48 hour return window and she could only charge us for another one. What?!? How is this our responsibility, you have yet to deliver a working fridge and I'm only past 48 hours because you didn't show up for a scheduled delivery. After going in circles with her she finally gave me her manager and he reluctantly agreed to send out another replacement, but "this would be the last time", like I was some kind of perfectionist problem customer.

Jan 11, 2023 - Repeated the unload and disconnection, and the delivery showed up again. This time there was big smudge mark running across the lower door, and multiple small dents on the sides. Decided it was too significant to live with, so rejected this one too. I figured that was the end of working with Lowes and I would have to go the warranty repair route. At least our noisy new fridge looked nice. Then I got a call later that evening to reschedule another delivery. I was surprised, but OK.

Jan 14th, 2023 - Lowes finally delivered a refrigerator without dents or major scratches, and thankfully it runs quiet. Well, it's still noisier than our old fridge, but it's quiet enough to live with.

We paid $1099 for the fridge, plus additional for the ice maker kit. Over $1300 for the most basic 21 cu/ft top freezer model. Crazy. Of course, it went on sale for $749 just a few days after we bought it. I asked about getting the sale price since we still hadn't had a working fridge delivered, and was assured we could get the sales price within 30 days of our order. They just had to complete the order first. So, I called Jan 15th and spoke with the manager again to get the price adjustment. After lots of "administrative adjustment" he arranged two "gift cards" that could be applied to our credit card, but for some reason couldn't be refunded back to the original card. Weird, but whatever. By my math there was a $350 price difference, but the two "gift cards" only totaled up around $220. I don't know where his numbers came from but I was tired of dealing with this and just wanted it over. $220 was better than full price at least.

So nearly a month later, 6 attempts, and going through 4 refrigerators we finally have one that looks decent and runs quiet. There's still a tiny scratch on the front door and a couple tiny dents in the back, but it was obvious we weren't going to receive a blemish free fridge. I watched the guys unpack them when they got here, so these either left the factory that way or got tossed around on the boat from China.

Hands down this was the worst appliance purchase we've ever gone through. I'm just glad it's over. Hopefully this one will hold up a few years.

Sounds a bit like my experience with BestBuy years ago. Bought a fridge. They delivered later than our bldg. allowed deliveries (due to need to drape the elevator.) Next day. Same. Next day. Same. Next day. Same. Next day - finally got there before the draping was removed (I'd called every day and reminded them about the time frame - even suggested they reverse their route and hit us first.) SO, there was a significant not huge - scratch on the side! I called and said 50% off or take it back. They gave me 50%. Not a great fridge, but adequate. Price was right - with the 50% off. YMMV

 

[Texas Proud]

The dents are the big problem from the OP makes you wonder about quality control.

Or the delivery company... or the warehouse crew...


Just me, but I would think that a large company would fix an assembly line issue that made dents and scratches in the products...

 

[W2R]

I guess I was REALLY lucky! When I bought my Dream Home (back in 2015), I ordered a brand new washer, dryer, and refrigerator/freezer from Sears online. I chose a cheap Kenmore freezer-on-top refrigerator with an add-on icemaker, and a supersized LG top-loader "He" washer with matching dryer.

Everything was fine, no dents, scratches, or other problems. I was still a little annoyed because I had to get my handyman out here to hook everything up properly. Yes I'm stupid about things like that. But anyway he didn't charge me much at all, and it all worked. Still no repairs needed after 8 years of usage.

 

[RobbieB]

I have been buying all my appliances from a local shop in town for over 30 years. My sales guy is still there because he sold out his 401 back in 2008. Yeah, sucks.

But anyway, Pete and I go back a long way, he always takes care of me, prices are within $50 of the the "mega-chains" and the old one is removed for no charge.

No dents either. Everything works. No returns, no warranty service required.

Support your local appliance stores!

 

[jim584672]

I was thinking about buying a new one recently, then I realized anything made during the pandemic suddenly has zero quality control and has shoddy workmanship.

 

[old medic]

I can relate to a seemingly simple thing going to complete fiasco. We just got a freezer from Home Depot, The display looked nice, they come out with one thats obviously been hit near the bottom front with the forklift.. Nope take it back.. don't have another... Refund my money... knocked 40% off... OK it sits in the garage anyway.
We have several discount appliance stores around here that get tons of the scratch and dent stuff from stores like Lowes, Home Depot and such. We got a bottom freezer French door GE for $1800 that included a 7 year full coverage warrantee. Same fridge at Lowes was $3400 W/O extended warrantee. Got some small dents in the side by but thats fine.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My first refrigerator with the ice and water on the door broke after a few years and it was 300 to repair it so didn’t. The repair guy said always buy one that has it inside since it breaks much less often. When I bought one for my condo I couldn’t find one that was the right size with freezer on the bottom that had an ice maker so don’t have one.

 

[Tetto]

Our 18 year old Whirlpool refrigerator served us well, but the defrost drain line kept freezing over and causing water to build up inside the fridge. I replaced the defrost timer twice, as well as the thermostat, fans, switches, etc. So we decided to buy a new fridge rather than keep throwing money at that one unsuccessfully.

Dec 18, 2022 - We went to Lowes and picked out a new Whirlpool refrigerator that was the same size and color as our old one.

