When I upgraded the kitchen about four years ago, I got all-new stainless steel appliances to replace the dated gold set. I purchased a bundle of three- a dishwasher, stove & refrigerator. Appliance stores commonly offer the bundle as a unique pricing gimmick. It is typically cheaper than buying separate appliances. I now believe that may not be the best way to purchase appliances. In a bundle, you get one manufacturer, and perhaps another manufacturer has a better stove or fridge.
Unfortunately, as of today, I have had to replace each item in my bundle of Frigidaire Gallery Collection. Kitchen appliances should last a minimum of years, according to my research on Google. I sure had problems with my machines way too soon.
First, the dishwasher would not run properly. Sometimes it would drain; sometimes, it just wouldn’t. It was ” repaired” three times under warranty. When they would not replace it, I purchased a new Kitchen Aide. I have been happy with my purchase.
Next, the gallery oven would not hold the oven temperature. My casseroles would be either overdone or undercooked. Baking was a toss-up, so I placed an oven-safe thermometer and found out the oven would not maintain the temperature. Adjusting the controls made the internal temperature even more erratic- so I replaced that appliance with a GE range. My neighbor had just gotten this new range, and she recommended it.
I wanted a Wolfe gas top with an electric oven but could not justify the price at the time. Maybe the next oven purchase if needed. The only thing I would change about my oven purchase is I got the model with the control panel on the back. I now wish I got the one with the flat back and the control panel in the front. It has a much sleeker appearance and would show off my pretty gray/green subway tile backsplash.
So now on to the newest problem – the refrigerator. Again, I had issues with the fridge almost from the get-go. The ice maker would freeze up and make a horrible noise. The repairman the company sent replaced an item in the ice maker, and that did help. He told me to pull it out and blow hot air on it from my hairdryer if it happened again. I just made sure to empty the ice bucket frequently to keep the ice cubes from touching the back wall of the unit. It still made a horrible noise.
I continued with the Gallery fridge, and then this summer, I noticed my produce became moldy. I changed grocery stores thinking the shipping problems of the pandemic were affecting local produce deliveries. However, the problem remained. I went back to a Google search and entered the question- what are common issues with Frigidaire Gallery refrigerators? The results indicated ice maker problems and a common problem with refrigerators- failure to maintain temperature—fridge warming. Now, I thought, that explains my problem.
To test that hypothesis, I bought a thermometer for the refrigerator and found the refrigerator temp was 42F; even lowering the temperature, it would only go to 40. The research indicated that refrigerators should be kept at 38 degrees and the freezer at 0 F. By the way, I also noted that many of my freezer bags, chicken, and meat had more freezer crystals forming. I did not even bother calling the repairman.
This time instead of the box stores I used in the past, I went to a rather expensive but highly recommended local hardware store that repaired its appliances. I trust the work from this place, and although I know I might pay a little more, the quality and the service are top-notched and reliable. To me, that is well worth the cost and effort.
I was torn between the Bosch and the GE. They both got good scores in my search. The salesman told me the GE has fewer repair calls than the Bosch, and parts were more easily obtained. Plus, I did not want another refrigerator with an ice maker on the door. Internally that ice maker takes up a ton of room in the inside box and limits how much food I can put in. I had a problem storing extra milk and other tall items and wanted that space back.
I wanted a fridge with the ice maker in the freezer drawer and a water outlet on the side of the inside door. The original gold fridge I replaced had the ice maker in the bottom freezer, and I much preferred that arrangement. Incidentally, that refrigerator is still working in my son’s garage. The adage seems true: They sure don’t make things like they used to!!!
they came out and replaced a unit in the ice maker
