2 Whirlpool fridges, one holds magnets one doesn't

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I just noticed something odd. I have a newer (8 months old or so) Whirlpool side by side fridge with stainless steel faced doors and black sides. My friend also has a Whirlpool fridge that by all appearances is completely identical to mine and is about a year old. Black sides, stainless faced doors, etc. Literally everything looks identical. The only difference is that mine holds magnets on the stainless steel and his doesn't. It isn't even that magnets just stick better on mine...they work fine on my fridge and fall right off of his. What would cause this difference in the fridges?
 
Stainless steel is alloyed with nickel.... depending on the alloy it often is not magnetic. Perhaps a metallurgist will give us more accurate details, I have always been curious about this myself!!
 
Hmmm...I guess maybe different production date fridges could have different properties if the stainless is alloyed differently.
 
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Hmmm...I guess maybe different production date fridges could have different properties if the stainless is alloyed differently.


Another possibility is that one door might be a very thin layer of stainless laminated over mild steel.
 
Could be differences in the stainless steel used. Not all stainless steels are the same.

Austenitic stainless steels (such as a typical 300 series) are non-magnetic, whereas martensitic stainless steels (such as a typical 400 series) are magnetic.

Unlike austenitic stainless steels, martensitic stainless steels can be hardened. Cutlery is made from both types, depending on application. To maximize strength and edge holding, martensitic is usually chosen, but austenitic stainless steels are more corrosion resistant (yes some stainless oxidizes).

Stainless steels are stain(less), as opposed to stain free. Use them frequently on bloody meat or around salt water without a thorough cleaning and you'll find out quickly how stainless a given steel is.
 
Brian is correct.

Your friend's non-magnetic refrigerator is made of more expensive metal than your refrigerator. It looks like Whirlpool found a way to save cost on making a refrigerator, yet keep it looking the same.
 
Quote:
Your friend's non-magnetic refrigerator is made of more expensive metal than your refrigerator.

Uh-oh, you got gypped!!
shocked2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Kestas
Brian is correct.

Your friend's non-magnetic refrigerator is made of more expensive metal than your refrigerator. It looks like Whirlpool found a way to save cost on making a refrigerator, yet keep it looking the same.


That works for me. If the cheaper stuff holds magnets, I'm all for it!
 
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl

That works for me. If the cheaper stuff holds magnets, I'm all for it!


I though the whole point of stainless steel is to avoid your kids and wife putting magnet all over it.
 
No kids thank God and no wife. Just roommates. We need magnets to hold pizza/take out menus. When she got the fridge the landlord said "ya'll might want to just leave the plastic on the doors." She was right, but the plastic didn't stay on.
 
Austenitic stainless steels (such as a typical 300 series) are non-magnetic, whereas martensitic stainless steels (such as a typical 400 series) are magnetic.

Wow, ask for information, and you shall receive!!
Austenitic, martensitic.....
Heck, Brian, even if you are wrong.... these are some really good words, I will try to work them into my daily conversation!!

LOL
 
Given what I (well my Co) pays for steam turbine blades (410 give or take), the skin on your fridge can't be claimed to be cheap, just less expensive.
 
When we were shopping for fridges we found that there are stainless fridges and "stainless look" fridges. The "stainless look" was designed/engineered to look like stainless but it's magnetic and it doesn't get fingerprints and smudges all over it like real stainless. It's also cheaper.

Maybe this is the difference? But you said the surfaces look *exactly* the same so I'm not sure.
 
those little sheet type magnets aren't very strong at best.
And some of them lose what strength they have over time.
Try something with a real magnet.

I agree with rationull's comments as well.
 
You'd think the #1 priority of refrigerator engineers is to make sure that it is magnet compatible.

What's next? Refrigerators that won't let you tape pictures to it??
 
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