Dec 22, 2022 - I removed the ice maker, disconnected the water line, and moved all our food into coolers. They showed up with the fridge but it had a big dent in the front door. So I rejected the fridge and put everything back in the old fridge.

Dec 26, 2022 - I disconnected and unloaded everything again, and Lowes showed up with another fridge. This one had a big deep scratch in the lower door. So I rejected that one too and reinstalled everything once again.

Dec 31, 2022 - Once again I disconnected and unloaded everything from our old fridge. This one looked good so they hauled away our old one and we waited the recommended two hours before plugging it in. Once we did it had a high pitched whine and vibrated badly. We could hear it through the entire house, and even had to turn up the TV in the living room to hear over the noisy refrigerator.

Jan 3, 2023 - Got a call the night before with a delivery window for another fridge. We waited all day, but no one ever showed. I got tired of listening to the loud noise, so I made a redneck repair to minimize the vibration by sticking a block of wood under one of the refrigerant lines. Still loud, but minimized.

Jan 7, 2023 - Lowes delivery showed up at our door, but they were only here to "pick up" the noisy one. They did not have a replacement. We couldn't live without a fridge, so I sent them away again.

Jan 8, 2023 - Called Lowes to try and schedule another replacement, but the gal told me we were beyond our 48 hour return window and she could only charge us for another one. What?!? How is this our responsibility, you have yet to deliver a working fridge and I'm only past 48 hours because you didn't show up for a scheduled delivery. After going in circles with her she finally gave me her manager and he reluctantly agreed to send out another replacement, but "this would be the last time", like I was some kind of perfectionist problem customer.

Jan 11, 2023 - Repeated the unload and disconnection, and the delivery showed up again. This time there was big smudge mark running across the lower door, and multiple small dents on the sides. Decided it was too significant to live with, so rejected this one too. I figured that was the end of working with Lowes and I would have to go the warranty repair route. At least our noisy new fridge looked nice. Then I got a call later that evening to reschedule another delivery. I was surprised, but OK.

Jan 14th, 2023 - Lowes finally delivered a refrigerator without dents or major scratches, and thankfully it runs quiet. Well, it's still noisier than our old fridge, but it's quiet enough to live with.

We paid $1099 for the fridge, plus additional for the ice maker kit. Over $1300 for the most basic 21 cu/ft top freezer model. Crazy. Of course, it went on sale for $749 just a few days after we bought it. I asked about getting the sale price since we still hadn't had a working fridge delivered, and was assured we could get the sales price within 30 days of our order. They just had to complete the order first. So, I called Jan 15th and spoke with the manager again to get the price adjustment. After lots of "administrative adjustment" he arranged two "gift cards" that could be applied to our credit card, but for some reason couldn't be refunded back to the original card. Weird, but whatever. By my math there was a $350 price difference, but the two "gift cards" only totaled up around $220. I don't know where his numbers came from but I was tired of dealing with this and just wanted it over. $220 was better than full price at least.

So nearly a month later, 6 attempts, and going through 4 refrigerators we finally have one that looks decent and runs quiet. There's still a tiny scratch on the front door and a couple tiny dents in the back, but it was obvious we weren't going to receive a blemish free fridge. I watched the guys unpack them when they got here, so these either left the factory that way or got tossed around on the boat from China.

Hands down this was the worst appliance purchase we've ever gone through. I'm just glad it's over. Hopefully this one will hold up a few years.

You should send this to Lowes corporate; let them know what you had to go through dealing with their incompetence. I too purchased a new fridge, but went with a local family business who matches any big box price and then some. It was a wonderful experience!

 

[Koolau]

I have been buying all my appliances from a local shop in town for over 30 years. My sales guy is still there because he sold out his 401 back in 2008. Yeah, sucks.

But anyway, Pete and I go back a long way, he always takes care of me, prices are within $50 of the the "mega-chains" and the old one is removed for no charge.

No dents either. Everything works. No returns, no warranty service required.

Support your local appliance stores!

On the mainland, we had such a place. Bought from the same guy for 40 years. What little service we needed, we got from him. We always bought used, refurbished Maytags. They'd last 20 years or more and cost 1/3 of shiny, new machines. Ed is still there (about my age - apparently he never even HAD a 401(k))

 

[Another Reader]

I have a number of rentals. We do business with the property management side of a long established local appliance store in that area. Never an issue.

I have an order in for a refrigerator with no icemaker from Costco for this house. We shall see how that goes.

It did not go well. The rear corner on one side was dented. I might have lived with that, but the freezer cools to somewhere around 30 degrees. Just low enough to turn Ben and Jerry's into soft serve. No improvement in four days at maximum cold.

I responded to the offer to negotiate on the dents with a polite but firm request to pick up this piece of junk ASAP. That was this morning. Haven't heard back yet, but I'm sure the request will have to go up the chain. I left a scathing review of the refrigerator, which won't be published immediately.

My $99 Insignia 5 cubic foot chest freezer that is now a few years old has no problem with zero degrees. I shudder to think what I will get if I roll the dice on another refrigerator.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I've enjoyed watching this youtuber's advice on appliances.

 

[Koolau]

I've enjoyed watching this youtuber's advice on appliances.

^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks, this could be very useful. I wish I had seen it before buying our washer/dryer though we did pick one he somewhat favors. I'll file this away and hope he updates often.