Warning do not buy a GE refrigerator

[Bill Dufour]

Our refrigerator went out. Still running, not getting cold. Ended up paying 2,500 for a GE french door Fridge. They did not tell us the internal water filter has a computer chip in it and is only sold by GE for about $50 each. When it claims it is used up it will shut off the ice maker and the water faucet inside. Just like many modern computer ink tanks.
I guess I will have to buy the filter bypass plug, not included, and install a undersink filter just for the fridge. Seems like a scam and I am very disappointed in the controls. No temperature alarm, no temperature display but they can cut off the filter?
Also the little faucet is aligned wrong it points into the box not straight down or even out a bit. Meaning the glass has to be pushed further in and stuff moved off the shelf for clearance. I tried moving it but it feels like it will break.
Bill D

PS: we wanted white but there is a 2-6 month wait for any color other then stainless. It is not really stainless the body is just black paint , and it shows. I know notice the ads just show a picture and do not actually say they are stainless they just let you assume it is all one color. I think white ones would be all white?
Bill D

[Steve Wurster]

From what I understand, the bypass plug on those has an RFID chip in it as well, and you can use that fool the fridge into thinking you are using one of their filters when you are actually using an aftermarket one. And you should have received a bypass plug with the fridge originally; it would have been installed where the filter goes.

[Doug Garson]

Interesting since Good Housekeeping rates the GE Profile series French door fridge as the best overall in their 2021 rankings.
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/appliances/refrigerator-reviews/g179/best-refrigerators/

[Bill Dufour]

Our old sears fridge had a temperature alarm and a display that showed the temp in both the fridge and the freezer whenever you opened the door. We knew it was having problems as it slowly started getting warmer. It took a few days. to fail all the way. The new improved fridge my wife says we will know it is bad when the meat stinks.
I think GE left the display off because people probably complained that it warmed up a few degrees during the defrost cycle.

Same as on my Ford truck. It has what looks like an oil pressure gauge with a needle, but it is really controlled by a on/off switch. People would see the pressure drop at idle when hot and complain that should not happen on a new engine.
Bill D

[glenn bradley]

I fear the day I have to buy a new refrigerator. It appears someone figured out that if they make a refrigerator that lasts 20 years they might only sell you one. If they make one that lasts two or three years they might sell you half a dozen.


Washers and dryer’s are in the same boat. Costing much more than they have any business costing and lasting a year or two if you’re lucky. Your story is particularly unfortunate because I understand the French door GE refrigerators are actually made in America.

[John K Jordan]

Our old sears fridge had a temperature alarm and a display that showed the temp in both the fridge and the freezer whenever you opened the door.


I bought an inexpensive thermometer to monitor temperatures inside the fridge. It has two battery-powered transmitters, put one in the fridge and the other in the freezer. The receiver is stuck to the outside of the fridge with magnets and displays both temperatures, highs/lows, and can set an audible alarm. The freezer in our side-by-side stays about -5F and around 40F in the fridge. We use two fridges and three freezers. For a stand-alone freezer you can get a simpler temperature monitor that uses a temperature sensor on a wire to the inside, run beneath the door seal by a hinge.

JKJ

[Dave Anderson NH]

Since you mentioned it Glenn..... We used Maytag washers and dryers exclusively for 40+ years and had great longevity with them. When it became time to go to our local appliance guy who is great on info, sales, service, and support we got a big surprise. He had dropped Maytaq as his main brand. They had been bought out and the quality and service life had dropped drastically. He now carries Speed Queen instead though at a higher price. We went with the Speed Queen knowing it would last and any problems would be serviced correctly.

[Bill Dufour]

GE, the salesman talked up made in Kentucky in a good factory. It is made in Mexico.

[Bill Dufour]

John, thanks for the tip. I will look into a temperature display/alarm. I had no idea they made anything beyond a simple thermometer.
Bil lD

[Tom M King]

I think any of the new refrigerators are a crap shoot, with not too good odds.

[Alex Zeller]

My Maytag fridge that was about 12 years old stopped cooling. It seemed slow but I think it was more a case of the frozen stuff slowly thawing providing cool air to the fridge. It ended up being a relay on the side of the compressor. It wasn't very expensive and didn't take long to replace. The old one burnt up. Over all I'm not that impressed with Maytag and doubt I would buy a replacement of the same brand.

[Ronald Blue]

I bought an inexpensive thermometer to monitor temperatures inside the fridge. It has two battery-powered transmitters, put one in the fridge and the other in the freezer. The receiver is stuck to the outside of the fridge with magnets and displays both temperatures, highs/lows, and can set an audible alarm. The freezer in our side-by-side stays about -5F and around 40F in the fridge. We use two fridges and three freezers. For a stand-alone freezer you can get a simpler temperature monitor that uses a temperature sensor on a wire to the inside, run beneath the door seal by a hinge.

