Amana or Whirlpool Refrigerator?

VK56VD · Oct 25, 2009

I'm in the market for a new Black Side by Side refrigerator.

I'm down to two choices:

An Amana for $700 or a Whirlpool for $630.

Which has the better reputation and reliability?

Thanks

StevieC · Oct 25, 2009

Whirlpool. We had a Whirlpool that lasted 20 years in our old house before we got rid of it because the plastic inside was all broken and the shelves rusty.

Amana also makes a commercial line of products that we use in our Stores and we have had nothing but problems with them.

Doesn't mean their consumer line is the same... but this was the best comparison I could do.

daves87rs · Oct 25, 2009

Whirlpool-worth it...

MGregoir · Oct 25, 2009

Amana is owned by Whirlpool, as is Maytag and Inglis.

-Clayton- · Oct 25, 2009

Whirlpool. I've had this one for about a year and a half now and so far it's been completely trouble free.

Boatowner · Oct 25, 2009

LG, that is what we have, french doors, bottom freezer, real nice, from Sears. Pretty decent price too. Our front load washer is LG also. A couple of brands will never get into our house again, Frigidaire, Maytag and Amana top the list. Whirlpool has always been good and we considered the Whirlpool front load washer but liked the LG better.

asiancivicmaniac · Oct 25, 2009

Yeah stay away from Frigidaire.

We used to have a Kenmore fridge (made by Whirlpool I believe). Dad bought it around 1999 and later sold it to a family friend. They're still using it and they've told me it has worked well.

On the other hand we have a Whirlpool top load washer that had a few issues with the electronics when we first bought it. Was fixed, but it developed some rust spots quite early on around the lid where nothing could have chipped the paint. Except for being noisy (don't know why they call say it is quiet), it works well though. Sorry for talking about a washer.

Jim 5 · Oct 25, 2009

I did a fair amount of research on fridges recently, and I'm convinced you can't buy a good one at any price.

All of the key components are made offshore. If I'm not mistaken, consumer reports advises that if you have a refrigerator that's 6 years old or older and a repair will cost more than $150, you should throw the fridge away and buy a new one.

It's a sad commentary, especially when '50s '60s and '70s fridges are still running.

BennyRS · Oct 25, 2009

Whirlpool

hr1940 · Oct 25, 2009

Between the two I would buy a Whirlpool. I currently have a GE and it works great and my ice maker makes more ice than I can use. When we had an appliance store in the 80's and 90's we had the most calls for repairs on the Frigidaire and Amana products and the least calls for the GE and Whirlpool.

H2GURU · Oct 25, 2009

Ironically I've owned both of these brands as at one time they were the only 2 producing the " bottom freezer " style. The Whirlpool lasted 15 years and the Amana is going on 19 years. I would say that other than the $150 price difference... the Amana is a lot quiter if this is a concern for you?

StevieC · Oct 25, 2009

Just for the group...

We have an LG now (bought on sale) along with an LG stove and it has been nothing but garbage. The fridge was fixed twice under warranty. The Mainboard was replaced twice and now the compressor is rattling inside and probably going to go soon (4 years old). The Stove convection fan doesn't work anymore and the oven temperature doesn't reflect the setting so we have to use a thermometer in the oven to find the right temperature. It can be out anywhere from 10 - 25 oF depending on the setting.

We wish we bought Whirlpool or Kenmore again like we had in the last house... Couldn't kill the stuff. Even when we had our restaurant we would do all kinds of uniform laundry and the washer/dryer would run around the clock between us, a family of five and all the uniforms and the washer/dryer never broke. EVER!

lewdwig · Oct 25, 2009

I vote for Whirlpool, but then again, their headquarters is just up the road.

sprintman · Oct 26, 2009

Amana old good, Amana now bad. They caused a national distributor here so much grief they dropped them, but damage was done and along with a few other things went bust.

PandaBear · Oct 26, 2009

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
I did a fair amount of research on fridges recently, and I'm convinced you can't buy a good one at any price.

All of the key components are made offshore. If I'm not mistaken, consumer reports advises that if you have a refrigerator that's 6 years old or older and a repair will cost more than $150, you should throw the fridge away and buy a new one.

It's a sad commentary, especially when '50s '60s and '70s fridges are still running.

Didn't they also endorse Falken Ziex 512 that has bulging and separation issue over better tires?

PandaBear · Oct 26, 2009

I am a fan of Whirlpool simply because most likely the parts they used have been around for a while and the known problems have already been solved.

LG is a relatively new entrance in the market so there may be some kinks to be worked out.

greenaccord02 · Oct 26, 2009

Whirlpool FTW

ThirdeYe · Oct 26, 2009

We have a Whirlpool side-by-side that was built in January 2001 and within a few years of purchase the compressor died, and all of our food spoiled/melted. The water from the dispenser has always tasted slightly plasticky, too.

Jim 5 · Oct 28, 2009

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: Jim 5
I did a fair amount of research on fridges recently, and I'm convinced you can't buy a good one at any price.

All of the key components are made offshore. If I'm not mistaken, consumer reports advises that if you have a refrigerator that's 6 years old or older and a repair will cost more than $150, you should throw the fridge away and buy a new one.

It's a sad commentary, especially when '50s '60s and '70s fridges are still running.

Didn't they also endorse Falken Ziex 512 that has bulging and separation issue over better tires?

I wouldn't know. If that were true, which from the sounds of your comment it is, would it change the realities of where refrigerator compressors are currently made and the impact that has on modern refrigerator reliability?

PandaBear · Oct 28, 2009

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
I wouldn't know. If that were true, which from the sounds of your comment it is, would it change the realities of where refrigerator compressors are currently made and the impact that has on modern refrigerator reliability?

Not where it was made, but how it was design, IMO, that is the cause of many of LG's problem.

I've reviewed a few microwave and dish washer and the LG seems to have a lower reliability than Whirlpool or other American brand. Not on mechanical parts but on things like plastic rollers.

Maybe they aren't designed to be abused like our typical home appliances are.

Amana or Whirlpool Refrigerator?

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