[net.consumers] refrigerator selection

jww@rruxa.UUCP (WOOD) (01/08/86)

I am currently looking for a new refrigerator.
I prefer one with a bottom freezer but, due to their scarcity I will
probably end up getting a side by side.
 
I would like to see some comments on experiences people have had with 
refrigerators from different manufacturers.
What is more important funcionality or energy efficiency?

george@sysvis (01/13/86)

> I am currently looking for a new refrigerator.
> I would like to see some comments on experiences people have had with 
> refrigerators from different manufacturers.

Year in and year out, Amana seems to garner the most accolades for their
refrigerators.  It would be best that you read a review by a reputable
INDEPENDENT organization before making any choice.  One such review is made
by Consumers Union.  They publish a monthly report called "Consumer Reports"
and a yearly summary called "Consumer Reports -- Buying Guide Issue".  I can
only recommend this particular organization because I read and use it.  I'm
sure that others must exist that have similar data available.

I have an Amana "side-by-side" refrigerator (selected via a review in Consumer
Reports) and have been extremely pleased with it.  The refrigerator is now
8 yrs old and is performing nicely.  Whether functionality or energy efficiency
is more important depends on the mind set of the purchaser.  I believe the
Amana to have both.

suze@terak.UUCP (Suzanne Barnett) (01/13/86)

> I am currently looking for a new refrigerator.
> I prefer one with a bottom freezer but, due to their scarcity I will
> probably end up getting a side by side.
>  
> I would like to see some comments on experiences people have had with 
> refrigerators from different manufacturers.
> What is more important funcionality or energy efficiency?

Saturday we went to the library to do some research on
different refrigerators, the July 85 issue of
_Consumer_Reports_ covered teh subject, and it is condensed in
the '86 _Consumer_Reports_Buying_Guide_. I don't remember any
mention of the freezer location, though they did give sizes of
the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment.

Also, in their recommendations section, it said that if you're
planning to own the refrigerator for its lifetime (~15 years)
energy cost could outweigh purchase cost, if planning to keep
it only a few years, the other way around, unless one lives in
an area where electricity is very expensive. The top six
models covered were overall rated about the same but the
features varied greatly. The top 6 models were:

	Amana TC18G
	Whirlpool ET17HK
	Sears 63771
	GE TBF17CF
	GE TBX18ZF
	Hotpoint CTF17HF
-- 
Suzanne Barnett-Scott
uucp:	 ...{decvax,ihnp4,noao,savax,seismo}!terak!suze
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