JKJ
Where did you find those John? I looked because we had a freezer fail and fortunately we caught it before everything was ruined but with it in the garage and not something that's accessed daily it has always worried me. I didn't find what I was seeking at the time but maybe I should look again.

[Wade Lippman]

Last year I bought a Frigidaire for $1500 that had the temperature displays and an alarm. It is real SS, though smudge proof. Hasn't broken yet.

[Mike Soaper]

fwiw As I understand it the chinese company Haier bought GE appliances around 2016

[Brian Elfert]

I thought pretty much all home refrigerators with stainless front have painted sides? Mine is painted gray on the sides.

[Kev Williams]

Just conjecture on my part, but it's my belief one reason the sides of SS fridges aren't SS is simply so there's someplace magnets will stick :) -

[Doug Garson]

Yeah, I doubt the fact that plain carbon steel is cheaper has anything to do with it. :rolleyes: Of course ferritic stainless steels are magnetic only austenitic stainless is not, both are used in appliances.

[Bill Dufour]

Magnets stick just fine to the stainless steel.
The faucet takes 40 seconds to fill a glass. the old fridge took a little over 15 seconds. I would replace the filter when it got to be about 30 seconds. I hope the filter bypass will allow more flow. Funny thing is the ice maker cause ssome loud water hammer. I think they switched out my 7' long rubber/stainless braid waterline for a cheap short one.
Bill D
Bill D

[Richard Hart]

welp... my post disappeared.

[Dwayne Watt]

Our old sears fridge had a temperature alarm and a display that showed the temp in both the fridge and the freezer whenever you opened the door. We knew it was having problems as it slowly started getting warmer. It took a few days. to fail all the way. The new improved fridge my wife says we will know it is bad when the meat stinks.
I think GE left the display off because people probably complained that it warmed up a few degrees during the defrost cycle.

Same as on my Ford truck. It has what looks like an oil pressure gauge with a needle, but it is really controlled by a on/off switch. People would see the pressure drop at idle when hot and complain that should not happen on a new engine.
Bill D
Ford has been using this concept for decades (at least since the 1980's). I refer to it is as an analog idiot light. The gage is either on or off. No middle ground.

[John K Jordan]

Where did you find those John? I looked because we had a freezer fail and fortunately we caught it before everything was ruined but with it in the garage and not something that's accessed daily it has always worried me. I didn't find what I was seeking at the time but maybe I should look again.

My Lovely Bride found them on Amazon, both the fridge/freezer wireless model and the single appliance wired model. I could ask her but to me this looks like the one we use in the kitchen.
https://smile.amazon.com/AcuRite-Refrigerator-Thermometer-Temperature-Customizable/dp/B004QJVU78
I'll have to check but I think I put a lithium AA battery in the thermometer in the freezer. It's been running since the beginning of this year.

JKJ

[Ronald Blue]

Thanks John. That's cheap insurance.

[Bill Carey]

My Lovely Bride found them on Amazon, both the fridge/freezer wireless model and the single appliance wired model. I could ask her but to me this looks like the one we use in the kitchen.
https://smile.amazon.com/AcuRite-Refrigerator-Thermometer-Temperature-Customizable/dp/B004QJVU78
I'll have to check but I think I put a lithium AA battery in the thermometer in the freezer. It's been running since the beginning of this year.

JKJ


Been using the AcuRite for 3 years - they work great. Set the alarm limits to what you want and you'll know when it deviates outside the range set. Bought it after we lost an entire freezer chest full of food. Including 6 racks of my very excellent smoked ribs. :(

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Seems like the way of the world. Build a product and have proprietary consumables for which the customers are gouged after the initial sale. Sort of like John Deere's attempts to keep farmers from working on their own equipment. Or Mahindra making it next to impossible to buy oil filters etc from other companies, by constantly changing the dimensions.

[Jim Koepke]

Here are a couple of articles on how people have gotten around GE's scheme to sell expensive replacement parts.

https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/13/ge_refrigerator_drm_keeps_turning/

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/hack-rwpfe-water-filters-ge-fridge/

It has convinced me that we may forego buying a GE product if another is available without the "smart features" to get more of my money.

jtk

[Bill Dufour]

I wonder if I could take it out and backflush the old filter?
With computer ink tanks they remember up to three serial numbers so you have to cycle three different refill tanks or it will say it is used up and you need a new tank.
Bill D.

[Bill Dufour]

Reading the poor manual I found out it has Sabath mode for Jewish folks! But no info on how to tighten the handles or anything about the icemaker. I think sabath mode will turn it off for a few days if needed.
Bill D