[xoxoxoBruce]

From Quora...

We were told by a highly recommended repairman that the refrigerators requiring repairs and repeat repairs are bottom freezer units and French door units. The most reliable is top freezer, bottom refrigerator. Side by side are next most reliable. He also said that Whirlpool was the most reliable brand. Whirlpool pulled their refrigerators out of Sears when Sears switched to LG to manufacture the Sears Kenmore brand. Sears is having problems now. We just replaced a Sears Kenmore made by LG that lasted only 3 years and six months. (All three of our earlier refrigerators lasted 14 to 26 years and the Amana is still going!) The compressor died on the Sears Kenmore by LG and it would cost more than half of a new refrigerator to replace it. LG compressors are not well made apparently and undersized for the Kenmore brand. We replaced with a GE side by side. Also, ice makers and water dispensers, as convenient as they may be, are repair prone. Apparently the appliance industry cannot handle redesigns and new designs very well. The same issues with new units also existed when manufacturers tried to change to front loader washers. Many consumers have rejected them as too expensive and unreliable, insisting on conventional top loading washers instead.

There are websites that list refrigerator reliability. Whirlpool is figured on top on many of them. Be careful, however. Certain manufacturers are putting up phony rating websites that list their products as one of the top three. When you see frequent declarations of great products, be suspicious. Even Apple cannot claim its cell phones are without problems. Its a “buyer beware” refrigerator industry.